Cowboys Camp: NFL Network’s Steve Wyche talks about finding points of interest for each team

OXNARD, California (KLTV) - Steve Wyche from the NFL network has covered a few camps throughout the league, and he was on site at the Cowboys Camp Saturday. He said the angle he looks for when covering an event depends on the team.

“It depends on every team,” Wyche said, “What is the news? Where is the angle, right? The cowboys, we have things like Zack Martin, the all-pro offensive lineman is not here. Dak Prescott, he’s always big news. But with the Cowboys, I mean look, somebody could like drop a thimble on the ground, and it’s news. So, you know, coming out here everyone hangs on every word Jerry Jones says. Mike McCarthy’s new play caller this year, so there’s all this news especially on the early days, those are the bigger picture, that people want to know. Then as training camp goes along, we narrow the scope down. How’s Mika Parsons going to fit? Maybe some defense of changes. How is the rookie Mazi Smith going to be there at nose tackle? Projected to start, so little things like that. It’s over of course it. Like I said, with the Cowboys, somebody sneezes, it’s news.”

Something that sets the NFL network apart, however, is how they go behind a highlight. Their coverage goes behind and underneath what makes a team or player tick. That attention to detail is why the NFL network is considered the golden standard, so planning a day’s coverage, including non-highlights, is an important process.

“Well, you know you, we usually have highlights after practice or after a game, so let’s come in ‘pre,’” Wyche said. “We don’t want to be ‘scratch and sniff,’ and too many times, media in general will go, ‘Ok, it looks like you threw a bad pass, smells like you threw a bad pass; it’s a bad pass.’ Well, no, we want to dig a little deeper. Maybe the receiver didn’t go deep enough on the route, or maybe something happened with a miscommunication. Let’s explain that.”

The running back story developing now is also a major focus.

“Huge,” Wyche said, “it’s huge to a degree because, one, Zeke is not here as of now. We don’t know if he’s going to come back. Tony Pollard is coming off that injury; they are putting a lot on him. They got some people to back up, but I mean the running back has been the bread and butter for the Cowboys over the past two or three years. Are they going to be more of a pass-oriented offense, especially with Mike McCarthy. It’s the play caller. It’s not about you as much as it was.”

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