Cowboys’ RBBC approach last worked 50 years ago

With the acquisition of wide receiver George Pickens last week from the Pittsburgh Steelers, we now know two things about the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 offense for sure.

The first is that there will be no Jerry Jones-Amari Cooper reunion tour. Ever, or at least for as long as Jones retains control of the franchise.

He clearly would rather trade a draft pick and risk an Antonio Brown Jr. being on the roster than admit he was wrong about trading away Cooper a few seasons back.

The second is that there will be no trading for an established veteran to be the Cowboys’ RB1 in 2025.

That means Dallas is going to go with a running back by committee approach on offense this fall.

Could that work, especially if Dak Prescott and the passing attack can find the next gear? It could and it has in the past.

By past, we mean a half-century ago when the Cowboys last tried it.

Sort of, anyway.

By The Numbers

Back in the 1975 and 1976 seasons, Dallas had lost running backs Duane Thomas and Calvin Hill to dissatisfaction over their respective contracts.

Thomas was traded after the 1971 season and eventually ended up with the Washington Redskins in 1973 and 1974 before being out of football for good after a four-year career. Hill, who replaced Thomas as the starter in 1972, went to the brand-new World Football League.

Hill would be a Honolulu Hawaiians for the 1974 season before coming back to the NFL with the Redskins for two years and then a four-year stint with the Cleveland Browns.

Without an established RB1, the Cowboys turned to the RBBC approach with four running backs and a running quarterback in Roger Staubach.

Here’s how they fared over those two years:

1975

Player G/Starts Carries Yards TDs

Robert Newhouse (FB) 14-13 209 930 2

Preston Pearson (RB) 14-10 133 509 2

Doug Dennison (RB) 13-4 111 383 7

Roger Staubach (QB) 13-13 55 316 4

Charley Young (RB) 12-1 50 225 2

1976

Doug Dennison (RB) 14-10 153 542 6

Robert Newhouse (FB) 14-7 116 450 3

Scott Laidlaw (FB) 13-7 94 424 3

Preston Pearson (RB) 10-2 68 233 1

Charley Young (RB) 11-2 48 208 0

Roger Staubach (QB) 14-14 43 184 3

While listed as a fullback, in these two seasons, the versatile Newhouse was a solid halfback. Doug Dennison was a bit of a touchdown vulture.

Newhouse had more carries and more yardage, but Dennison was getting the ball in the endzone to close out drives.

Preston Pearson and Roger Staubach contributed as well, with Charley Young accounting for some nice yardage with limited chances. In 1976, Scott Laidlaw was putting up solid numbers as a fullback.

For individual stats, the approach seems to have paid off.

But how did the team fare overall?

Limited Successes

In 1975, the Cowboys went 10-4. Good enough for second in the NFC East and a wildcard berth.

They went on a run in the playoffs, starting with the Hail Mary victory in Minnesota over the Vikings, 17-14. The following week, they stomped all over the Rams in the NFC Conference championship game, 37-7.

But the RBBC failed Dallas in Super Bowl 10 in a 17-14 loss to the Steelers.

Newhouse led the team in rushing with 56 yards on 16 carries. But 16 of those came on a single carry.

Gaining 40 yards on 15 carries, a 2.67 yards per carry average, does not win championships.

In 1976, the Cowboys won the NFC East with an 11-3 record and looked primed for a trip to Super Bowl XI.

Until the Rams beat them in the Divisional round, 14-12, at Texas Stadium. As with the loss in Super Bowl X, the RBBC vanished at the worst possible time.

Preston Pearson led the team in rushing with 43 yards on 13 carries.

He had 15 yards on one carry, 28 yards on the remaining 12 (2.33 YPC) and Dallas’ offense was non-existent.

A few months later, the Cowboys abandoned the RBBC, drafted their RB1 in Tony Dorsett, and won Super Bowl XII to close out the 1977 season.

The RBBC approach got them to the playoffs, but it failed to deliver a Lombardi Trophy.

Would RBBC Work Today?

Most teams have a solid one-two punch at running back. The Cowboys have stated they intend to feature the running game more in 2025.

That’s a good thing for many reasons.

But do they have a one-two punch at running back right now?

Honestly, no. But they could have two of their six running backs currently on roster develop into one.

At this moment, though, using all six, and having Prescott start running a little more himself, might give the Cowboys their best chance at making the playoffs this year.

Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, and Phil Mafah will likely share most of the load. They would be spelled by Miles Sanders and Deuce Vaughn if he’s not on the practice squad this fall.

Toss in some carries by fullback Hunter Luepke, when he’s not blocking for the others, and some plays by backup quarterback Joe Milton too.

This could be a recipe for success, similar to the mid-1970s Cowboys teams above.

It would probably get them to the postseason. It would remain to be seen if it would end the 29-year championship drought.

We’ll find out, one way or the other, by late January or early February.