Marinelli sees huge role for Monte Kiffin

Monte Kiffin is with the Dallas Cowboys at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this weekend, but he is in a far different role than he was in a year ago.

Kiffin carries the Cowboys' assistant head coach/defense title after Rod Marinelli was promoted to defensive coordinator.

Coach Jason Garrett said Kiffin will be involved in practices and meetings, and he will be with the coaches on game day. On Friday, Kiffin declined to speak with reporters.

“Huge role,” Marinelli said of Kiffin. “He'll be in there every day with us, film, working drills all those things. What a tremendous resource and great coach. Great coach. I've got great respect for him.”

The Cowboys had the worst-ranked defense in the NFL last year in Kiffin's return to the league after a four-year run in college football.

Marinelli's defense is almost the same as Kiffin's defense.

“With me it's always about coach and player relationships,” Marinelli said. “It’s never just on the player. It's always on the coach and player about executing. And it's something each coach, each of us, looks at hard and you look at yourself. How do we get this thing better in terms of doing the little things? Our system is about doing the little things right. So we look at ourselves as teachers. No. 1, how do we become better teachers? How do we get the information across and keep developing these players.”