THE ICON's Jason Hatcher

[MACHIAVELLI]

Second-year defensive end Jay Ratliff recorded the Cowboys' lone sack, but rookie defensive end and third-round pick Jason Hatcher made first contact.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=9B6386BC-A719-1D8B-3897AC0742910C79

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Defensive Line (7)
Chris Canty
Jason Ferguson
Marcus Spears
Kenyon Coleman
Jason Hatcher
Jay Ratliff
Thomas Johnson
Summary: The only real surprise was that sixth-round pick Montavious Stanley couldn't beat out Johnson. Either way, the Cowboys are thin behind Ferguson at nose tackle and are likely still looking for some experienced backup help. Hatcher came on strong at the end of camp, and Coleman, who appeared to be getting showcased early in preseason for a possible trade, gives the Cowboys some bulk at the end spot if Ratliff needs to help out inside.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=70FF7367-C881-C8F2-494F812D52CA3D3E
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Greg Ellis and Jason Hatcher combined for a sack on the final play of the game.(vs. Washington)
http://web.theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=b2be5a58f2ba8e6b

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From DMN Jean-Jacques Taylor Q & A

Q: Jason Hatcher has displayed a nice burst to the quarterback in both the Jacksonville and Washington games. Is he further along than what the Cowboys envisioned at this stage of his career?
Timothy Stearns

TAYLOR: With his athleticism, the Cowboys thought he could contribute as a pass rusher. The smart thing they've done is use him at tackle in the nickel defense because most defensive ends are superior pass rushers and most guards are average in pass protection. When Hatcher moves to tackle, he has an advantage over most guards. Since the Cowboys are putting him in the game in passing situations, he doesn't really have to worry about stopping the run, which allows him to get off the ball quickly.


http://www.cowboysplus.com/buzzbar/stories/092006cpbuzzivr.256758c4.html
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Hatcher has a sack and has been playing as a defensive tackle in the nickel defense.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?contentType=5&id=D7694C7A-C4F4-74F7-1CF3FDF79654960C

[MACHIAVELLI]

Football: Cowboys' pass rushers impressing Parcells
Brunell should know. He was sacked six times, with end-turned-linebacker Greg Ellis leading the way with 11/2.

Ware and ends Spears, Jay Ratliff and Kenyon Coleman recorded one sack each. Third-round pick , an end from Grambling, shared one with Ellis. Jason Hatcher

"I thought Ware put good pressure on," Parcells said. "I thought Greg did a very good job rushing from the outside. And Spears was involved, Ratliff was involved, Hatcher was involved. (Veteran nose tackle) Jason Ferguson made a play on a reverse."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA092406.14C.FBNcowboys.defense.2ea3898.html

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Greg Ellis' transition from defensive end to linebacker has been so smooth that there is talk that he might make a run at the Pro Bowl. He has simply been a terror off the edge. But what Parcells likes the most is that several players are getting in on the act. Six players have sacks, led by Jay Ratliff with two. Ellis has 1 1/2. Kenyon Coleman, Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware have one. Jason Hatcher has 1/2.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15595114.htm
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Spears has good quickness and speed. If he plays with leverage he is hard to deal with. I'm looking for even more things out of him. I expect great things from both he and Canty. I also think Hatcher is coming along faster than I thought he would.

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64958
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Hatcher coming along
When the Cowboys drafted Jason Hatcher he was expected to play almost exclusively in pass-rush situations.

But Cowboys coach Bill Parcells has seen enough to know that Hatcher is not lost against the run.

"He has hung in there. I mean he's got work to do there," Parcells said. "I wouldn't say [Hatcher's play against the run] has shown up in the game where it's hurt us."

As part of the defensive line rotation in the 3-4 scheme, Hatcher has a half sack and two quarterback pressures.

"I am surprised the way I'm playing," Hatcher said. "Coming from a 4-3 [alignment], there are a lot of different blocks and schemes to pick up. It's working in a smaller amount of space."
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/15619400.htm
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Quick study
By Raymond A. Partsch III
[email protected]

Jason Hatcher has come a long way from pulling down touchdown passes at Guy Campbell Stadium in Jena.

In April, the former all-state wide receiver and All-Southwestern Athletic Conference defensive end was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round, signing a four-year contract worth $2.22 million.The 6-foot-6, 295-pounder from Grambling State University bought his wife and kids a beautiful home in suburban Dallas. And to top it all off, he has seen considerable playing time in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme this season. Hatcher has handled the transition to the NFL well.

Early in rookie camp through late preseason drills, Hatcher worked overtime on improving his overall game. He spent considerable time working on his rhythm to adjust to the tempo of the NFL.

"The veterans on the team had been telling me that I was going to have to adjust to the tempo of the game and I did have trouble early on," Hatcher said.

While making the adjustment, he found a mentor in nine-year veteran Greg Ellis.

"He's a great guy and has helped me a lot along the way. He's a professional and a great mentor." Hatcher said. "A lot of the times, I'll just study him and watch what he does during practice or on gameday."

Throughout training camp, Hatcher lived by a simple philosophy.

"I tried to do something good every day," he said. "I wasn't trying to be the man. I was just taking it one day at a time."

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/SPORTS/610080305/1006

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IRVING, Texas - Cowboys rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher sprained his ankle in Sunday's 34-6 win over Houston and could be out "a little while," Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said Monday.

"Not sure how long, but I don't think he'll be able to work this week very much," Parcells said of Hatcher, whose X-rays were negative.

Hatcher has been working mostly inside at defensive tackle along with Jay Ratliff on the Cowboys' four-man line in nickel situations. The Cowboys' third-round pick has recorded three tackles, a half-sack and three quarterback pressures in five games

"He's a little up and down in his consistency, but I think he does have good potential and he is a potential pressure player," Parcells said of Hatcher, who developed into an effective pass-rusher at Grambling. "We'd like to get him back as soon as we can."

Parcells could plug veteran Kenyon Coleman into Hatcher's spot in pass-rushing situations. If not Coleman, then possibly defensive end Marcus Spears, who has worked with the second-team nickel.

"He's a good player," Coleman said of Hatcher. "I think he does well in the nickel. I think he does well in the base defense we run. The sooner we get him back the better."


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=53B2FDAD-B9AF-226D-27463E658E1DAF54
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Hatcher Listed As Doubtful

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys have mostly avoided the injury bug through the first five games, but a pair of contributing players are on this week's injury report heading into Monday night's NFC East match-up with the Giants.

Rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher is listed as doubtful for the Monday's game at Texas Stadium (7:30 p.m. CDT) after spraining his right ankle in the Cowboys' 34-6 win over Houston. While Hatcher did not practice on Wednesday, backup safety and special teams ace Keith Davis (ankle) practiced and is listed as probable.

Hatcher has been working mostly inside at defensive tackle along with Jay Ratliff on the Cowboys' four-man line in nickel situations. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells was unsure of just when his rookie defensive end, who was wearing a protective walking boot, would be healthy enough to return.

Hatcher has recorded three tackles, a half-sack and three quarterback pressures in five games. Parcells has called the Cowboys' third-round pick a "potential pressure player."

If Hatcher can't play Monday, Parcells said, "We're going to have to use a combination of people just to try to keep our top pass-rushers from getting tired, so we worked a couple of different guys at different spots."

Parcells said he wouldn't move linebacker Greg Ellis back to the defensive line if Hatcher sits, but said he has worked linebacker Akin Ayodele on the outside, which Ayodele played in spurts with Jacksonville before signing with the Cowboys. Ayodele said he also did that in college, putting his hand on the ground as a defensive end in pass-rush situations.

Parcells also could plug veteran defensive end Kenyon Coleman into Hatcher's spot in pass-rushing situations, or possibly defensive end Marcus Spears, who worked there on the second team during training camp.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=5DCECF90-0053-233B-D3E60368DB4576D4

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Hatcher Upgraded

Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher missed Monday's game because of a badly sprained ankle, but has been upgraded to questionable on this week's injury report heading into the Carolina game.

Hatcher didn't practice last week and was listed as doubtful. Veteran Kenyon Coleman replaced him as the backup defensive end against the Giants and in Hatcher's spot on the four-man line nickel defense, recording recorded four tackles and a sack.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=81D349D9-EDE0-D598-F029241037677B84

[MACHIAVELLI]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/nbr1diva/Cowboys/hatcher_1105.jpg

[MACHIAVELLI]

Here's how our others writers on DallasCowboys.com polled the following categories:

Best: Rookie Jason Hatcher


http://lb.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?editorialAuthor=2&id=D447CDE0-A132-E58D-C4BE6884F9C491D1
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* DE Jason Hatcher might be an option for the Cowboys in their quest to find a replacement for the sidelined Greg Ellis as a pass rusher. Hatcher is the next best edge rusher behind Ellis and linebacker DeMarcus Ware. However, right now they like him as a inside rusher on the nickel
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=64&p=2&c=590936
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Some comments from fans on the Zone after the Indy game

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71083




Hatcher did great. I'm so proud of him! Got to love his story and the talent he's now showing.





Ratliff and Hatcher are our only hopes for pass rush from the DLine. Hatcher collpased the pocket numerous times today.



This guy is only getting better. I had no idea who he was when we drafted him, but I sure as hell do now!

[MACHIAVELLI]

Life without Greg Ellis continues for the Cowboys' defense, which rotated veteran Al Singleton and rookie Bobby Carpenter at left outside linebacker for the second consecutive game. Rookie Jason Hatcher substituted in nickel situations.

Singleton and Carpenter combined for four tackles and Hatcher had three tackles and a sack in place of Ellis, who was moved to injured reserve Nov. 15 with a torn Achilles' tendon.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=17F92763-98D7-D84D- 8847685C09EC8621
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Jason the Hatchling

Bill Parcells was visibly upset a few weeks ago when rookie DE Jason Hatcher was injured. He stated in more than one press conference that Hatcher’s absence upset his end rotation with Demarcus Ware and Greg Ellis. Hatcher showed why yesterday, providing steady pressure from right end. He logged Dallas’ only sack of the day. His return allows Ware to flip to left end, where he has been driving right tackles crazy.

http://theboysblog.com/2006/11/24/got-their-romo-working-dal las-topples-tampa-38-10/
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Either way, the key to stopping any high-powered passing game is to pressure the quarterback. If Spears and Canty don't do the job, Parcells likely will turn to rookie Jason Hatcher (six pressures, mainly in the nickel defense) or veteran Kenyon Coleman (two sacks).

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA121006.12C.FB Ncowboys.adv.2515657.html

[Smendy]

Excellent info on Hatcher

[MACHIAVELLI]

In A Rush

Parcells seemed much more pleased with rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher's play over the past two games than his absence from practice Thursday to attend the birth of his third child.

"He's got himself on the list," said Parcells, as if his third-round draft choice could control when the birth would occur.

In the past two games, Hatcher, normally used as a defensive end on the four-man line nickel defense, has recorded three tackles, one sack of Michael Vick last Saturday and one quarterback pressure. He now has 2½ sacks and seven quarterback pressures playing in a limited role.

"He's been doing better," Parcells said of rushing the quarterback. "He played better last week and the week before that."

Parcells said Hatcher can be equally effective at defensive end playing in a 3-4 defense, as well as a 4-3.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=ACACF649-CB34-FE7C-2D0230A22756CB0D

[mikebigg]

In A Rush

Parcells seemed much more pleased with rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher's play over the past two games than his absence from practice Thursday to attend the birth of his third child.

"He's got himself on the list," said Parcells, as if his third-round draft choice could control when the birth would occur.

In the past two games, Hatcher, normally used as a defensive end on the four-man line nickel defense, has recorded three tackles, one sack of Michael Vick last Saturday and one quarterback pressure. He now has 2½ sacks and seven quarterback pressures playing in a limited role.

"He's been doing better," Parcells said of rushing the quarterback. "He played better last week and the week before that."

Parcells said Hatcher can be equally effective at defensive end playing in a 3-4 defense, as well as a 4-3.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=ACACF649-CB34-FE7C-2D0230A22756CB0D

Glad to hear the good news about the birth of the child. Mach, we both have had the good fortune of knowing Hatcher...he restores one's faith in the youth of today. A well-mannered young man who still says yessir and yes ma'am. I can't wait to see him during the offseason so I can mess with him about that azzwhupping the Saints put on him.

I got to meet his father-in-law during the Bayou Classic Tailgate Party in SI...good people!

Congrats Hatcher...not bad for a kid who started off as a wide receiver!

:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: