IRVING, Texas -- Dan Bailey went from converting 87 percent of his field goal attempts as a rookie in 2011 to converting 94 percent of his kicks in 2012. But the 25-year-old Dallas kicker isn't at all content with how he kicked last season, a campaign where he kicked four game-winning kicks but also missed another one that would have won at Baltimore. Instead the Oklahoma City native is focused on doing whatever he can to make sure he has an even better 2013 season.
"Yeah, I think it [my career] has been a good start. I'd like to play eight or 10 more [years]," Bailey said on Tuesday during the Cowboys' veteran minicamp. "So yeah, just trying to build off of positive things, learning from the negatives and learning from the positives too, but I think just keeping the mindset of this is another year. Forget what's happened in the past. Let's make this the best year you can possibly make it hopefully when you look back 20 years from now and you can well, yeah I strung together some good years there and it was a lot of fun."
Former Dallas kicker Chris Boniol has been a Special Teams Assistant and Kicking Coach for America's Team since 2010. Boniol and the Cowboys' current kicker, a former Oklahoma State standout, have been working together since 2011 and it's fair to say that the teacher is quite impressed with what he's seen from his student thus far.
That's because during their nearly two full years of working together, he has seen Bailey go from being an undrafted free agent who had to scratch and claw his way to earn the job as Dallas' placekicker. And since then, he has seen the Oklahoma native become more and more comfortable in that role and the results have followed.
"He's overcome a lot of adversity," Boniol said. "He's got such high standards that he competes with perfection and he does a great job of that. I think he's learned how to manage his practice. He knows what works for him and how to work. He's done a great job."
Of course, after talking to both the former Cowboy kicker and the man who currently holds that designation, it quickly becomes clear that this is a relationship built upon a solid foundation of mutual respect, something partly due to them both being part of that kicker union, which could be similar to the goalie union that is often talked about in hockey.
"Yeah, having Chris on staff, it's great," Bailey said. "Any input I can get from him is only going to benefit me. A lot of guys around the league don't have that option, don't have that luxury. So to me, it's just an extra advantage I have over everybody else, to have somebody to kind of bounce ideas off of. I think it's a great relationship."
While Bailey and Boniol have been working together for the last few seasons and it's clearly a partnership that not only has already paid dividends, but it's also one that continues to develop and evolve as they continue to work together.
However, there is one big change for both of them as the Cowboys hired Rich Bisaccia as their new Special Teams Coach after Joe DeCamillis had held the same position in Dallas since 2009. And while both of them have enjoyed working alongside Bisaccia thus far, they each admit getting adjusted to a new way of doing things after things being the same way for several seasons under DeCamillis has been somewhat of an adjustment.
"Obviously, anytime you have a new coordinator coming in there's going to be little differences across the board but nothing major, just small things here and there. The main goals are still in place, especially with kicking. It's pretty straightforward. Just different philosophies and stuff, so far it's been great. We're just getting on the same page with each other. He's had a lot of experience so there's a lot I can learn from him and kind of tweak the way I do things to kind of fit into his system. I think it'll be good. I think it'll be a good fit."
According to Boniol, adjusting to Bisaccia's methodology has been a big focus for
Bailey this off-season, but no matter whether it's DeCamillis or Bisaccia calling the shots on special teams, certain things remain constant with this former OSU kicker.
"As always, he works on his control, his ball strike. What matters most in a kick is how you strike the ball. So, he likes to work," Boniol said. "He likes to work hard, work on his kickoffs a little bit to keep that going and keep his endurance up. Then you keep training hard and then going into camp in great condition, in great kicking condition and then ready to have a solid year."
Last year, along with wide receiver Dez Bryant and linebacker Orie Lemon, who is now in Kansas City, Bailey was one of three OSU products playing for America's Team. But even with Lemon now a Chief, the number of former O-State standouts in Dallas remains at three with the drafting of former OSU star running back Joseph Randle in the fifth round.
Bailey and Randle were teammates several years back in Stillwater when Randle was a freshman and not only is he glad to see another ex-Cowboy on the roster, but he also likes the solid skill set that Randle will bring to Dallas this fall as a rookie.
"Yeah, he was a freshman my senior year, so I kind of knew he was going to be good. You could just tell when he came in. He's always been a good athlete and just real versatile and a real hard worker, so I'm excited," Bailey said. "I was glad we picked him. I think he'll be a good fit for what we're trying to do here. Both on the field and off the field, he's a good guy and a great athlete. I think it's a win-win for us."
