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Saturday, July 18, 1998
UNT grad looks for brighter future with Cowboys
By JEFF CAPLAN / Denton Record Chronicle
DENTON, Texas -- Toby Gowin is back at camp for his second
season with the Dallas Cowboys.
One of the University of North Texas' most dominant punters
ever, Gowin has pushed aside a torturous 1997 preseason when he
was fighting for the job and then a mediocre season that he finished
ranked 27th out of 30 punters in the National Football League.
To top it off, the season was the Cowboys' worst since Jimmy
Johnson's first season when Dallas finished 1-15. Turbulence bucked
the Cowboys throughout the season rocking between critical injuries
and a firestorm of criticism directed at former coach Barry Switzer.
"It was definitely a long season," said Gowin from
his Valley Ranch apartment. "I already sense that the (team's)
attitude has improved over last year (under new head coach Chan
Gailey). A lot of guys have been working hard and we've had a
good turnout (at minicamps) throughout the offseason. Everyone
seems excited and ready to turn the year around."
Including Gowin. He spent last preseason in a dogfight with
free agent punter Lonnie Calicchio for the starting job. For much
of the exhibition season, neither punter kicked like an NFL-caliber
punter. Gowin finally took control with a big game against the
Oilers in the final preseason game.
"I finally hit a couple of punts that were crucial at
the time," he remembered. "That's when I had a sense
that maybe I was going to be with the Cowboys. That preseason
was some of the worst kicking in my career."
Cowboys kicking coach Steve Hoffman believed in Gowin's abilities
and stuck with him through some trying times when Gowin searched
for the booming leg that set several records at North Texas.
"He hung as long as he could for me. He helped me work
through things," Gowin said. "I got the sense that he
wanted me to succeed and he would do anything to help me out."
Gowin finally won the job late in the preseason and got off
to a hot start, ranking in the top five in punting average. But,
as the Cowboys slipped, so did Gowin. He finished the year averaging
41.8 yards a punt and accumulated just a 35.4 yard net average,
while landing 26 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
"About midseason, I got into a little slump that really
hurt me," Gowin said. "It is frustrating when you work
on your punting, then get in a slump and don't know what to do
to get out of it.
"I really didn't stop punting from my senior year at North
Texas and I think my leg was tiring a little bit."
After marrying an old high school classmate from his hometown
in Jacksonville, Texas, on Valentine's Day, Gowin returned to
training in March equipped with a second-year minimum salary contract
worth $181,000.
He will face competition again this preseason from Fordham
graduate Barry Cantrell. However, Gowin's dual duties of kicking
off and punting look to be secure for the coming season.
"I think it benefits both of us to have a punter come
into camp," Gowin said. "Hopefully it will be just to
provide competition that makes us both better and also give me
a break since I do handle punting and kickoffs. It can take a
toll.
"Hopefully, this camp will not be as stressful."
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Distributed by The Associated Press
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