FRISCO, Texas -- Donovan Ezeiruaku never went more than two games last year at Boston College without a sack. He is six games into his Dallas Cowboys career, and the second-round defensive end is still looking for his first sack as a professional.
"It's hard, but I've got to keep chopping at it honestly," Ezeiruaku said. "I'm getting back there. I'm getting QB hits and pressures or whatever the case may be. Maybe I'm not living right. But it's going to click, and when it clicks, I believe it's going to be a wave."
Ezeiruaku has 14 quarterback pressures. He is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with three. He has forced a fumble and been credited with 16 tackles. But the Cowboys selected him in part because he led the country -- and set a school record -- with 16.5 sacks last season.
He has noticed NFL quarterbacks get rid of the ball faster than college quarterbacks.
"Quarterbacks know timing," he said. "They feel that pressure on their back. It's a little bit of timing, but I've got to do my job and get there faster."
In his first six games last year at BC, Ezeiruaku had 11.5 sacks. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus does not see a player pressing for sacks.
"It's going to come because he's really bringing it in practice," Eberflus said. "He's done a great job in the games getting home. I think that's coming. Love the way he's working. Love the guy."
Let there be light
Brian Schottenheimer has experienced a lot of firsts in his first year as Cowboys coach. Sunday will be another: a late afternoon kickoff (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox) where the sun could be an issue coming through the end zone glass.
It's been an issue since the stadium opened in 2009. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones does not want to put up curtains, nor does he want to put anything on the glass to cut down on the glare.
"Well, I've been here for a little while and I've heard about it," Schottenheimer said. "Hey, look, we really do [study it]. If you guys could see the process and the plan we have in place to figure it out. We have satellite imaging. We have pictures of the sun, when it's coming down. There's a big plan and process. But I think when you look at historically at what's happened, it really hasn't affected many situations. We plan for it. The opponents plan for it.
"But at the end of the day, it's something that we're aware of. It's very beautiful. It's majestic when the sun comes through there."
Staying engaged
For an injured player, it might be difficult staying engaged with the season. The games go on without you and you can feel forgotten.
Safety Malik Hooker is on injured reserve with a toe injury. He will miss at least two more games and could be back after the Nov. 9 bye week.
"Maybe, probably you can tend to feel that for some people," Hooker said. "Because you do go to meetings, but it's kind of like you're taking notes and know you're not playing. Obviously the coaches are communicating to the guys that are playing and stuff like that."
Hooker has experience with serious injuries and knows how to remain involved. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL in 2017 and missed the last nine games. He missed 14 games in 2020 with a torn Achilles.
"I kind of know how to be locked in, but also use it as, I guess, breathing time," he said. "This is a long season for us, so use it as a resetting and getting a lot more treatment and being able to take care of other nicks that I might've been dealing with."
He still communicates with teammates. While watching the past two games at home, he sent text messages to the fellow safeties to see at halftime. During the week, he is still going to the group dinners and telling them what he is seeing.
"I try to watch games in advance, too, depending on who we play," Hooker said. "It's just kind of letting them know what I've seen in the last game and going into the next week, what I've seen."