Thursday, June 5, 2008

Tom Ciskowski named director of college and pro scouting for Dallas Cowboys

By Pegasus News wire

DALLAS — Tom Ciskowski was named the Director of College and Pro Scouting in 2008. In his first draft as the top scout, he helped the organization address two positions of concern in landing a pair running backs and cornerbacks with Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins both coming in the first round. The club also gained two additional picks in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Ciskowski, who originally joined the Cowboys scouting department in 1992, finished his seventh season as the club’s Assistant Director of College Scouting in 2007. Ciskowski observed first-hand the top college prospects in the land and also helped organize the club’s entire college scouting operation. In his first season with the Cowboys, he served as a scout administered by the BLESTO Scouting Combine. Ciskowski became an area scout in 1993, working in the west for five years before moving to the southeast from 1998-2000.

Before becoming a scout, Ciskowski spent 15 years in the coaching ranks, the first two (1977-78) as an assistant at Pawhuska, Okla., High School. In 1979, he moved into the college coaching ranks, becoming the defensive backfield coach at East Central University in Ada, Okla. While at ECU, he earned his masters degree in athletic administration. The following year, he moved to Arizona State University, working with the defensive line as a graduate assistant for the 1980-81 seasons.

In 1982, Ciskowski moved to Oklahoma State, joining the staff as an assistant to former Dallas offensive line coach Tony Wise, before becoming the offensive line and tight-end coach at Wichita State in 1984. After that season, Ciskowski joined the University of Miami as a volunteer assistant, working with former Dallas defensive coordinator Butch Davis and the defensive line.

From 1986-89, Ciskowski worked with the offensive and defensive lines, first at New Mexico State for two seasons, and then at UNLV for two more. Before coming to Dallas, he coached the defensive line at College of the Sequoias in Visilia, Calif., from 1990-91. Thirteen of the team’s players went on from the junior college to play Division I football in 1992.

A native of Medford, Okla., Ciskowski attended Medford High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from Cameron University, where he also played football. He and wife Jan live in Coppell, Texas, with sons, Jeremy and Joshua, and daughter Julianna.

Source: Dallas Cowboys

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