FRISCO – Brian Schottenheimer has taken over as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and has worked furiously to achieve his spoken goal of creating one of the greatest “cultures” in sports history. Job 1, then, today here inside The Star? Make sure Micah Parsons shows up.

Quarterback Dak Prescott is also a front-burner issue as the Cowboys will on Monday officially begin voluntary workouts. And from an attendance perspective, Dak intends on making it easy on the new boss. Said Prescott: “I think it’s clear throughout the team, with guys and men that he’s hired, the coaches, and the way that he’s got the building on the same page.”

Schottenheimer will be keeping one eye on Dak, who has progressed in his rehab from the 2024 season-ending hamstring tear that he’s vowed to participate in some level in this week’s sessions. “I’m getting close to where I want to be,” Prescott said on Friday. “I don’t want to put a percentage on it, we’ve got team activities coming up, imagine myself being involved in some sort, if not all. But then again, understanding my age, what I went through, so not rushing anything, but I’m where I want to be.

“If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that.” There is nothing to gain from Dak pushing it. Dallas’ first day of the offseason begins here with a long stretch of work. OTAs start on May 19, and mandatory minicamp starts on June 10. Then comes training camp in Oxnard with a late-July reporting date.

Amid a flood of silly Dak-related reports (including the bogus “30- to 50-pound weight loss” foolishness that CowboysCountry.com shot down last week – with our story of Dak weighing the same 226 pounds he’s been at for some time now being confirmed by the Pro Bowl QB – the Cowboys have every reason to take the cautious approach with No. 4.

Are they also in good shape with No. 11? Parsons, involved in contract negotiations with team owner Jerry Jones that figure to result in a deal that will make him among the highest-paid non-QB’s in NFL history – has previously skipped some portions of the annual voluntary workouts, opting to get in shape on his own.

The Cowboys have not been fond of that approach, and when Jones recently put some leadership-related pressure on Parsons? That was in part about subtly urging him to be at all of these workouts. For what it’s worth, Parsons has said he plans to be here. … but Schottenheimer’s other eye might be on the in-door at The Star to see if that happens.

Dak’s endorsement of “Schotty” included this remark: “There aren’t any monumental conversations that need to happen. But it’s his direction, the way he envisions this offense, and the way he sees the team moving forward.” We’re about to find out if Micah is ready today to push in that same direction.