Cowboy Offense Rolls on, Even Without Tony Dorsett

THOUSAND OAKS —  Tony Dorsett remained absent from training camp Saturday but the Dallas Cowboys offense did not seem to miss its wandering tailback.

Ron Springs, Norm Granger and rookie Robert Lavette led the offense to a 34-24 victory over the defense in the annual intrasquad scrimmage before an estimated crowd of 3,500 at California Lutheran.

The Cowboys are carrying on under the assumption that Dorsett will not be available for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against the Washington Redskins. But the Cowboys gave no sign Saturday of altering their tailback-oriented running game, giving the ball to whatever tailback was handy.

Granger, a second-year man who last year was a fullback, got the first touchdown on a sweep of the right side. He faked rookie corner Ricky Easmon out of the play and sprinted 41 yards.

Lavette, the fourth-round pick from Georgia Tech, got the second touchdown on another sweep, this one a 31-yarder, benefiting from a clearing block by rookie guard Crawford Ker and outrunning the secondary.

Springs, who was switched from fullback when it became apparent last week that Dorsett was going to be missing from camp for some time, had only three yards in two carries. But he caught a 24-yard pass from quarterback Danny White that set up the first score, a 38-yard Rafael Septien field goal.

With Coach Tom Landry in Canton, Ohio, for Roger Staubach’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, assistants Jim Shofner coached the offense and Ernie Stautner coached the defense.