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CANTON, Ohio -- Sometimes, when youth is served, it pays off. Ask Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett about that and see him smile. Rookie Devonte Hollomans 75-yard interception return with a tipped pass keyed the Cowboys 24-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the Hall of Fame game Sunday night that opened the NFLs preseason. Dallas also got a strong effort from its relatively inexperienced running backs, from some youngsters on the offensive line, and by a defence making the switch to the 4-3 alignment under new co-ordinator Monte Kiffin. "Any time you can give young players an extra chance to play in a game, they grow," Garrett said. "With an extra preseason game, it makes sense to give those young guys an opportunity to play." Hollomon, a sixth-round pick from South Carolina was perfectly situated when rookie Chad Bumphis had Matt Moores pass go off his hands in the second quarter. "I thought about it the whole way here and it actually happened," he said of making a big play, after which he got his "first handshake from coach Garrett." The linebacker sped toward the end zone with a group of blockers escorting him, and after he scored he tightly clutched the ball as he headed to the Dallas sideline. "I had a celebration in my mind, but I was overwhelmed and decided to celebrate with my teammates," he said. "It was fantastic, a really great play from him," Garrett said. "We were swarming to the football, had a lot of guys around the quarterback, and then the ball pops in the air and he makes a great play and great run." Bumphis otherwise had a strong game with five receptions for 85 yards. "I feel like I can create mismatches in the slot," said Bumphis, who was undrafted out of Mississippi State. "Just get open. Im a good receiver when it comes to getting in and out of my breaks, and thats where I feel like Im my best." The Cowboys controlled most of the game one night after their former offensive lineman, Larry Allen, and former coach, Bill Parcells, were inducted into the hall. Quarterback Tony Romo, coming off back surgery to remove a cyst, sat out for Dallas. So the Cowboys turned to their ground game -- and ground down Miami as few regulars got onto the field. Miamis mistakes were decisive. They struggled most of the night against Dallas new defence masterminded by Kiffin, the man who designed the Tampa 2 scheme so prevalent throughout the NFL. Although top running back DeMarco Murray was held out, the Cowboys were dominant on the ground. Phillip Tanner did the bulk of the early work and finished with 59 yards and a touchdown. Joseph Randle handled the late duty and had 70 yards as Dallas piled up 170 yards rushing. "Were trying to get an identity as a group," Tanner said. "We had Coach DeMarco on the sideline telling us to just go out and play." Allen, Parcells and the other five inductees -- Cris Carter, Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp, Curley Culp and Dave Robinson -- were on hand and were honoured again before the game. Parcells, who coached Dallas and was an executive for the Dolphins in his final two NFL stops, walked through a line of players from both teams, pointing and exchanging barbs and smiles with them. Soon after, Dallas led 7-0 on Tanners 1-yard run. The Cowboys were set up at the Miami 9 when Ryan Tannehill botched a handoff to Lamar Miller on the Dolphins first offensive play and Nick Hayden recovered. Tanner soon departed with a left arm injury, but returned and ran over and through Miamis defence. Dallas moved the ball well in offensive co-ordinator Bill Callahans first outing as its play caller; those duties were taken away from head coach Jason Garrett in the off-season. Of course, few starters ever made it onto the field for either side. Dan Baileys 49-yard field goal made it 10-0, then Holloman made his long sprint to the end zone. Dan Carpenter kicked a 27-yard field goal for Miami, which used Tannehill for only 10 snaps before Moore came in. Third-string QB Pat Devlin hit rookie Keenan Davis with a 5-yard TD pass on fourth down in the final period, making it 17-10, and Carpenter added a 45-yarder. But rookie Kendial Lawrence ran in from 7 yards with 1:57 left to clinch it for Dallas, even though Moore returned and added a 5-yard TD pass to Kyle Miller with 16 seconds to go. Defensive end Dion Jordan, the third overall pick in the draft, had little impact for the Dolphins. "I thought wed play better," a clearly disappointed coach Joe Philbin said. NOTES: The Cowboys now are 2-3 in the game, while the Dolphins are 0-4. ... Head to head, the Cowboys lead the preseason series 6-2. ... Several Dallas players sustained minor injuries, and Garrett seemed most concerned with a left ankle injury for safety Matt Johnson . ... Miami is at Jacksonville on Friday night, while Dallas visits Oakland ... The Dolphins wore their new uniforms, which are closer to the original aqua colour of the 1960s, and have a slightly different logo on the helmet. Kevin Durant will return to Oklahoma City on Feb. 11 and join the Golden State Warriors for an NBA Finals rematch at Cleveland on Christmas.Dwyane Wade will return to Miami and Derrick Rose will go back to Chicago early in the 2016-17 season, which was unveiled Thursday by the NBA.The season begins Oct. 25 in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers will raise their first championship banner against the retooled New York Knicks, which acquired Rose from the Bulls in June.Later that night, the Warriors play their first game since Durant left the Thunder to join them when they host the San Antonio Spurs, who will be opening a new era for the franchise following Tim Duncans retirement.Most of the league opens Oct. 26, including No. 1 pick Ben Simmons making his NBA debut as Philadelphia hosts Oklahoma City.6The Los Angeles Lakers will play their first game without the retired Kobe Bryant since 1996 later that night, hosting Houston as new Rockets coach Mike DAntoni returns to his last coaching stop.Wade, a Chicago native who had spent his entire career in Miami, plays his first game with the Bulls at home on Oct. 27 against Boston. The No. 5 pick of the 2003 draft plays in Miami as a visitor for the first time on Nov.dddddddddddd. 10, less than a week after Rose goes back to his old home for the first time as the Knicks visit the Bulls on Nov. 4.The five-game Christmas schedule is highlighted again by the finals rematch. The other Dec. 25 matchups are Boston at New York, Chicago at San Antonio, Minnesota at Oklahoma City, and the Clippers and Lakers in Los Angeles.For the first time in NBA history, no team will have more than one stretch where it has to play four games in five nights. There are only 20 instances on the entire schedule, a 71 percent drop from 2014-15 as the league continues looking for a more rest-friendly schedule.Back-to-backs were trimmed to an average of 16.3 per team, down from 19.3 per team just two years ago.All-Star weekend is Feb. 17-19 in a city yet to be determined. The NBA took it out of Charlotte because of its objections to a North Carolina that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. New Orleans is the favorite to get the game.The season ends April 12. ' ' '