Cowboys look inside first

by Dave Halprin on Jan 23, 2007 4:25 PM CST in News Comment 9 comments

So we have our first real news on the Cowboys coaching search. Owner Jerry Jones is going to sit down with three of the Cowboys assistants to talk about the future.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones will begin the search for Bill Parcells' replacement Tuesday with some familiar faces.

According to several sources, Jones is scheduled to speak with offensive assistants Tony Sparano and Todd Haley as well as secondary coach Todd Bowles as possible replacements for Parcells, who resigned Monday.

Sparano, Haley and Bowles are all under contract with the Cowboys through 2007. Sparano is the only one of the three with head coaching experience, spending four years at New Haven (1994 to '98).

These may be about the HC position, or maybe just general interviews about their future in Dallas. None of these guys excite me, but they may be qualified. It's so hard for outsiders to get a view of the Dallas assistant coaches because of Parcells' gag-rule on them. But that didn't stop me from forming an opinion on Mike Zimmer, so I guess I can on these guys, too. Right now, they aren't in my top-tier of coaches I want to see replace Parcells.

I've been reading on boards that Ron Rivera, the Bears defensive assistant, went on the radio and expressed an interest in the Dallas job, said the scheme of the defense won't matter because he teaches concepts, not necessarily scheme, and sounded like he had a plan for future head coaching. Most listeners came away impressed. I haven't heard it so I can't comment, but just wanted to pass along that news.

Another name that hasn't been talked about much is Norm Chow, who has done some pretty incredible work with QB's in his time. The DMN blog lays it out this way:

I can't imagine there is anybody better at developing young QBs than Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

Remember all the draft talk that Vince Young couldn't be a legit NFL starter for at least a season or two? Chow helped him become the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, Phillip Rivers, Steve Young, Jim McMahon and Ty Detmer are among the quarterbacks who owe some of their success to Chow, a former assistant at BYU, North Carolina State and USC.

Rick Gosselin had this to say:

Norm Chow also would be a consideration. He, too, interviewed at Arizona this month. In the last three seasons, Chow coached Matt Leinart to a Heisman Trophy at Southern Cal in 2004 and Vince Young to NFL Rookie of the Year honors at Tennessee in 2006. So he has plenty to offer an emerging young quarterback, as well.

Like Caldwell, Chow appreciates the need to play and develop youngsters. Having spent 22 seasons in the college game, Chow knows how to turn over a roster every four years. He also was the offensive coordinator on the youngest team in the NFL in 2006 - a Tennessee team that finished 8-8.

Someone in the comments brought up Jimmy Johnson's endorsement of Norv Turner. Jimmy on Norv:

"Not the sexy hire I'm sure many fans are looking for," said Jimmy, "but when you have the Tony Romo factor, then everybody had better think hard about Norv Turner.

"Everyone knows how I feel about Norv, but beyond that, I'm taking a look at what you want to happen on offense with Romo. And Norv is the candidate that makes the most sense in that area."

But when you mix in the serious defensive questions, can Turner find the right answers there?

"I don't know," answered Johnson, "but on a list of priorities for the Cowboys, developing Romo is as important as putting the defense back together. Now, can you find the right guy to do both?"

And then there is this bit from Adam Schefter:

Jones is expected to conduct an exhaustive, comprehensive coaching search that could wind up bringing the dynamic duo of Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and former Cowboys quarterback Jason Garrett to Dallas, NFL sources said Monday.

Of the many ideas Jones is considering -- and he will stop at nothing to ensure the continued success of his franchise -- one is hiring Phillips as his head coach and Garrett as his offensive coordinator/head-coach-in training.

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Comments

Rivera, Chow, Turner and Phillips

I'd be happy with anyone of those guys as HC. The bottom line is no matter who we hire, we need somebody to help continue the development of Romo as well as a defensive guy who will take our defense to the next level.

I guess thats why I'm an advocate of the Phillips/Garrett combo as Schefler suggests. Garrett comes in as OC and picks up where Lee left off with Romo and Phillips could take our 3-4 defense to the next level. Teach those schemes to a younger assistant and then once he retires, which would be soon since he is 60, then Garrett would be ready to replace him with a top notch defense already in place. Sounds like a good plan to me.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 23, 2007 4:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

New Coach

I like this matchup also. Phillips could bring his linebacker coach with him as the DC.

MWB

by MWB on Jan 24, 2007 8:23 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Greg Manusky

I've attached a link below that provides info of what the Bolts' LB coach has accomplished in his five seasons in San Diego.

Plus, this guy's still fairly young (in coaching year, that is).

Check it out.

http://www.chargers.com/team/coaches/greg-manusky.htm

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" - Ric Flair

by kcbrett5 on Jan 24, 2007 9:23 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i'm thinking

HC not nearly as important as defensive coordinator. our offense was fairly conservative and it still put up points.

by ab03 on Jan 23, 2007 7:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

espn tonight

Ed Werder claims that several players, including one he described as a prominent veteran, have wondered when the Boys are going to get rid of "Number 81"

Sean Salisbury and Chris Mortensen both said they expect TO to be cut before his next bonus is due.

Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey

by Seanrude on Jan 23, 2007 8:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe they wish #81 would get cut

Ol christmas-tree head and Mort would like nothing more than to see TO faced with humility. I'm all for shutting him up but what has he said that didn't have at least a shred of truth to it?
Your grandma is new-school?

The whole "grandma" comment is being blown up with headlines "TO rips Parcells" or as Fox Sports put it, "TO throws Bill under the Bus." Your and my grandma are just like TO's grandma, they don't trust ATMs, still stand in line on Friday to deposit or withdraw money, write checks at the register for everything. They are stuck in their old-school ways, there's no changing them.

Now some of you might be young enough to have a 50yr old grandma that's internet savvy and uses a debit card like a pro, but grandmas at the age of Parcells or older stick to what they know and don't take chances. That's all TO was trying to say. Period.

Wow, when you really dis-like someone you have no interest in taking what they say at face value, it automatically falls to the extreme end of the spectrum.

by Doomsday on Jan 23, 2007 10:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Werder's comments

are what I found interesting. Reporting that TO does not have a lot of allies int he locker room is different from wishing he was gone, like Salisbury and Mortensen

Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey

by Seanrude on Jan 24, 2007 8:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And did T.O. say anything...

...that wasn't being said by fans and the Dallas Media for the past month and a half?

I dislike #81 as a man, but I find it hard to believe that a lot of players dislike him. Even in Philly, where he "tore up" the team, most players said they wished he could have stayed.

Coaching

Something about the Phillips/Garrett combo rubs me the wrong way. I was a big fan of Jason, but what has he done to merit an OC position here or the title of "Romo Developer"?

I like the name Chow. He has a history of developing QBs. Hire him and let Bowles be DC, see what he's got.

Or maybe Rivera. He says he's okay with a 3-4. He has an awesome defense in Chicago. Hire him and let Sparano be OC.

I'm just glad I'm not Jerry right now.

Poke

by Poke on Jan 23, 2007 11:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs