Cowboys search for Parcells replacement heating up

by Dave Halprin on Jan 24, 2007 1:00 AM CST in News Comment 10 comments

It's hard to keep up - there is so much going on - whether it's real news or idle speculation. There's plenty of talk about who will replace Bill Parcells in Big D. Here's the latest I've got on the search.

KFFL has this from Ed Werder.

ESPN's Ed Werder reports the Dallas Cowboys have requested permission from the San Diego Chargers to meet with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips regarding their vacant head coaching position.

This is backed up by John Clayton.

The Cowboys are also seeking permission to speak with Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

So it sounds like Wade Phillips is going to get an interview. Someone who won't be getting an interview is Jeff Fisher, so we should probably remove him from any list, including the long-shot list.

"We haven't been contacted by Dallas," chief executive officer Steve Underwood said in a statement Tuesday. "In the event that we were, there are no circumstances that we would grant permission to the Cowboys to speak with Coach Fisher."

Just for clerical record keeping, the Cowboys have met the requirements of the Rooney Rule.

Interviewing [Todd] Bowles, an African-American, means the Cowboys have met the stipulations of the Rooney Rule, which mandates a team must interview at least one minority candidate.

Clayton also says we have contacted Jason Garrett about coaching under a potential head coach.

The Cowboys first received permission from the Miami Dolphins, who have [Jason] Garrett under contract as their quarterbacks coach for one more season. The Cowboys are making hires that will accelerate the development of Romo and are believed to be considering pairing Garrett with either Phillips or 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Both have previous head coaching experience.

Over at his blog, Clayton says add a couple of more names into the mix.

Two names that might be added to the list of candidates for the Cowboys head coaching job are Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast and Broncos assistant head coach Jim Bates. Both have coached in Dallas and know Jerry Jones. Bates gained valuable experience as an interim coach with the Dolphins and was a finalist for the Packers job a year ago. Pendergast would have been the interim coach in Arizona had Dennis Green stepped down during the bye week. Jerry and Stephen Jones spent Tuesday mapping out their plans for replacing Bill Parcells.

Bob Stoops says he's not interested.

Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday he is not a candidate to coach the Dallas Cowboys or to leave the Sooners for any other job.

"To end speculation here in the heart of recruiting, I want to make it clear that I am not interested in any other coaching positions at this time," Stoops said. "I am too excited about our future at Oklahoma and the program we're continuing to build."

That's a pretty weak denial. BTB regular Doomsday has his own view on the candidacy of Bob Stoops in a Diary, here.

Nick Eatman brings up another possible name that I've seen a couple of times over the past day.

Les Miles - Has Cowboys ties, having spent two years under Chan Gailey as tight ends coach. Miles went to Oklahoma State and then LSU, where he is considered one of the best motivational head coaches in the nation.

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New Coach

Mickey Spagnola has a good article on the Cowboys site about who the new coach might be. It also gives good reasons about who it might not be.

MWB

by MWB on Jan 24, 2007 8:16 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

My three guesses for the head coaching job

1-Norv Turner
2-Wade Phillips
3-Jason Garrett

I think Jerry wants to take over the reigns again and be the puppet master, I think he'll hire a offenseive coach first that can help Tony Romo and the running game, thats why I would like Norv Turner as my first choice.

Wade Phillips is the guy if we stay in the 3-4, but I was never a fan on that scheme, infact I think this team is better suited for the 4-3 scheme right now.

Jason Garrett would be the true puppet master hire and also a short term hire, I think if Fisher cant get more power in player decisions, he'll be on the market next year and Jerry will go after him or Cowher.

by Deke on Jan 24, 2007 10:25 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

New Coach

just might be a short term deal because I really see Jones making a push at some big name coaches who will be available in the up coming years like Cowher and Fisher.

That being said, Phillips as HC and Garrett as OC make the most sense to me in the interim.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 24, 2007 10:43 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Insanity.

That would be forfeiting next season. Aint gonna happen. This team is stocked with talent; they can compete NOW. Jerry isn't going to dicker around with coaches, changing them every year.

No self-respecting coach would sign a 1 or 2 year deal. OK, maybe Mike Tice, but that's the quality we'd be looking at. It would be disasterous to have a coach on a one year gig. Whoever he hires will be given a 4 year deal at least. Its not like there are not quality guys out there. Rivera would have been hired twice over by now as a HC had he not been busy with this whole Super Bowl thing.

In short, the Cowboys need to aim for a Championship every year, and they should bring in a coach now who they believe in. If you start 2007 looking ahead to 2008, you are wasting prime years of some of our best players' careers.

by jsdoty on Jan 24, 2007 10:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Interviewing Garrett

Interesting:

Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett was interviewing Wednesday with Dallas owner Jerry Jones to become the team's offensive coordinator, Cowboys sources said.

Garrett left the Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Ala., early Wednesday morning aboard a commercial flight to Dallas to meet with the Cowboys at their Valley Ranch team facility.

Garrett is the first coach from outside the organization known to have been interviewed directly since Bill Parcells resigned on Monday. The Cowboys are operating under a deadline imposed by the Dolphins. According to a league source, the Dolphins gave the Cowboys permission to approach Garrett but have insisted they make a decision by Thursday.

The Cowboys' plan for replacing Parcells at this point is to determine whether Garrett as offensive coordinator can call plays, develop the offensive scheme and manage the offensive coaching staff and the players -- particularly Terrell Owens. If it is determined that Garrett, who has never called plays, can handle that much responsibility, then the Cowboys are expected to pursue San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to replace Parcells. If Jones decides that Garrett is not quite ready for that role, he would be hired as offensive coordinator and then paired with Norv Turner, who can handle the overall offense.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2741032

by Philosopher on Jan 24, 2007 11:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't want Norv Turner

The guy excites me about as much as Janet Reno in a bikini does. So, I hope it ends up being Phillips/Garrett.

If we go with Turner and Garrett, what are we going to do for D.C.? I am far more worried about the defense than I am the offense.

by Philosopher on Jan 24, 2007 11:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

aaaarrrrggghhhh

Please please please not Norval! No no no!

No one is saying this, but Todd Bowles might be the DC. Parcells was reportedly going to promote him anyway. I'd be happy with keeping some of Parcells' coaches on board.

by jsdoty on Jan 24, 2007 11:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That one's tough

If JJ hires him as OC according to the deadline, that certainly lets any potential HC know who's calling the shots.

Fear is just frozen adrenaline.

by abileneblues on Jan 24, 2007 11:23 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sheer Lunacy

This team has great skill positions and significant OL problems but managed to score a lot.

The defense on the other hand was a mess. The offensive staff largely remains but the team has lost the architect of the defense and it's coordinator.

Hiring a guy with an offensive background, who has failed repeatedly as coach and shown no ability to manage superstar egos is crazy.

Assuming the new coach can deal w/81 then they should leave the offensive mechanisms largely in piece and figure out how to get the defense performing. Without significant defensive improvement hiring Norv, Martz, Vermeil, Chow, Weiss, etc would be wasted energy. The only coach who can win with this kind of defense is Paul Westhead.

Let's get someone who can maximize the defense.

by 325424 on Jan 24, 2007 5:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs