The old saying “don't count your chickens before they hatch” seems fitting for the way the Dallas Cowboys 2019 season has turned out so far. This was a team with Super Bowl aspirations entering the year, especially after their 3-0 start, but are now on their second three-game losing streak of the season. There must've been some bad eggs in the Cowboys batch, because I don't think anyone would've predicted they'd be sitting at 6-7 with three regular-season games yet to play.
There is plenty of blame to go around, but I think we all know it starts at the top with Dallas Cowboys Owner/General Manager Jerry Jones and then trickles down to Head Coach Jason Garrett. Now I know a lot of Cowboys Nation would love to see the Cowboys GM relinquish quite a bit of his control, but we know that's not going to happen. The only other logical solution to Dallas' 2019 woes is to replace the head coach. After all, shit crap rolls downhill.
Jason Garrett's seat hasn't been any hotter than it is right now after two of the most embarrassing losses in Dallas Cowboys history. His job is secure at the moment though as long as Dallas remains in playoff contention according to Jerry Jones, but all signs point to him hitting unemployment in the not-too-distant future. That not-too-distant future could be sooner rather than later, which could be why the Cowboys brass looks to be zeroing in on eventual replacements.
Who you may ask? Well, let's take a look…
Urban Meyer
Former University of Florida and Ohio State University Head Coach Urban Meyer threw his hat into the ring as a potential Jason Garrett replacement a few weeks ago. Meyer is currently enjoying his second retirement from collegiate football and is currently serving as an analyst for the sport. He recently stated on live TV how attractive the head-coaching gig with the Dallas Cowboys would be. The Cowboys apparently heard him and have supposedly reached out according to Jane Slater.
Jerry Jones says Jason Garrett will remain the coach but I can confirm a very real interest in Urban Meyer. In fact, I'm told Stephen Jones spoke with him recently. Lincoln Riley remains a strong candidate & file this name as a possibility Clemson OC Tony Elliott per sources.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) December 6, 2019
Urban Meyer makes a lot of sense if the Dallas Cowboys are looking for more of an established head coach with a proven track record, albeit at the collegiate level. He has an impressive resume highlighted by his 187-32 record as a HC, a 12-3 record in bowl games, and he has won three national championships. That's exactly the kind of winning pedigree Jerry and Stephen Jones want from their next head coach. Luckily there seems to be mutual interest between the two, but Meyer isn't the only candidate the Cowboys have their eye on.
Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen, who recently decided to step down as head coach of the Washington Huskies, is another candidate the Dallas Cowboys have supposedly shown an interest in. Petersen's reasoning for stepping down in Washington though could put a damper on the Cowboys interest. He is apparently wanting to “step away and recharge”, but a call from the Jones' could be too enticing for him to pass up.
Like Urban Meyer, Chris Petersen is another established head coach at the collegiate level with a proven track record. He is 6-6 in bowl games and has an overall record of 146-38. The longtime Boise State, yes that school the Cowboys love to add players from, and Huskies HC could rejoin several of his former players in Dallas. Kellen Moore (the Cowboys current offensive coordinator), Defensive End DeMarcus Lawrence, and a Defensive Lineman Tyrone Crawford all played under Petersen and could help lure him to Dallas.
Lincoln Riley
You may have missed it earlier in the tweet I shared from Jane Slater since we were talking about Urban Meyer, but current Oklahoma Head Coach Lincoln Riley still remains a strong candidate to replace Jason Garrett as well. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Riley is the Dallas Cowboys top choice to become their next head coach. They've been building a relationship with him the past few years, probably in the hopes of luring him to Dallas when the time came. That time could be now.
Lincoln Riley doesn't quite have the same kind of longevity and success as a HC like Urban Meyer and Chris Petersen, but he is considered one of the best up-and-coming offensive gurus in the game at either the professional or collegiate level. His youthful exuberance could be exactly what the Dallas Cowboys and their players need right now. Not to mention, his track record of developing quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts), two of which were drafted in the first-round in consecutive years. His overall 35-5 record is nothing to scoff at either considering he's only been a head coach since 2017.
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Urban Meyer, Chris Petersen, and Lincoln Riley of course are only the first names to get linked to the Dallas Cowboys in their search for Jason Garrett's eventual replacement. More names will continue to pop up in the next coming weeks/months, whether it be via speculation or some undisclosed “source”. Regardless, you can bet the Cowboys will leave no stone unturned in the all-important quest to find their next head coach.
All we can do now as fans is kickback, enjoy the ride, and hope/pray the Dallas Cowboys find the right head coach to lead them back to the promised land… the ever elusive Super Bowl.
