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Seven Coaches the Cowboys Shouldn't Hire, Including McCarthy and Urban Meyer

OPINION: The head-coaching search is on in Dallas. Here are seven names that I do not want leading the Cowboys into 2020, a List Led by Mike McCarthy and Urban Meyer

Matthew Postins

Seven Coaches the Cowboys Shouldn't Hire, Including McCarthy and Urban Meyer
Seven Coaches the Cowboys Shouldn't Hire, Including McCarthy and Urban Meyer /

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are looking for a new head coach as they slowly part ways with Jason Garrett. Everyone has their own idea of who they want to take over the Cowboys. Here are seven names that I would not want to see coaching the Cowboys in 2020. ... featuring two guys - Urban Meyer and Mike McCarthy - who have already been connected to Dallas via interviews.

Urban Meyer, former Ohio State head coach

Meyer has the best odds among Las Vegas bookmakers, and he’s expressed an interest in the job (he and the Jones family have already "played footsie,'' as Fish likes to term it).

In some respects, he feels like a good fit. His offensive scheme is one that quarterback Dak Prescott would likely thrive in. He coached current Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. He’s cultivated an extensive coaching tree full of successful college head coaches and assistants.

However, I don’t believe he’s a good in-game adjustor, something the Cowboys sorely need. His offensive scheme may be a good fit, but it’s basically been the same since his days at Florida. He hasn’t called plays in more than a decade. Plus, he left both Florida and Ohio State due to health issues. That would be my biggest concern with this hire.

And, frankly, drama follows this guy wherever he goes. While the Cowboys are no stranger to drama, Jerry Jones likes to be the one at the center of it.

Nevertheless, Fish suggests that Meyer might very much be a part of this intricate dance.

Bob Stoops, former Oklahoma head coach

Stoops has been linked to this job before, where there was speculation surrounding Jason Garrett. Certainly, like Meyer, Stoops has a tremendous track record. But if he were looking to make the move to the NFL, frankly, he would have done it already. There were opportunities, but he chose to stay at OU.

Now that he’s out of coaching full-time (you can’t tell me the XFL job is a full-time job), I think Stoops will enjoy the laid-back nature of the spring league and still have time to see his kids play college football. Jones might make the call to Barry Switzer to get a sense of what Stoops could do, but this seems played out.

Mike McCarthy, former Green Bay head coach

McCarthy has a Super Bowl ring from his time with the Green Bay Packers and a frosty relationship with his former QB, Aaron Rodgers. But that’s not really the reason he’s on this list. I don’t think McCarthy’s scheme is going to be a good fit for what the Cowboys currently have, and I’m not sure he has the ability to adjust that scheme to accommodate this team’s stars on offense. 

I’m OK with the coach not exciting me personally —and McCarthy doesn’t — as long as he’s the right fit. McCarthy doesn’t feel like the right fit. ...

Though the Dallas Cowboys obviously disagree, as the interview process between Dallas and McCarthy is on.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. (Photo by Matthew Postins/College Football America Yearbook).
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. (Photo by Matthew Postins/College Football America Yearbook)

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan head coach

Might Harbaugh be looking for a parachute out of his alma mater? Probably not. He’s won 47 games in five years (and even then Michigan fans are ticked off because he beaten Ohio State or won the Big Ten yet). But as a pro coach Harbaugh won 44 games in four years, won three NFC West titles, made it to three NFC title games and one Super Bowl. He adjusted his offensive scheme to fit the skills of Colin Kaepernick.

But I’ve seen Michigan play a couple of times live the past couple of years and Harbaugh has migrated back to more of a pro-set scheme with some pistol formation mixed in. He’s working with more traditional pocket passers now, and I think that’s the style he ultimately wants. Hiring Harbaugh would be a nice splash for the Cowboys, but I don’t think Harbaugh is a good fit.

Dan Mullen, Florida head coach

Sure. Hire the guy that helped make Dak Prescott, well, Dak Prescott. Well, if that was how it worked the Cleveland Browns would be backing a dump truck full of cash to Lincoln Riley’s doorstep so he could take over and coach Baker Mayfield. That’s not how it works. (Well, unless it does.)

Mullen is a very good college coach. But he’s two years into trying to remake the Gators football program and his record at Mississippi State was 69-46. He was 33-39 in the SEC. Mullen just doesn’t seem like the transformative hire Jerry Jones is looking for.

Tony Romo, Jason Witten, etc…

I know it sounds fun on paper. Hire Jason Witten as head coach and make Tony Romo the offensive coordinator (or vice versa). And, yes, Witten, has expressed an interest in coaching.

But now isn’t the time and the Cowboys are not the team. (And .. has either of them ever coached anybody except their own Little League offspring?) 

Hiring either of them would invite such a microscope on this organization that, frankly, it might implode under the pressure at the first sign of failure.

Want to talk more Cowboys? Check out CowboysSI.com and connect with our staff on Twitter — @PostinsPostcard

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Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist writes for CowboyMaven. He also writes for Inside the Rangers, CowboyMaven,DallasBasketball.com, Longhorn Country, All Aggies, Inside The Texans, Washington Football, covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and is the Editor of the College Football America Yearbook.

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