George: Cowboys Could Coach A Senior Bowl Team For First Time In 50 years

boozeman

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Dallas Cowboys could coach a Senior Bowl team for first time in 50 years; why that's a big plus



By Brandon George , Staff Writer Contact Brandon George on Twitter: @DMN_George


IRVING - The Dallas Cowboys could soon receive a consolation prize for their woeful season that could help them maximize their top 10 pick in April's draft.

Because they're tied with San Francisco for the worst record in the NFC at 4-11, the Cowboys are in line to be selected by the NFL to coach one of the Senior Bowl teams in late January in Mobile, Ala.

This would be a rare opportunity for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys haven't coached a Senior Bowl team in 50 years. The last time the Cowboys coached at the Senior Bowl was 1965, when Tom Landry led the South to a 7-7 tie vs. George Wilson of the Lions. Landry coached at the Senior Bowl from 1962 to 1965, but those are the only four years the Cowboys have coached.

"It's certainly a good opportunity to get to know the players," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett recently said when asked if he would want the opportunity to coach one of the teams, "and we'll evaluate that as it gets closer."

The NFC team with the worst record - thus receiving the highest draft pick - that keeps its coaching staff intact after the season usually is extended the opportunity to coach in the Senior Bowl. Teams can turn down the opportunity to coach in the game but that rarely happens.

The San Diego Chargers (4-11) and Cleveland Browns (3-12) are among the favorites in the AFC to coach the other Senior Bowl team.

The two coaching staffs for the Jan. 30 game that will feature many of the nation's top senior college football players are expected to be selected by the league in the middle of next week following what has become known as Black Monday, when NFL head coaches are often fired after the end of the regular season Sunday.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones, Garrett and most of his coaching staff and the club's scouts make the trip to the Senior Bowl each year to evaluate the players.

But if the Cowboys coach one of the teams, they'll be on the field with one team's players beginning with the first practice Jan. 26 and in meetings with them all week. That would allow Cowboys coaches to get a better feel for each of the players they're coaching who will be draft eligible.

There can be a downside to coaching the players if a coach puts too much weight into what he's seen from a player during only week of practices, keeping the club from having a pure evaluation of the player's overall work. But the upside is much higher for a team that will have a high draft pick because coaches will be hands on with the players for an entire week. They'll get a better feel for each player's strengths and weaknesses and get to know each of them much more personally than they would by just visiting with them after practices or during a formal interview.

If the Cowboys lose their season finale at home Sunday against Washington and San Francisco wins its finale at home Sunday against St. Louis, Dallas would be a near lock to be extended the offer to coach in the game. Also, the likelihood of the Cowboys coaching at the Senior Bowl increases if the 49ers choose to fire head coach Jim Tomsula after the season.

A loss Sunday by the Cowboys is expected to land Dallas a top 5 draft pick. Coaching in the Senior Bowl would give the club a built-in advantage when it's on the clock in the first round of the draft April 28 in Chicago.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Well I would love that. Especially because we could get an up close look at Wentz and hopefully Connor Cook.
 

Genghis Khan

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Are any of the top 5 or ten players actually seniors? This might have much more impact later in the draft.
 

Rev

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Don't ruin those kids with our coaching, please.
 

boozeman

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Are any of the top 5 or ten players actually seniors? This might have much more impact later in the draft.
That is more of the charm. You might get to see that 4th or 5th rated at their position and get to have a better chance at that kind of guy. The top guys are usually juniors and even those that are invited to the Senior Bowl usually turn it down. This is a chance to look at Day Three/UDFAs.
 

Simpleton

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Well I would love that. Especially because we could get an up close look at Wentz and hopefully Connor Cook.
My thoughts exactly, I really hope our staff gets to coach Wentz. I'm not a huge Cook fan but I guess he'd be ok in the 2nd, so that would be fine as well.
 

dallen

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So basically, worst season in 50 years.

:roboclap
 

VA Cowboy

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So basically, worst season in 50 years.

:roboclap
It's misleading though. The Senior Bowl staffs used to come from the NFC / AFC team that lost in the wild card game or teams with best records that missed the playoffs. The '88 and '89 Cowboys staffs didn't coach the senior bowl.
 

Cowboysrock55

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It's misleading though. The Senior Bowl staffs used to come from the NFC / AFC team that lost in the wild card game or teams with best records that missed the playoffs. The '88 and '89 Cowboys staffs didn't coach the senior bowl.
Congratulations, you're one of the best players in all of college football. Now we will introduce you to one of the worst coaching staffs in the NFL.
 

boozeman

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Joe Fan

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Something for our once great franchise to be proud of.
 

Chocolate Lab

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Can't wait to see Wilson coach Wentz and Cook right up.

And Garrett clapping one more time. :doh
 

VA Cowboy

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Was it me or did Connor Cook look like dogshit in his bowl game?
He did. And he hasn't looked too good most of the year. Still don't know how they beat OSU in Columbus. Anyway I don't want anything to do with Cook in the draft.
 
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