As the Cowboys appear to be putting the finishing touches on the 2008 coaching staff, a question is starting to arise. Is this Wade Phillips' staff? Or is this staff being put in place for Phillips' suspected replacement Jason Garrett? What's true is that the speculation regarding Garrett being promoted to head coach ,of the Cowboys at the end of next season or the first sign of trouble isn't going away. That was true when owner Jerry Jones gave Garrett a $3 million annual contract -- equaling Phillips' salary -- to shun head coaching offers in Baltimore and Atlanta.That perception has only gained more steam as the Cowboys have gone about the business to fill four coaching vacancies.
It started when the Cowboys signed Hudson Houck as offensive line coach. Houck worked with Phillips in San Diego but his true connection is to Garrett. He was with the Cowboys when Garrett was the backup quarterback on the 1995 Super Bowl team. He also coached with Garrett in Miami with the Dolphins. The Cowboys followed that move with the hiring of former Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham as defensive line coach.
On paper it seemed like a good fit for Phillips, and the Cowboys, because Grantham has experience coaching the 3-4 from his days with the Browns and with the Texans, where he was defensive line coach under 3-4 guru Dom Capers.
Then there was the news this week that the Cowboys are bringing back Dave Campo as secondary coach. While Campo is a quality secondary coach, he has no experience in the 3-4.
Again, Campo has no ties to Phillips or the 3-4 but he has ties to Garrett from his days as a Cowboys assistant and Cowboys head coach.
The linchpin to the whole deal however appears to be the team's interest in Capers as a possible linebackers coach for the Cowboys. Capers is the former head coach with the Texans and the Panthers. He is the former defensive coordinator with the Steelers, the Dolphins and the Jaguars. He is a definite 3-4 guru who could bring some things to the table to go along with the Phillips 3-4.
On paper the Cowboys appear to be making several good hires with former coordinators and former head coaches.
And on paper it seems like a win win for Phillips. If the coaches are successful, the Cowboys will be successful. The bottom line is the Cowboys are headed into a new stadium in 2009. So if things don't work out, they will be looking to make a change before going into a new stadium.
Jones wants Garrett to be his head coach one day of the Cowboys. The question is now is when will that day come.
During the 2008 season if the Cowboys struggle?
After the 2008 season if the Cowboys don't reach the Super Bowl?
What's certain is that his staff is already in place.
