Hiring Derek Dooley Not a Good Move by Dallas Cowboys

By Jeric Griffin
derek dooley hired by cowboys
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Winning. It’s what Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones constantly says he’s trying to do, yet he has a funny way of showing it with the moronic decisions he makes that prevent winning. His latest blunder is hiring former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Derek Dooley as the Cowboys’ receivers coach. This is a man who has done everything but win in his coaching career, which includes just two years in the NFL–both forgetful. And now Jones expects Dooley to coach the Cowboys’ talented yet immature group of receivers? Get real.

Dooley spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins as their tight ends coach during the Nick Saban experiment. Now Dooley was a solid tight end in his day at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and then as a walk-on receiver at the University of Virginia, but he didn’t do much for coaching tight ends down in South Beach. Randy McMichael had a pair of 60-catch seasons under Dooley, but the tight end could have been a lot better under a better coach.

So now Dooley, who put together three consecutive seven-loss seasons while the head honcho at Tennessee is supposed to coach players like Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Cole Beasley and Dwayne Harris? If the Cowboys weren’t in trouble already, they are now. Bryant needs all the mentoring he can get and Dooley certainly isn’t the guy for the job. Austin needs an entirely different kind of mentoring with all his hamstring injuries and Lord knows Dooley can’t help him there. Beasley and Harris made huge strides under then-Cowboys receivers coach Jimmy Robinson in 2012 but don’t expect another growth spurt (no pun intended, Cole) in 2013 under Dooley.

Robinson is now a senior coaching consultant for Dallas, so good for him and his “promotion.” But seriously, Jerry has literally fallen off his rocker this time. He’s hired a washed-up 4-3 Tampa 2 defensive coordinator to coach a team full of 3-4 players and now a highly unsuccessful college coach to mentor a group of young receivers with worlds of potential yet to reach. Something’s got to give in Dallas and I mean fast.

Jeric Griffin is the Director of Content for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JericGriffin, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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