Tuesday, January 27, 1998

Jerry Jones has talks with Sherman Lewis, George Seifert, Terry Donahue

By Jean-Jacques Taylor

Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' search for a head coach intensified Monday as he interviewed three candidates to replace Barry Switzer.

Jones interviewed Green Bay offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis for more than two hours Monday morning at the ritzy Hotel del Coronado, about 15 minutes from downtown San Diego on Coronado Island.

Jones also interviewed former San Francisco coach George Seifert for the second time in four days. Jones and his wife, Gene, also had lunch with former UCLA coach Terry Donahue and his wife.

"I knew that after the Super Bowl I could visit with a lot of people," said Jones, "and things would step up, so I planned to move ahead."

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said Jones still has not asked the Broncos for permission to talk to offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. Jones declined to say whether he still wants to meet with Kubiak.

"Unless I can speak pointedly to a meeting," said Jones, "I don't want to talk about specific coaches."

Lewis, who has earned four Super Bowl rings during 14 years as an assistant coach with San Francisco and Green Bay, has previously interviewed for head coaching positions with Arizona and Atlanta. During the past two seasons, he has been regarded as one of the top candidates to land a head coaching position.

Lewis, who said he did not know if he would meet with Jones again, said Jones' hands-on style would not bother him as long as there were some parameters.

"There's no question he likes to be involved," said Lewis, "but that's not a bad thing for an owner."

Jones said he likes Lewis' credentials.

"Sherman has had really impressive games against us," said Jones, "but I like his overall experience, the fact he has played in some big games and he's had the opportunity to coach with some really fine coaches."

Although he dined with Donahue, Jones said that does not make Donahue the front-runner.

Jones said he likes the work ethic and intensity of Donahue, who coached at UCLA for 20 seasons. Ten days ago, Donahue spent the weekend in Dallas meeting with Jones.

Donahue has spent the past two years doing color commentary on college football for CBS.

"He has had very impressive long-term success," Jones said. "He has been a head coach, and I'm not afraid to hire a coach who doesn't have NFL experience because I've done it twice before."

Seifert said he has had several good conversations with Jones.

"For an organization to work, everyone has to be on the same page and working in the same direction to win championships," Seifert said. "You get the sense that's the way it would be in Dallas, and it's something that's exciting to think about.

In broadcast reports, Donahue said the Cowboys job intrigues him.

"There are a lot of attractive features to the job," he said. "That's why it's the single highest-profile job in sports."

Brian Billick, whose resignation has not yet been accepted by the Vikings, will present his case at the league office Tuesday. He resigned last Thursday with a year left on his contract, but team president Roger Headrick asked the league to review the case last Friday to determine whether Billick can take a job with another team.

The Cowboys, denied permission to talk to Billick two weeks ago, have discussed a three-year deal with Billick that will pay him $400,000 per season to be their offensive coordinator. Cowboys offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese has a year left on his contract. He has said he and Jones have not discussed his status.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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