Friday, January 9, 1998

Switzer to resign

By MIKE BALDWIN

The Daily Oklahoman

IRVING, Texas - What has been speculated for weeks will become reality - Barry Switzer will not coach the Dallas Cowboys next season.

Several sources told The Daily Oklahoman on Thursday that Switzer will resign, and that Switzer and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have reached an agreement regarding the remaining years on his contract. An announcement is expected during the next two or three days, possibly as early as Friday.

It's been reported Switzer might remain with the organization in a consultant's role, but sources indicated that's not the case and Switzer most likely will retire from football. Jones, who spent most of the day in New York working with the NFL television contract committee, was unavailable for comment.

Contacted at his Valley Ranch office, Switzer declined comment, but sources confirmed the two men have met several times this week and Switzer decided to resign. One source said Switzer, 60, leaves on good terms and feels Jones has dealt with him fairly during his four seasons in the National Football League.

"When I get out of coaching, whenever that is, I won't get back into it," Switzer told The Oklahoman three weeks ago, days before the Cowboys' final game of the season. "I won't be in athletic administration. I don't want to coach at any level. I'll want to enjoy my family and enjoy the fourth quarter of life."

When Jones parted ways with former coach Jimmy Johnson, Jones reportedly gave Johnson a check for $2 million. Switzer, who is believed to have three years left on his contract, is expected to receive similar compensation.

The scuttlebutt this week at the American Football Coaches Association convention in Dallas was that former San Francisco 49ers coach George Seifert will replace Switzer. Since Seifert, 57, has been out of coaching this season, why would Jones repeatedly say it could be February before he makes an announcement?

According to NFL insiders, Seifert, an avid deep-sea fisherman, wants to keep all options open. There are rumors he might want the job in Seattle if Dennis Erickson is fired. The Seahawks reportedly will try to lure Pittsburgh general manager Tom Donahoe away from the Steelers, but Pittsburgh must be eliminated from the playoffs before Seattle officials can formally talk to Donahoe.

If it's not Seifert, who does Jones hire? Former UCLA coach Terry Donahue may be next in line. There also is speculation Jones would feel comfortable promoting three men currently in the organization - defensive coordinator Dave Campo, special-teams coach Joe Avezzano or scouting director Larry Lacewell.

By hiring an out-of-work coach like Seifert or Donahue, similar to hiring Switzer four years ago, it would allow the Cowboys to keep the majority of their current coaching staff. Donahue, 53, coached Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman for two seasons in college.

Jones was recently quoted in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as saying: "It's extremely important the coach and the quarterback are a fit. This person will get the best out of Troy Aikman and the other 52 players, too. There will be a gung-ho approach, I promise that."

Longtime friends since Switzer was Jones' freshman coach at Arkansas 35 years ago, Jones hired Switzer on March 30, 1994, days after Jones announced there were 500 coaches who could lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. Two years later, Switzer directed the Cowboys to a 27-17 win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX.

In Switzer's four NFL seasons, the Cowboys won one world championship, three NFC East titles, reached the NFC title game twice and averaged 11 wins a season, including the playoffs.

Oddly enough, Switzer's final year was the only losing season of his 20-year career as the Cowboys lost their final five games to finish 6-10. It was also the first time in his career that a Switzer-coached team lost more than two consecutive games and failed to reach postseason outside of the three years Oklahoma was on probation.

Including a 5-2 record in the NFL playoffs, Switzer finished with a 45-26 record in Dallas after compiling a 157-29-4 record in 16 seasons at Oklahoma. Now that he's most likely coached his final game, Switzer finishes with a career 202-55-4 record.

At Oklahoma, Switzer won three national championships, captured 12 Big Eight titles and was 8-5 in bowl games.

The Crossett, Ark., native played at the University of Arkansas and coached at Arkansas for four seasons before becoming an assistant at OU in 1966. He was offensive coordinator before being named head coach in 1973.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)