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 Vintage
Troy:
Landry will get a good look at Aikman at Cotton Bowl
By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer
(Dec. 20, 1988)
IRVING - Dallas coach Tom Landry never has seen UCLA quarterback
Troy Aikman play, but will personally scout him during practices
for the Cotton Bowl next week.
"I'd like to see him at practice when he comes to town,"
Landry said Monday.
The Cowboys, by virtue of their 3-13 record this season, the second-worst
in franchise history, earned the right to pick No. 1 in next year's
NFL draft, and there are strong indications they will take Aikman.
Aikman, touted as one of the top quarterbacks to come into the
NFL since Denver's John Elway, will lead UCLA against Arkansas
in the Cotton Bowl Jan. 2. The Bruins will practice in Texas Stadium,
home of the Cowboys.
"It would be hard not to take him (Aikman) if he is as good
as everybody says," Landry said.
Landry said if he picked Aikman he wouldn't rush him into action.
"Everybody would want him to play too soon and I've seen
it ruin some players," Landry said. "He might be the
kind who could be ready to go the second year."
If Dallas drafted Aikman, Landry said he would like to sign him
as early as possible.
"If we could have him by April or May, that would be a big
bonus," Landry said.
Landry said the Cowboys wouldn't trade the No. 1 pick.
"I don't see us trading," Landry said. "Of course,
you could build a pretty good team off a trade."
Landry began preparing for the 1989 season after Sunday's 23-7
loss to Philadelphia.
If the Cowboys sign Aikman, then quarterbacks Danny White, Steve
Pelluer, Kevin Sweeney and Scott Secules all won't be in training
camp.
"We'll have to cut down on the number of quarterbacks we
bring to camp," Landry said. He is expected to carry only
three quarterbacks on the team next year.
Landry said he thought Pelluer still had a bright future, although
he suffered three interceptions against the Eagles.
"Only one interception was his fault," Landry said.
"Steve had a lot of heat on him this year and he learned
how to handle it. We still think he can be a top quarterback,
but it's going to take a lot of work."
Asked if he would fire any assistant coaches, Landry said, "I'm
not commenting on any coaching changes. (Club president) Tex (Schramm)
and I will talk about it. It's been a very tough season."
Landry said deciding on some of his assistants' fate wouldn't
be a pleasant experience.
"It never is when you have to release somebody who has been
valuable to you," Landry said. "Sometimes you just have
to do it in the best interests of the team."
Offensive coordinator Paul Hackett and defensive coordinator Ernie
Stautner are under close evaluation after the Cowboys' disastrous
season.
Landry said the pending sale of the Cowboys also would be an off-season
distraction.
"We're disrupted right now because we don't know where the
top (of our organization) is," Landry said.
Schramm said, "There are no offers on the board that would
meet parameters set by (majority owner Bum) Bright or the league
for a sale. We're not talking just strictly money."
Bright was asking $150 million for the team, its headquarters
at Valley Ranch, and Texas Stadium.
Schramm said rumors that Bright was financially strapped were
untrue.
"He never gave me the attitude that he was in a financial
squeeze," Schramm said. "He desires to sell the team.
But as long as there is no buyer at this time, then we will go
on with our budgets."
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