http://dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id...C59DD785D081C1
IRVING, Texas - Almost one year to the day, Gary Gibbs followed Sean Payton out of Dallas to New Orleans as the Saints' new defensive coordinator.
The former Cowboys linebackers coach (2002-05) returned Saturday morning to Valley Ranch as the sixth candidate to interview for the club's vacant head coaching position. He spent several hours meeting with Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones, along with a session with recently-retired head coach Bill Parcells.
"I felt like we had a good visit. Certainly it was a very comfortable visit, having been here for four years," Gibbs said. "I felt at ease. We covered a lot of topics and I thought it went well."
Gibbs emerged as a candidate four days after the Saints' Cinderella playoff run ended with a 39-14 loss to the NFC Champion Chicago Bears last Sunday. He and Payton, the Cowboys' former assistant head coach and passing game coordinator, helped rebuild the Saints into winners following an unprecedented 2005 season in which the team won only three games while displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Gibbs' retooled defense, featuring former Cowboys linebackers Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita, finished 11th in total defense (307.3 yards per game) and helped New Orleans clinch the NFC South le with a 10-6 record. Gibbs' defense help short-circuit the Cowboys during the regular season, the Saints gaining the inside track on a first-round playoff bye by beating the Cowboys, 42-17, in Game 13.
The Cowboys on Friday interviewed another successful defensive coordinator in San Diego's Wade Phillips, whose 3-4 unit led the league in sacks in 2006. The Cowboys' search will continue at least through the weekend, with 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner scheduled to interview Sunday.
Unlike Phillips, who has been a head coach or interim head coach with four NFL teams, Gibbs' pro experience began in 2002 as the Cowboys' linebackers coach. In 1989, he replaced Barry Switzer as Oklahoma's head coach and remained there for six seasons.
"What I learned back at Oklahoma is you better beat Texas," Gibbs said, knowing that was the reason for the Sooners letting him go. "It's all about getting the right kind of people, surrounding yourself with quality character people. Certainly you need good players, but it's an organization that wins."
Turner also is familiar with the Cowboys organization. He spent three years as the club's offensive coordinator from 1991-93, and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman credits Turner for having a large role in his development.
Turner had two previous head coaching stops in Washington and Oakland before joining the 49ers' staff this past season.
Jones has now conducted six interviews in the six days since Parcells announced his retirement from coaching. Jones interviewed a trio of Cowboys assistants - Todd Bowles, Tony Sparano and Todd Haley - Tuesday and met with former Cowboys quarterback Jason Garrett for the better part of two days before hiring him to the coaching staff Thursday night.
Garrett's duties won't be determined until the head coaching search is completed, and he remains a candidate for the job himself. Meantime, two more Cowboys assistants have left for other jobs. Haley is the Cardinals' new offensive coordinator, and Anthony Lynn will coach the Browns' as the running backs coach.
Gibbs said he spent about 1½ hours Saturday speaking with Parcells, who was back at Valley Ranch for a five consecutive day after stepping down, and also said he visited with Garrett, whom the new head coach would have to accept on his staff.
"I saw Jason and we spent about 30 minutes together and had a good conversation," Gibbs said of the 40-year-old former Dolphins quarterbacks coach. "Certainly he's a bright young guy that's got a lot of passion for the game and has done a good job."
Gibbs certainly would enter a familiar setting if he gets the job. He coached five of the Cowboys' current linebackers, including first-time Pro Bowl selection DeMarcus Ware, during his four-year stint in Dallas. Greg Ellis didn't convert to linebacker until this past season.
Gibbs didn't have any theories regarding the Cowboys' defensive struggles down the stretch, in which they allowed 152 points and 16 touchdown passes in the final five regular-season games.
"My focus has been on our defense there in New Orleans," he said. "I didn't have time to look at anybody except somebody else's offense. I was scared to death of the Dallas offense, I can tell you that."
Gibbs ran a 4-3 scheme in New Orleans and said he spoke to Jones about defensive philosophy on Saturday. He also coached in a 3-4 system under Parcells in 2005.
"We talked a little bit about defense, what we'd do if I came here and how I thought we could do some things that might be a little bit different than they did this year," Gibbs said. "We talked a little bit about those things. At the end of the day it's making sure you put players in a good position to make plays."
Whoever Jones hires will inherit a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys have a mix of high draft picks and high-priced free agents on defense, and their aforementioned offense scored more than 400 points (425) for the first time since 1995.
Time will tell whether Gibbs will get to coach that talent.
i'd rather have Phillips. he's a 3-4 guy, and the Saints, while they had good defense, were succeptible to big plays against them, much like the Cowboys have had the last few years.
if he comes in, it'll just be the same chapter, different verse. let him walk
I would like to see phillips too but the buzz is that Norv Freakin Turner is the front runner. OMG!!!!!
GETTY IMAGES/BRIAN BAHR
Wade Phillips, right, was defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons in 2003 when he got together with then-Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells before a game. They talked again Friday at Valley Ranch.
IRVING -- Norv Turner is coming to interview for the Cowboys' head coaching job Sunday and appears to be the leading candidate to replace Bill Parcells.
The San Francisco 49ers reportedly have made a substantial offer to keep Turner, the team's offensive coordinator, from even interviewing with the Cowboys. But Turner, who is in Mobile, Ala., as a coach in the Senior Bowl today, will still interview with the Cowboys and has emerged as the favorite to coach the team, according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.
Turner has a history with Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones and has been a head coach twice previously in the NFL, with Washington (1994-2000) and Oakland (2004-05).
He was the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys in their Super Bowl-winning seasons of 1992 and 1993 and groomed Troy Aikman. He also coached Jason Garrett as one of the backup quarterbacks in 1993, and Garrett on Thursday was named to the Cowboys' staff, presumably as the offensive coordinator.
Turner was offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers in 2001 and the Miami Dolphins in 2002-03.
New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs, who was on the Cowboys' staff for four seasons before this one, will interview with Jones today at Valley Ranch.
He follows another defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips of the San Diego Chargers, who spent most of Friday at Cowboys' headquarters.
Sporting his Sunday best -- in this case a blue suit and tie -- Phillips arrived at Valley Ranch at 8:30 a.m. and left around 3:20 p.m. He met with Jerry Jones, president Stephen Jones, former coach Bill Parcells and Garrett about the vacant position.
"I think [Jerry Jones] knows what I'm about," Phillips said in a six-minute session with the media.
"I don't think [the coaching decision] will be a long, drawn-out process," Phillips said. "That's what I've been told."
Phillips said of his conversation with Parcells, "He said he'd help any way he could and he will, personnel-wise or anything. We did talk a little bit about some of the personnel they had here, and he thought who could play and how well. Which is helpful, and if I were to be here, that would be something I would tap into him and see a lot more in-depth about the players that are here."
Phillips, 60, spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator in San Diego. He's been an NFL head coach twice. Both times he was fired.
He coached the Denver Broncos to a 9-7 record in 1993 and was 7-9 in '94, then was replaced by Mike Shanahan. Phillips compiled a 29-19 record with the Buffalo Bills from 1998 through 2000.
Despite his less-than-ceremonious departures from both jobs, Phillips remains highly regarded as an astute defensive coach who runs the 3-4. It's those last two numbers that intrigue Jones.
Under Parcells, the Cowboys drafted and signed players to fit that scheme. One player, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, was selected one pick ahead of Shawne Merriman, who flourished under Phillips in San Diego. Merriman led the NFL with 17 sacks this season.
"I wished we could have had both of them," Phillips said. "[Ware] is a really good, young player. I think he's going to develop into a great player."
The Chargers' defense ranked seventh in the NFL in fewest points allowed this season.
Even though the Cowboys have hired Garrett to be the offensive coordinator, at least, and are ostensibly grooming him to be a head coach, Phillips expressed no concerns.
"In this day and time, to get good coaches sometimes you have to put the cart before the horse," Phillips said. "In this situation, if you have good coaches, a lot of times you want to keep them."
Phillips said he believes Garrett is a "rising star." He just doesn't know him well.
What he does know is that this Cowboys team has the potential to be good.
"Bill Parcells was here and put together a solid team. That's pretty important already," Phillips said. "They were in the playoffs. That's a good start for any head coach coming in."
IN THE KNOW
Updating the Cowboys' search
Who's hot
Norv Turner, 49ers offensive coordinator
Wade Phillips, Chargers defensive coordinator
Gary Gibbs, Saints defensive coordinator
Wild card
Jason Garrett, Cowboys offensive coordinator
Im really liking the idea of Phillips, sounds like hes got his together and would know how to use our players
Anyone but Norv please Jerry Please...
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