Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive Coordinator, is one of several candidates who are reportedly competing for the TCU Head-Coaching vacancy.
According to Chris Hummer from 247Sports Moore’s representatives “have contacted” the university’s hiring board about replacing HC Gary Patterson who resigned late last month after a nearly two-decade-long stint in Fort Worth.
Drew Davison, Fort Worth Star Telegram, echoed Moore’s desire to succeed Paterson on Wednesday.
There is interest in quite some candidates. There is still a lot to do,” Davison was told by a source. He added that Moore could be “interested from a financial perspective.”
Patterson was one of college football’s most highly-paid coaches, earning $6 million annually.
According to reports, Jackson State HC Deion Sands, SMUHC Sonny Dykes and Clemson O.C. Tony Elliott are also candidates being considered for the job.
Davison wrote that “(TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah] Donati stated he would like the process to be complete and a new coach in-place by early December with an early signing period beginning Dec. 15.”
Cowboys would ‘Embrace Moore’s Career Option
Moore is one of the NFL’s most brilliant minds and the brains behind the top offense. He made head-coaching appeal earlier in January when he interviewed with his alma mater Boise State as well as the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles. Moore, a 33-year-old genius, decided to remain in Big D for the 2021 season and signed a lucrative contract extension.
Moore is often seen as a HC-in–waiting, destined to eventually replace Mike McCarthy. However, Stephen Jones, Cowboys vice president, claimed that Moore would “embrace” any outside opportunity that he “really wants(s)” as a head coach.
Jones stated that it is important to retain guys who help you succeed, but that they are part of the business. Jones spoke on October 21st, 96.7 The Tickets, via Blog The Boys. “Coach Bill Parcells was there. Mike Zimmer and Sean Payton were there, and it was clear that they got their chance to be successful coaches. However, the good news is that this usually means you’re having great success on the field. It happened when we had our Super Bowl run, when there were guys like Butch Davis and Dave [Wannstedt] having opportunities. Norv Turner getting opportunities. This is what comes with success.
You hope you will have that challenge. But at the same, it is hard to let go of guys doing an excellent job for you. We’re trying our best. If they get the chance to be a head coach, we have guys who can help. You have some outstanding coaches on your staff who are either ready or have been coordinators, as I mentioned.
In Week 8, the Cowboys’ play-caller, Cooper Rush, created a brilliant game plan despite not having Dak Prescott as their quarterback. In a primetime 20-16 win at Minnesota, backup quarterback Cooper Rush surpassed 300 passing yards and threw 2 touchdowns, including one that won the game.
Prescott provided coaching assistance to Moore. He traded Moore’s helmet for a headset while watching the Vikings game. This helped Rush, a former undrafted agent, during his first career start.
“He was a coach. He was a great coach. He was amazing. “He’s clearly still the leader on this sideline,” Moore stated about Prescott Monday, November 1, via The Athletic. I enjoyed it because he can see things through a different lens, and have those conversations alongside me.