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Saturday, November 15, 1997

Jerry Jones says he hopes to do more coaching of Cowboys

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- No, Jerry Jones won't be the Dallas Cowboys' next head coach. But he says he might move from his luxury owner's suite to the coaching booth by next season.

Jones told the Washington Post in a story for Friday that he sees coaching as his next great challenge.

"I won't be head coach," Jones told the newspaper. "But you will see a very involved general manager in coaching aspects."

"I'm talking about pushing it to the edge. I want to try some things that haven't been done. Sure, we'll be criticized. There'll be naysayers."

Jones said he's unclear about the timetable, but he indicated he could be assisting the Dallas coaching staff by next season.

He added that he has been moving in that direction this season, looking at game films with head coach Barry Switzer and attending staff meetings and practices.

"It's not inconceivable to me you could see in-game, weekly preparation on my part," he said. "More than likely, I might be sitting in the box with the coaches. I won't do it this year, but I see it happening in the future."

Jones, 55, already serves as his own general manager, business manager and personnel manager. He has suggested several times that coaching, even taking over as head coach, might be in his future.

Speculation about such a move has increased with criticism of Switzer, disagreement within the team about his coaching style and the Cowboys' 5-5 record this season.

As he has in the past, Jones wouldn't speculate as to Switzer's future.

"I have not answered that on a straightforward basis this season," he said. "As I'm sitting here with you now, Barry is the coach for 1998. That's a hedge. It should be a hedge."