Duke Job: Merits of Mike Elko - And Former Cowboys Coach Jason Garrett
There are those who know the "in-demand'' name of Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko who swear by him as a deserving candidate to make the leap to head coach Duke or elsewhere. I've gotten to know Dallas Cowboys' top assistant George Edwards just a little bit, and including the fact that he played at Duke, his candidacy is highly sensible as well.
And then there is Jason Garrett, who I've known for 30 years. And with all due respect to Elko and the rest, Garrett and Duke are uniquely qualified for one another.
Even in his mid-20's as a Cowboys quarterback back in 1994, Garrett was all about not only learning but also about teaching. As he prepared that year to serve as Troy Aikman's replacement in what became a famously miraculous Thanksgiving Day win over Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers, Garrett allowed me a one-on-one interview that became a lesson in life philosophy.
"I only concern myself,'' Garrett told me as we sat on the loading dock at the Cowboys' old Valley Ranch headquarters, "with things that are within my control.''
It's a concept that has served him well as he's scaled the heights of his profession, including a decade as the Cowboys head coach. It's also a concept that I've used to teach my two now-adult sons.
And now that Jason Garrett - who as Cowboys coach used to take "road trips'' to watch Duke basketball in person - seems to be a candidate for the vacancy there as head football coach?
Well, I'd send my sons to Duke to play for him.
This would be a different sort of road trip for Garrett, 55, who was just dismissed from his offensive coordinator job with the New York Giants. The school is searching for a new coach after recently parting ways with David Cutcliffe, Duke’s coach since 2008, and there are surely other fine candidates. The coaching search has also included present college assistants, reportedly led by the highly-qualified Elko and by Clemson assistant coach Tony Elliott is also mentioned.
Also in place as a candidate is Edwards, who played at Duke. The Cowboys are aware of and support his candidacy.
But Jason Garrett as a college coach? The intellectual Princeton grad and son of Jim Garrett, involved in the game as a Cowboys scout and finally as an Ivy League head coach over a 49-year career, taking over at a place like Duke, where education matters?
It's a uniquely perfect fit.
Those who truly know Garrett can push beyond the silly memes oozing hatefully from his time as the Cowboys head coach from 2010 until 2019, recognizing that he rebuilt a program and compiled an 85-67 record with only the one real blemish being the absence of a Super Bowl.
And all along, he will proudly tell you, he "Did it The Right Way.''
Not all of us agree on what "The Right Way'' is. But given the legacy of iconic Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski (a Garrett friend and one of the reasons he used to visit the school for basketball-watching outings), I think it's likely that Garrett and Duke share a vision about "The Right Way.''
An argument can be made that Garrett should wait out NFL opportunities; there aren't 32 pro head coaches better than him. There is also an argument to be made for Elko, 44, to get his big shot.
But if Jason Garrett has sincere interest in Duke? Both parties should recognize this uniquely perfect fit and do "The Right Way'' together.
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