JUST IN:Cowboy Roundup: Head coaching search already gone awry, Is Kellen Moore viable?…….

 

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott uglahs with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore before the game against the New York Giants.

Happy Friday, Dallas Cowboys Nation. We’ve made it through another week of madness as the coaching rumors continue to swirl and the Cowboys continue to make NFL headlines with their search.

Dallas has been linked to several legitimate candidates for the job — most recently former Cowboys quarterback and current Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore — and some intriguing candidates that would move the needle; we’re talking about you, Coach Prime.

It will be interesting to see how things continue to develop into the weekend with interviews lined up, but for now all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

While we wait for any new developments, let’s take a spin around the web to see what headlines are making waves.

The Dallas Cowboys always manage to have controversial head coaching searches and this year is no different. The Cowboys Wire takes a look at five ways the team has already screwed up its search for Mike McCarthy’s replacement.

Kellen Moore is gaining momentum as a top candidate for the Cowboys head coaching vacancy, but is he a viable candidate or just a familiar face?

The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly preparing to interview Kellen Moore, the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offensive coordinator, for their open head coach position on Friday.

Moore is the third name on the Cowboys’ list of reported interviews, which includes former head coaches Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier.

While the Cowboys will undoubtedly explore all options, it should come at no surprise that Moore has landed an interview for the lead role of America’s Team.

With that being said, here are four reasons why the Cowboys should consider selecting Moore as their next head coach.

The obvious factor in this discussion is that the Cowboys and Moore have a longstanding relationship. Moore played with the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017 as a quarterback, served as the quarterbacks coach in 2018, and was the offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022.

During his tenure in Dallas, Moore built strong relationships with several players, particularly with quarterback Dak Prescott. This rapport is crucial for a head coach, fostering trust, communication, and a positive team environment.

Despite two years since his departure, Moore is also familiar with the current Cowboys’ roster, which includes several players who have previously played in his offense, such as Prescott, wide receiver’s CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert, tight end Jake Ferguson, and guard Tyler Smith.

Offense aside, Moore’s units have practiced against several names on the opposite side of the ball, including All-Pros Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland.

During Moore’s four-year tenure coordinating Dallas’ offense, the Cowboys consistently ranked among the league’s best in production.

Moore coached the offense to a league-high finish in total yards twice (2019 and 2021) and directed the NFL’s top-scoring offense in 2021.

Furthermore, Dallas also ranked in the top 10 for scoring in both 2019 and 2022, as well as for passing offense in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

A major reason the Cowboys’ offense was highly productive during Moore’s tenure was the performance of Prescott, who had some of his best statistical seasons under his former coordinator.

During Moore’s time, Prescott recorded 14,067 yards, ranking 10th for that period, along with 99 touchdowns, which was the seventh highest during the same stretch. He demonstrated consistent accuracy by completing 67.02% of his passes.

Over this time, Prescott averaged 287.1 yards per game, 11.6 yards per completion, and achieved a total quarterback rating of 71.9.

In 2019, under Moore’s offensive direction, Prescott achieved a career-high 4,902 passing yards. This statistical success nearly continued into 2020, where he recorded 1,856 passing yards (371.2 yards per game) in the first five games before a season-ending ankle injury.

Despite this setback, he returned in 2021 to set career highs with 37 touchdown passes and 410 completions.