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Despite interviewing for head coach job, Ray Sherman out as WR coach


New Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told WR coach Friday the club will allow his contract to expire

In his first major personnel decision, newly installed Cowboys coach Jason Garrett demonstrated his control over the makeup of the coaching staff.

Ray Sherman acknowledged Sunday that he will not return to the organization after coaching wide receivers for the previous four seasons. Garrett informed Sherman on Friday the club would allow his contract to expire.

Garrett, Sherman and Miami secondary coach Todd Bowles all interviewed last week for the Cowboys' head coaching vacancy. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones and executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones both said Sherman had a strong interview.

According to Jerry Jones, Garrett has the final say on the makeup of his staff and the roster. Garrett exercised that power and declined to retain Sherman.

When reached at his home, Sherman declined to answer questions. He later issued a statement, saying: "I appreciate the opportunity that the Cowboys have given me. I was able to coach a great group of receivers who now have a tremendous foundation, giving them the ability to continue to excel for years to come in the NFL."

The interviews with Bowles and Sherman allowed the Cowboys to meet the requirements of the "Rooney Rule," which requires minority candidates be considered for significant openings in an organization.

According to Greg Aiello, NFL senior vice president of public relations, the Cowboys did not violate the rule by not retaining Sherman. The "Rooney Rule" does not guarantee post-interview employment.

The Cowboys had a wide receiver with more than 1,000 yards in each of Sherman's four seasons, with Terrell Owens and Miles Austin accomplishing the feat twice. Sherman helped Austin grow into a Pro Bowl receiver and also served as a mentor this season to rookie Dez Bryant, who had 45 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns despite missing the final four games because of a fractured right fibula.

Sherman also had a few setbacks in his final season with the club.

He never solved the riddle of Roy Williams, who has fewer than 40 receptions in each of his two full seasons with the Cowboys since being acquired in a costly trade with Detroit. Austin also had problems catching the football. He had 10 drops out of 119 passes targeted to him, according to STATS Inc. A year ago, Austin had five drops out of 124 passes.

The Cowboys had no comment on cutting ties with Sherman. The list of potential successors includes University of Tennessee wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett, who held the same spot when he was on the Miami Dolphins staff with Garrett in 2005-06.
 
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I don't like this decision at all.

I don't place the blame of Roy Williams failures on Sherman. Roy just seems to overrate his own talent, and I don't think he applies himself. If a person isn't a self-starter, then no amount of coaching will fix that.

The only silver lining in this, and I struggle to find one, is that it shows that Jerry was being true to his word in allowing Jason to bring in his own staff.

Also, I can't decide if I'll be pissed if we take the receivers coach from Tennessee. Baggett is doing one hell of a job there. Tennessee's true freshman receivers this year look to dominate the SEC for the next couple years. I think it'd be a good hire, but I'd hate to weeken my Vols in the process.
 
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