FWST Blog: Possible replacement for Sparano (Houck) planning to retire

[WoodysGirl]

Possible replacement for Sparano

Let's say Cowboys offensive line coach Tony Sparano heads for the Dolphins head coaching position after the season. So who's the next offensive line coach in Dallas?

How about a familiar name in Hudson Houck? He coached with the Cowboys from 1993-2001 and won two Super Bowl rings. He was part of the current turnover with the Miami Dolphins, but is regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Houck also has history with Cowboys coach Wade Phillips. Houck and Phillips were on the Chargers staff together in 2004.

But Phillips would likely have to lure Houck out of retirement. Houck wanted to coach only one more year in Miami and call it a career. The lure to returning to Dallas could be hard to resist with a ready-made, star-filled line. He would be inheriting three Pro Bowl offensive linemen and would reunite with left tackle Flozell Adams.

_ Rick Herrin



Posted at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

 

[JPM]

I think I read he's 80, I would want to retire as well. Good luck to him whereever he ends up.

 

[Bach]

I think I read he's 80, I would want to retire as well. Good luck to him whereever he ends up.

How old's Jerry?

 

[Yeagermeister]

How old's Jerry?

Not quite as old as the hills and CBZ

 

[LucaBrasi]

I think Hudson Houck is 64, but I might be wrong.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Jerry Jones is 65.

 

[khiladi]

If he has a pulse, this would be awesome for our rushing attack...

 

[1fisher]

I think Hudson Houck is 64, but I might be wrong.

somewhere close to 64 is the best I can figure....

 

[WoodysGirl]

Assistant expected overhaul, but not players
Click-2-Listen
By BEN VOLIN

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, January 04, 2008

DAVIE — Hudson Houck doesn't blame Bill Parcells one bit.

"If I was in control of this football program, I would want guys I was familiar with and trust to be on my team," Houck, the Dolphins' ex-offensive line coach, said Thursday after being fired by Parcells. "There's a feeling of non-accomplishment. I understand why things are taking place as they are."

Houck, who spent three years in Miami and 25 in the NFL, was one of 18 Dolphins coaches fired Thursday by Parcells, the team's new executive vice president of football operations, and General Manager Jeff Ireland, just hired Wednesday.

Head coach Cam Cameron was let go after one season and 17 of his 19 assistants also were fired. Only assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman and linebackers coach George Edwards were retained.

Houck, lured to the Dolphins in 2005 to work for then-coach Nick Saban, said Cameron addressed the assistant coaches as a group Thursday around 8 a.m. to tell them of their fate. Parcells then addressed the group and wished them well.

Houck, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys in the 1990s, said he holds no ill feelings toward Parcells or Ireland, and expressed sympathy toward Cameron. The only parting shot he took was at former General Manager Randy Mueller, fired Monday.

"I thought (Cameron) was pretty well-prepared. Our meetings were no different than some of the Super Bowl teams I've been on," he said. "The only difference was the type of players we had. The other places I've been, we just had better players."

One by one, the coaches drove away from the Dolphins' training facility, none stopping to speak with the media. Only a few players were at the facility Thursday, and safety Yeremiah Bell was the only one who stopped to express sympathy toward Cameron and his assistants.

"I saw change coming, but to this extent? No, because I never experienced anything like this before," Bell said. "When you bring in a new boss, people tend to get shoved out the door, and that's just the way it happens."

Dolphins kicker Jay Feely told ESPN Radio 760 that Cameron's "one mistake" was "taking on Jason (Taylor) and trying to diminish his role on the team."

"When he came in, he needed to try and establish himself," Feely told ESPN 760-AM. "One of the ways of doing that was to make sure that guys like Jason (Taylor) and Zach (Thomas) understood that he was the head coach ... Probably his one mistake, I think, was kind of taking on Jason and trying to diminish his role on the team, because he's just a guy that gives you everything he's got, he was the defensive MVP and that kind of left a bad taste in all of the players' mouths."

Taylor avoided any negative sentiments during a Thursday conference call to promote his upcoming work as a playoff analyst for NBC.

"Being 1-15 you realize even before the season was over that there was going to be changes," Taylor said. "It's one of those times as a player that you don't really have control over it."

Jim Kiick, a running back on the unbeated 1972 team, said it was a good day in Dolphins history.

"The changes had to be made," he said. "I don't think Cam was what they were looking for. He wasn't much of a motivator or a stern coach. I think they need more discipline, and that's what Parcells is looking for."

Houck, who has an annual salary near $850,000, said he appreciates the way Parcells and Ireland handled the firings.

"Bringing in Bill Parcells will be good for the team," he said. "This experience helps you realize how fortunate you were those previous years and perhaps helps you appreciate them more."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/01/04/a11c_FINS_reax_0104.html

 

[windward]

Give me Mike Solari.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

How old's Jerry?

He looks really young and hot since the face lift a few years back.

 

[windward]

How old's Jerry?

eleventy ten.

 

[SuspectCorner]

I can't help but have a lotta respect for Houck. He engineered some of the greatest OLs of all time - and for the Cowboys no less. The only drawback is you have a limited future with him because of age concerns. But I'd welcome him back if Sparano splits and Jerry decides to go with the "known commodity" Hudson Houck represents.

 

[junk]

Give me Mike Solari.

Right on. That'd be my first choice.

I'd also look at guys that have served time under long time, successful offensive line coaches:

Pete Metzelaars (Indy)
Pete Mangurian (NE)

 

[silverbear]

I think I read he's 80, I would want to retire as well. Good luck to him whereever he ends up.

Houck played college ball starting in 1962... if he is indeed 80 now, that would mean he was a 35 year old freshman, LOL...

I can't find his date of birth on any bios, but I'd wager he's around 65... I'm 55, and entered college in 1970...

 

[BAT]

I am surprised Parcells retained Hoffman.

If I recall correctly, it was Parcells who fired him when he got to Dallas.



Bring in Houck, his scheme is better suited to the behemoths on the current OL. Hell, bring in Dom Capers too as it sounds like Bowles is also on his way out.

 

[windward]

I am surprised Parcells retained Hoffman.

If I recall correctly, it was Parcells who fired him when he got to Dallas.



Bring in Houck, his scheme is better suited to the behemoths on the current OL. Hell, bring in Dom Capers too as it sounds like Bowles is also on his way out.

I think Bill , due to the kicking problems in Dallas, thinks that my have been a mistake.

 

[speedkilz88]

I can't help but have a lotta respect for Houck. He engineered some of the greatest OLs of all time - and for the Cowboys no less. The only drawback is you have a limited future with him because of age concerns. But I'd welcome him back if Sparano splits and Jerry decides to go with the "known commodity" Hudson Houck represents.

Tony Wise is the one who built the early 90's oline.(Though Tuinei, Newton, and Gogan were holdovers from an awful oline from the Landry years) He left with Wanstedt.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I am surprised Parcells retained Hoffman.

If I recall correctly, it was Parcells who fired him when he got to Dallas.



Bring in Houck, his scheme is better suited to the behemoths on the current OL. Hell, bring in Dom Capers too as it sounds like Bowles is also on his way out.

yeah, that's pretty funny, it's funnier because Hoffman held a lot of ill-will towards Bill because of it, and even shared some of it w/ people

 

[speedkilz88]

On Hoffman - I think that may mean Parcells thinks it was a mistake letting him go after the Vandershank fiasco. Or that new GM Ireland wanted to keep him.