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12/10 update: According to ESPN’s Suzy Kolber, Garrett is the frontrunner to take over the Duke football program.
Hearing Jason Garrett is frontrunner for Duke HC job. Having witnessed Jason behind the scenes speaking to/teaching young men-incredibly powerful and truly inspirational! A great fit! Hope this happens! #Duke
— Suzy Kolber (@SuzyKolber) December 10, 2021
The Duke Blue Devils are looking for a new head football coach after parting ways with David Cutcliffe following a disappointing 3-9 season. Cutcliffe was one of the most successful coaches at Duke and took the program to new heights but three straight seasons without a bowl game and finishing 2021 with no ACC wins was too much for the administration. Now, the Blue Devils are reportedly targeting Jason Garrett for the job and there is some interest on Garrett’s end.
Garrett has been a head coach in NFL, overseeing the Dallas Cowboys for nine and a half seasons. He was 85-67 and struggled initially, missing the playoffs in his first three full seasons before making three appearances over the next five seasons. Garrett also served as offensive coordinator for the New York Giants before being fired in November 2021.
This would be an odd fit for Garrett, given his lack of head coaching experience at the college level. His ability to recruit at Duke, one of the toughest jobs in the ACC, could also be a potential hurdle. However, his NFL experience and offensive background could make a splash even if the job is difficult.