Pasqualoni leaves Cowboys for UConn
Gerry Fraley / Reporter
Paul Pasuqaloni ended his second stay with the Dallas Cowboys today by accepting the head-coaching position at the University of Connecticut.
Pasqualoni coached the defensive line on this year's club and also served as defensive coordinator for the final eight games after Jason Garrett was elevated to interim head coach with the firing of Wade Phillips. Garrett wanted the in-season move with Pasqualoni but since the season ended has interviewed Vic Fangio and Gary Manusky for the job.
Pasqualoni returned to the Cowboys for the 2009 playoffs after a two-year stay at Miami as defensive coordinator.
Pasqualoni also served as an assistant with the Cowboys form 2005-07. He worked with tight ends in his first season and linebackers in his last two seasons. He is only the third assistant in franchise history to work on both sides of the football.
"The University of Connecticut has hired a quality man of great integrity and a wonderful football coach,'' Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones said. ``He is a leader, a great communicator, a dedicated professional and a winner. We are grateful to Paul for his contributions, and we wish him the very best with this new challenge."
Pasqualoni is the second coach to depart since the end of the season. Garrett last week declined to extend the expiring contract of wide receivers coach Ray Sherman.
Pasqualoni was head coach at Syracuse from 1991-2004, 107-59-1. He will replace Randy Edsall at Connecticut. Edsall took the head-coaching job at Maryland after the season.
``Paul is as good a person and as good a football coach as anyone that I have had the privilege to be associated with in my time as a player or coach in the NFL,'' Garrett said. ``He has everything that a college program would want from a leadership perspective. He knows the game, and he is very effective at coaching and teaching every aspect of the game. We wish nothing but the best for Coach P. and his family. I know our players and his fellow coaches here in Dallas will miss him very much."
!!!!! Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
