IRVING, Texas – The first coaching position open this offseason for the Cowboys is the last to be filled.
But it appears the Cowboys will finally add a running backs coach in Gary Brown, who is expected to be officially hired next week, which would finalize the coaching staff for 2013. Brown has spent the last five years in Cleveland with the same title.
He replaces Skip Peete, who had been the Cowboys' running backs coach since 2007, but was dismissed soon after the end of the regular season. Peete is now coaching running backs in Chicago.
Last year in Cleveland, the Browns ranked 24th in rushing, but rookie Trent Richardson rushed for 950 yards. He did tie for fifth in the NFL with 11 touchdowns.
The Cowboys had just eight total rushing touchdowns in 2012, led by DeMarco Murray with four.
In 2010, Brown helped Peyton Hillis to a Pro Bowl selection with 1,117 yards. In 2011, Chris Ogbonnaya finished the year with a 4.6 yard average, the highest by any Browns player since 1993. [embedded_ad]
But Brown brings more than just coaching experience at running back. He played the position for eight seasons, including five with the Houston Oilers (1991-95) and then three other years with the Chargers and Giants.
His coaching career includes stops at Lycoming College and Susquehanna University before a year at Rutgers. In Cleveland, Brown coached with current Cowboys assistants Matt Eberflus (linebackers), Jerome Henderson (secondary) and Ben Bloom (defensive assistant).
