***UPDATE: Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has been named head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and cashes at +700***

The Dallas Cowboys, for better or worse, are a centerpiece of attention in the NFL. The ratings and revenue for the league are infinitely better when they are at least competitive but after another debacle of missing the playoffs, oddsmakers are already projecting who will replace head coach Jason Garrett, a scenario which is changing by the day.

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley is now the projected favorite of online sportsbook BetOnline to be the next head coach of America’s Team for the 2020 NFL season.

He would be a clear step up from Jason “The Clapper” Garrett, who had been in the role since 2010 and is the second-longest tenured head coach in Cowboys history behind the great Tom Landry.

Why Lincoln Riley Is The Favorite

Offensive ingenuity, quarterback whisperer, steady presence – these are all the qualities NOT used to describe former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. However, they would be used to define Oklahoma Sooners coach Lincoln Riley.

Of all the college candidates on the list, Riley is the one that immediately jumps out. The Sooners have routinely been near the top in college football for offensive efficiency and his last two quarterbacks, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield, won the Heisman Trophy while going No. 1 in their respective NFL drafts.

However, the knock on Riley is that he’s only coached in the college ranks and with only three seasons under his belt in the NCAA, there’s skepticism that his methods would translate to the professional level. Some of his detractors argue that his success is predicated on the fact that he has had such good-quality quarterbacks in his time in Oklahoma while playing in an offense-heavy conference like the Big 12, where games routinely see totals in the 70s.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is expected to have a ton of meetings in the coming weeks with potential coaching candidates so while Riley is a decent betting option, don’t discount the likes of former coaches like Mike McCarthy, Josh McDaniels or, GULP, Jeff Fisher.

Bettors Should Expect Odds To Shift Daily

When Odds Shark first reported on the potential replacement for Jason Garrett at the start of December, Riley’s odds were +600 to get the gig with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the +300 fave.

McDaniels’ availability has been a huge talking point among talking heads after the Patriots were ousted in the wild-card game vs the Titans. With the rumblings of QB Tom Brady’s future also a hot topic, McDaniels may want to look for greener pastures.

Of all the candidates on the list, he would likely be the most experienced in the NFL in terms of assistant and head coaching experience but if we know anything about Jerry Jones, it remains to be seen how he, or whoever the Dallas owner decides to hire, will handle the spotlight of being the puppet to Jones’ strings.

Odds to Be Next Head Coach Of Dallas Cowboys Coach Odds Lincoln Riley EVEN Josh McDaniels +700 Mike McCarthy +700 Urban Meyer +700 Matt Rhule +900 Robert Saleh +900 Eric Bienemy +1200 Greg Roman +1200 Jim Harbaugh +1200 Marvin Lewis +1200 Dan Mullen +2500 Gary Kubiak +2500

Odds as of January 5 at BetOnline