As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to face the Vikings on Sunday, they’re forced to change a flat tire on a moving car.
Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham has bolted for Georgia, where he’ll become the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator.
Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News reports that the hole on the staff will be filled by Paul Pasqualoni, who last worked for the Cowboys as linebackers coach during the tenure of the Tuna. Pasqualoni most recently served as defensive coordinator with the Dolphins; he was fired earlier this week.
The departure of Grantham for a college team, while surprising on the surface, should not be a complete shock. Changes to the pension plans have caused some NFL assistants to eyeball NCAA opportunities, and the prospect of pay cuts by up to 50 percent if there’s a work stoppage in 2011 makes the pro game, for now, less attractive than in the past.