Dallas Morning News writer Tim Cowlishaw proposed that the "Cowboys best defensive coordinator candidate will be on the sideline at the CFP title" in Corey Hetherman of Miami. Cowlishaw was on Around the Horn on ESPN for over 22 years.
Cowlishaw compared Dallas potentially hiring Hetherman to Jimmy Johnson leaving Miami for the Cowboys after the 1988 season. Johnson led Miami to a National Championship in five seasons and Dallas to two Super Bowl titles in five years.
Miami won its first two College Football Playoff games in Texas. Miami won its first round CFP game 10-3 at Texas A&M and Ohio State 24-14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the home of the Cowboys. The win over Ohio State included a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown by Keionte Scott.
Cowlishaw highlighted Miami holding Texas A&M to three points, shutting out Ohio State in the first half and that Mississippi had the only run over 40 yards against Miami in 2025, but that it was not enough to beat the Hurricanes. Cowlishaw quoted Miami head coach Mario Cristobal after the Fiesta Bowl.
"Our defense did a great job of collapsing the pocket, staying in our rush lanes, getting the quarterback on the ground...We were really good in coverage, there’s a big cat-and-mouse game, a game of chess between the coordinators and Corey Hetherman called a great game."Miami head coach Mario Cristobal
Corey Hetherman path to Miami
Hetherman has a great story per Cowlishaw. The Miami defense has been transformed in 2025, per Cowlishaw. Hetherman spent most of his career as an assistant coach at the Division III, II and Football Championship Subdivision level.
The first job for Hetherman as a Division I defensive coordinator was for FCS program James Madison under current Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti from 2019 through 2021. Hetherman left to become the linebackers coach at Rutgers in 2022 and 2023.
After one season as the Minnesota defensive coordinator in 2024, Hetherman left for Miami. Cowlishaw stated that Hetherman comes from the same mold as Johnson. Hetherman is less cocky, but a believer in his and his players' abilities, per Cowlishaw.
Cowlishaw closed by stating he would make a call to Miami regarding Hetherman and that if he brought Hurricanes defensive end Rueben Bain with him as a first-round pick, so much the better. The NFL Mock Draft Database projects Bain fourth. Dallas has the 12th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.