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Barry Switzer Prefers 'Upscale, Up-Speed, Black Quarterback'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Former Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer loves the fast-paced, up-tempo style offense in football.

"Auburn, Oregon, TCU, they're offenses always interest me," Switzer told Brian Haddad Wednesday night on 94WIP. "Upscale, up-speed, black quarterback, the quarterback has a great running ability and talent. I want that athlete there, that type of athlete, that quarterback. And I've always had that quarterback and that type of ability at quarterback, when I coached, and I've always run the option. I wanted to attack you on the perimeter of your defense and I wanted the ability to run north and south too."

Listen to Barry Switzer with 94WIP's Brian Haddad:

 

"I've always been an option guy," Switzer continued. "You look at Georgia Tech, people say the wish bone's dead. Well hell, the wish bone ain't dead, the damn coaches who coach it are dead."

While Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has had some success running this read-option style of offense for Chip Kelly, Foles is not especially fleet of foot.

So does Kelly need a running-style quarterback, like Mariota, the projected No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft?

"You got to have very talented quarterback, you gotta have the ability to run and throw the football," Switzer said. "But there are quarterbacks out there that can do that too. Mariota is a great one, I admire him. I saw it when Cam Newton and those guys do it. The guy at TCU."

What about Foles?

"No, I don't know enough about him," Switzer said. "I don't see the Eagles enough, I really don't. I don't think Chip's probably got his quarterback that he wants yet and that should be a priority for him."

 

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