Death to Google Ads! Texans Talk Tip Jar! 🍺😎👍
Thanks for your support!

Will 2020 be the year the training wheels finally come off Tim Kelly?

Mangler

Toro de España
Tim Kelly was named the OC for the Texans before the 2019 season started, yet O’Brien only let him lead the meetings and be part of the game planning on offense. (According to online articles) O'Brien, being the control freak that he is, was still the man at OC, HC, and GM and Kelly didn’t really get to show us what he gots.

Will this upcoming season finally be the one? I’m tired of watching O’Brien’s boring, tedious play calls while teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, and even the Bills (against us) look exciting with a very bright future! The Texans, on the other hand, stacked at offense and still look incompetent. Who knows? Maybe if O’Brien steps back as let’s the position guys he hired do their jobs, maybe then he won’t be overwhelmed and focus on just overseeing things, maybe THEN we will see the results?!

Im not really excited about anything Texans, and who the hell can be after such historic choke on national television? But, I’m curious about what Tim Kelly has to offer.
 

Lucky

Ride, Captain, Ride!
Staff member
Im not really excited about anything Texans, and who the hell can be after such historic choke on national television? But, I’m curious about what Tim Kelly has to offer.
It’s hard to fathom Kelly being anything other than an extension of O’Brien. I’d be happy to be proven wrong. Just don’t see it.

When Watson gets his extension, he will have more power. That’s when he can demand the offense to open up. But, it could be he’s a company man who won’t use his power.
 

theCATALYST

Football Messiah
Tim Kelly was named the OC for the Texans before the 2019 season started, yet O’Brien only let him lead the meetings and be part of the game planning on offense. (According to online articles) O'Brien, being the control freak that he is, was still the man at OC, HC, and GM and Kelly didn’t really get to show us what he gots.

Will this upcoming season finally be the one? I’m tired of watching O’Brien’s boring, tedious play calls while teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, and even the Bills (against us) look exciting with a very bright future! The Texans, on the other hand, stacked at offense and still look incompetent. Who knows? Maybe if O’Brien steps back as let’s the position guys he hired do their jobs, maybe then he won’t be overwhelmed and focus on just overseeing things, maybe THEN we will see the results?!

Im not really excited about anything Texans, and who the hell can be after such historic choke on national television? But, I’m curious about what Tim Kelly has to offer.
Maybe, but I highly doubt we will see anything different with Kelly calling the plays. In my mind, he doesn't really have the background that makes me believe he would be an effective signal caller in his own right, leading me to believe he will just regurgitate the same offensive mindset that O'Brien instilled in him while with the Texans.

But who knows....if Kelly does get control of the offense, it gives O'Brien yet another sacrificial pawn when things don't go well and he has to "take over OC duties" yet again.
 
Last edited:

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Tim Kelly was named the OC for the Texans before the 2019 season started, yet O’Brien only let him lead the meetings and be part of the game planning on offense. (According to online articles) O'Brien, being the control freak that he is, was still the man at OC, HC, and GM and Kelly didn’t really get to show us what he gots.

Will this upcoming season finally be the one? I’m tired of watching O’Brien’s boring, tedious play calls while teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, and even the Bills (against us) look exciting with a very bright future! The Texans, on the other hand, stacked at offense and still look incompetent. Who knows? Maybe if O’Brien steps back as let’s the position guys he hired do their jobs, maybe then he won’t be overwhelmed and focus on just overseeing things, maybe THEN we will see the results?!

Im not really excited about anything Texans, and who the hell can be after such historic choke on national television? But, I’m curious about what Tim Kelly has to offer.
It should be Kelly's time.
He is used to the players abilities and quirks, he has seen how O'Brien's system operates and OB himself will quickly learn he has bitten off more than he can chew so will need to hand the reins over - sooner than later hopefully.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
Meh, the basic structure can remain, but just incorporate more QB friendly options in there.
That's part of the problem with it though. There's already way too much incorporated into it to where they can't get enough reps in to make it 2nd nature. Too much thinking in this offense, not enough reaction.

I know it's around here somewhere, but the Wade Smith/Cecil Shorts clip explains it perfectly.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
That's part of the problem with it though. There's already way too much incorporated into it to where they can't get enough reps in to make it 2nd nature. Too much thinking in this offense, not enough reaction.

I know it's around here somewhere, but the Wade Smith/Cecil Shorts clip explains it perfectly.
I would love for that Wade Smith/Cecil Shorts conversation to be pinned in this forum. It explains so much about the inconsistencies in the offense, why one week the TEs are incorporated and then ignored for multiple weeks, why Watson can look like an MVP candidate one week and look like an inexperienced QB the next, or even why Coutee is in the dog house.
 

JB

Innocent Bystander
Contributor's Club
Tim Kelly was named the OC for the Texans before the 2019 season started, yet O’Brien only let him lead the meetings and be part of the game planning on offense. (According to online articles) O'Brien, being the control freak that he is, was still the man at OC, HC, and GM and Kelly didn’t really get to show us what he gots.

Will this upcoming season finally be the one? I’m tired of watching O’Brien’s boring, tedious play calls while teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, and even the Bills (against us) look exciting with a very bright future! The Texans, on the other hand, stacked at offense and still look incompetent. Who knows? Maybe if O’Brien steps back as let’s the position guys he hired do their jobs, maybe then he won’t be overwhelmed and focus on just overseeing things, maybe THEN we will see the results?!

Im not really excited about anything Texans, and who the hell can be after such historic choke on national television? But, I’m curious about what Tim Kelly has to offer.
Meh, it's still going to be OB's plays... nothing will change or Kelly will also be gone
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Tim Kelly was named the OC for the Texans before the 2019 season started, yet O’Brien only let him lead the meetings and be part of the game planning on offense.
We believe the OC should call the plays. That's not always the case with offensive minded HC.

In our case we would like BO'b to pass the play calling duties because he's not good at it.

But the OC has many other important duties.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
BOB needs to let Kelly call plays.

He has far to much on his plate.
I agree with BOB having too much on his plate. However, Tim Kelly going from a Penn State graduate assistant to NFL Quality Control coach, to TE coach and then OC lead me to the question, "if you look at Kelly's resume, exactly what in his background or coaching experience qualifies him to call plays at the NFL level?". Being O'Brien's gofer at Penn State does not qualify as experience.

As QB coach, Sean Ryan had more experience than Kelly and O'Brien still would not let him call plays. To me, O'Brien should have promoted Sean Ryan to OC before Kelly.
 
Last edited:

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
I agree with BOB having too much on his plate. However, Tim Kelly going from a Penn State graduate assistant to NFL Quality Control coach, to TE coach and then OC lead me to the question, "if you look at Kelly's resume, exactly what in his background or coaching experience qualifies him to call plays at the NFL level?". Being O'Brien's gofer at Penn State does not qualify as experience.

As QB coach, Sean Ryan had more experience than Kelly and O'Brien still would not let him call plays. To me, O'Brien should have promoted Sean Ryan to OC before Kelly.
I agree about Ryan but as far as Kelly's pedgree, Kyle Shanahan went from Quality Control ---> WR coach ---> QB coach ---> OC Cord. so not much different than Kelly. Apparently Texans are the place where young coaches come to get their break. Wish we were the place where coaches come to win championships.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
I'm not actually sure what you're refuting. After an extreme turnaround he put the 2016 Falcons in the Superbowl as the OC. In only 3 years at head coach he took the 49ers to the Superbowl through the 2019 season. As for experience ... don't insult me.
I'm refuting this idea he had more experience, if you take that as an insult then so be it. Only thing I can think of is that you believe because his father was a HC then he knew more coming in than anybody else. If you believe that well then not much I can argue with on that because its based not on facts but on your opinion. Facts say that he had roughly the same path to OC that Tim Kelly is taking.
 

Uncle Rico

Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
No way King OBrien allows a lowly vassal to call plays HA! the audacity.
 

AcresHomesTexan

No Longer Arlington: Escaped From Jerry's World
Staff member
This is a perception, but on the 4th down call play where BOB was "busy" trying figure if to use the challenge flag, I would have expected the OC, Tim kelly to be ready with a play to call for the too busy play-caller.

So either, Kelly was ready with a play and BOB ignored or some version of didn't get the call or Kelly also fell down on the job and wasn't ready with the play.

This brings me to the idea that either Kelly is not being trained to call plays or is not ready to call plays or some combination of both.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
I agree with BOB having too much on his plate. However, Tim Kelly going from a Penn State graduate assistant to NFL Quality Control coach, to TE coach and then OC lead me to the question, "if you look at Kelly's resume, exactly what in his background or coaching experience qualifies him to call plays at the NFL level?". Being O'Brien's gofer at Penn State does not qualify as experience.

As QB coach, Sean Ryan had more experience than Kelly and O'Brien still would not let him call plays. To me, O'Brien should have promoted Sean Ryan to OC before Kelly.
I always wondered why Obrien didn’t bring in a more experienced qualified OC. But then I thought about it for a second and realized what control freak would. He’s grooming his yes man to do exactly what he wants them to do. I remember reading, Kelly would hold the practice sessions/game planning before the games only for Bill to come in days later and change it up.

Op no I don’t believe he will hand over the play calling to Kelly. Training might come off in 2021
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
He had/has more experience, to argue otherwise is wrong. I'm saying that by the time Kyle hit 18 years old they're quite literally incomparable. The other two combined can't catch up. At an early age Kyle was spending time with NFL players (vets and cuts), with a hall of fame coach and assistants, and actually sitting in management meetings. If wiki is correct, Kyle started his NFL coaching career a full 3+ years before O'Brien ... (one working on route designs, the other getting Gronk and Hernandez coffee). He did so with a bigger coaching tree, better references, an actual offensive system and philosophy, and worked under some incredible teachers. Kelly shows up a decade later and doesn't factor in.

I'm not saying Kelly can't/won't be a good coach (O'Brien will never), but to compare them in any way is just ... no.
Yep, right there is why the football part of this forum mirrors the political part. What I say is right, what anyone else that doesn't agree with me says is wrong and there is nothing else to discuss. If he learned so much he sure didn't know what to do with it for a long time because he was almost a non-factor here and when his dad hired him for Washington they did so bad that everyone said he was hired simply because he was his dad's son and the whole staff got fired. But sure he was great before he ever even entered the league. Excuse me I'm going back over to the XFL section now.
 

AcresHomesTexan

No Longer Arlington: Escaped From Jerry's World
Staff member
So apparently the answer is yes.

other coaching structure news:


Kelly, who has coached for O’Brien since he was a graduate assistant at Penn State, also will coach the team’s quarterbacks.

T.J. Yates will serve as assistant quarterbacks coach, while Carl Smith, the quarterbacks coach last year, will become an offensive consultant.
 

AcresHomesTexan

No Longer Arlington: Escaped From Jerry's World
Staff member
This is a perception, but on the 4th down call play where BOB was "busy" trying figure if to use the challenge flag, I would have expected the OC, Tim kelly to be ready with a play to call for the too busy play-caller.

So either, Kelly was ready with a play and BOB ignored or some version of didn't get the call or Kelly also fell down on the job and wasn't ready with the play.

This brings me to the idea that either Kelly is not being trained to call plays or is not ready to call plays or some combination of both.
My perception is often wrong.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
Still won't satisfy some...If the offense doesn't come out dropping 40 ppg, they'll just say Kelly is a figurehead & BoB is really calling the plays.
After being named OC last off-season, he certainly was a figurehead this past season. I've even heard that Kelly installed the game plan while OB was busy wearing his other hats during the week, only to have OB come in Saturday and change things. Would lead some to believe that's a reason for their slow starts.

Can't say I know much about Kelly but I hope he's allowed to show what it is he's truly got to offer, and not just be a puppet to the puppet master.
 

dream_team

Hall of Fame
Still won't satisfy some...If the offense doesn't come out dropping 40 ppg, they'll just say Kelly is a figurehead & BoB is really calling the plays.
Truthfully, we won't know how this will turn out. We don't know if Kelly is a good play-caller or not. What I am happy about is relieving BOB of some of his responsibilities. You can argue he has more responsibilities than any other HC.
 

Mr teX

Hall of Fame
I go over to the Titans MB alot & i remember distinctly how they all wanted Arthur Smith their OC fired the 1st part of the season b/c the offense looked terrible. Enter Tanny & that offense took off...I expect a similar situation here now that BoB has officially come out & said Kelly will call the plays. I expect BoB to hold his hand alot the first 2-3 games but by the 2nd quarter of the season if things are going ok, he'll let him go. Downside to that is if it's NOT ok, BoB may be inclined to takeover in some capacity midseason.

The slow starts have been a staple of BoB's offenses since before Kelly so im inclined to believe that's a drawback of running a "gameplan" offense thing. Come out running base packages so you can see how defenses are going to try to play you for that week & then make your adjustments & counters as the game progresses. I've watched enough of his offenses over the years to come to a pretty solid conclusion that the only thing BoB is steadfast about in his offenses is that he wants to be able to run the ball & that he wants to remain balanced.....or at least by the end of the game the box score gives the impression that we were balanced. Beyond that, i don't think he cares how its achieved.

It would definitely be interesting though to see how much of what we saw last year was Kelly's influence on the gameplan.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I always wondered why Obrien didn’t bring in a more experienced qualified OC. But then I thought about it for a second and realized what control freak would. He’s grooming his yes man to do exactly what he wants them to do. I remember reading, Kelly would hold the practice sessions/game planning before the games only for Bill to come in days later and change it up.

Op no I don’t believe he will hand over the play calling to Kelly. Training might come off in 2021
This post didn't age well
 

dream_team

Hall of Fame
I go over to the Titans MB alot & i remember distinctly how they all wanted Arthur Smith their OC fired the 1st part of the season b/c the offense looked terrible. Enter Tanny & that offense took off...I expect a similar situation here now that BoB has officially come out & said Kelly will call the plays. I expect BoB to hold his hand alot the first 2-3 games but by the 2nd quarter of the season if things are going ok, he'll let him go. Downside to that is if it's NOT ok, BoB may be inclined to takeover in some capacity midseason.

The slow starts have been a staple of BoB's offenses since before Kelly so im inclined to believe that's a drawback of running a "gameplan" offense thing. Come out running base packages so you can see how defenses are going to try to play you for that week & then make your adjustments & counters as the game progresses. I've watched enough of his offenses over the years to come to a pretty solid conclusion that the only thing BoB is steadfast about in his offenses is that he wants to be able to run the ball & that he wants to remain balanced.....or at least by the end of the game the box score gives the impression that we were balanced. Beyond that, i don't think he cares how its achieved.

It would definitely be interesting though to see how much of what we saw last year was Kelly's influence on the gameplan.
In regards to scoring in the first quarter, the team hasn't been that bad since DW4 has come on board.

2017 ranked 13th
2018 ranked 8th
2019 ranked 21st (and this included the 21 point 1st quarter against KC)

This tells me there was something peculiar about 2019.
 

banned1976

sleeper mode
So Tim Kelly followed BoB from Penn and his only work in the NFL has been as a coach on the offensive side of the ball for the Texans.

I hope he has a great career here as OC. I‘m extremely cautiously optimistic. But right now I’ll take any changes that delegate some of OB’s responsibilities to other people so he can focus on his HC/GM duties.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
In regards to scoring in the first quarter, the team hasn't been that bad since DW4 has come on board.

2017 ranked 13th
2018 ranked 8th
2019 ranked 21st (and this included the 21 point 1st quarter against KC)

This tells me there was something peculiar about 2019.
19 had a lot of teams trying to tank the first half of the season and several teams that were running away with the games and getting insane number of points. I don’t so much think the 21st rank was as much a Texans thing as it was an NFL thing.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
This post didn't age well
I guess it aged as well as these gems:
:shades:

After the draft I suspect Caserio will be named GM and he will want to bring in his own cap guy.
Agreed, Caserio will be here next yr to help BOB out with this.
I'm not worried about this after seeing the last 2 drafts. I will also bet you Caserio will be the GM before the draft. He may be doing work behind the scenes and sabotaging the Pats draft in the process if the Pats dont let him walk.

One this is for sure, the upcoming draft is a very important for the future of the Texans org. They need to hit (Like Reid) on 2-3 players.
 
Last edited:

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I guess it aged as well as these gems:
:shades:
Nice

I guess Caserio was more important to Belichick than Robison/Dimitroff/Quinn etc... and to think some on here didn't want Caserio as the Texans GM.
 
Last edited:

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Dude he had no freaking darn choice. Neither of us had any freaking clue about Bill O’Brien becoming the darn GM.

So again stop trying to be the one that knows every darn thing.
Obviously I dont know every darn thing, BTW, he would've had plenty of choices after the upcoming draft.

I was just predicting, just like others were about Kelly. Tell you what, if you have an issue with me predicting things then why dont you put me on ignore.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
With Kelly also coaching QBs and Yates as assistant QB coach, what happens with Carl Smith?
He's moving into an advisory position/offense consultant.

In short he will be helping Kelly. This is a good thing since he has previous OC experience. With Kelly as OC and working with DW4 hopefully there will be more RPO's in the future.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Still won't satisfy some...If the offense doesn't come out dropping 40 ppg, they'll just say Kelly is a figurehead & BoB is really calling the plays.
I don't care how many points we score. I'd like to outscore the opponent. But I will call for Kelly's head if we're not doing that. I'll call it stank if it stinks.

& if the only screen we run is that WR bubblescreen I will call Kelly the new Godsey, a puppet, a scapegoat.
 
Top