Your assumption is that the Texans could have hired a good head coaching candidate. The reality may be that Culley was about as good as they could get.
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Welcome to Houston David Culley, Head Coach
- Thread starter banned1976
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banned1976
sleeper mode
Culley is an empty suit with a whistle. From the day he was hired. It feels like he was hired as a favor to someone else involved in the league.
It would be one thing if he had suddenly caught fire as Assistant Head Coach and Passing Coordinator under Harbaugh 2019-2020, but that didn't happen. Baltimore was dead last in passing yards in 2020. 171.2 yards per game. This year Baltimore averages 260 YPG passing, good for 10th best in the league. The only reason he isn't being excoriated by every single Texans fan is because the guy he replaced was probably the most hated man in Houston sports...minus Bud Adams...maybe.
There is no excuse for hiring Culley. Bo Porter would have been a better hire to coach this team. At least he's a man that deserved, and got respect from the people he led. I don't think these players respect Culley. And why would they?
It would be one thing if he had suddenly caught fire as Assistant Head Coach and Passing Coordinator under Harbaugh 2019-2020, but that didn't happen. Baltimore was dead last in passing yards in 2020. 171.2 yards per game. This year Baltimore averages 260 YPG passing, good for 10th best in the league. The only reason he isn't being excoriated by every single Texans fan is because the guy he replaced was probably the most hated man in Houston sports...minus Bud Adams...maybe.
There is no excuse for hiring Culley. Bo Porter would have been a better hire to coach this team. At least he's a man that deserved, and got respect from the people he led. I don't think these players respect Culley. And why would they?
Anyone thinking that a serious rebuild effort started this year is fooling himself. Never the plan. This year is about starting the clean up process... that's all folks
banned1976
sleeper mode
If the candidates were told they would have no control over the staff and players signed/released/drafted, I could believe the statement above. And that may have been the case, I don't know.
Of course Easterby had a hand in it... Culley is the compromise that all could live with
The inherent problem with Culley the janitor theory is that they will be selecting players in future drafts based on schemes that might not even be applicable to future coaching hires.
Future HC candidates will take that into consideration, not to mention having his assistant coaches dictated to him, meddling owners that know little about the actual game of football, and a focus on some kind of mythical culture that is not a result of winning but is based on idealistic delusions.
Yeah, good luck with that. The HC choices will be limited, all things considered. I expect Culley 2.0! lol
Future HC candidates will take that into consideration, not to mention having his assistant coaches dictated to him, meddling owners that know little about the actual game of football, and a focus on some kind of mythical culture that is not a result of winning but is based on idealistic delusions.
Yeah, good luck with that. The HC choices will be limited, all things considered. I expect Culley 2.0! lol
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I think Culley is one and done along with Kelly. IMHO, one was hired and one was kept to hopefully lure Watson back into the fold. It didn’t workout so Caserio will move forward and get his staff in advance of the 2022 draft so the rebuild can begin in earnest.
I believe Caserio knows he cannot afford to use this draft to fulfill the needs of Culley and his staff….especially if the team gains the Watson trade picks as well.
There's no way to know this.... yet. I mean, just last month, Urban Myer was looking like a pretty bad hire.
Agreed
Still in the anybody but O'Brien camp. Just like Kubiak (who I like) it was time to move on & I was just happy they decided to move on.
Number19
Hall of Fame
Your link is behind a pay wall, but going just on your comment, Lovie wasn't interviewed until after Culley was interviewed and an agreement between Caserio and Culley and hired as HC. If Lovie was on Casrio's short list, this wouldn't have precluded discussion with Culley on the hire.
As for Campen, I didn't dig any deeper than my search results which says Campen was hired March 10. There obviously would have been interviews prior to his hiring.
All of my dates are the dates the hirings were announced to the news media.
The point of my post is that Culley would have been involved in discussions of the hiring of his coaching staff.
Number19
Hall of Fame
I agree. I'm also expecting Culley, for this reason, will be here longer than most everyone is expecting, which seems to be 2 years.
OK, Culley was involved. Still, Nick had the final decision.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
When a GM selects a HC……in all reality his job is done. He now turns the responsibility of filling out the coaching staff to the HC he hired. The only thing the HC should be running by the GM at this point is what the team is willing to pay those coordinators and position coaches.
Pay for assistant coaches should be discussed in HC interviews.
Number19
Hall of Fame
OK, so what? This is not unusual. GM's usually do, or at least often do, have final say. Unless you like it when the GM and HC is combined into one position, like with OB.
It's a difference in the business management of the organization. Have you seen the Kevin Costner movie Draft Day? I would compare Caserio with Sonny Weaver Jr.
Number19
Hall of Fame
For position coaches, I agree. But not necessarily so for both OC or DC. The HC's experience will usually be with one or the other. The GM may very well have the final say in the other. It would certainly be discussed in the interviews. I've even read of situations of co-HC's. But if a HC candidate is not in agreement with the GM, why would the GM hire that candidate? These decisions are worked out before contracts are signed.
Number19
Hall of Fame
Never watched.Ever seen "The Office"? I I would compare Caserio with Dwight Schrute.
Ever seen "The Office"? I I would compare Caserio with Dwight Schrute.
Why?
What has he done that's dumb or hurt this franchise?
Speaking of comparisons, David Culley has the aw shucks personality of Andy Taylor combined with the professional competence of Barney Fife.
He's the perfect millionaire placeholder.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
My biggest complaint with Culley thus far is the offense and lack of discipline (penalties). The defense is doing about as well as can be expected. Lovie is a legit DC and with more talent can put together a successful defense even in the “new era” from his Tampa 2 glory years.
But the offense is too similar to OB’s jumbled mess minus the franchise QB. I want to know what the OL is attempting to accomplish. Not in the way that they tip off whether the play is a run or pass (which they do a poor job of disguising). But in a clearly defined philosophy to score more points than the other team.
Regardless of talent level, the team should not commit as many “unforced errors” as this team has been doing all season. Presnap penalties should be about as common as missed extra points. But regardless of “how hard they practice”, the same mistakes happen week after week to stall drives.
But the offense is too similar to OB’s jumbled mess minus the franchise QB. I want to know what the OL is attempting to accomplish. Not in the way that they tip off whether the play is a run or pass (which they do a poor job of disguising). But in a clearly defined philosophy to score more points than the other team.
Regardless of talent level, the team should not commit as many “unforced errors” as this team has been doing all season. Presnap penalties should be about as common as missed extra points. But regardless of “how hard they practice”, the same mistakes happen week after week to stall drives.
Is there a site that tabulate preSnap penalties? Offensively I believe most of the penalties are post snap.
This reminds me more of Cal than you know. That and Smokey and the Bandit. Jackie Gleason was the best.
Thorn
Dirty Old Man
You're right.
On offense, the Texans were in the lower tier in penalty committed Pre-snap (3 delay of game and 8 False Start).
What kills them the most is Offensive Holding (tied for 2nd at 16).
Whenever I read this or similar comments. I wonder if this is similar to your spouse making her wishes known that your next vacation should be a location with a nice, beautiful beach. You don't even explore the possibility of the beautiful sandy beaches and crystal blue waters of the Caribbean islands or Mexico and take her to Galveston.
Technically, you met her requirements. However, it still doesn't justify that fact that you totally ignored better options.
Did the wife wait until the week before the vacation to make her wishes known?
That had to be an interesting conversation simply because Parcells never would have worked for Cal McNair, Jack Easterby, or a GM that has as much power as Caserio.
He probably told Culley "that's a helluva' lot of money! Take it and run!" lol
IMO, that’s the New England connection I’ve been looking for. It just goes beyond Belichick, but I knew it was there.
banned1976
sleeper mode
NFL Hot Seat Coaches (Updated Week 13) – BetMGM
David Culley landed back on the hot seat in Week 5 after a two-week reprieve. And while the Houston Texans’ ineptitude isn’t (entirely) Culley’s fault, this team has no direction, no optimism, and no life.
Eradicating the stench of the Bill O’Brien oligarchy will take years. And as ownership and new general manager Nick Caserio are repeatedly pounded with that stench throughout the 2021 season, it’s fair to wonder if a journeyman positional coach is the right guy for long-haul player development.
If Culley is unfortunately fired after one season, Caserio could call an old friend, Brian Daboll. Daboll was the New England Patriots’ tight ends coach from 2013-16, during which Caserio worked in the front office. And after his work as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator the last two years, Daboll is an attractive and potentially interested – after reportedly being a front-runner for the Los Angeles Chargers’ job last year – candidate.
I bolded the point that I feel should be the catalyst in firing Culley after only one year. If the Texans are going with a major youth movement - and I think they should - I believe they need better people in coaching roles than what they have now. That starts with Culley.
David Culley landed back on the hot seat in Week 5 after a two-week reprieve. And while the Houston Texans’ ineptitude isn’t (entirely) Culley’s fault, this team has no direction, no optimism, and no life.
Eradicating the stench of the Bill O’Brien oligarchy will take years. And as ownership and new general manager Nick Caserio are repeatedly pounded with that stench throughout the 2021 season, it’s fair to wonder if a journeyman positional coach is the right guy for long-haul player development.
If Culley is unfortunately fired after one season, Caserio could call an old friend, Brian Daboll. Daboll was the New England Patriots’ tight ends coach from 2013-16, during which Caserio worked in the front office. And after his work as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator the last two years, Daboll is an attractive and potentially interested – after reportedly being a front-runner for the Los Angeles Chargers’ job last year – candidate.
I bolded the point that I feel should be the catalyst in firing Culley after only one year. If the Texans are going with a major youth movement - and I think they should - I believe they need better people in coaching roles than what they have now. That starts with Culley.
I'm surprised nobody has chimed in here regarding the inactive players from last weekend. Reid notably had a far different take than Culley did on what went down.
I'm kinda torn. I know that you need to maintain discipline, but this wasn't a missed meeting, failure to show up, etc. It sounds like Reid took issue with some of Culley's criticism (and had some issue with Chris Conley as well) and rather than taking a stand right then, they waited a day and told him he wasn't going to be active on Friday.
It's not like the Texans can even overcome injuries right now...now we're sitting starters over disagreements. Sigh.
I'm kinda torn. I know that you need to maintain discipline, but this wasn't a missed meeting, failure to show up, etc. It sounds like Reid took issue with some of Culley's criticism (and had some issue with Chris Conley as well) and rather than taking a stand right then, they waited a day and told him he wasn't going to be active on Friday.
It's not like the Texans can even overcome injuries right now...now we're sitting starters over disagreements. Sigh.
Welcome to the town square of Dysfunction Junction, home of Mayor Culley. . .
Texansballer74
The Marine
We are now the most dysfunctional organization in all of pro sports. Culley clearly made a hasty decision in which he allowed his feelings to cloud his judgment. We can best believe no big time players want to play for this organization. Obrien was with this dumb crap too.
Which young players have Culley & crew screwed up developing? Howard, Scarping, Heck, Morrisey, Collins, Brevan, Mills, Greenard, Blacklock, Lopez?
I side with the coaches in these sort of things, unless a 3rd party who was there chimes in.
I know most of us believe we “know” better. But if we were in his shoes, probably would have done the same thing.
Culley doesn’t look like an overbearing tyrant, so I doubt it was so much that there was a disagreement, but rather how that disagreement was voiced.
maybe Culley didn’t want to scratch him, but wrestled with his conscious all night & a day & decided to do what he thought was right.
maybe Reid said something in practice, or acted a way that convince Culley it would only get worse if he doesn’t act.
Again, I have no idea what happened. Wasn’t there. But I’ve been in situations where I had to struggle through a tough situation with my best man on the sideline. He wasn’t being a team player & I couldn’t afford to play favorites.
According to Stephanie Stradley. The question I have is Culley criticizing the defense more than the offense? Why is Conley getting involved in an argument. Just weird that he's criticizing the defense in a manner that offends Reid when the offense is the worst unit on the team.
You think it’s weird that Culley doesn’t criticize the offense in a manner to upset Reid?
Why would Reid care how Culley criticizes the offense.
personally I take this as a sign we have a HC & not an OC pretending. A step in the right direction
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David Culley.
The rookie coach.
Does this really matter?
There was no way Reid was going to be a Texan next yr even if this hadn't happened.
Hopefully this changes in 3 yrs when Culley's no longer the HC and the rebuild is complete. This is what a complete tear down looks like.
Wonder what this MB's attitude would've been had BOB made the same decision Culley made? I'm sure that would've made for some great entertainment.
We've all been there and had to make tough decisions like the one you had to make.
Number19
Hall of Fame
So has the reason for the discipline come to light - getting into a heated exchange with a teammate during a team meeting. If this is the case, then it could be argued the discipline was justified. We still don't have all the details, such as, why wasn't Conley also disciplined?
You read that wrong or missed my point. Everyone knows the offense has underachieved and is the worst unit on the team. So, if Culley was criticizing the offense harshly, why would Reid get upset? Wouldn’t they deserve it?
Maybe Reid felt he should be trying to fix that horrible offense instead of nitpicking the defense after they basically won that game for him.