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Who do you want as the new OC?

I agree with Seth’s take. I also want an experienced OC so that person can put together a competent coaching staff through what can only be gained from experience and connections.

Slowik was given his staff because he didn’t have a rolodex like Nick does. DeMeco was able to get guys on defense he was familiar with from previous stops. I want the OC to be able to be like Wade Phillips. You run this thing and get your guys to do it.

Guys like Pederson, Mccarthy, Kelly and Reich have that rolodex.

Though if we’re going younger i’d sooner take a Rams candidate (Ragone or Caley) with the hopes of poaching the Mcvay coaching tree for assistants. And I can get on board with Klint Kubiak assuming he can bring in Benton as his OL coach and ask his dad to consult. Ragone has the added benefit of previous OC experience, but Arthur Smith was calling plays in Atlanta.
Ragone ? Our Dave Ragone, the southpaw QB the Texans drafted awhile back ! Hey Joker you've got your own rolodex, you know your stuff man !
And Benton, the OLine coach who's already done one tour of duty here with the Texans. Recognize those names.
OK man thanks for your input, appreciate it !
 
I want someone that sees blocking a DE with a “whatever, I got paid” TE ain’t gonna cut it!

I want an OC that will get a guy like Mixon more than 30 ish receptions. Every game the broadcasters would say “Mixon is a great receiving back” yet Slowick takes him out every third down for Dare… if that don’t tip the defense off ….

I need an OC that’s gonna get the TE more involved.

I want an OC that’s gonna work with his Oline coach and scheme things up to block SIMPLE ARSE stunts!!

Finally I want an OC that’s not gonna waste CJs last three years of his rookie contract.
 
I want someone that sees blocking a DE with a “whatever, I got paid” TE ain’t gonna cut it!

I want an OC that will get a guy like Mixon more than 30 ish receptions. Every game the broadcasters would say “Mixon is a great receiving back” yet Slowick takes him out every third down for Dare… if that don’t tip the defense off ….

I need an OC that’s gonna get the TE more involved.

I want an OC that’s gonna work with his Oline coach and scheme things up to block SIMPLE ARSE stunts!!

Finally I want an OC that’s not gonna waste CJs last three years of his rookie contract.
We don’t have a great TE. Stover is slower than a turtle.
 
NON-Texans OC interviews

The #Bears interviewed #Broncos TE coach Declan Doyle today for their offensive coordinator job, per source.

The Bears have requested to interview Cardinals QBs coach Israel Woolfork for their offensive coordinator position, sources tell

#Bears have also requested to interview David Shaw for the offensive coordinator job. He was interviewed for the HC position.

The #Bucs have requested to interview offensive assistant/pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase for their offensive coordinator position, per source.

Buccaneers conducted a virtual interview today with the Chargers’ Pass Game Coordinator Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

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Found a tracker
 
I am curious as to why you want to limit the new coach to only solving one or two problems and then advancing to Tunsil?
The car's in the shop and we have the means to fix it and the time. All that is needed is to find the right mechanic.

I am hoping, maybe in vain I admit that there are some players on this line that can be salvaged by different, hopefully far better coaching. I don’t doubt that at least one or two will be outright replaced by either draft picks or free agents. Only so much can be done in a single season agreed? That’s all I meant. If the incoming staff can fix it all in one year then fantastic.
 
I’m kinda becoming more open to a guy like McCown simply because he’s a former QB so he’ll be able to see things as CJ sees them..
Wasn't Slowik being a 1st time play caller part of the issue with him? If we were talking QB coach, I'd be interested. Not looking for an on the job trainee.
I get having amnesia about Frank Reich’s previous career...
Don't have a clue. Just know I want no part of the man.
Caley is widely considered as the hot new young up and coming offensive mastermind.
Caley was with the Patriots 8 years and is also part of the John Carroll mafia. Caserio knows him well. Has been a TE coach the past 8 seasons, for those wanting to get the TE more involved. Still, it would be on the job training with Caley and I'm not sure what offense he would run.
 
I’m good with Reich. But I’ll just agree with some others here. All due respect to Ryans, but my man doesn’t know Jack squat about offense. At least not from the perspective of running one. Just like Kubes didn’t know squat about how to build and run a defense. Wade came in, became the HC of the defense, Gary kept hands of, and it worked beautifully.

We need that, but opposites. Let Meco and his guys continue to build and run the D, and get a HC over offense type that has the pelts on the wall. Someone that when he says jump, guys say how hi coach? Bobby was a nice guy, but maybe too nice. We need someone guys truly respect, and maybe fear just a bit.

We are in win now mode here. I think a number of the guys I have seen mentioned have big upside, but I want a guy that can come in here day one and immediately know how to get started. We already did the on the job training with Bobby. Even he has good upside, but we can’t wait for a guy to develop. I do put Klint Kubiak in that category. Reich, Pedersen, McCarthy, Leftwich also fit. There may be a small handful of others not coming to my mind but the list that fits my desires isn’t a large one. Maybe 8-10 at best.
 
Wasn't Slowik being a 1st time play caller part of the issue with him? If we were talking QB coach, I'd be interested. Not looking for an on the job trainee.

Don't have a clue. Just know I want no part of the man.

Caley was with the Patriots 8 years and is also part of the John Carroll mafia. Caserio knows him well. Has been a TE coach the past 8 seasons, for those wanting to get the TE more involved. Still, it would be on the job training with Caley and I'm not sure what offense he would run.
True, but Slowik was never a qb on any level much less one in the NFL. I suspect that that will aid McCown with playcalling.
 
Gotta disagree for multiple reasons:

First off many years of bad OL play got Luck into an early retirement. Reich only had him one season and he took 18 sacks that year.

The Panthers issue sounds like a lot of factors involved, but I wouldn’t entirely nix Reich as an OC candidate because he flopped as HC in Carolina.

Pederson had Hurts for one season and Hurts showed promise. How did he nearly ruin him?

Both of those coaches were part of a team that won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles.

And to bring up Mccown being a former QB…. I get having amnesia about Frank Reich’s previous career prior to coaching but you don’t remember Pederson was also a former QB?

And you don’t fault Mccown at all as QB coach of Carolina team that flopped?
He didn’t wanna turn the reins over to hurts when it was obvious he should’ve.
Gotta disagree for multiple reasons:

First off many years of bad OL play got Luck into an early retirement. Reich only had him one season and he took 18 sacks that year.

The Panthers issue sounds like a lot of factors involved, but I wouldn’t entirely nix Reich as an OC candidate because he flopped as HC in Carolina.

Pederson had Hurts for one season and Hurts showed promise. How did he nearly ruin him?

Both of those coaches were part of a team that won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles.

And to bring up Mccown being a former QB…. I get having amnesia about Frank Reich’s previous career prior to coaching but you don’t remember Pederson was also a former QB?

And you don’t fault Mccown at all as QB coach of Carolina team that flopped?
Reich’s Scheme is known for getting his QBs hit too much. It wasn’t just Luck failing to protect himself and bad o-line play in the previous years before he got there. His passing scheme lends itself to that stuff sort of like the run and shoot did. Got to Carolina and his passing scheme also got Bryce Young killed.

& Peterson didn’t wanna turn the reins over to hurts when it was obvious he should’ve the 1 year he did have him. Tried to pigeon hole him as a run only qb instead of giving him a legit chance. Kept trying to make it work with Wentz. That’s why he got the axe in Philly in the 1st place.

Yes I’m aware that both those guys are former QBs..but they’re older QBs from the frickin late 80’s early 90’s. The game has changed so much since then and those guys don’t seem like they’ve adjusted well.

McCown shoulders some fault just b/c he was on staff, but ultimately it was Reich who called plays and it was ultimately his scheme. McCown has since moved to the Vikings and redeemed himself some with the resurgence of Darnold. He’s on the upswing. The last we saw of Reich he was being fired in his 1st year as HC after being fired from Indy for his stubbornness. He’s done. So is Pederson imo.
 
Caley is widely considered as the hot new young up and coming offensive mastermind.
Yeah... not what we should have on our candidate list. We want a "Wade Phillips, Romeo Crennel" type OC assistant HC/candidate.
 
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True, but Slowik was never a qb on any level much less one in the NFL. I suspect that that will aid McCown with playcalling.
If McCown had a history like Drew Brees where he & the OC were symbiote, maybe. If McCown had a history of mentally abusing defenses & keeping DCs up at night... maybe.

I dont think one year baby sitting QBs prepared him for setting up meetings, managing WR drills, or overseeing OLmen dietary regimen.
 
If McCown had a history like Drew Brees where he & the OC were symbiote, maybe. If McCown had a history of mentally abusing defenses & keeping DCs up at night... maybe.

I dont think one year baby sitting QBs prepared him for setting up meetings, managing WR drills, or overseeing OLmen dietary regimen.
I think everyone is overrating the experience angle to this. McCarthy, Pederson and Reich have all the experience in the world and that didn’t help them whatsoever at their 2nd stops as HC’s.

Sure, those are HC gigs and not OC jobs but you can’t look at this stuff in a vacuum. Especially if you’re looking for a “HC” of the offense. Plus, I think u need a younger guy to come in here and be able to relate to these guys. That isn’t any of the 3 I listed above. They’re literally the opposite. Older guys who look at the qb position differently and more importantly already have books out on how they call plays in the NFL; i.e. tendencies.

Plus look around the league. Outside of Reid and Payton, all of the coaches regarded as the best play callers in the league are all on the younger side.
 
Eric Bieniemy! :D

:sarcasm:
rambo-angry.gif
 
Has anyone seen any info as to when the Texans are going to start bringing in candidates to interview? I am surprised that nothing has been mentioned yet.
 
Sure, those are HC gigs and not OC jobs but you can’t look at this stuff in a vacuum. Especially if you’re looking for a “HC” of the offense.
They've done fine as HC of the offense. That's why people assumed they'd do fine as HC. Dom Capers, RAC, Wade Phillips... all good HC of the defense. Not good DC.
Plus, I think u need a younger guy to come in here and be able to relate to these guys
Age is just a number. But fine, there are still young up & comers out there with more NFL coaching experience than Josh McCown, many more at the collegiate level.
 
IMHO. Kyle Shanahan, Mike LaFleur and Sean McVay are the godfathers of this generation's Shanahan/Kubiak offense. I like this offense and think it can still be effective. However, even the godfathers are acknowledging that they have to tweak the system.

In last year's playoff game against the Browns. DeMeco coached up Harris to intercept a Flacco pass because he observed that Stefanski was still running the same plays he saw when he was practicing against Matt Schaub and Kubiak's offense. It seems Slowik was running the Shanahan offense but couldn't adapt it to his personnel nor could he make the tweaks and adjustments needed from game to game or even quarter to quarter. At this point in his career, Slowik is not an innovator. He is simply running plays from a familiar playbook but lacks the experience and creativity to expand the playbook.

If they are going to keep the system. I would prefer they hire someone from the McVay tree. I think guys from the McVay tree like Liam Coen, Kevin O'ConnelI, and Matt LaFleur seems to be more creative in the passing game. I think the new OC has to be a teacher and innovator. Running the system is not enough. It's what can they do with the system and implement their own ideas to maximize the personnel. For example, Andy Reid took the Bill Walsh version of the WCO and integrate the Texas Tech offense/concepts for Mahomes. Kyle Shanahan is on record that he wants to integrate some of the things that Mike McDaniel is doing with the Miami offense. Recently, Sean McVay mentioned he was impressed with what Liam Coem was doing with the Bucs' offense and was going to do the same.

The godfathers are now learning from their proteges. Here is McVay's take on what Coen was doing with the Bucs' offense. Does anyone think that McVay or Shanahan will take anything from the 2024 Texans offense?

 
Magnificent, intelligent post Earl. Bravo.

WCO fundamentals are wonderful. Expand on it, the Shanahan/Kubiak generation and evolve with it with those concepts the way the tree is doing now and you will be golden.
 
They've done fine as HC of the offense. That's why people assumed they'd do fine as HC. Dom Capers, RAC, Wade Phillips... all good HC of the defense. Not good DC.

Age is just a number. But fine, there are still young up & comers out there with more NFL coaching experience than Josh McCown, many more at the collegiate level.
fine then let’s see what Norv Turner is up to these days…I mean if age is nothing but a number & nfl coaching experience is the premium all you guys deem as a must have. Way overvaluing that imo.

I look at Coaching experience as 1 of those things that after a certain point the positive returns are diminished. I mean it’s not like that 27 years of coaching experience helped Culley when he got here..and he had a few years of “associate” HC under his belt.

I guess I just don’t get the hate for McCown. I understand not wanting him as a HC with no coaching experience back then..but an OC position now?

These days, age isn’t just a number. You gotta be able to relate to these guys. More importantly, you gotta be willing to evolve. 2 things Reich nor Pederson have shown they e learned how to do at their 2nd stops as HC’s. What makes anyone think they’d all of a sudden learn it here as an OC? And I just don’t see it with Reich or Pederson. I dont care what their offenses ranked as when they were HC’s. Jax is the 1 team in the division we’ve dominated and their offenses have never been great. And since Indy lost Manning, their offenses haven’t been great either. Neither of these guys were successful in developing premier offenses despite having supposed once in a generation talents. That says a lot more to me than any ranking their offenses may have ended up having at the end of any given year. I mean 1 year BoB had our offense ranked damn near top 10 in points scored. Does anyone want him back lol. Hard to believe now but back in 2018..yup. & guess what happened, we got in the playoffs & got smoked by Reich’s top 5 offense in Indy..yeah, they scored a whole 21 points against us..then went to KC and scored a whole 13 in a loss.
 
Has anyone seen any info as to when the Texans are going to start bringing in candidates to interview? I am surprised that nothing has been mentioned yet.
My guess is at least some, maybe their biggest candidates are restricted at the moment.

Given how the Texans had to slam on the brakes for tampering reasons before... Im sure they don't want a repeat.
 
He has all the physical traits you'd want, but when it matters most, he tends to have WTH moments. Plus he's been a turnover machine with interceptions and fumbles, and I don’t think that's something that can be blamed on the coach.
He's a coach killer.
 
What has McCown done that gives you confidence in his ability to be a OC?
What have any of these guys truly done before they get gigs as OC/DC’s? Our very own Demeco had exactly 1 more year than McCown does now as a position coach with the 49ers before he was promoted to DC for them. It worked out just fine. Slowik on the other hand had 5-6 full years of coaching in the same successful org (3 other years prior with the Redskins) before he got his shot here with us as an OC..mixed results at best.

So to answer your question, nothing in particular that stands out amongst the other candidates other than he’s younger and fresh out of the game as a player ..I’m more looking at potential upside and positives. All I’m saying is At some point someone gives them a chance to prove themselves. And are we really saying that 1-2 more years coaching QBs would make all the difference in ability to call plays? Hell as a qb, the guy called plays for damn near 20 years in the huddle lol. It’s gonna be a step up no matter when someone chooses to give him a shot. And as they say in the financial sector regarding these other more experienced coaches/play callers… past performance does not guarantee future results/returns.
 
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Gotta disagree for multiple reasons:

First off many years of bad OL play got Luck into an early retirement. Reich only had him one season and he took 18 sacks that year.

The Panthers issue sounds like a lot of factors involved, but I wouldn’t entirely nix Reich as an OC candidate because he flopped as HC in Carolina.

Pederson had Hurts for one season and Hurts showed promise. How did he nearly ruin him?

Both of those coaches were part of a team that won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles.

And to bring up Mccown being a former QB…. I get having amnesia about Frank Reich’s previous career prior to coaching but you don’t remember Pederson was also a former QB?

And you don’t fault Mccown at all as QB coach of Carolina team that flopped?
Funny how selective people can be
 
What have any of these guys truly done before they get gigs as OC/DC’s? Our very own Demeco had exactly 1 more year than McCown does now as a position coach with the 49ers before he was promoted to DC for them. It worked out just fine. Slowik on the other hand had 5-6 full years of coaching in the same successful org (3 other years prior with the Redskins) before he got his shot here with us as an OC..mixed results at best.

So to answer your question, nothing in particular that stands out amongst the other candidates other than he’s younger and fresh out of the game as a player ..I’m more looking at potential upside and positives. All I’m saying is At some point someone gives them a chance to prove themselves. And are we really saying that 1-2 more years coaching QBs would make all the difference in ability to call plays? Hell as a qb, the guy called plays for damn near 20 years in the huddle lol. It’s gonna be a step up no matter when someone chooses to give him a shot. And as they say in the financial sector regarding these other more experienced coaches/play callers… past performance does not guarantee future results/returns.
While someone will eventually give McCown his chance, at this point, I think he's still working his way up. To me it's not only about calling plays, McCown's track record as a quarterback was mediocre/below avg so his experience wouldn't give me a warm fuzzy in his ability to design, teach, or game-plan the entire offense. Plus after Slowik, I think the team will be gun shy on another first-timer for their next hire.
 
I would think that if they were going to hire a first timer, Johnson would have a leg up on the others
Dont see why. He’s got even less experience playing in the league, has never called plays and pretty much the same experience level coaching. His only advantage would be that he’s already here. But given the bulk of his REAL coaching experience was under Slowik, would that be an actual advantage for him? Didn’t help Tim Kelley or Frank Bush any.
 
It’s been mentioned that we’re looking for an OC -with- HC experience.
Well then I’d consider

Chip Kelly
Josh McDaniels
Darrell Bevell
Hell, what’s Jon Gruden up to these days

If we’re going with New guys or retreads

Alex Van Pelt
McCown/Jerrod Johnson
Byron Leftwich
Maybe Anthony Lynn

All of these guys would get consideration before I even thought about Reich, Pederson or McCarthy.
 
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Rumored list of Texans candidates

  • Ohio State OC Chip Kelly
  • Saints OC Klint Kubiak
  • Texans QBs coach Jerrod Johnson
  • Texans offensive assistant Bill Lazor
  • Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown
  • Texans WRs coach/Passing game coordinator Ben McDaniels
  • Rams passing game coordinator/TEs coach Nick Caley
  • Rams OC Mike LaFleur
 
Dont see why. He’s got even less experience playing in the league, has never called plays and pretty much the same experience level coaching. His only advantage would be that he’s already here. But given the bulk of his REAL coaching experience was under Slowik, would that be an actual advantage for him? Didn’t help Tim Kelley or Frank Bush any.
He's got more real coaching experience than McCown. McCown does have more experience being a mediocre backup QB
 
Well then I’d consider

Chip Kelly
Josh McDaniels
Darrell Bevell
Hell, what’s Jon Gruden up to these days

If we’re going with New guys or retreads

Alex Van Pelt
McCown/Jerrod Johnson
Byron Leftwich
Maybe Anthony Lynn

All of these guys would get consideration before I even thought about Reich, Pederson or McCarthy.
FYI… I also want no part of Reich, Pederson, and/or McCarthy.
 
I don’t think a QB’s ability to play the position has a single thing to do with how well he may coach. Just because he has a noodle arm, or can’t process as quickly as some doesn’t mean he can’t draw up an offense. I am not totally opposed to McCown. I’d prefer him to any of the 3 internal candidates mentioned.

But I still prefer someone with experience calling plays and designing an offense. I don’t think they absolutely must have had HC experience, but that could be viewed as a plus. Kubiak is probably my first choice, especially if Gary somehow is part of the package. Every candidate I have seen mentioned has flaws. I don’t see the perfect guy out there.

I would be fine with virtually all of the external candidates mentioned. If it’s an internal guy…less thrilled but whomever they hire gets a clean slate from the fans…or at least this fan, and gets his chance to turn this offense into something that defenses fear.
 
I don’t think a QB’s ability to play the position has a single thing to do with how well he may coach. Just because he has a noodle arm, or can’t process as quickly as some doesn’t mean he can’t draw up an offense. I am not totally opposed to McCown. I’d prefer him to any of the 3 internal candidates mentioned.

But I still prefer someone with experience calling plays and designing an offense. I don’t think they absolutely must have had HC experience, but that could be viewed as a plus. Kubiak is probably my first choice, especially if Gary somehow is part of the package. Every candidate I have seen mentioned has flaws. I don’t see the perfect guy out there.

I would be fine with virtually all of the external candidates mentioned. If it’s an internal guy…less thrilled but whomever they hire gets a clean slate from the fans…or at least this fan, and gets his chance to turn this offense into something that defenses fear.
The candidates seem to fall into two broad categories either dudes who have "failed" as an OC and/or head coach or don't have extensive experience as a play-calling OC. Plenty for us to critique while having to trust Ryans & Caserio's evaluation of the dude.
 
To me the argument for Chip Kelly is Kliff Kingsbury’s success this season. With defensive-minded Dan Quinn as HC, it has allowed Kingsbury to focus entirely on offense. And they have done a good job balancing the attack, not getting too up tempo and allowing the defense an opportunity to rest.

Which was the big weakness for both Kelly and Kingsbury when they were NFL HCs. But both are proven innovators that have shown an ability to adapt their playcalling and consistently outscheme opposing coaches.

The Texans moved on from Slowik because they felt they were at a coaching disadvantage against the best defenses in the league. You can put DeMeco against any opposing OC and feel good that he’ll have a gameplan ready to counter that offense. Ditto with Frank Ross (Chiefs game notwithstanding). But I never felt good about Slowik vs the best DCs.

But with a guy like Kelly, you feel good about your chances scheme wise against any defensive coach in the league. And that might be the difference needed to get to the ultimate goal.
 
There is no more important move this offseason than getting OC and by extension OL coach right. You hire from within you’re doing the same thing expecting a different result. So I don’t think it’s an internal guy even if there are rumors to the contrary. I trust Nick and DeMeco too much.

You could sign Diggs, Higgins, all the WRs. Sign Tre Smith and draft a shiny first round OL. None of it matters if they get injured and/or the coaching isn’t the quality needed to win a championship.

Coaches don’t get injured. DeMeco has been flipping vet minimum DL for career years since he’s been coaching. Those old Shanahan/Kubiak Broncos teams could insert random insurance salesmen at RB and churn out 1000 yard rushers.

Get the system right and the rest will fall into place!
 

Rumored list of Texans candidates

I always look at lists like this and brace myself for the easy, cheap, “one I want least” hire. At the same time I hope for the best. So far I haven’t been rewarded for the hope but I think eventually they’re going to get it right. Usually the guy I want has already made it to OC somewhere and so potentially (likely) would be denied and interview for a lateral move if he’s as good as he looks. That is still a thing right?

Kelly, Kubiak, LeFleur. Please not someone from under Slowik. QB coach hasn’t been able to stop or even slow bad habits from creeping in. Running out of bounds behind the LOS and holding on to the ball too long. Last season CJ looked to me like he didn’t even have a QB coach.
 
He's got more real coaching experience than McCown. McCown does have more experience being a mediocre backup QB
He was an offensive quality control coach for a few years, then a ASSISTANT qb coach before becoming and actual qb coach these last 2 years. #1, what even is a quality control coach to begin with and what do they do? 2, do u get like 1/2 credit for being an assistant to an assistant lol. I mean im not even saying he shouldn’t be a candidate, but you’re kinda splitting hairs at this point between his qualifications and McCown.

Both guys are pretty much on the same level in terms of perceived readiness to step up and call plays for an offense.
 
He was an offensive quality control coach for a few years, then a ASSISTANT qb coach before becoming and actual qb coach these last 2 years. #1, what even is a quality control coach to begin with and what do they do? 2, do u get like 1/2 credit for being an assistant to an assistant lol. I mean im not even saying he shouldn’t be a candidate, but you’re kinda splitting hairs at this point between his qualifications and McCown.

Both guys are pretty much on the same level in terms of perceived readiness to step up and call plays for an offense.
I don't want either. Why do you want McCown?
 
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