Texans announce their coaching staff for 2025
The Houston Texans are moving forward into the great beyond as they have announced their coaching staff for the next season. Instead of running through the whole list, we probably should just look at the new faces. It’s a lot shorter a list than most fans are probably comfortable with.
Nick Caley— Offensive Coordinator
Pat Reilly— Offensive Assistant
Asauni Rufus— Offensive Assistant
Jerry Schuplinski— Senior Offensive Assistant
Frank Okam— Assistant Defensive Line coach
Let’s excuse the defense and Okam for a second. The Texans were sixth in yards allowed last season. They were sixth in passing yards allowed and 11th in rushing yards allowed. They generated the fifth most turnovers. They were 14th in points allowed, but some of that can be attributed to a sputtering offense. So, I am not raising any issues with them running it back on defense.
Yes, the Texans replaced the guy on top of the offensive heap. We have already hashed and rehashed that choice and essentially there is nothing we know definitively about whether that is a good hire or not. I think most of us are hopeful that at the very least relationships will improve in the building. That could specifically be the case with C.J. Stroud and maybe that could make a huge difference.
Yet, I can’t help but look at list of offensive assistants added (all three of them) and feel very underwhelmed. There isn’t a position coach in the group. Many of the holdovers were holdovers from previous coaching staffs. How much of the last ten years has made anyone feel good about the offensive product that has been put on the field.
You fired the offensive line coach and appointed his assistant. You literally didn’t interview anyone else. I know the current OL coach has ties to New England and Caley. I guess familiarity is more important than past performance. Maybe the move will work out. Maybe he was the best guy for the job. It just doesn’t feel like it right now.
Jerrod Johnson has been the quarterbacks coach for two years. Did Stroud get better last season? Yes, I realize he can only do so much with the offense the way it was, but we are essentially putting all of that on Bobby Slowik. I guess he sucked that much. Let’s move on to the other groups.
Does anyone really feel good about the tight ends or wide receivers? Nico Collins developed into a number one receiver in a legitimate offense, but none of the other young wide receivers developed. John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson are not noticeably better than when they walked through the door. Robert Woods is either cooked over was drastically underutilized and Tank Dell had a disappointing sophomore campaign before he went down with his injury.
As far as tight ends were concerned, Dalton Schultz took a significant step backwards in 2024. Cade Stover was okay for a rookie, but really wasn’t that much to write home about in year one. Brevin Jordan has always tantalized with his talent but has never been a consistent threat in four seasons. Someone please explain to me why the tight ends coach still has a job?
Finally, we get to the running backs. Joe Mixon was legitimately good last season, but outside of two good games from Dameon Pierce, there really wasn’t much else at the running back position. Furthermore, that was year three for Pierce and he doesn’t seem to be improving much. Some others like Dare Ogunbowale have had some moments, but no one has been a consistent secondary back. I guess that is Bobby Slowik’s fault too in spite of the fact that Texans running backs have been spotty since Arian Foster left.
In a salary cap league, the best teams build through the draft and develop their talent. Those players get better from season to season. You see a jump up in play from one year to the next. We have seen these jumps on defense. Players like Henry To’oTo’o were much better in their second year than in their first. Will Anderson took a significant step forward as well and rookies in the secondary paid immediate dividends. That’s due to quality coaching.
I hate to shove anyone to the unemployment line and certainly my musings are coming from someone not in the building and not on the field. Maybe it is more about misidentifying talent on the offensive end. Maybe the offensive coordinator was just that bad. However, the signs point more towards middling coaches that just don’t get players to take the next step. I guess we’ll run it back anyway.