Texans Fire Richard Smith!!

[sinnister]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6186849.html


Merry Christmas!!

[moonnumack]

Looks like the Texans are doing the deed and firing defensive coordinator Richard Smith. They also fired Hoke & Franklin. Here's the link from the Chronicle.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6186849.html

[Bigtinylittle]

Thanks. One of the best first posts I have seen!!!!!!

[Nconroe]

wow, that was quick. I guess after several years of low defensive side performance something had to give. wonder who the replacements will be.

[popanot]

I hate to wish the guy ill will, but I hope we have a shot at Dick Jauron if he gets fired. I'd also call Mike Nolan. We need to once and for all get someone who knows what the hell they're doing on that side of the ball.

BTW, Hoke and Franklin were fired too. Can't say I'm surprised seeing Hoke go. They should have fired Marciano too.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by popanot

I'm hoping Dick Jauron get's fired so we can go after him. I'd also call Mike Nolan. We to once and for all get someone who knows what the hell they're doing on that side of the ball.

BTW, Hoke and Franklin were fired too. Can't say I'm surprised seeing Hoke go. They should have fired Marciano too.

After much research Nolan feel off my list. His defense always played worse for him then the guys he replaced. And the 49ers played better defense once he left.

Have the 49ers said anything about Singletary?

Would Gray be a cheaper answer to Williams? Will the Titans rehire Williams to replace the hot DC Schwartz?

[gunn]

What about Sean McDermott... The Eagles secondary coach as a replacement? I doubt the Texans would have interest but it would be nice to bring in someone who has learned under one of the best DC in the game and has been in 43 defense that dials up the pressure.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by gunn

What about Sean McDermott... The Eagles secondary coach as a replacement? I doubt the Texans would have interest but it would be nice to bring in someone who has learned under one of the best DC in the game and has been in 43 defense that dials up the pressure.

Ditto

Let the dogs run and attack.

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by popanot

I hate to wish the guy ill will, but I hope we have a shot at Dick Jauron if he gets fired. I'd also call Mike Nolan. We need to once and for all get someone who knows what the hell they're doing on that side of the ball.

BTW, Hoke and Franklin were fired too. Can't say I'm surprised seeing Hoke go. They should have fired Marciano too.

Maricano is considered one of the best ST coaches in the league. I know our coverage teams were a bit down this year, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better replacement.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

Maricano is considered one of the best ST coaches in the league. I know our coverage teams were a bit down this year, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better replacement.

By who? I never heard anyone publicly say he one of the best and I don't think anyone is beating down the door to hire him away. ST has been average to mediocre at best for the last few years. It has noticeably gone downhill during that time, IMO. If we hold that standard with the other coaches like Smith, Hoke and Franklin, then we should hold it with the ST coach as well. IMO, our ST was atrocious this year. From the debacle in Jacksonville to the brain-dead on-side kick against the Raiders. I'm not sure what the hell they were doing in Oakland constanly kicking the ball short and giving them great field position. Sure, we could blame Kubiak, but they're not firing the HC so it's the ST coach who should take the fall in this case.

[Bigtinylittle]

I actually think the defense improved this year over last year. Last year we couldn't get pressure on the QB even when we blitzed. The first part of this year it was the same thing all over again. Then, about the middle of the year, something mysterious happened: we still coudn't get much pressure with the front four, but suddenly our blitzes were working much better.

If you look at our stats, the db's and lb's seem to have had a pretty fair amount of sacks. That is encouraging to me. In other words, if we can get better results from just three spots (both tackles and the end opposite Mario), our defense could be much improved next year. It was actually a pleasure finally watching our defense force QB's into bad throws and bad decisions. That's something we seldom saw before the middle of this season. I wish I could put my finger on why it happened. Some have given Dunte most of the credit, but I'm not buying it. That's because we had poor results almost all last year, even before Dunte got injured. I'm wondering whether something concerning coaching happened to make us improve. Maybe Kubiak got more involved and started changing some of the things Smith was doing. Maybe Bush got more involved. Maybe it was because we were giving more playing time to guys like Adibi, Deljuan Robinson, and Bulman. Anyone have any theories about this?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Bigtinylittle

Maybe it was because we were giving more playing time to guys like Adibi, Deljuan Robinson, and Bulman. Anyone have any theories about this?

Players have to make the plays. No scheme can make a bad player great. So the defense played better when better player got on the field.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by sinnister

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6186849.html


Merry Christmas!!

Seems they are keeping Frank Bush, Johnny Holland, and Ray Rhodes.

Bush will either be the DC or DL.

Holland stay with the LBs.

Rhodes is with the safeties.

Now what?
Could Bubba McDowell be given a shot at the DBs, he interned here the last two summers.

Not seeing to many big named DC wanting to come in to a ready made staff, most want their own guys. Now Gregg Williams did step into the Jags job without his guys, so maybe. But remember Williams made $2M last year from Washington, how much money is he going to want?

[papabear]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Rhodes is with the safeties.

Rhodes will handle all the DB's. That was my understanding anway, at least for now.

Now what?
Could Bubba McDowell be given a shot at the DBs, he interned here the last two summers.

I doubt it...they might make him some kind of paid assistant to Rhodes though...but I would guess that will have a great deal to do with the new DC.

Not seeing to many big named DC wanting to come in to a ready made staff, most want their own guys. Now Gregg Williams did step into the Jags job without his guys, so maybe. But remember Williams made $2M last year from Washington, how much money is he going to want?

Greg Williams took the J-Ville job as a fill in until something else came along. He was getting the money from Washington, and was on a one year trial with the Jags. I think he would prefer to have some of his own staff in place this go around...but it wouldn't be that out of the ordinary for a few coaches to remain in place from the previous staff. Hoke was a hold over from Capers.

[nunusguy]

Dunno why the assistants, especially Franklin, had to be sent packing to, but Smith was clearly a scapegoat.
I think Franklin did an outstanding job. OK Amobie hasn't panned out but the Texans don't have the kinda guy playing next to him that can let him play his game, as TJs not the guy to compliment Okoye.
But Franklin has got to be given a lot of credit for Marios developement and that's very important to the organization because after David Carr there's been no player whos success was as important to the team as Mario because of the controversy in drafting him, not to mention the monetary investment. And Franklin found some real diamonds-in-the-rough (3 of them), in Bullman & Cochran & DeLJuan.

[papabear]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Dunno why the assistants, especially Franklin, had to be sent packing to, but Smith was clearly a scapegoat.
I think Franklin did an outstanding job. OK Amobie hasn't panned out but the Texans don't have the kinda guy playing next to him that can let him play his game, as TJs not the guy to compliment Okoye.
But Franklin has got to be given a lot of credit for Marios developement and that's very important to the organization because after David Carr there's been no player whos success was as important to the team as Mario because of the controversy in drafting him, not to mention the monetary investment. And Franklin found some real diamonds-in-the-rough (3 of them), in Bullman & Cochran & DeLJuan.

I can kind of see your point, but there are 3 young first round picks on the line and only one of them has really developed. Not that that is totally Franklins fault, but couple that with the lack of consistent pressure from the front four and I see why he's gone.

Hoke has been given a lot of pub for being a good young coach, but I commented a hile back that players seem to regress the longer they are with him. Faggins, Robinson, and Bennett all regressed to some extent after their rookie years (or first significant playing time). The secondary has been an issue for just about the whole time the Texans have been in the league....and Hoke has been the man in charge there the whole time. He's not always had the best talent (Matt Stevens) to be fair. Either way I guessed he was on the way out.

A new D-coordinator, assuming it's not Bush, will want to bring in some of his own people too. This gives them some room to do that.

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by papabear

I can kind of see your point, but there are 3 young first round picks on the line and only one of them has really developed. Not that that is totally Franklins fault, but couple that with the lack of consistent pressure from the front four and I see why he's gone.

Hoke has been given a lot of pub for being a good young coach, but I commented a hile back that players seem to regress the longer they are with him. Faggins, Robinson, and Bennett all regressed to some extent after their rookie years (or first significant playing time). The secondary has been an issue for just about the whole time the Texans have been in the league....and Hoke has been the man in charge there the whole time. He's not always had the best talent (Matt Stevens) to be fair. Either way I guessed he was on the way out.

A new D-coordinator, assuming it's not Bush, will want to bring in some of his own people too. This gives them some room to do that.

Don't know how much input Franklin had in the schemes but Mario said a few weeks back that the D line's first responsibility is to stay home and read and react to what the offense is doing. I think this is a terrible scheme for Amobi, as his strength is his quickness and his weakness is trying to hold the line. If Franklin was partly responsible for implementing this scheme, it does reflect poorly on his ability to scheme to his players' strengths.

I agree as to Hoke. The limited talent he was given didn't greatly improve under his tutelage. As an aside, I'm still amazed that a team with as little secondary talent as this team has had since day 1 let both Marlon McCree and Aaron Glenn walk for nothing. While they may not have been great, we were never in a position to just let servicable players walk. If Hoke played any role in this talent evaluation, he bears some responsibility for that as well (although it would be coming 3 years too late).