Texans Hire Bill O'Brien as Head Coach

[Warren]

Here is an in-depth profile of O'Brien written before his first season at Penn State.

To kick off the speculation about his staff, based on past connections I'll toss out the names of Mark Whipple as a possible QB coach (if he doesn't get the UMass job) and Pat Hill (recently fired by the Falcons) as OL coach.

[Keith]

I know someone interested in the special teams job but can't say (sorry for the tease). Would be great to have him here though.

As for DC, I don't think either Eric Mangini or Romeo Crennel have direct connections to O'Brien (both were gone from NE when O'Brien was there), but both are apparently available for hire if desired. Mangini is currently an offensive consultant (ironically enough) for the 49ers while I don't believe Crennel is employed anywhere right now.

[WMH]

@MarkBermanFox26: NFL sources: new Texans head coach Bill O'Brien agreed to a 5 year contract.

[HPF Bob]

Part of the reason Houston sports continues to seem minor league is that they never hire top guys who have held the job before. O'Brien fits the trend. Dom Capers and Phil Garner were seemingly the exceptions to the rule but typically it's "first time NFL head coach" or "first time MLB manager". Really hard to expect champions from people who need their own learning curve.

Anyway, best of luck to "The Dimple" or (now that I've read the comments above) "The F---ing Dimple". Just don't talk like that around Mr. McNair.

And Happy New Year, everyone. May 2014 be a huge improvement over 2013, especially for Houston sports teams.

[Warren]

Penn Live is reporting WR coach Stan Hixon is joining the Texans staff.

[popanot]

Supposedly Ray Horton (Browns DC) will be let out of his contract. I hope O'Brien considers him if that's the case. I want nothing to do with Wade at this point.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by popanot

Supposedly Ray Horton (Browns DC) will be let out of his contract. I hope O'Brien considers him if that's the case. I want nothing to do with Wade at this point.

This would be a great hire.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Part of the reason Houston sports continues to seem minor league is that they never hire top guys who have held the job before. O'Brien fits the trend. Dom Capers and Phil Garner were seemingly the exceptions to the rule but typically it's "first time NFL head coach" or "first time MLB manager". Really hard to expect champions from people who need their own learning curve.

Anyway, best of luck to "The Dimple" or (now that I've read the comments above) "The F---ing Dimple". Just don't talk like that around Mr. McNair.

And Happy New Year, everyone. May 2014 be a huge improvement over 2013, especially for Houston sports teams.

Like Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Sean Payton, etc...

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

Like Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Sean Payton, etc...

Ignoring, of course, the hundreds of first-time head coaches who didn't pan out. Tomlin, FWIW, inherited Bill Cowher's team and many of his coaches. Harbaugh inherited those veteran Raven defenders.

O'Brien might have hit the jackpot inheriting Kubiak's team and will get kudos for leading them back above .500 in the next year or two. The Texans aren't loaded but they have some Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball.

I just find it odd how often my team's tell us they will leave no stone unturned bringing in the best available coach/manager only to have that person be somebody who has never before held a head job at the top level.

Well, you can't accuse McNair of being cheap, not when it costs $6.5 million just to get O'Brien back to the NFL.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Ignoring, of course, the hundreds of first-time head coaches who didn't pan out. Tomlin, FWIW, inherited Bill Cowher's team and many of his coaches. Harbaugh inherited those veteran Raven defenders.

O'Brien might have hit the jackpot inheriting Kubiak's team and will get kudos for leading them back above .500 in the next year or two. The Texans aren't loaded but they have some Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball.

I just find it odd how often my team's tell us they will leave no stone unturned bringing in the best available coach/manager only to have that person be somebody who has never before held a head job at the top level.

Well, you can't accuse McNair of being cheap, not when it costs $6.5 million just to get O'Brien back to the NFL.

If I am ignoring those hundreds of 1st time failures, are you ignoring the hundreds of retread failures?

You made a comment not based on any kind of fact and I mentioned off the top of my head 3 superbowl winning coaches in the past 10 years who had never been head coaches (and add Mike McCarthy after I just looked it up).

I just took the time to look up the 12 playoff coaches.

Fox, Bellachik, Reid, and Carrol are previous HCs.

Lewis, Pagano, Kelly, Mike McCoy, McCarthy, Rivera, Payton, and Harbaugh are all 1st time NFL HCs.

Nothing in recent NFL history says anything about retread coaches being better at winning than 1st timers. There is nothing minor league about hiring a 1st time NFL HC, and it is not hard to expect champions from 1st time guys.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Just don't talk like that around Mr. McNair.

See, this is exactly what I like about this hire, that it seems so counter to the other two guys. I'm sure that O'Brien knows how to behave in polite company but I'm also sure that he doesn't much care who's put off by salty language when he steps onto the practice field.

[Keith]

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora3h
Assistants Bill O'Brien will want to bring to HOU- Stan Hixon from Penn State (formerly coaches WRs in NFL); Pats TE coach George Godsey
https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/s...86544471973890

Godsey has deep ties to O'Brien. Played QB at Georgia Tech when O'Brien coached there. Coached for O'Leary at UCF (QBs & RBs) before coming to the Pats in 2011.

[Warren]

More staff reports/speculation:

Godsey (mentioned above) would be OC
Penn St. special assistant to the head coach and director of player development Jim Bernhardt
Penn St. RB coach/recruiting coordinator Charles London
Penn St. DC/CB coach John Butler
Former Bucs offensive assistant Ben McDaniels, if his brother Josh doesn't get a head coach job and he doesn't join him
Iowa OL coach Brian Ferentz for OL coach