Tag: Coaching

15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023: No. 8 Bobby Slowik

Up next in our “15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023” series is Bobby Slowik, who helped unlock rookie C.J. Stroud.

The Houston Texans had an extremely successful 2023 campaign.

They cruised to a 10-7 record under new head coach DeMeco Ryans and captured several accolades along the way. They won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the first time since the 2019 season. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud won PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, rookie edge rusher Will Anderson won PFWA’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and even Ryans took home hardware with PFWA’s Coach of the Year.

With a revamped team effort that led to dramatic improvements compared to both the 2021 and 2022 Texans, it’s worth examining who created that impact this past season and what their future projects moving forward.

This series has taken a look at defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, running back Devin Singletary, rookie receiver Tank Dell, and veteran tackle George Fant, and upstart linebacker Blake Cashman.

Entering the top 10, we took a closer look at cornerback Steven Nelson and linebacker Christian Harris. Now, rookie offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik takes the spotlight.

Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy weighs on the Kalen DeBoer hire for Alabama

Former Alabama national champion winning quarterback Greg McElroy weighs in on Kalen DeBoer

After 17 years as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] called it a wrap on his legendary career.

Saban guided the Tide to nine SEC titles, six national championships and four Heisman Trophies. One of those national championships came in 2009 with starting quarterback [autotag]Greg McElroy[/autotag], who is now ESPN college football analyst.

McElroy never found the right opportunity in the NFL, but he found his calling as a broadcaster and analyst. He signed on with ESPN in 2014 before beginning to call games in 2016. Despite his obvious love and ties to the University of Alabama, he usually does a great job removing any sort of bias from his commentary — almost to the point where it makes ‘Bama fans mad.

As someone who has spent time at Alabama and knows what it takes to win in Tuscaloosa combined with his knowledge of the current college football landscape, there probably aren’t many people better positioned to weigh in on the hire. McElroy is a big believer in [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] and what he brings to the table for the Crimson Tide.

“I think this is a terrific hire for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In the 36 hours I got to spend with the Washington Huskies, I felt like I was a part of the team. We sat down with Kalen Deboer and his staff for the better part of three to three-and-a-half hours. I found that DeBoer is as approachable and as personably a guy as I’ve been around in the profession. … You talk to his players about him, and he’s willing to go the extra mile.”

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Mississippi State set to hire Alabama OLB Coach Coleman Hutzler as their next DC

Alabama football set to lose first coach from 2023 coaching staff

The season isn’t even over yet, but the annual Alabama Crimson Tide coaching staff purge has already begun. That is the gift and the curse of Nick Saban’s greatness. He elevates coaches and gets the absolute most out of them just to have opposing schools come in and snipe his hires.

The first member of the 2023 Crimson Tide staff to depart will be OLB and Special Teams coach Coleman Hutzler as Mississippi State is currently in the process of finalizing Hutlzer as their new defensive coordinator. Hopefully, Coleman is the only one we lose, but that’s just never how it goes.

It has been a difficult year in Starkville after the passing of Mike Leach on Dec. 12, 2022 and they are yet to find stability in the program. After Leach’s passing, the Bulldogs promoted DC Zach Arnett to become the programs 35th coach. Arnett was ultimately fired after a 4-6 start this season so the Bulldogs will be rolling into 2024 as a brand new regime.

Mississippi State hired Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby as their next head coach earlier in the week to help turn the program around. Hutzler is one of the first hires Lebby has made, and it is a massive one at that. People around the Alabama program speak and think very highly of Hutzler so it’s a loss that I’m sure stings Saban a bit.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Alabama basketball drops six spots in Week 4 AP Poll 

Alabama basketball falls six spots in Week 4 AP Poll

After losing all three assistant coaches from the 2022-2023 season and Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney to the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, Nate Oats had his work cut out for him this off season. Replacing three coaches as well as almost an entire roster is a tall ask for any coach, but what Oats did this summer was outstanding.

Despite all of the turnover and moving parts from being the No. 1 team in the country a season ago, Alabama is in a very promising position to start the year. The Crimson Tide are 5-1 to start the year with a really nice win over Oregon. The Tide’s lone loss came at the hand of the Ohio State Buckeyes who will be a tournament team when it is all said and done.

Offensively, the Tide has been outstanding this year behind Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, but there is still much to clean up on the defensive end. In fact, the Tide have the No. 1 ranked offense in the country according to KenPom, but the No. 61 ranked defense. The Week 4 NCAAM AP Poll has the Tide ranked as the No. 23 team in the country for their hot 5-1 start to the season.

Alabama will be back in action this evening as they take on the Clemson Tigers on ESPN in Coleman Coliseum.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02. 

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans would go for it again on fourth downs against the Ravens

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says he would still go for it on fourth down against the Baltimore Ravens following their 25-9 loss.

The Houston Texans made a statement in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

After the Ravens committed a running into the kicker penalty against Ty Zentner to move Houston into a fourth-and-1 from their own 47-yard line with 10:59 to go in the first quarter, coach DeMeco Ryans sent the offense back onto the field at M&T Bank Stadium.

Rather than punt and play an early game of field position, Ryans went with his rookie quarterback and decided to push his chips to the center of the table.

Ryans’ gamble didn’t pay off as quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked for an 11-yard loss, resulting in a turnover on downs. The Ravens took over at the Texans’ 36-yard line with a favorable pathway to score first.

With 7:40 to go in the third quarter, the Texans went for it again as running back Dameon Pierce took a handoff for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Houston 42-yard line. The Texans were down 15-6 and the resulting possession led to a Ravens touchdown.

Despite Houston coming up short on both fourth down attempts, Ryans told reporters Monday after the 25-9 loss that he would have still had the same course of action.

“I was being aggressive with our team on fourth down, and both decisions, I’ll do it again,” said Ryans.

The Texans were 1-4 on fourth downs throughout the afternoon. While the success rate may be below the median, Ryans’ decisions to go for it are part of an overarching belief in the offense that they hope pays off down the road.

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DeMeco Ryans encouraged Texans to stay in contact with cut teammates

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says he told the players to stay in contact with their released teammates during the trimming to 53.

What makes DeMeco Ryans the ultimate players coach is that he was once a player.

The former Houston Texans 2006 second-round linebacker spent six seasons with his original draft team before finishing out his last four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. As Ryans experienced his first cut day as a coach, the experience brought him back to when he was first starting out in Houston.

“Before having to give the bad news to guys, I went back to being a young player and understanding you’ve battled with all these guys in training camp through preseason games, and now you come in one day and the locker room is different,” Ryans told reporters Aug. 30. “It’s a little quieter in the locker room, some guys are missing, and I remember the shock that it gave me as a young player, because everywhere you’ve played — from high school to college — no one ever tells you, ‘No, you can’t be on the team.’ So, it’s hard to deliver that news and say, ‘No, not at this time,’ so I reflect back to me being in that position as a young player, how it affected me.”

Along with any encouraging messages Ryans may have for players lost in the numbers game, the 39-year-old expressed to the remaining players how they could still continue to be good teammates with the players technically no longer in the organization.

Said Ryans: “So, when I talk to our team, I just make sure that guys who are on our team, that they realize, still, we need you to reach out to our other brothers, and make sure we’re connecting, make sure you’re checking on the guys, making sure they’re okay. We’ll have some guys come back eventually for practice squad, but make sure those guys feel that you care about them because of the special bond that you guys have built throughout OTAs and training camp.”

The Texans kick off the regular season Sept. 10 against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Texans’ DeMeco Ryans says coaching staff also had swarm mentality versus Patriots

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says the coaching staff also demonstrated a swarm mentality on the sidelines against the New England Patriots.

One of the themes for the Houston Texans in 2023 is to “swarm” the opposition.

The Texans defense certainly swarmed the New England Patriots in the 20-9 preseason victory Aug. 10 at Gillette Stadium. Houston held New England to 164 yards total offense and 27:32 in time of possession.

What rookie coach DeMeco Ryans learned about his coaching staff was that he has a collection of great communicators.

“As a collective group, it was just really cool to hear the way our coaching staff communicates with each other,” Ryans told reporters Aug. 11. “Offensively, guys were on it. Defensively, guys were on top of all the situations, all the things to anticipate, like they were working together.”

What Ryans also noticed was the same swarm approach that he asks his players to use permeated throughout his staff.

“I talked about that swarm mentality for our players,” said Ryans. “It was cool to see that swarm mentality and approach to attacking this game like our coaches did, and I’m proud of the way that they handled themselves.”

The Texans will have a chance to swarm the Miami Dolphins Aug. 19 at NRG Stadium for their second preseason tilt of the three-game schedule.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans reveals how he corrects mistakes

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans shared how he handles player mistakes as the rookie coach works through his first training camp.

Players make mistakes. They are only human. As such, coaches make corrections. It’s their job.

The Houston Texans tasked DeMeco Ryans with a tall order hiring the rookie coach after the club’s 3-13-1 campaign, the third straight double-digit losing season. No doubt Ryans has many items to correct as the Texans make the long trek back to relevance in the NFL.

The 39-year-old shared with reporters July 31 after training camp practice just how he helps players determine the right course to take following an error.

“Yeah, most of those are film things, Ryans said. “But, with our players, and most NFL players, they know before a coach can say anything. They know exactly what mistake they made, and they’ve already corrected that in their minds, so, not a lot you have to say to a player when he does make a mistake.”

One virtue Ryans has is patience when the players make mistakes.

“It’s going to happen, but it’s all about how resilient are you to put that mistake aside, play the next play,” said Ryans. “Just because there’s one bad play, we don’t want one bad play to become two, three, linger throughout a game.”

The Texans’ first preseason game is Aug. 10 against the New England Patriots.

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Dalton Schultz says DeMeco Ryans was a selling point to join the Texans

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz says rookie coach DeMeco Ryans was one of the main selling points for the team in free agency.

Dalton Schultz was continuing the adventure.

The former Dallas Cowboys 2018 fourth-round tight end hit free agency after his original draft club declined extension talks following the expiration of his franchise tag. The former Stanford product looked to the Houston Texans as his new NFL city.

What stood out at Schultz during his interactions with the Texans was none other than the new coach.

“I mean, I came in and met DeMeco [Ryans] and right away, he jumps out,” Schultz told reporters Wednesday after training camp practice at Houston Methodist Training Center. “He’s a great guy, full of energy. I know you guys have all probably met him.”

What Schultz also appreciates is the new offensive scheme deployed by offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. The West Coast offense deployed by the San Francisco 49ers makes its way to Space City, and Schultz is hopeful to replicate the success All-Pro George Kittle has enjoyed.

Said Schultz: “I have a lot of respect for the schemes that they brought over. I like the coaching staff, I like the nutrition staff, the strength staff. Everybody I’ve met around here has been great. So that, to me, right away when I came, I was like, ‘Okay, this is a pretty cool place.’”

The 27-year-old’s former team was a veteran group. Whereas his former quarterback turns 30 years old on July 29, the tight end’s new signal caller will very likely be rookie C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick.

“They’re a young team, they’ve got a lot of good, young pieces and a lot of veteran leadership that nobody really talks about,” said Schultz. “But, you get in the locker room, and you feel it right away. So, I think it just felt very familiar, very comfortable, and I think when I came it was a no-brainer for me.”

Schultz figures to be atop the depth chart at tight end as he works with third-year Brevin Jordan and second-year Teagan Quitoriano.

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Johnathan Joseph among the Texans’ 2023 Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching and Nunn-Wooten Scouting fellows

Former CB Johnathan Joseph will be a part of Houston Texans’ eight fellows in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching and Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowships.

Former Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph is going to get a taste of coaching with his old team.

According to the Texans, the former two-time Pro Bowl cornerback will be a member of the team’s eight fellows who will take part in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching and Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowships for training camp.

During Joseph’s 16 seasons in the NFL with stints with the Cincinnati Bengals, Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans, the former 2006 first-round pick generated 782 combined tackles, 200 pass breakups, 32 interceptions, including seven returned for touchdowns, and eight forced fumbles across 211 career games.

Joseph will work with the defensive backs.

Michigan State defensive analyst T.J. Hollowell will work with the defensive line and linebackers.

Texas A&M assistant strength and conditioning coach Jerry Johnson will be a part of the team’s strength and conditioning.

Pleasant Grove High School (Alabama) head coach Darrell LeBeaux will focus on the running backs and tight ends.

Rice offensive analyst JaMarcus Nelson will work with receivers.

Texas Southern offensive line coach Manny Ramirez will be a part of the offensive line.

New Jersey Generals (USFL) quarterbacks coach Zerick Rollins will be a part of the special teams and offense.

Since 1987, the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship is designed to be a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time minority coaches in the league. With all 32 NFL clubs participating each year, the program’s objective is to use NFL clubs’ offseason workout programs and minicamps to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, gain experience, and ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position.

The Texans will also have Colorado director of recruiting Darrius Darden-Box take part in the team’s scouting. The Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship will give Box a look into player personnel and the intricacies of college and pro scouting within an NFL team.

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