Houston Texans defensive coordinator

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has not decided who calls the defense

New Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has yet to settle on who will call the defensive plays in 2023.

DeMeco Ryans is a successful defensive play-caller.

The 38-year-old was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers the past two seasons, and the NFC West club appeared in the NFL’s final four each time. The NFL assistant coach of the year honors Ryans picked up at the end of the 2022 campaign was an exclamation point as to how great he could be leading a defense.

As Ryans embarks on being the Houston Texans’ new coach, there still is ambivalence as to who will call the defensive plays nearly two months on the job.

The Texans hired former Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Matt Burke as the defensive coordinator, and the 47-year-old was the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins from 2017-18 in the final two years with offensive-minded coach Adam Gase.

Ryans told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix March 27 that they have yet to decide who will call defensive plays.

However the Texans arrive at their decision, Ryans seeks to filter all of his actions through the philosophy of autonomy and allowing coaches to lead in their own way.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s all about leading people, growing the people that are around you and seeing something in the people that are around you, seeing certain traits and trying to help develop them more, trying to give them more of a leadership role, give them more command over running whatever particular part of our program, giving them the autonomy to take it over and see how they thrive in it and micromanage, letting people grow, letting people develop, knowing that there may be hiccups along the way, but that’s how you learn,” said Ryans. “That’s how I learned. No one micromanaged me. They allowed me to make mistakes and it allowed me to grow and become better.”

The Texans’ offseason program begins April 11.

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Texans DC Matt Burke ‘appreciative’ for DeMeco Ryans’ trust to run the defense

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke is thankful that new coach DeMeco Ryans has placed the trust in him to run the defense.

Matt Burke didn’t know DeMeco Ryans from Adam.

Well, from Robert Saleh at least.

Burke was once the “game management coach” for the 2021 New York Jets in the first season under Saleh, who was the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator from 2017-20. Ryans was on the 49ers’ coaching staff in a variety of defensive roles from 2017-22.

For Burke to be the defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans’ defense in the first year with Ryans, it indicates the level of trust that the rookie coach has in his equally inexperienced lieutenant.

“I’m extremely appreciative for the opportunity from Meco (Ryans),” Burke said March 9. “I’m excited to get to work with him. You guys know, the through line with him from his playing time here and everything else, he’s a winner and just his approach has been impeccable from player, coach, everything. Again, I’m here to serve him and what he wants.”

One of the ways that Burke could ease the burden for Ryans would be to take over the play-calling on defense. Incidentally the Texans’ coach last season, Lovie Smith, doubled up as the defensive play-caller. Any such repeat would be coincidental and not a directive from the front office.

Burke, 46, is willing to help Ryans in whatever manner possible — so long as Ryans is able to be an effective coach.

Said Burke: “He’s got a lot on his plate as a head coach and whatever I can do to help him ease the burden, that’s kind of my role. I’m thankful just for the opportunity to get to work with him and again as we grow in our relationship in the first time we get to work together and start sharing ideas and start building it up together. It’s cool. I’ve loved having him in the building.”

Ryans has taken an active part inside NRG Stadium sitting in on the defensive meetings as the coaching staff overviews their defensive scheme.

“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity for us to sort of learn from each other,” said Burke. “Again, I’m here to help him any way he needs me to help him. If that’s filling up water bottles, I’ll do that for him too.”

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans still deciding who calls defensive plays

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has yet to decide who will be the defensive play-caller for the 2023 season.

INDIANAPOLIS ⁠— The Houston Texans finalized their coaching staff on Feb. 24, but they have yet to determine one last responsibility.

According to coach DeMeco Ryans, who met with reporters at the NFL combine, the club is still working through who will be the new defensive play-caller.

“We’re still going through that process right now,” said Ryans. “Haven’t decided that just yet.”

Ryans was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers for the past two seasons. Having Ryans carry over that responsibility to his new job would not be unlikely.

However, Ryans endorsed new defensive coordinator Matt Burke’s ability to call plays.

“Matt is very capable of calling defenses,” Ryans said. “He’s done it before. He’s knowledgeable of our scheme and how we want to play, so, I’m very confident in Matt calling the plays as well.”

Burke was the “game management coach” for the 2021 New York Jets, working under coach Robert Saleh, who was previously the 49ers’ defensive coordinator from 2017-20 before Ryans took over the role.

Ryans likes the energy and knowledge that Burke will bring as the leader of the defense.

Said Ryans: “Another guy who is a passionate coach and a really great teacher, energetic, a very knowledgeable coach. I’m excited what he can do, what he can bring to our team. I think the guys are going to love him.”

The Texans have been running the Tampa 2 scheme with a 4-3 front for the past two seasons under Lovie Smith, who deployed it as defensive coordinator in 2021 and kept it as coach in 2022. Ryans’ scheme deploys a similar 4-3 front.

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Report: Texans hire Cardinals DL coach Matt Burke as defensive coordinator

The Houston Texans have hired Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Matt Burke as their new defensive coordinator under DeMeco Ryans.

The Houston Texans found their new defensive lieutenant under rookie coach DeMeco Ryans.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are hiring Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Matt Burke as their new defensive coordinator.

Burke has no connection to Ryans through work history, but they have some philosophical crossover. In 2021, Burke was the “game management coach” for the New York Jets in the first year with Robert Saleh, who was the defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-20, the first four of Ryans’ six seasons with the team.

The former Cardinals position coach also coached former Texans defensive end J.J. Watt in his final year in the NFL with Arizona.

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Report: Texans to interview Cardinals DL coach Matt Burke for defensive coordinator

The Houston Texans are taking a look at Arizona Cardinals DL coach Matt Burke for their defensive coordinator role under new coach DeMeco Ryans.

The Houston Texans continue with their due diligence to find the defensive lieutenant under rookie coach DeMeco Ryans.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are set to interview Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Matt Burke for their defensive coordinator opening.

Burke doesn’t have coaching experience with Ryans, but he does have familiarity with the system. Before taking the Cardinals position, Burke was the “game management coach” for the New York Jets under first-year coach Robert Saleh in 2021. The Jets finished 4-13 that season.

The former Dartmouth safety coached defensive end J.J. Watt, a Texans legend, in his final NFL season.

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Report: Texans interview Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for defensive coordinator

The Houston Texans have interviewed New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for their defensive coordinator vacancy.

The Houston Texans continue to look across the league for their new defensive coordinator,

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans have interviewed New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel to be the defensive coordinator on rookie coach DeMeco Ryans’ coaching staff.

Manuel has been the safeties coach with the Jets since 2021, the first year that Robert Saleh took over as coach. Saleh previously worked with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-20 as defensive coordinator, overlapping with Ryans’ tenure with the NFC West club from 2017-22.

In 2022, the Jets’ passing defense finished third in the NFL and second in the NFL in opposing passer rating.

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Report: Texans looking at Cory Undlin as defensive coordinator

The Houston Texans are considering San Francisco 49ers passing game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin as their new defensive coordinator.

The Houston Texans found their sixth full-time coach in team history with DeMeco Ryans. Now, the Texans are looking to build his staff.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are looking at current San Francisco 49ers passing game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin to be Ryans’ defensive coordinator.

Undlin has defensive coordinator experience as well. In 2020, Undlin was the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in coach Matt Patricia’s final season with the team. Detroit finished last in points allowed and total defense.

Before the 49ers, Ryans had experience with Undlin going back to the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles. Ryans was playing his final year in the NFL at linebacker while Undlin was beginning his first season as a defensive backs coach.

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What happens to Lovie Smith as the Texans’ defensive coordinator?

The Houston Texans fired David Culley as coach. What happens to Lovie Smith as the team’s defensive coordinator?

The Houston Texans fired coach David Culley on Thursday. Houston also parted ways with offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

Perhaps it was time for Culley to go. The Texans went on an eight-game losing streak and posted a 4-13 record with veteran players getting disciplined along the way. Houston also had questionable in-game adjustments and decisions that contributed to the Texans’ double-digit losses, the second consecutive season this has been the case since 2005-06.

Maybe it was time for Kelly to go. He was kind of the odd duck as he was a holdover from the Bill O’Brien era, and not just in the way Bobby King was as a former inside linebackers coach. Kelly was one of O’Brien’s former lieutenants and had connections with O’Brien going back to the 2012 Penn State Nittany Lions.

With the Texans getting rid of Culley, what does it mean for the future of defensive coordinator Lovie Smith?

On Smith’s own merits, he deserves to stay. The Texans, after posting nine takeaways through 16 games in 2020, finished in the top-10 in turnovers with 25. The Texans finished as the only team with a losing record in the top-10, and one of four teams in the top-10 to have not qualified for the playoffs. Smith preached turnovers, and the defense repented.

If the Texans go with an offensive-minded coach, then Smith is more than likely safe. If it isn’t malfunctioning, why commence with extraneous upgrades?

However, if the Texans decide to go with a defensive-minded coach, as could be the case if Houston brings in former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores or gives New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo a chance, they may not have the same philosophy as Smith, whose doctrine has been nothing but the Tampa 2.

As the Texans go forward, they will need to consider Smith met his objectives with minimal talent and is deserving staying in Houston. The new coach may not agree, and that could be the 2022 team’s first conflict they must manage to successful complete the rebuild.