Tag: Miles Smith

Who is staying from the Houston Texans’ 2022 coaching staff?

The Houston Texans are forming a new coaching staff under DeMeco Ryans. Who is sticking around from the previous regime?

The Houston Texans are forming a new coaching staff for DeMeco Ryans’ first ever season in the NFL.

Ryans stated that he wants a blend of coaches on his staff because players learn differently. One of the ways the Texans could have that rich blend is to determine which coaches from the 2022 staff would mesh well with the new philosophy.

The Texans have made some moves to replace vacancies on the staff. For example, Houston hired Matt Burke as its defensive coordinator. All of the targets for similar assistant jobs can be found here.

The following is a list of what has happened to the coaches from the 2022 staff.

Linebackers coach Miles Smith on improving run defense ahead of matchup vs. Browns

Smith laid out his plan to help the #Texans contain the #Browns’ dangerous rushing attack

The Houston Texans are in dire straits heading into their Week 13 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Their record sits at a paltry 1-9-1 and facing their former quarterback on Sunday, they may be primed to take their tenth loss of the season in the worst way possible.

The team will face a two-headed monster in the Browns’ offense, as they possess the ability to run and pass the ball effectively with the high-end talent they host on that side of the ball. Houston’s linebackers coach addressed how his team might stop the run in a press conference this week, and told reporters that his squad’s success will come down to how well they can execute fundamentals.

“I think it kind of goes to what were we doing wrong earlier in the season,” Smith explained. “On every play, everyone has a job. There’s 11 guys on the field. There’s 11 gaps. It only takes one crack in the armor for something to split. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been preventing some of those explosive plays. Just having guys running to the ball, a little bit more fundamentally sound is what we’ve been doing.

“As we continue to go, every walkthrough we have, every practice we have, we’re harping on all 11 guys being exactly where they’re supposed to be. Over the past couple of weeks, run-wise, we’ve been doing that. We have to get everybody playing the pass better as well so we can have a better overall defensive effort. Run-wise, that’s what the difference has been.”

It would be a major upset if the Texans manage to sneak out of Week 13 with a win, but if Smith can coach his linebackers up well enough to contain Nick Chubb and the Cleveland running game, Houston just might have a fighting chance to get the job done.

Linebackers coach Miles Smith compares Blake Cashman to Christian Harris

Smith told reporters that Cashman’s game compares favorably to that of #Texans’ rookie linebacker Christian Harris

Just six weeks separate the Houston Texans from the sweet release of the end of the season after what seems like a lifetime of disappointment that was packed into a few months. The team has struggled mightily in 2022, and despite all the adversity they’ve faced, Houston’s linebackers coach Miles Smith is excited to find new ways for players under his watch to succeed in their last remaining opportunities of the year.

In his comments to the media on Thursday, he addressed what he has seen from one contributor in particular, fourth-year linebacker Blake Cashman. The budding playmaker just re-signed with the team earlier in the week, and Smith made it clear that he likes what he has seen from him in the Texans’ latest campaign.

“He’s a little bit like Christian Harris in that he’s an elite athlete,” Smith told reporters. “He’s able to run down plays. He’s been playing a little more third down for us, rushing a little bit more than some other linebackers are doing. Just his outward athleticism, you need to find way to get players like that on the field. As we continue to go, we’re going to do that more and more.”

Cashman came into the league as a fifth-round selection by the Jets in 2019 and has developed into a steady figure on the Texans’ defense since joining the team earlier this season. He has flown under the radar of the national media and casual fans who haven’t been following Houston this year but is considered to be a lynchpin in the team’s defense and a key part of their roadmap to rebuild in 2023.

With strong showings to end the season, Cashman could prove to be one of the more consistent pieces on the Texans’ roster who could turn into a bonafide star in the years to come.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor presents different challenge for Texans defense

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has a unique skillset and it makes for a different type of challenge for the Houston Texans defense.

There is no other way to put it.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is good, and if I am being biased based on what I saw last season, I am ready to label him great if he keeps being a top-five NFL rusher over the next seven seasons.

In only his second in the league, Taylor was selected First Team All-Pro, and he set the Colts’ single-season franchise records for rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18). He also led the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,171), 100-yard rushing games (10), and first downs (107).

Once again. Jonathan Taylor is very good, so it will take an outstanding effort by the Houston Texans front seven to stop him on Sunday in their regular season home opener.

“It is going to be a huge challenge for us,” said Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes. “He is a terrific back. He tests every hole and makes you be gap sound on defense and we know he brings power and speed. So, he has the perfect blend.”

“He is probably the best running back we will play all year, so it is going to be a fun challenge for us. We are excited on defense and understand that it is going to take all 11 guys flying around the ball and putting bodies on him. You have to continue to make it a long physical game for him. It is going to be fun come Sunday.”

For Houston to be successful against Taylor, they have to keep him from breaking through the line of scrimmage where he can put pressure on the Texans’ linebackers and defensive back. However, that is easier said than done, as Taylor only spent 2.78 percent of his time being stopped from behind the line of scrimmage last season.

If Taylor can get through the Texans’ big bodies at the line of scrimmage, it will be a long day for Texans defenders trying to catch up with him. Of the top-five fastest runs by ball carriers in 2021, Taylor’s name appears in three slots.

In Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans, he reached 21:83 MPH on a 32-yard run from scrimmage. The following week against the New York Jets, he took the handoff and ran 78-yards for a touchdown maxing out at 22:05 MPH.

Taylor’s fastest and most impressive run was his Week 15 scamper against the New England Patriots. In the fourth quarter, on his 29th carry of the game, he topped out at 22.13 MPH on a 67-yard touchdown run.

With his ability to catch out of the backfield (40 receptions, 360 yards), the Texans’ defense will have to make sure they know where he is at all times and contain him once he gets the ball in his hands. Taylor’s ability to turn nothing into something was on display last season, as three of his most significant runs over 60 yards came when he was supposed to get ten or fewer yards.

Facing Taylor is a big deal for the media and fans, but to Texans linebacker coach Miles Smith, he is just a player on the opposing team.

“Jonathan Taylor is a great running back,” Smith said. “I think everybody knows that, but our defense isn’t set up to play individual players. We’re going to do what we do and we’re not going to scheme, create a different opponent. We’re going to stick to the fundamentals of football. Then, you can’t make football too difficult. Be where you’re supposed to be, run your butt off to the ball and make the play at the point of attack. Whether it’s Jonathan Taylor, or whether it’s anybody else, we’re going to do it the same way.”

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Texans LB coach Miles Smith says Houston is ‘not playing Tampa 2 every snap’

Houston Texans linebackers coach Miles Smith says that the defense isn’t running the Tampa 2 scheme all the time.

One of the thumbnail sketches of the 2022 Houston Texans, specifically with Lovie Smith taking over as coach, is that the defense will run the Tampa 2 constantly.

Although the Texans Wire has done well to document clarification from assistant coaches that the defense won’t be a Tampa 2 every snap, linebackers Miles Smith once again explained what the Texans’ defense will look like this season.

“We are part of the Tampa 2 family defense,” Smith told reporters Sept. 8 “I think everybody knows that. But if you’re watching the same game that we are, we’re not playing Tampa 2 every snap. We’re a well-rounded defense in what we do. I would get away from some of the stereotypes of what you would think a Lovie Smith defense is.”

Smith pointed out that just as offenses have evolved since the 2000s, so too have the defenses.

Said Smith: “We adjust, we evolve just like every offense is adjusting and evolving out there. We’re going to play all types of defenses. We play all the same defenses everybody in the league does. Two high, single high, whatever it may be, we’re playing everything. It is what it is.”

The Texans will get a chance to deploy their new variations of the Tampa 2 scheme Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.

Texans LB Christian Harris taking advantage of mental reps while out for first four games

Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris is out the first four games, but linebackers coach Miles Smith says the rookie still taking mental reps.

The Houston Texans’ 2022 NFL draft class is intriguing, especially the picks from Rounds 1-4, but one Alabama rookie will have to wait the first four games to make his debut.

The Texans placed third-round linebacker Christian Harris on injured reserve. As a result, the former Crimson Tide product will be out the first four games.

While Harris may not be a part of the physical parts of practice and game preparation, linebackers coach Miles Smith says that Harris is still present at practice and taking part in the mental aspects just like any other player.

“He’s at practice every day the same way everybody else is,” Harris told reporters Thursday. “Just because you’re not necessarily on the field getting reps, guys are off the field. We’re with them, explaining plays going on. You’re able to get mental reps. I know it’s a little bit of a coaching cliché, but if you are taking advantage of that time off, I think a lot of time it can benefit you more long term because you’re not necessarily thrown in the fire.”

What Harris should be able to benefit from, in Smith’s view, is the ability to have a larger view of how his job at linebacker fits in with the rest of the defense.

Said Smith: “You look at more the big picture aspect of things. I think that’s what Christian Harris is doing. He’s meeting with me all the time. He’s asking questions, not just about his position but about the defense as a whole. I think long term, this time period here, obviously is not ideal, but it’s going to reap the benefits.”

The Texans’ linebacking corps is one of the leadership units on the team with nine-year veteran Christian Kirksey being voted as a team captain on Sept. 5.

Texans LB coach Miles Smith says Christian Kirksey is a ‘pro’s pro’

Houston Texans linebackers coach Miles Smith has worked with Christian Kirksey up close enough to say that he is a “pro’s pro.”

Houston Texans linebackers coach Miles Smith has seen enough from Christian Kirksey.

The Texans signed the former Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers linebacker to a one-year contract during the 2021 offseason. Kirksey played 13 games (12 starts) and contributed with 93 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. Houston re-signed Kirksey in the 2022 offseason, and his leadership has grown to where he was voted a captain on defense.

Smith told reporters Thursday that Kirksey is a “leader” for their defense and leads by example.

“He’s a ‘pro’s pro’ who attacks it every single day,” said Smith. “When things are not necessarily going the way we want them on the field, he’s always that calm and collected player out there. We tell the linebackers everyday, you don’t want to get too high, you don’t want to get too low. We stay in the middle and we will just continue to just grind day after day. That’s what Kirko (Kirksey) does.

While the Texans complete their rebuild under general manager Nick Caserio and inaugurate the Lovie Smith era, they need players who are able to demonstrate to the younger talent how to carry themselves like pros; how to handle a 17-game slate, which can be about a college season and a half. Kirksey provides the Texans with a veteran who can demonstrate what is necessary.

Said Smith: “He’s not going to be the leader necessarily that’s going to be screaming at people on the field. He leads by example first and I think these are the best type of leaders.”

Kirksey will get a chance to show what he can do to elevate the leadership on defense when the Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium to kickoff the 2022 season.

Texans LB Jake Hansen describes similarities of coach Lovie Smith, LB coach Miles Smith

Houston Texans rookie linebacker Jake Hansen notes the similarities between coach Lovie Smith and LB coach Miles Smith, his son.

Lovie Smith did not recruit Jake Hansen to play at the University of Illinois, but the 6-1, 230-pound linebacker played 35 of his 40 games for the Big Ten school under Smith.

Hansen also played while Miles Smith was on the Illinois staff. With five seasons logged with the Smith family, Hansen knows how similar father and son can be.

“Coach Miles grew up in that defense so he knows it better than anyone,” Hansen told reporters Sept. 1 “He coaches us hard and he coaches as well. I had a little experience with him at Illinois so I knew what he was about and knew what he stood for so coming here was an easy decision for me as an undrafted free agent.”

Hansen tallied 274 combined tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, three interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries during all six seasons at Illinois.

According to Hansen, the linebackers coach is more relatable — but only because of his age proximity to the players.

Said Hansen: “There are similarities, they both know the system super well. They have a little bit different coaching style. He’s (Miles) is a little bit younger so we can relate to him. He’s a great coach.”

Texans Talk Podcast: Why the LB corps will be better than 31st in 2022

Pro Football Focus says the Houston Texans have the second-worst linebacking corps in the NFL. The Texans Talk Podcast says otherwise.

The “Texans Talk Podcast” returns and cohosts John Crumpler and Mark Lane take a look at the Houston Texans’ linebacking corps, which was ranked No. 31 overall in a recent Pro Football Focus evaluation.

John and Mark also take a look at the assistant coaches on the staff and ask who could make a name for themselves in 2022, pending the Texans have a good season. Another four-win campaign won’t make anyone look appealing.

Be sure to subscribe to the Texans Talk Podcast on Apple, Google Podcast, Spotify, and iHeart to stay up to date on the latest news and commentary surrounding the Texans.

Texans LB coach Miles Smith foreshadowed that Derek Stingley can adapt to the Tampa 2

Houston Texans linebackers coach Miles Smith indicated early in the offseason that a cornerback such as Derek Stingley could be used in the Tampa 2.

One of the questions surrounding the Houston Texans’ selection of former LSU cornerback Derek Stingley is how he will fit in with coach Lovie Smith’s patented Tampa 2 scheme.

Laurie Fitzpatrick at the Draft Wire labeled the Texans as one of the league’s most improved rosters following the 2022 NFL draft. While lauding the pick of Stingley, she asked the question football minds have been pondering since the acquisition of the Bayou Bengal.

In round one (No. 3 overall), the Texans selected the best cornerback in the draft, Derek Stingley Jr., from LSU. When it comes to being a lockdown corner, Stingley outperformed. Ever since his freshman year, his talent has been undeniable, but after a few lower body injuries, his stock was starting to drop.

That was until his Pro Day, where he reassured NFL scouts and ran a 4.37 forty-time, and also looked extremely fluid in his on-field drills.

The only question we have now, is how he fits in Lovie Smith’s zone defense. Stingley is a dominant man-coverage cornerback, and Smith runs a lot of zone, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Texans linebacker coach Miles Smith actually answered this question earlier in the offseason.

During media availability for the new coaching staff on Feb. 22, Smith was asked about the modernization of the Tampa 2 and elaborated on how it has evolved since he got involved coaching the scheme in 2015 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his father’s most previous NFL stop.

“We made a lot of tweaks,” Smith said. “I think sometimes people confuse, hey, you can be another Cover 2 type team and you think we’re real close, and we always like to say, yeah, we may be close, but we’re more cousins than we are brothers.

“So, at this point, our defense has kind of turned into something unique, and it helped out being in college. We were able to see elements that were going to come to pro football a little bit sooner where we were able to adjust things a little bit. Going into my seventh year in the system, I’ll say we’re a very different defense than we were in 2015, our first year.”

Smith said that taking the Tampa 2 to the University of Illinois from 2016-20 as the football team’s scheme helped them adapt the defense to the unique offenses at the collegiate level, and also prepare for talent that would eventually come into the NFL.

“They do some different things with some option things, different type of pulling systems that just were not introduced into the NFL until now,” said Smith. “But college come in, obviously football, if you find stuff that teams can exploit, they’re going to continue to do it. That has started to trickle off to the NFL.”

The younger Smith at least doesn’t see the Texans’ scheme as the same that his father was part of with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a linebackers coach from 1996-2000 or as coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004-12. If the Smith’s Tampa 2 has truly evolved throughout the years, then it should be able to use the strengths of Stingley and succeed.

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