Tag: Tim Kelly

Texans see potential in rookie receiver Isaiah Coulter

The Houston Texans like what they have seen thus far from rookie fifth-round receiver Isaiah Coulter, and are excited about his potential.

The Houston Texans were very deliberate with their small, concentrate, five-pick draft class, and they felt receiver was a need.

In the fifth round, to complete their class, the Texans drafted receiver Isaiah Coulter from Rhode Island. Even though Houston was already stacked at receiver heading into the draft with Randall Cobb, Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, and Kenny Stills, the Texans liked the potential Coulter displayed.

Through two weeks of training camp, Coulter has lived up to those expectations.

“He’s got really good ball skills,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said. “He’s a long athlete. He can run. Being able to go up and get the ball is one of the reasons why he’s here.”

Coulter caught 72 passes for 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns for Rhode Island last season. One of his biggest games of the season was against Virginia Tech when he caught nine passes for 152 yards.

The 6-3, 190-pound wideout has been working with receivers coach John Perry to learn the playbook and adapt to the speed of the pro game.

“He was an intriguing prospect because he’s talented,” said Kelly. “He’s got a lot of talent. He’s got a lot of work to do but he’s out there, and again, he’s in there with Coach Perry learning the ins and outs of the offense and the ins and outs of the wide receiver position. We’re just going to look for him to continue to develop as camp goes on.”

It wouldn’t be out of the question for Coulter to see playing time for Houston in the regular season if injuries necessitated his activation. In 2018, Vyncint Smith, who was an undrafted free agent from Limestone College, played in seven games for Houston, starting in one of them, and delivering five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. Coulter’s focus in August should be on acclimating to the NFL, which could lead to playing time in the regular season.

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Texans WR Keke Coutee continues to build progress in training camp

Houston Texans receiver Keke Coutee has been catching the coaches’ attention with the progress he has made in training camp.

Keke Coutee has had a rather inequitable first two seasons in the NFL.

The former 2018 fifth-round pick was limited to six games with a hamstring injury in his rookie season. Still, Coutee was able to provide impressive performances, notably 11 catches for 109 yards in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts and 11 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in the wild-card against the Colts.

The former Texas Tech Red Raider was going to blow up in 2019.

Instead, an ankle injury in the first preseason game derailed his second season. Coutee didn’t have peak performances against the Colts. In fact, in the Week 7 encounter, linebacker Darius Leonard ripped the ball away from his grasp for a game-ending interception. The next week, Coutee didn’t see a single snap despite being against against the Oakland Raiders.

Coutee hasn’t let past failures get him down, and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has seen it in his work throughout training camp.

“Keke has done a really good job of coming back and doing everything that we’ve asked him to do,” Kelly said. “He’s been able to go out there and make plays when they’ve come his way, building trust with the quarterbacks and being where he is supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there.”

Coutee has the speed and quickness to find the openings in defenses to create targets. Thus far, Kelly has been impressed with that aspect of Coutee’s abilties.

“Again, at the end of the day, the biggest part of that position is getting open and catching the football,” said Kelly. “Keke’s doing a great job of that.”

The Texans’ receiving corps is very crowded with the club signing Randall Cobb in free agency and trading for Brandin Cooks to add to existing talent in Will Fuller and Kenny Stills. DeAndre Carter has found his niche on special teams as a punt returner, but Coutee is challenging for that role, too. If Coutee can finish camp strong, he should find a spot on the Texans’ roster.

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Texans coach Bill O’Brien says practice is no different after giving up play-calling

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien says practices are still the same after he has turned over play-calling to offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

2020 is the first training camp since 2016 where Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien is not calling the plays.

However, the seventh-year coach, who is doubling up as the team’s general manager, says that practices are still the same.

“I wouldn’t say that practice is too much different because even last year [offensive coordinator] Tim Kelly would relay the play in to Deshaun (Watson) quite a bit,” O’Brien said. “So Deshaun is very used to hearing Tim’s voice in the helmet.”

The Texans promoted Kelly from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in 2019. Kelly got his chances at play-calling during preseason, but O’Brien decided to ultimately keep calling the plays for the regular season.

The only other play-caller in the O’Brien era has been former offensive coordinator George Godsey, who was with the team from 2015-16.

“Relative to my role, it’s really the same,” said O’Brien. “Maybe I can spend a little bit more time watching the defense and watching them, especially early in practice and things like that. So maybe that’s a little bit different. But overall, I don’t think it’s too much of a different role for me, relative to practice.”

The Texans need all the consistency they can muster as they get ready for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 10 at Arrowhead Stadium to kickoff the regular season.

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Deshaun Watson says Texans are ‘going to be sharp’ by Week 1 at the Chiefs

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson believes the offense will be in sync and ready for the challenge in Week 1 when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Houston Texans have a myriad of changes they must incorporate into their offense in order to be successful.

Throw in the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly impacted the normal avenues of team cohesion, and there are questions as to whether or not the new Texans’ offense will be on point in Week 1 versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

Don’t count quarterback Deshaun Watson among that number. The two-time Pro Bowler is optimistic the offense can incorporate the promotion of offensive coordinator Tim Kelly to play-caller, running back David Johnson, and new receivers Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks.

“I feel like by the time Kansas City rolls around, we’re going to be sharp,” Watson said. “We’re going to be detailed and we’re going to look very efficient.”

What Watson is counting on is the fact the Texans offense is comprised mostly of veterans. They do have newcomers in fourth-round tackle Charlie Heck, fifth-round receiver Isaiah Coulter, and undrafted free agents in Scottie Phillips, Tyler Simmons, and Dylan Stapleton. However, all of the front line starters for Houston and their depth consists of veterans.

“For us, that’s why we have a veteran team, a lot of guys have played a lot of football that can pick up an offense and know the game and know the schemes,” Watson said.

The Texans are still a virtual team in that 50% of their meetings are through video conferencing, even after the entire team has reported to NRG Stadium. Now that they can see more of each other on the practice field, Watson likes what he sees from his new teammates

Said Watson: “They’ve been looking very, very good since we’ve reported. Me and Tim have been on the same page, so that won’t be any different. It’s my job of being a leader and being the coach on the field to make sure that everyone else around us is doing the right things the way we want to do it and the way I want it to kind of happen on the field.”

The strategy of the Texans’ new offense is to surround Watson with as many quality skill positions as possible and allow him to make the best decision on where the football needs to go. Part of the great decision making involves being simpatico with his offensive coordinator.

“With me and Tim being on the same page and me communicating that to all of the new guys, it’s been good,” said Watson.

The defending AFC South champions are hopeful it will all be good in Kansas City on Sept. 10.

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The Texans hope to take advantage of the run game

The focus of the 2020 offseason has been the Houston Texans’ passing game, but Tim Kelly hopes to utilize mismatches in the run game, too.

When evaluating the Houston Texans’ personnel moves on offense, the immediate focus is the passing game. After all, that is where the biggest changes occurred with DeAndre Hopkins shipped to the Arizona Cardinals and Brandin Cooks acquired from the Los Angeles Rams and Randall Cobb signed in free agency.

However, second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly isn’t just looking at the mismatches and one-on-ones his schemes can create in the passing game. Kelly hopes to utilize running backs David Johnson and Duke Johnson in exploitable situations in the run game.

“Schematically, obviously being able to try and take advantage of multiple people that can win one-on-one matchups, not just in the passing game but in the running game,” Kelly told reporters on Aug. 5. “So, being able to take advantage of the unique skillsets that these guys are going to present.”

David Johnson tallied over 2,000 scrimmage yards in 2016, earning him his lone All-Pro year of his career. Last season, Duke Johnson had a career high in rushing yards, indicating the Texans saw the former Cleveland Brown as more than a pass-catching back.

Kelly likes the enthusiasm he sees daily from the offensive personnel.

Said Kelly: “Coming in every day, I think we have great guys. Being able to work with them and now being able to see them in person, getting to learn their body language and the different interactions — that’s exciting. That’s just because they’re great people and they’re great football players and, again, they come here with a great attitude.”

If the Texans can find a way to make the run game as effective as the passing game, especially in its ability to create one-on-one situations for their dynamic, versatile running backs, then it should enable quarterback Deshaun Watson to carry less of the load as Houston seeks to repeat as AFC South champions for the third time since 2018.

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Texans OC Tim Kelly says Bill O’Brien is great at getting a feel for the locker room, relating to players

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who has spent nine seasons under Bill O’Brien, says his best ability is relating to players.

Tim Kelly has been working under Bill O’Brien for nine years, ever since he was a graduate assistant at Penn State.

The former Eastern Illinois product followed O’Brien to the Houston Texans in 2014 when O’Brien was hired to coach the AFC South club. Kelly rose through the ranks as an offensive assistant, a tight ends coach, and enters his second season as offensive coordinator.

No one on the Texans’ coaching staff has worked with O’Brien longer, and Kelly knows what O’Brien’s best skill is.

“His ability to relate to players and his ability to get a feel for the room, get a feel for the locker room, is something that is to me, it’s the best that I’ve been around,” Kelly told reporters on Aug. 5. “It’s something that, again, trying to get a feel for the people that you’re working closely with is a skill that I can’t stress that enough how important that is in order to know which buttons to push in order to get the most out of the people that you’re responsible for. Being able to learn from him in that area has been great.”

Kelly earned O’Brien’s trust to gain the play-calling duties in 2020. For the first time since 2015-16, someone other than O’Brien will be calling the plays.

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Being a backup QB helped Texans’ T.J. Yates transition into coaching

Houston Texans assistant quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates says being a backup QB helped him transition into coaching.

T.J. Yates had to know everything in his playing days.

The former Houston Texans 2011 fifth-round pick spent his seven-year NFL career as a backup.

“In my career playing in the NFL, I was a backup obviously for the majority of the time,” Yates told reporters on Wednesday. “You don’t get a lot of reps on the field. You have to kind of stand in the back and do a lot of mental reps. You have to do a lot of coaching to the other players that are in the background and aren’t on the field.”

Yates’ backup experience enabled him to transition into coaching as he had to know all aspects of the offense.

“You don’t get all the reps in practice, so by the time you do get in a game you better be on your stuff,” said Yates, who was 4-6 in his career with the Texans. “That’s how I took my career and approached my career as a backup quarterback and I think that helped transition into coaching.”

The former North Carolina Tar Heel is now an assistant quarterbacks coach for the Texans. The 33-year-old will be helping second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly coach the quarterbacks.

“He’s going to do a really good job with working with the quarterbacks and their mechanics, all the different techniques that are involved with playing that position,” Kelly said. “T.J.’s obviously played the position here in the NFL for a number of years, so he’s very well-educated and very knowledgeable with what it takes to be successful at this level. He’s going to be working with the quarterbacks, strictly with their techniques and fundamentals.”

Deshaun Watson is entering his fourth season in the NFL. If Yates can help the two-time Pro Bowler take another step in his development, it could mean the difference in helping Houston reach the AFC Championship Game or further.

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Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly looking forward to play-calling against the Chiefs

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly will get his first shot at play-calling in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

When coach Bill O’Brien named offensive coordinator Tim Kelly at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, the expectations was Kelly would have four preseason games to ease into the role.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened. Then, preseason games were slashed from four to two, then from two to none.

Kelly will have to play-call when the downs count on Sept. 10 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

“Being a first-time play-caller is obviously — as elementary as this may sound, you’re doing everything for the first time,” Kelly told reporters on Wednesday. “Being able to put yourself in those situations with live bullets — okay, the first time that happens in Kansas City is going to be the first time that I’m doing it where it actually counts.”

When Kelly was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019, there were rumblings that he could take over play-calling duties from O’Brien. The former tight ends coach was even seen during preseason games with the play sheet, mouthing plays into his headset. However, it was only practice, as O’Brien ultimately took the reins in the regular season.

Nonetheless, the experience was invaluable.

Said Kelly: “We were able to get some experience doing that last year during the preseason, but now doing it in a regular season game — that’ll be the first time.”

While the Texans get ready for the regular season, Kelly will also be taking a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Chiefs’ defense and figuring out how to create the best matchups for quarterback Deshaun Watson to exploit.

“Knowing the roster, it’s good to be able to know what the strengths and weaknesses are of the different players so you can take advantage of what they do well, try to capitalize on their strengths and the different matchup issues that they may present,” said Kelly.

Kelly will be the second offensive play-caller in the O’Brien era. Offensive coordinator George Godsey took over play-calling when he was the offensive coordinator from 2015-16.

Doubling up as coach and offensive coordinator limited Bill O’Brien’s time with Deshaun Watson

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson says his time with Bill O’Brien was limited with the latter having both coach and offensive coordinator duties.

Bill O’Brien has worn many hats since the Houston Texans drafted Deshaun Watson in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft.

In the quarterback’s rookie season through his second year, O’Brien was both the coach and offensive coordinator. In 2019, O’Brien gave up the offensive coordinator title, but kept the play-calling role, and added on considerable influence in the five-man general managing council that replaced Brian Gaine on June 7, 2019.

“Being the head coach and the OC, there were times where we couldn’t meet as much as we wanted to,” Watson told reporters on Aug. 1.

With Tim Kelly taking on the play-calling duties in his second season as offensive coordinator, the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback gets to spend more time developing strategy throughout the week.

“I feel like with Tim, I get to see Tim and that’s the only person that I’m meeting with, besides [assistant QB coach] T.J. Yates,” said Watson. “Being able to have that everyday conversation, every meeting conversation with Tim, and being on the same page and seeing eye-to-eye definitely is going to take us a long way.”

According to Watson, Kelly, who is also the quarterbacks coach, has been constructing a variety of game plans and scripts to ensure Watson is, “prepared for each and every game.”

Said Watson: “I can tell that he wants to take that to a whole other level.”

One of the other canards about the Watson era has been that he has been trapped by O’Brien’s stale play-calling and unimaginative game plans. If only Watson had more leeway with the play-calls, the Texans could be more successful.

According to Watson, O’Brien did give him plenty of liberty.

“I had a lot of freedom with Coach O’Brien, too,” Watson said. “He gave me a lot of freedom and we talked a lot of times.”

With Kelly fully invested in the offensive play-calling, Watson will have someone who he can work with often throughout the week to devise clever game plans and keep Houston competitive.

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Will Texans QB Deshaun Watson get worse on first-read throws without DeAndre Hopkins?

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson could get worse in 2020 on his first-read throws without receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

First-read throws were pretty easy for Deshaun Watson in his initial three seasons with the Houston Texans: just look for DeAndre Hopkins.

According to Pro Football Focus, Watson had the fifth-highest passer rating on first-read throws from 2018-19 at 101.4. In the football scouting firm’s analytics, that translated to an 86.6 grade, the 10th-best in their model among qualifiers.

Both of those figures could decrease without Hopkins, who is now with the Arizona Cardinals.

Or it may not. When listing the biggest drop offs between first-read throws and other throws, PFF did not have Watson among the top-10. Whereas Jared Goff and Philip Rivers were on both lists, Watson was not, which suggests that there isn’t that big of a drop off between the first read and the rest of the progression.

That factor may have been what coach and general manager Bill O’Brien is basing the 2020 offense around, and that is what second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is expected to take advantage of.

“We’ve got a great quarterback, a guy who’s going to be able to distribute the ball and again get the ball to the guys that are winning, and we’ve got guys who have won consistently for a long time scattered throughout that room,” Kelly told reporters on May 20.

Instead of a three-time All-Pro in Hopkins, Watson will have a receiving corps of Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Keke Coutee, DeAndre Carter, and Steven Mitchell, who Kelly says have all “made some big plays” for the Texans in their careers.

“Those are guys that have produced and that are coming in with a great mindset and with a chip on their shoulder and are working hard every day to make sure they’re on the same page with the coaching staff and making sure they’re on the same page with Deshaun,” said Kelly.

The formidable part of the new Texans offense is that Watson will be encouraged to go through his entire reads and find the winning matchups, not just key in on one dominant receiver.