The Houston Texans concluded their nearly month-long coaching search with the promotion of defensive coordinator and associate head coach Lovie Smith to the big role.
After the Texans named Smith their fifth full-time coach in team history on Feb. 7, Houston had to quickly assemble a coaching staff.
General manager Nick Caserio joined Texans Radio’s Marc Vandermeer and John Harris on Feb. 23 to talk about how the coaching staff fit into place after the promotion of Smith.
“We were in high gear there after Lovie was hired in trying to get the staff solidified even into that first week,” Caserio said. “And then we had it trickle over into the following week. I would say experienced staff, a lot of coaches that have been in the league in various capacities.”
What Caserio appreciates about the staff is how it has some assistants who were former players either in the NFL, as is the case with defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire, or played in Smith’s Tampa 2 system, as assistant defensive line coach Kenyon Jackson did at Illinois.
However, the familiarity with Smith’s system or coaching style isn’t limited to the defensive side of the ball. New offensive line coach George Warhop served in the same capacity for Smith when he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014-15.
Said Caserio: “Look at Coach Warhop and his relationship with Lovie back in Tampa Bay and even an overlap with [offensive coordinator] Pep (Hamilton) at different points. So, what we try to do is try to add familiar faces so that each side of the ball felt comfortable with the group as we implement some new things and make some changes. So, from that perspective, I think everybody is kind of excited to get situated, kind of get started, kind of get moving into the next phase of the offseason program.”
The offseason program starts for Houston on April 8 as teams with new coaches — such as the Texans — are afforded an early start. However, the next phase of the offseason schedule is working through the NFL combine Indianapolis.
