If Kubiak can win more than 10 games with a crappy defense (something he has not done in the last three years), he may dodge the bullet. Realistically for the Texans the path to 10 wins and the playoffs is a good defense.
Which is why three defensive coaches were fired. Frank Bush is pretty well respected around the league (more-so than Richard Smith), and is deserving of this position. This isn't just the Texans taking the easy/safe approach and hiring their own guy. He's qualified.
I am sure if Smith had not been fired, the Texans would have been 20 of 32 next year!!! One has to wonder if Bush is going to clean more house before the season starts. Bush should be able to hire who he wants and not let Kubiak set his table.
I thought you were referring to the Texans in general: "Because it's the Texans." And honestly, pathetic as it is, after '05, that 24-out-of-32 ranking was cause for celebration.
The Texans NEED to get a defense to have a chance. The offense is set. They just need to be at least in the top 15. It's ridiculous to think that the last playoff team in this football rich state was in 1993.
Agreed on every count, including the gratuitous omission of Dallas's playoff teams from "this football rich state". Agreed!
Well, first of all, I don't think he'll have quite that much power. Second, they would've fired anyone else they wanted to get rid of already. Third, he's worked and is familiar with the staff already. But, there are really only 2 other staff members left: Johnny Holland - linebackers have been the strong point of the defense the last two years. He's been up for college DC positions. Clearly a good coach. Ray Rhodes - secondary asst., will probably play a flexible coaching role. They're not going to let Bush get rid of him. I'm sure Bush will have a say in the hirings of d-line coach and some sort of replacement for his old position as Sr. Defensive Assistant. Looks like the DB coach will be Alex Gibbs son.
If the defense doesn't try some different things next year, or show significant improvement, I'm going to be PISSED at Kubiak for this move. This guy was on your roster all along last season. I would have thought that, had he really been the answer to our woes, some of his solutions would have been implemented. If Kubiak knew that Smith's performance was going to get him canned (and I have to imagine that at 3-7, he probably did know) then why not hand the reigns over to Bush as coordinator and see how he does? And msn, I imagine that since Bush has been on the roster all along, and since it seems as if he is probably the only person they seriously considered for the job, he probably has been giving his input as to who would get fired and who would get hired.
The defense was MUCH BETTER the 2nd half of the season when Smith decided to attack/blitz more. I think we'll definitely see a more agressive defense and I think that will be a big change in itself. There's an interview w/ Kubiak on Texans.com and he talks about how Smith was running a read & react scheme w/ the D-Line and how that gradually changed to attacking more and opening things up for the LBs and so forth. I know it isn't the big splash some were looking for but Bush was Kubiak's original choice and he definitely has the resume/experience for the job. I'm sure he learned from Smith's mistakes (hopefully) and I think he'll do a good job.
Geez, no one on here at ALL remembers Frank Bush?? He was an assistant defensive coach under both Jim Eddy and Buddy Ryan with the Oilers, and was linebackers coach on Elway's two super bowl teams in Denver and has two rings for his troubles. He worked with Gregg Williams on the Oilers staff and comes from a high pressure philisophical background. As has been mentioned he was under contract with AZ and that's the ONLY reason he wasn't D. Coordinator from the get-go. His title here makes me think he was consulted more than was a coach and judging by his background was probably one of the ones who called for the more aggressive style we started with in the last part of the season (of course, we all wanted that). But from what I know of him, if you like high pressure styled defense and creative packages you'll like his style. He also played linebacker under Glanville for the Oilers.
Bush has strategy to revive defense Newly hired coordinator wants Texans to attack By JOHN McCLAIN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Jan. 14, 2009, 12:11AM When Frank Bush was introduced as the Texans’ new defensive coordinator Tuesday, he used words like attack, aggressive and violent while describing his philosophy. Bush, 46, also mentioned how he has been influenced by some of the defensive coaches he played and worked for — Jerry Glanville (Oilers), Buddy Ryan (Oilers), Greg Robinson (Broncos) and Clancy Pendergast (Cardinals). “We’re going to be aggressive,” Bush said. “We’re going to attack. You’ll see more passion in our play.” Bush talked about developing a mindset that will help the players force more turnovers. “I think the first thing you do is simplify so your guys get faster,” he said. “The faster we play, the more times we get big hits. The more big hits we get, the more times that ball will come out. We want guys to attack and be violent and create turnovers.” The more Bush talked about what he’ll bring to the Texans’ table, the more fired up middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans got. “The guys I’ve talked to are excited about Frank getting the job, and I’m excited, too, because, as the play-caller, I’m going to get to work with him the most,” Ryans said. “He’s got an aggressive philosophy. It’s going to be violent. And I love it. “In our situation, stability’s important. Frank’s got a head start because he knows the players, and we know him. Guys want to play for him. When he speaks, all eyes and ears are focused on him.” Bush is the first of three defensive hires coach Gary Kubiak has to make. He’s expected to hire David Gibbs, who coached Kansas City’s defensive backs the last three years. Kubiak also has to hire a new defensive line coach. He offered that job to Rod Marinelli, who went to Chicago. Bush was Kubiak’s first choice to be defensive coordinator in 2006, but Arizona wouldn’t let him out of his contract. Richard Smith had been hired to coach linebackers, and he was promoted to coordinator. Bush was hired as a senior defensive assistant a year later. Bush will be calling defenses for the first time. Prepared for his chance “Frank was ready for this opportunity a few years ago,” Kubiak said. “This league’s about opportunity. Look at all the so-called hot coordinators that are getting chances to be head coaches. They all started somewhere. “Frank has been around good football people. ... I don’t have any doubt that he’ll call things extremely well.” The Texans asked Washington for permission to interview Jerry Gray, but the Redskins turned them down. “We don’t want to venture away from our 4-3 scheme and what we’re doing,” Kubiak said. “I love Frank’s ideas and identity and what he sees us being as a defensive team. “I know he’s a great teacher and a great motivator. I think we’re heading in the right direction, and Frank keeps us going in that direction.” This is Bush’s 25th season in the NFL. He was a player, scout and assistant coach with the Oilers. He coached linebackers, defensive backs and special teams with the Broncos and Cardinals. He helped coach the defensive line with the Texans. “We’re going to make sure we get all of these (players) on the same page,” Bush said. “We’re going to communicate. We’re going to make sure everybody’s doing the exact same job at the exact same time. “I like to think I can motivate (the players). You want to appeal to something inside them, something deeper. They have a burning desire to play big, to be great. ... You try to appeal to that desire within each of them to try to get them moving in the right direction.” More assertive line play It all starts up front with the linemen. They’ll be used differently under Bush. “We’ll give them a chance to be aggressive at the start of the play,” Bush said. “They’ll be attacking more. They’ll get off the line of scrimmage and up the field. We won’t go sideways.”
it's all talk right now.. but i can't help but be excited! I'm really not the one who usually complains about the Astros.. but this Texans offseason is barely a few weeks old, and the playoffs are still going.. and they already have me more excited with this move than the Astros have over the course of a few months. Pretty crazy
