Chron: After Capers is fired, who is next in line?

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3549287.html

By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Because coach Dom Capers is expected to be fired after his fourth season with the Texans, speculation about his potential replacement has increased.

Owner Bob McNair will not discuss Capers' job status until after the San Francisco game on Sunday, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning out a lengthy list of candidates such as Washington defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray.

Other prominent assistants being mentioned are Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Of that group, all are former NFL players except Williams and Phillips, both of whom are former head coaches (Williams at Buffalo and Phillips at Denver and Buffalo).

Most coaches would like an opportunity to take over a team that has only one direction to go next season.

Complicating the process is the status of general manager Charley Casserly.

When Capers was hired, Casserly was the point man on interviews that included Kubiak, Phillips (San Diego), offensive coordinator Al Saunders (Kansas City) and defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell (Minnesota).

None has gotten a head-coaching job since the Texans interviewed them.

Like Capers, Casserly has a year left on his contract. While Casserly's situation isn't as clear as Capers', he also could be looking for a new job.

When McNair hired Dan Reeves as a consultant to evaluate Texans personnel, the move suggested the owner might have lost faith in Casserly.

Until next week, Texans fans won't know who, if anyone, will be involved in the process with McNair and Reeves.

Reeves coached Kubiak at Denver. He hired Phillips at Denver and Atlanta.

When Reeves was hired, he said he'd like to return to coaching. He's also interested in running a personnel department. At the time, McNair said he expected for Reeves to stay for "a couple of months, maybe longer."

Most owners hire a general manager before hiring a coach so the GM can be involved in the search. If McNair hires a new coach and Casserly leaves, the next general manager wouldn't have been involved in the process at all.

Unless that general manager is Reeves.

Capers marches on

Despite the uncertainty in the front office, Capers and his assistants are preparing the players to try to win a game that just about everyone but them wants them to lose to ensure that they get the No. 1 pick in the draft, which they likely would use on USC running back Reggie Bush.

On Monday, Capers was asked if this would this be an awkward week for him.

"Not really," he said. "I don't look at this week any different than the others. Our job is to come to work on Wednesday and get our team as prepared as we can to play to the best of our abilities.

"One thing I'll say about this team is that they've done an outstanding job of coming back in, being professional and focusing on what we have to do to get ready to go play."

Everyone close to the situation has been impressed with Capers' professionalism.

He hasn't spoken to McNair about his job and won't meet with the owner until after the game on Sunday.

"He's been tremendous," Capers said about McNair. "Anybody that knows Bob would expect him to respond supportively.

"He's obviously disappointed in the results we've had, like all of us are. Bob's as steady and supportive as (an owner can be) in these situations."

A different direction?

It will be interesting to see if McNair interviews coaches who are the opposite of Capers — offensive coordinators who are fiery and animated on the sideline.

Capers is a former defensive coordinator who's intense but seldom lets his emotions get the best of him.

"This is a game of discipline," Capers said. "If there's a call you disagree with, your initial response is to react to it. But the minute I do it and I turn around and see half our sideline start to do it, I know that's an indication of the way I responded to it.

"Players are always going to look to the coach as the leader of the team and respond the way you respond. I think that's counterproductive and really hypocritical of me to ask our team to respond one way and have me respond another way."

john.mcclain@chron.com

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TEXANS SUMMARY

Walker to have surgery

Defensive end Gary Walker suffered a torn triceps muscle early in the Jacksonville game. He'll have surgery Wednesday and will be placed on injured reserve for the last game at San Francisco.

With Walker out, the coaches are hoping that defensive end Travis Johnson (strained back) will be able to play after being inactive for the Jaguars.

Running back Jonathan Wells (bruised thigh) and running back Domanick Davis (inflammation in knee) will be limited in practice.

Brown sets record

Even though Kris Brown has missed seven field goals, he still has scored 97 points — a team record. It is the most points Brown has scored in his four seasons with the Texans.

Brown is 25-of-32 on field goals. He needs one against the 49ers on Sunday for 26 — second-most in his career to the 30 he kicked with the Steelers in 2001.

Sack mark within reach

Outside linebacker Shantee Orr needs two sacks to break Jeff Posey's record of eight set in 2002. Orr has seven after getting two against the Jaguars.

The Texans also are two sacks from breaking the team record of 35 set in 2002.

In 2003, the Texans had 18. In 2004, they had 24.

MEGAN MANFULL and JOHN McCLAIN