6 things we learned from the Texans Assistant Coaches

Feb 22, 2022 at 06:00 PM

Deepi Sidhu

Texans Insider and Lead Writer

The Houston Texans coaching staff is complete with the hiring of under Head Coach Lovie Smith. On Tuesday, just two weeks after Smith's introductory press conference, eight assistant coaches also met with the media. Here are the top six things we learned from the assistant coaches in their first press conference as part of Lovie Smith's staff:

Smith's influence extends far and wide in coaching circles.

"I really, from afar, see him as one of the icons in our business," Safeties Coach Joe Danna said. "When you look at great defensive coaches that this game has really ever seen. I don't know how you don't include him in that. He's got a proven track record. He's got a system that's been consistent over years. It's had proven success and I just feel fortunate to be a part of it and get a chance to work for him and alongside of him."

Smith's son is Linebackers Coach Miles Smith. Miles said he was hopeful his father would get another head coaching opportunity and that he is ready to go out and win a Super Bowl.

"I would say that he is ecstatic," Miles Smith said. "You would not expect that he is a 63-year-old man. He wakes up at four something every day. He'll call me and wake me up sometimes like, 'Hey why don't we do this, this and this?' His mind is constantly going."

First order of business for assistant coaches has been to watch film of current players on the roster and make evaluations.

Tight Ends Coach Berbenich reunited with Offensive Coordinator Pep Hamilton for the third time in their coaching careers and considers him a mentor. The two go back to their time with the New York Jets when Hamilton was a quality control coach and Berbenich was an offensive assistant.

"It's a tight-end driven offense for sure even starting back from the Stanford days and he carried that into the Colts system as well," Berbenich said of Hamilton's offense. "But, it's a run-first kind of operation. Pep's going to do anything he can do with the skill we have here to score points."

Offensive Line Coach George Warhop said looks at yards per carry when it comes to the run game and likes to see it around the 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 yards per carry mark.

"In terms of getting more out of the runs, it starts with our mentality upfront," Warhop said. "It's us, it's the back, it's the receivers, it's all of it."

Defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire played with Texans Legend Travis Johnson when the two were with the San Diego Chargers. Cesaire described his plans to execute Lovie Smith's defense.

"We're all part of the same family," Cesaire said. "It's a penetrating, disruptive front and we're trying to generate pressure with four guys and that's what we're trying to do. Four guys coming off the rucks, 60 plays, 60 times without any compromise. That's what you're going to see come Sunday. You're going to see four guys coming after the quarterback and hopefully, we can get that done."

Honorable mention:

Danny Barrett and Warhop played college football at Cincinnati together. After playing quarterback and coaching in the CFL, Barrett says he reached out to his former teammate in 2007 when he wanted to transition back into the NFL.

"This is the first time that we'll have an opportunity to be together since then," Barrett said. "Bearcats for life!"

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An image from Feb. 8, 2022, when Lovie Smith was introduced as the new head coach of the Houston Texans.An image from Feb. 8, 2022, when Lovie Smith was introduced as the new head coach of the Houston Texans.

Zach Tarrant/HOUSTON TEXANS