Spending the week in Mobile, Alabama, I followed the Texans head coaching search from afar. I relied a ton on my guys over at SportsRadio 610 to keep me informed as I studied future NFL prospects. On Tuesday, I was making my way down to Hancock Whitney Stadium, listening to Landry Locker and John Lopez as Landry did a deep dive into what many felt were the final two candidates.
He pulled up David Culley's bio and began listing out his credentials and background.
"He played at Vanderbilt, then was a Running Back Coach at Austin Peay in 1978, then Receivers Coach at Vandy from 1979 to 1981…"
I can't tell you what Landry said after that because it was that last part that caused me to pull into the parking lot of a doughnut shop. Sure, I wanted some HOT doughnuts, who doesn't? But, I realized at that moment that David Culley and I actually had something in common.
We both coached with/for a man named George MacIntyre.
When I heard Landry that day, it was at that point that I actually felt like I had a dog in the race, as the saying goes. I figured we would find a solid football coach to lead the team, but knowing that Coach Culley had served as an assistant under Coach Mac told me much more.
Coach Mac had been an Assistant Coach at Vanderbilt University when Coach Culley was a quarterback for the Commodores. Then, in 1979, after a successful stint as head coach at Tennessee-Martin, Coach Mac returned to Vanderbilt as head coach, bringing back a young assistant to guide his receivers: David Culley.
In the years prior to Coach MacIntyre taking over as head coach, with Coach Culley on the staff, Vanderbilt had three consecutive 2-9 seasons, but Coach Mac turned it around - eventually leading Vanderbilt to a bowl game in 1982, one year after Coach Culley left to take another coaching opportunity.
Coach Culley apprenticed under many coaches throughout his career, but if Coach Mac had the impact on Coach Culley that he had on me, I know Coach Culley is going to be the right guy for this Texans team. My very first coaching gig was in 1994 serving as an assistant coach at Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, Florida under George MacIntyre. We only spent one year together, but he took me under his wing and taught me the passing game that he unleashed on the SEC in the '80s, shared some GREAT stories and always pushed me to be a more effective coach and leader.
Forevermore, when I see David Culley, I will always think of Coach MacIntyre and, for me, that's a great memory. As such, I know Coach Mac is looking down from above, proud of his former protégé as Coach Culley steps to the forefront and takes over as the fourth head coach in the history of the Texans.
The Houston Texans have hired David Culley as the team's fourth head coach in franchise history. Check out the photos of Coach Culley's arrival to NRG Stadium.
