New Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp coached Matt Schaub with the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-06.
The Texans have hired Greg Knapp, who coached Matt Schaub with the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-06, as their new quarterbacks coach.
Knapp, 46, has been an offensive coordinator for the past nine seasons, including three in Atlanta with Schaub. Schaub was drafted by the Falcons in 2004 and was Michael Vick's backup before being traded to Houston in 2007. He led the league with 4,770 passing yards this season.
"That's an addition that I'm very excited about, as I am about Rick Dennison's hire," General manager Rick Smith said on Tuesday evening. "Both those guys have experience in our type of offense. Greg Knapp is a guy that comes from the same system, that has coordinator experience in this league, multiple times has worked with quarterbacks. Both those guys are going to add to our offensive staff and I'm excited about both of them."
Knapp's tenure with the Falcons was sandwiched between stints as the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers (2001-03), Oakland Raiders (2007-08) and Seattle Seahawks (2009).
He began his NFL coaching career with the 49ers as an offensive quality control coach (1995-97), then coached San Francisco's quarterbacks for three seasons before becoming coordinator.
Knapp helps to replace departed offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kyle Shanahan, who left the Texans after the season to join the Washington Redskins' coaching staff. Dennison was hired as the Texans' new offensive coordinator on Jan. 13. Smith said both hires represent a commitment to continuity of the system currently in place.
"It's very valuable," Smith said. "You've always got to be able to manage change. If you can add people who have some type of familiarity with what you are doing, whether it's by scheme, philosophy, or by having worked with somebody before, at the end of the day it helps everybody to get on the same page a lot quicker. That's going to help us on Sundays."
A native of Seal Beach, Calif., Knapp played quarterback at Sacramento State from 1982-85. He started his coaching career in 1986 at his alma mater and remained there through 1994. He coached the Hornets running backs from 1986-89 and wide receivers from 1989-90 before being promoted to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator from 1991-94.
Knapp and his wife Starla have one daughter, Jordan.
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