Lovie Smith declared in his introductory press conference he would be calling plays for the 2022 Houston Texans.
DeMeco Ryans didn’t have an answer in his introductory presser as to who will be the defensive play-caller for the 2023 version.
“When it comes to the calling plays, we’re still working through that,” Ryans said. “Whether I’ll call plays or not, haven’t made that decision yet.”
Part of the decision involves who exactly is following Ryans to Houston. The Texans are still assembling a staff for their sixth full-time coach in team history. What Ryans does know is he wants a diverse staff.
Ryans was naturally the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive play-caller when he was the defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Such was the case with the 49ers as coach Kyle Shanahan was from an offensive background, and it only made sense for the defensive coordinator to call the plays.
With the Texans going with a defensive-minded coach for the second time in as many seasons, play-calling remaining part of the coach’s duties would not be surprising.
Regardless of who the Texans settle on as defensive play-caller, Ryans will bring energy to the sidelines.
Said Ryans: “It’s just naturally, like, when you see guys work so hard throughout the week, within those 60 plays you may get for a guy to make that one play, that one interception or that one tackle for loss, one sack, we’re going to be fired up about it because I know how hard, or I know the hard work and I know how hard it is to make those plays. So, yeah, I’m excited for my players because I know the work that they put in.”
Having a coach who knows how hard his players work means he will work equally as hard identifying whose play calls maximize that effort.
