Texans defensive coordinator search: Part I

December 31, 8:42 AMHouston Texans ExaminerAlan Burge

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The Houston Chronicle ran an article today that included a list of potential defensive coordinators.  I wasn't all that enamored with a few of the names.

The speculative list includes the names Frank Bush, Gregg Williams, Rod Marinelli, Jerry Gray, Bob Slowik, and Mike Nolan.  Another name thrown out yesterday by one of our local radio guys, for what it's worth, is Bills defensive line coach Bill Kollar.

I'm sure this is a 'scuttlebut' list and not insider info, or something found on a napkin at the table where Gary Kubiak, Rick Smith and Bob McNair had dinner the other night, so I would take it in that context.

Over the next several days, I'll try to dig up as much as I can on each of the candidates, and provide some insight and analysis.  I know more about some of these guys than others.  And I will have to get over initial impressions, which in the case of Marinelli, Slowick and Nolan aren't good.

Marinelli was never a defensive coordinator and even though Warren Sapp credits him for making him one of the best defensive tackles ever, I'm not sure bringing in a guy with that 0-16 stink on him is the right thing to do.  Marinelli spent most of his career as a defensive line coach and assistant head coach, so if you bring him here, it's to replace Jethro Franklin. 

Nolan has several years of experience as a coordinator with the Giants, Redskins, Ravens and Jets.  There are circumstances around his firing that concern me, but more on him in future blogs.

Bob Slowik?  You mean the guy who led the Broncos defense to 30th in the league this year in points allowed (including 52 to the Chargers the other night) and 29th in yards allowed?  Um.  I think I'll pass.

Frank Bush is obviously a serious candidate and may be the front runner at the moment for all we know.

Let's take a quick look at Gregg Williams.

Gregg Williams (Getty)

We're familiar with Williams through his years here with the Oilers.  He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1997 and was the defensive coordinator from 1997-2000 including the Titans Super Bowl year.  His accomplishments at Tennessee landed him a head coaching job at Buffalo from 2001-03 where he flopped.  He was hired as the Redskins defensive coordinator in 2004 and held that position for four seassons.  He spent '08 as the Jaguars defensive coordinator.

Here's a look at Williams' defensive unit's rankings in points and yards allowed while he was coordinator:

As always, simple stats don't tell the entire story.  These stats show Williams' defensive units had some very good and very bad years - but more good than bad.  The advantages to considering Williams is that he is an experienced coordinator who has had some success.  The disadvantages, based on those numbers is that two of his past three seasons haven't been all that good, so has his scheme been solved by the league, did he lack the personnel or were the bad years complicated by other circumstances?