.png)
Elevating
Pep Hamilton to offensive coordinator after hiring Lovie Smith as head coach
could be Texans' most influential decision of offseason.
COTY M. DAVIS
fEBRUARY 9, 2022
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans coaching staff is in the midst of a substantial
rebuild for the second consecutive year.
Lovie
Smith, introduced as the fifth head coach in franchise history on Tuesday, is
putting together a staff with the intentions of guiding Houston out of football
purgatory. Smith has given the daunting task of revamping the inferior offense
to Pep Hamilton.
Hamilton
served as the team's quarterbacks coach under David Culley during the 2021
season, but was elevated to offensive coordinator following the hiring of
Smith.
Smith, NFL Coach of the Year in 2005,
said having Hamilton on his staff "was a must," especially
considering the relationship he established with rookie quarterback Davis
Mills. There is a chance that Hamilton could be the most significant decision
Smith and the Texans make this offseason.
"We
have a new challenge," Hamilton said Tuesday. "... It helps when you
have an idea of your personnel's strength and weakness, and it is our job as an
offensive staff to put our players in a position to utilize their
strength."
One of the lessons Mills learned under Hamilton's tutelage was
that scars are a reminder of prospering, and it's one the 47-year-old North
Carolina native could utilize for himself taking the reign as Houston's
offensive coordinator.
Amidst a
4-13 season in 2021, the Texans put together the league's most inefficient
offense, averaging an NFL low of 278.1 total yards per game while averaging
16.5 points. Fortunately
for the Texans, Hamilton has experience taking an inadequate offense and
turning it into one of the best in the league.
In 2013, Hamilton
received his first NFL offensive coordinator job with the Indianapolis Colts.
Before his arrival, the Colts were a mediocre offensive team at best despite
an 11-5 record. Indy ended the 2012 campaign with the league's 18th-best
offense.
The Colts upped their offensive
production in two of the three seasons Hamilton served as OC. Hamilton's best
season came in 2014 — where the 11-5 Colts averaged 28.6 points and 417.1 total
yards.
With Hamilton helping the Colts reach
the AFC Championship game (lost to the New England Patriots), the 2014 season
marked Indianapolis' most successful campaign during the post-Peyton Manning
era.
"It's
always a great opportunity to have one of these 32 jobs to lead an offense in
the National Football League," Hamilton said. "It's a collection of
people — it's not just coach Smith. But the guys on that staff that are with us
moving forward that make you feel good to hit the ground running."
Hamilton had several suitors who sought
his services, but ultimately decided to reunite with Smith for the first time
since their days with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2007-09.
Hamilton
has served as the Texans' offensive coordinator for three days since his
promotion. And he's already thinking about 2022 and the tools in his
possession.
"With
some of the known camaraderie in the locker room, starting with Brandin Cooks,
Nico Collins and Brevin Jordan, they have shown the ability to step up and be
big-time players for us," Hamilton said. "I think any good offense,
you have to be able to adjust to your personnel. We will have the flexibility
in our offense to execute the strength and true talents of our players."
