Alan Burge summed up a lot of Texans fans’ feelings nicely on GM Rick Smith’s eyebrow-raising “this is my first exposure to a 3-4 defense” comments. Equally as alarming was a quote in the same interview that went a little something like this:
“So I’ve spent hours in the room with Wade, talking to him, watching tape with him, getting a sense of what it is that he looks for and how he wants to coach it so that we can educate our scouts, and I do think that we’ve got some players who can be productive in this system.” -Texans General Manager Rick Smith
So… not only is Rick Smith not at all versed in making personnel decisions for a 3-4 defense, but the scouts need to be educated too? For an organization that has said publicly they expect this defense to turnaround quickly and be vastly improved in one year, that doesn’t seem like the best way of moving forward.
If your GM hasn’t done well picking players for the system he IS familiar with and he is unfamiliar with your new system going forward – you should probably take a good, hard look at hiring a new GM. If your scouts “need to be educated” on the 3-4 defense, you should probably take a good, hard look at hiring new (or additional) scouts. That may not be the “nice” thing to do, but on the surface it certainly sounds like the smart/right thing to do.
The Texans are stuck. Just a year ago they were considered one of the top and most-talented young teams in the NFL. Of course, those lists are made based on potential, and not necessarily results. Now they are just another franchise searching for an identity both as a football team and an organization.
Bob McNair’s faith in Smith and Gary Kubiak certainly appears to be unshakable, but when the Texans evaluate defensive talent for this draft and set their draft board up, who’s going to have the final say? If Smith and the scouts are learning on the fly when it comes to matters of the 3-4, then clearly Wade Phillips is going to play a huge role in the defensive talent evaluation. I don’t know how much pull Phillips has had in personnel decisions prior to joining the Texans, but it stands to reason that if a team wants to pull off a one-offseason turnaround – they need to go out and get the personnel guys who can make that happen.
The idea that an NFL team can’t dramatically improve in one offseason has kind of been exposed as a myth in the last few years. The Texans are in an especially difficult position considering how the looming lockout could potentially cut a lot of on-field learning time out of the NFL offseason calendar. In other words – the Texans can’t mess around. They need to go out and get the players they need to make this thing work – but you can’t do that unless you have the right talent evaluators in place.
“Educating the scouts” seems like something that should take some time… much more time than the current Texans regime should have available to them at this point in their reign of mediocrity.
Feb 14, 2011 at 09:14:08
Why is Wade meeting with Rick then Rick meeting with the scouts? Should Rick and the scouts just all get their notepads and go to the media room and watch film togther. In my experience, things get lost in translation.
Feb 14, 2011 at 09:30:02
I think you are mis-reading a portion of this. I am certain the scouts know what a 3-4 player looks like but I think it is more of finding the type of players Wade is looking for to fit HIS 3-4. Heck, if I can look at a player and tell if he is better suited to play in a 3-4 or 4-3 then a scout would be able to as well. But I can tell you this, I have no idea what Wade is looking for regarding his 3-4 personel, on the DL especially.
I am not concerned that Rick Smith doesn’t have experience with the 3-4 either. I hope this means he will not be in-charge of drafting defensive players or determining which free agents to chase. In all honesty, I think he has been subpar at best with his drafts. Just let him worry about negotiations and selling the Texans to potential free agents.
Feb 14, 2011 at 10:35:07
To borrow a line from somewhere I cannot recall: Can we rent some of those Egyptian protesters and place them outside of the Temple of Incompetencey on Kirby?
To Brian In Katy’s point, I would not be concerned about the 3-4 experience in a GM if I though that he would not be in charge of defensive personnel. The problem is that I am not convinced of that fact. The poor decision-making track record that this organization has earned leads me to believe that more of the same is on the menu.
I do, however, think the scouts know what a 3-4 needs.
Feb 14, 2011 at 14:36:04
I have issues with Kubiak and McNair, but Rick Smith is the target of most of my hostility these days. McNair should have blown this Denver disaster up this year. While I hold Kubiak partially responsible for personnel since he signs off on all draft picks and hired Smith, I can’t think of anything positive Rick Smith has done for this team since he got here. Our draft picks are bad (and that’s with him picking 4-3 defensive players) and we’re not exactly front runners in the free agent race. The fact that he’s still here points to the lack of standards from the very top of the organization. So, maybe I should redirect my anger at McNair. I think I have plenty for both, and some left over for Kubes.
PS – Brian, do you really want Smith handling negotiations and free agents? There’s a reason we can’t get any of those, or even keep many of our own. And, it’s not just about if a player is a 3-4, or 4-3 player. It’s about value and fit for the position.
Feb 14, 2011 at 14:53:46
T Williams – valid point but if Smith can concentrate on one specific thing, maybe he will actually do something well. I would prefer someone else all together but at this point that isn’t happening.
Feb 14, 2011 at 15:23:16
My two cents is this, I think Rick is simply trying to get what Wade wants so he can try and get players that fit the new system. Educating the scouts would be specific points that he takes out of those meetings, so when Wade says I really like guys with a great first step that can control a gap Rick knows what he means and can tell the scouts particular features to look out for on tape and at the combine and pro days. In terms of precious drafts, if Rick is asking what the coaches want now I’d imagine that’s part of his process, so he tries to take players that fit the coaches descriptions. What that means is that because our offense has been run with somewhat of a wizard, and our defence by two previous linebacker coaches you can see why we’ve ended up where we’ve ended up. I think our draft process is something like “Draft the best player available for our system” Which isn’t a bad way to go and obviously need has factored in somewhat, but with a defensive coordinator who’s more likely to know what he wants at all positions I think we have a decent chance at a good draft.
Feb 14, 2011 at 16:45:14
I get thatbut why not hear that from the horses (Wade) mouth? Rick doesnt have 3-4 experience, right? so this year how bout the scouts sit in on those meetings too?
Feb 14, 2011 at 18:12:21
I know i’m in by my self on this one.But I don’t understand all the Rick smith bashing.One year ago this team was two teams laying down away from the playoffs with alot of guys Rick drafted.Now one year later everybody fussing him!Look I or anybody else on this blog would of paid DRob what Atl paid him.Injurys and lack of Coaching put this team in bad sitautions every year team after team have hit and Missed on alot of their draft picks! I think u need to look at this roster vs other roster and think how Rick and Gary are doing
Feb 14, 2011 at 21:52:25
No Rick has missed on the picks! The only reason the team is so good is because kubiak is a great offensive coordinator and has coached up his players on that side of the ball. Oh yeah not to mention the monster draft had before he left Mario, Ryans, Daniels, and Winston. Since then our drafts have been crap … With the exception of Cushing if returns to his steroid form. BTW we should have gotten Matthews. Smith can’t draft or get free agents for our defense. Cut out the middle man kubiak and Philips should make their own picks and McNair needs to open up his pocket book and get some free agent DBs. Why do we need Smith he can go circle jerk it with Bush. Accountability starts in the front office and we need some.
Feb 15, 2011 at 12:13:51
Brian in Katy,
I hope you’re right. I do agree that all of their jobs need to be clarified with specific duties. I’ve read that Kubiak has final say over draft choices and he calls the plays too. That’s way too much for one guy to do. Maybe this group can get their stuff together, and I hope they do. But, I need to see it before I can believe it.