What do you get when you cross Rex Ryan with Romeo Crennel?
You get Anthony Weaver, the first-year defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, who is bringing his own unique take on creative pressure to the defense.
Through training camp, coach and general manager Bill O’Brien has been impressed with the job Weaver has done.
“Weave does a good job,” O’Brien told reporters after the Thursday night scrimmage at NRG Stadium. “He’s really smart. He’s got a real good rapport with the players. He’s played in the league, he’s coached in the league. He’s coached under some really good defensive coordinators when he was d-line coach. Obviously Rex Ryan and Romeo Crennel.
“I think he’s taken something from all of those guys and he’s able to put his own stamp on it and that’s what he’s trying to do.”
Weaver is part of a youth movement among the Texans’ coordinators. Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is entering his second year in the job, and taking on the added responsibility of being a play-caller. Tracy Smith, who has spent the last two seasons as an assistant special teams coach under Brad Seely, takes over the main job as special teams coordinator.
Weaver is only as successful as his staff, and communicating directives and goals with them is also critical.
Said O’Brien: “He works really hard, communicates well with his staff. He’s got a good staff underneath him. I believe that we’re on the right track there.”
The Texans are two weeks away from opening up against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Though Houston has come a long ways since the start of training camp, one which did not include an offseason program at all, O’Brien still sees work to be done.
“We’ve got a hell of a team we’re playing in the first game, and we’re going to keep working but I think we’ve accomplished, for where we are right now, we’ve got some things accomplished, no doubt about it,” said O’Brien.
The Texans seek to accomplish more on defense in 2020, and if Weaver’s stamp on the defense is successful, they will meet that objective.
