Houston Texans: 4 reasons Romeo Crennel is right coach right now
By Paul Conlon
Houston Texans fans, O’Brien is out, and Crennel is in. Read on for four reasons why this interim head coach move works.Many Houston Texans fans feel a jolt of electricity for the franchise’s future as Monday, the powers that be terminated Bill O’Brien and instated Texans’ assistant head coach and defensive guru, Romeo Crennel, as the team’s new interim head coach moving forward.
O’Brien—who occupied both the head coach and general manager roles for the Texans—was recently speculated to have entered week four unhappy with offensive play calling that he may have delegated to others in previous contests.
Subsequently, O’Brien allegedly escalated his involvement with communicating plays to two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Deshaun Watson, in the Texans’ week-four defeat at the hands of the now 1-3 Minnesota Vikings.
The move elevating Crennel to interim head coach provides many of the Houston Texans faithful reason for excitement as fans attempt to revive hope for the season following a dismal 0-4 start.
Coming back from such a deficit and making the playoffs might not prove impossible but—for Texans fans—the worst news could potentially be that the franchise might already fall short of this year’s postseason picture. Though it remains too early to tell.
Nevertheless, Romeo Crennel is the right coach for the job right now. And here are four reasons why.
1. Romeo Crennel would provide continuity
Crennel is the right coach for the job right now. In a rare situation featuring a permanent head coach and general manager vacancy, Crennel knows the organization’s players, and particularly commands respect among the Texans’ defensive unit.
Even O’Brien, himself, lauded Crennel’s ability to build rapport with players in a 2018 ESPN article by Sarah Barshop, having stated, “It’s just things that he does, his style is a little bit different,” with O’Brien further elaborating, “That’s something that the players have bought into.”
But not only does Crennel have familiarity with the roster, he knows every detail of the playbook that the players know themselves. Additionally, Crennel knows his players’ personalities as well as the manner in which Texans’ athletes and coaches are accustomed to prepare for each upcoming contest on a day-by-day basis.
In essence, the move does not leave this season’s Texans a rudderless ship but provides a sense of continuity. And besides—Houston’s Week 5 matchup against the Jaguars could prove must-see TV as the Texans’ new head coach may green-light plays that O’Brien overlooked or undervalued.