The Houston Texans have finalized their coaching staff for the 2025 season, introducing a new era on offense with the hiring of Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley as the team’s new offensive coordinator. While Caley brings a fresh approach with a different variation of the offensive scheme, the overall minimal changes on the offensive side raise questions about the previous regime under Bobby Slowik and Chris Strausser.
Despite C.J. Stroud's struggles last season—posting career lows in nearly every category and throwing a career-high 12 interceptions—the Texans opted to maintain significant continuity on offense. The decision to only replace Slowik and Strausser suggests that head coach DeMeco Ryans saw the scheme as only part of the problem. The more significant issue appeared to be execution and an inability to adapt, which reflects poorly on Slowik and Strausser’s leadership and in-game adjustments.
A New Offensive Approach Under Nick Caley
Nick Caley arrives with a new perspective, aiming to build on the foundation laid last season while implementing a different variation of the offensive scheme. His background with the Rams suggests a more dynamic and adaptable system, likely focusing on maximizing C.J. Stroud's strengths and creating more balanced play-calling.
The decision to keep most of the offensive staff intact indicates that Ryans did not see a fundamental flaw in the overall scheme but rather issues with how it was executed and adjusted in real-time. This continuity—or lack of a broader shakeup—serves as an indictment of Slowik and Strausser's performance, suggesting that Ryans believed they failed to adapt effectively to defensive adjustments and failed to maximize the talent on the roster.
Key Changes and Promotions
While Caley is the most significant new addition, the Texans also promoted Cole Popovich to offensive line coach and offensive run game coordinator, replacing Chris Strausser. This promotion suggests that Ryans trusts Popovich to correct the offensive line's struggles through better execution and in-game adjustments rather than a complete overhaul of the blocking scheme. The offensive line's inconsistency last season, marked by penalties and breakdowns in pass protection, was more a reflection of coaching deficiencies than a lack of talent.
The Texans also brought in a few other offensive assistants:
Asauni Rufus (Offensive Assistant), previously with the 49ers.
Pat Reilly (Offensive Assistant), joining from the Jaguars.
Jerry Schuplinski (Senior Offensive Assistant / Pass Game Specialist), whose experience is expected to help refine the passing game.
Defensive Additions and Continuity
On the defensive side, the Texans hired Frank Okam as the assistant defensive line coach. Okam, a former Texans player, adds valuable experience to a defensive front that showed promise last season.
The rest of the defensive coaching staff remains largely unchanged, reflecting DeMeco Ryans' satisfaction with their performance. Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke returns, along with Defensive Passing Game Coordinator Cory Undlin and Defensive Backs Coach Dino Vasso, ensuring continuity in a system that made significant strides in 2024.
Full 2025 Houston Texans Coaching Staff
Here’s a complete look at the Texans' 2025 coaching staff:
Position | Coach |
Head Coach | DeMeco Ryans |
Offensive Coordinator | Nick Caley |
Defensive Coordinator | Matt Burke |
Special Teams Coordinator | Frank Ross |
Offensive Line / Run Game Coord | Cole Popovich |
Quarterbacks | Jerrod Johnson |
Wide Receivers / Pass Game Coord | Ben McDaniels |
Tight Ends | Jake Moreland |
Running Backs / Assistant HC | Danny Barrett |
Defensive Passing Game Coord | Cory Undlin |
Defensive Backs | Dino Vasso |
Linebackers | Bill Davis |
Defensive Line | Rod Wright |
Assistant Defensive Line | Frank Okam |
Senior Offensive Assistant | Bill Lazor |
Senior Offensive Assistant / Pass Game Specialist | Jerry Schuplinski |
Offensive Assistants | Asauni Rufus, Pat Reilly, Mike Snyder |
Defensive Assistants | Sean Baker, Cole Weeks |
Assistant Special Teams | Will Burnham |
Assistant Offensive Line | Zach Yenser |
Assistant to the Head Coach | Jake Olson |
Why Minimal Changes Matter: A Message to Slowik and Strausser?
The decision to keep most of the offensive staff in place, despite a new offensive coordinator, sends a clear message: DeMeco Ryans believes the offensive struggles were more about execution and adaptability than talent or overall scheme design. This continuity implies that Ryans thought the system itself was sufficient but that Bobby Slowik and Chris Strausser failed to adjust in-game and failed to get the most out of their players.
Nick Caley’s arrival with a different variation of the scheme aims to address these issues. His challenge will be to implement a more flexible, dynamic system that maximizes C.J. Stroud’s abilities while correcting the execution issues that plagued the Texans last season. Meanwhile, Cole Popovich’s promotion suggests confidence in his capability to refine the offensive line’s technique and discipline.
Final Thoughts: A Calculated Bet on Continuity and Adjustment
By maintaining continuity and bringing in a coordinator who will tweak rather than overhaul the scheme, DeMeco Ryans is making a calculated bet that the Texans' offensive woes were largely due to poor execution and an inability to adapt to defensive adjustments. If the offense struggles again in 2025, Ryans’ decision not to make more sweeping changes will come under scrutiny.
The Texans hold the No. 25 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and how they address offensive needs, particularly on the line, will be crucial. The success of the 2025 season will largely hinge on whether the new offensive leadership can execute and adapt better than its predecessors.
The 2025 season is poised to be a pivotal one for the Texans, and DeMeco Ryans’ decisions this offseason will either validate his belief in the roster’s talent or expose the limitations of continuity without sufficient change.
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