HOUSTON TEXANS WEEKLY RELEASE - NFL.com

GENERAL MANAGER RICK SMITHTEXANS COACHING C STAFF2010 HOUSTON TEXANS COACHING STAFFGary KubiakFrank BushRick DennisonJoe MarcianoRay RhodesJohn BentonPerry CarterDavid GibbsChick HarrisJohnny HollandLarry KirkseyGreg KnappBill KollarMarc LubickBruce MatthewsBrian ParianiFrank PollackRobert SalehMatt SchiotzCedric SmithHead CoachDefensive CoordinatorOffensive CoordinatorSpecial Teams CoordinatorSenior Defensive AssistantOffensive LineAssistant Defensive BacksDefensive BacksRunning BacksLinebackersWide ReceiversQuarterbacksAsst. Head Coach/Defensive LineOffensive AssistantOffensive AssistantTight EndsAssistant Offensive LineAssistant LinebackersAssistant Strength & ConditioningStrength & ConditioningOFFENSIVE OFFSEASON HIRESThe Houston Texans made three additions to the offensivecoaching staff in the offseason: Offensive CoordinatorRick Dennison, Quarterbacks Coach Greg Knapp and OffensiveAssistant Marc Lubick.The 51-year-old Dennison is entering his 16th season inthe NFL as a coach and his 25th year in the league overall.Dennison has spent 24 years with the Denver Broncos,first as a player from 1982-90 and then as a coach from1995-09, before being named the Texans’ offensive coordinatoron January 11, 2010.Dennison served as offensive coordinator in Denver from2006-08 after his predecessor, Gary Kubiak, left Denver tobecome the head coach of the Texans. He coached theBroncos offensive line from 2001-05 and resumed that rolein 2009. He also coached Denver’s special teams from1997-2000 and was an offensive assistant from 1995-96.Knapp is entering his 16th season in the NFL as a coach,including the last nine seasons as an offensive coordinator.Overall, Knapp is entering his 25th year in coaching.Knapp coached Texans QB Matt Schaub in Atlanta from2004-06 as the offensive coordinator of the Falcons.Knapp spent last season as the offensive coordinator forthe Seattle Seahawks and guided an attack that averaged316.8 yards per game, including 218.9 per game throughthe air.Lubick is entering his third season in the NFL as a coachor scouting assistant. He worked as Colorado State’s tightends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2009. He workedas the Rams wide receivers coach from 2005-07.Rick Smith is in his fifth season as Texans general managerafter being named to the post on June 5, 2006. TheTexans have accumulated 34 wins since then, givinghim the most wins for a general manager in Texans history.The Texans have gotten better every season withSmith at the helm andposted their first winningseason in 2009,going 9-7. Smith hasbuilt a team that hasbattled throughout theyear as evidenced bya combined 14-6 recordin the final monthof the season over theRick SMITHGENERAL MANAGER5TH YEAR WITH TEXANS15TH YEAR IN NFLRICK SMITH2006-10 General ManagerHouston Texans2006 Assistant General ManagerDenver Broncos2000-05 Director of Pro PersonnelDenver Broncos1996-99 Defensive AssistantDenver Broncoslast four years. That record ranks fourth in the NFL andtops among teams in the AFC South. Houston had an NFLworst.211 winning percentage in the last month of theseason before his arrival.Smith has assembled a front office staff that has theTexans pointed toward sustained success in the NFL andhas established himself as a prominent voice around theleague in his four years at the helm with the Texans. Hewas appointed to the NFL’s prestigious eight-man CompetitionCommittee by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onDecember 5, 2008 and was honored with the Tank YoungerAward in 2008, presented annually by the Fritz Pollard Alliancefor outstanding work in an NFL front office. Smithwas also an original member of the General Managers AdvisoryCommittee that provides advice and other feedbackto the NFL Football Operations department on the integrityof the game, expansion of technology and other ways toimprove the game.Smith’s main philosophy has been to build through thedraft and supplement via free agency. Last season, 13players who the Texans signed or acquired during Smith’stenure started 10 or more games. In the final win of theseason against the Patriots, 15 of Houston’s 22 startershad been with the Texans since his arrival in June 2006.During the 2009 draft, Houston selected eight players,with four starting at least one game. First-round pick LBBrian Cushing was selected to the Pro Bowl and nameAssociated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. Secondroundpick DE Connor Barwin led all NFL rookie defensiveends with 4.5 sacks.8GAME 5 • TEXANS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS • HOUSTONTEXANS.COM