Former Texans' QB Matt Schaub Reveals Opinion of DeMeco Ryans
The winningest quarterback from the Houston Texans' past is giving a ringing endorsement of the head coach charged with transforming the franchise from a loser in the future.
Matt Schaub (2012) is one of only four quarterbacks to start a Texans' playoff win, joining T.J. Yates (2011), Brock Osweiler (2016) and Deshaun Watson (2019). During his seven seasons in Houston, he amassed statistics that still lead the club in every major passing category. He won 46 games for the Texans, well ahead of Watson's second-place 28.
When Schaub arrived in Houston from the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 to replace David Carr, one of the first new teammates he met was none other than DeMeco Ryans. Then: Pro Bowl linebacker and captain. Now: Head coach.
“Coming in as the new quarterback, a priority of mine was to get to know my new teammates,” Schaub said in a recent interview with Houston radio station 790 AM. “Knowing DeMeco had already established himself as the leader on defense, I could tell he was wise beyond his years. He saw the game like a seven-year or eight-year vet and he had just finished his rookie season.
"He was so immersed in the chess game."
The Texans, who have never won a playoff game outside Houston, are now pinning their turnaround on the 38-year-old Ryans. After the ugly Watson era and an awful 11-38-1 record under four head coaches the last three seasons, Ryans and his tenacious defensive mindset are empowered to first make the Texans relevant, then a winner.
His hiring has been welcomed with open arms by one of the franchise's greatest defensive players - J.J. Watt - and now by a star from the other side of the ball.
Says Schaub, "I think hiring DeMeco was one of the better decisions that has been made around there.
"He doesn’t have to coach. He wants to coach. He dove right into it and got into the mix. He wanted to ascend. He wanted to learn. His passion that he played with, it shows in his coaching ability and coaching style."
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