'No B.S.': DeMeco Ryans Channels Playing Days In Coaching Style
When a Houston Texan makes a mistake, you can be sure head coach DeMeco Ryans will be there to let the player know and how to correct it.
Ryans is channeling how he wanted to be coached during his playing career and translating it into his no-nonsense, matter-of-fact coaching style. The Texans' players seem to be buying into his straightforward style, too.
"Anything that comes out his mouth is not B.S. He's going to give it to you straight," defensive end Jonathan Greenard said. "I can respect a guy who might get in your face, who might say certain things you might not want to hear at the same time, but he understands what greatness is and understands how to get to it. I think when you have a coach like that, it changes the whole perspective because you feel bad to let him down."
Ryans was a player fortunate to last in the NFL for 10 years, but for many of these players — specifically, the guys who are fighting for roster spots — their futures are uncertain. Ryans knows the limited time they have in their careers and figures "sugarcoating" things does the team and the player no good.
Ryans said he doesn't want to have to be the negative coach that points out mistakes.
"If it's good, I'll let you know it's good and I'll celebrate the good as much as I can. That's what I want to do: spotlight as much good as possible," Ryans said. "But, we also have to make sure we're getting things corrected in a quick manner, and we don't have a lot of time. It's a sense of urgency. We have a short amount of time to get things fixed and move on so we can be prepared to go play and play well."
That matter-of-fact culture the Texans are building has permeated throughout the building.
In Houston's offensive meetings, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik emphasizes that training camp is "the time for everyone to learn and everyone to grow," including every player and staff member.
Slowik, like Ryans, takes an honest approach when meeting with the offense, even if he has taken ownership of a mistake he made.
"We're very honest with each other, which is one of the things I love about the group we have is, you can just say what it is," Slowik said. "Guys respond to that. They understand that, and that includes myself. When I've made a mistake, when I have to learn, when I'll take ownership of a play, and that goes all the way through then to the players and the position coaches. It's been really an awesome experience to go through that in camp."
As the Texans gear up for their first preseason game against the New England Patriots Thursday, expect them to carry a new attitude in which they play for their new coach.
"He's a guy who understands and sees everything that these players and each of them individually is putting out there," Greenard said. "He expects greatness and I think that's what he wants, and that's what we're going to get."
You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter @casey_smith2419
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