Robert Saleh to face ex-protege, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans

DeMeco Ryans was the Texans’ second-round decide in 2006 when Robert Saleh, then Houston’s assistant linebackers coach, first took observe of the Texans’ new head coach.

Saleh told a story Friday of how Ryans stood out in OTAs that 12 months, when Ryans got here in as a weakside linebacker earlier than Houston’s center linebacker went down.

“We had been like, ‘Properly, let’s see if DeMeco can do it,’” Saleh mentioned earlier than the Jets practiced on Friday.

“And he goes in there and the communication goes from six to 12, simply off the charts,” Saleh mentioned of how Ryans tailored to the place. “We had been like, ‘Properly, we discovered our [middle linebacker]. He went out and received Defensive Rookie of the Yr. He’s only a very particular expertise, a particular thoughts.”

After Ryans retired as a participant, Saleh grew to become the defensive coordinator for the 49ers and put Ryans on his workers, as high quality management coach, with Kyle Shanahan operating the present.

4 years later, Saleh left San Francisco to take the Jets’ head job and Ryans changed him as defensive coordinator earlier than changing into head coach in Houston.

“I realized how you can coach from being underneath Saleh,” Ryans advised reporters this week of his former teaching staffmate. “He taught me lots on the subject of scheme, when it got here to only dealing with gamers, game-planning. I realized lots from Saleh and owe lots to him. And that’s in all probability the explanation why I’m standing right here earlier than you, due to him simply taking me underneath his wing.”

“He is aware of how you can evolve day-to-day,’’ Saleh mentioned of Ryans, the favourite to be named NFL Coach of the Yr. “You simply knew [with] his demeanor, the best way he talked to individuals [and] handled individuals, he was at all times going to be one thing particular.”

Ryans has used that ability set to get Houston into the playoff image in his first season as head coach, with the Texans only a 12 months faraway from a 3-13-1 report that acquired them the second decide within the draft.

With that decide, Houston chosen C.J. Stroud, who has exceeded almost all expectations — and considerably outplayed the highest total decide in final 12 months’s draft, Carolina’s Bryce Younger.

Ryans and Stroud look like on their means towards massive issues in Houston, which is one thing that hasn’t occurred with Saleh and the Jets.

Saleh has been harm by Zach Wilson’s underperformance after being the second decide within the 2021 draft after which Aaron Rodgers happening with a torn Achilles simply 4 performs into this season.

Not surprisingly, Saleh didn’t wish to go too far down the highway with the contrasts he and his former protégé have had within the quarterback division.

“Stability on the quarterback place, we’re at all times chasing it,” Saleh mentioned of NFL groups. “However I’ll go away that [analysis] to you.”

This would be the first time the ex-colleagues go up in opposition to one another, which is able to convey challenges to each groups.

“There are a number of similarities, from a language standpoint, sign standpoint, name standpoint, method, guidelines,” Saleh mentioned. “All of it’s rattling close to the identical. [But] you don’t wish to overthink it as a result of it at all times comes again to us and our capacity to execute.”