O'Brien is promoting from within for the spot
Report: Texans to add offensive coordinator in 2019
The Houston Texans and Bill O'Brien are putting many Texans fans at ease with the latest report about their offensive staff.
Source tells me Tim Kelly is being promoted to become new @HoustonTexans offensive coordinator & Will Lawing is being promoted from offensive assistant/offensive line to TEs coach replacing Kelly
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 2, 2019
There is no word on who will call plays but this marks the second time O'Brien has had an offensive coordinator in his tenure as the Texans head coach. George Godsey was the offensive coordinator for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The past two seasons O'Brien hasn't had an offensive coordinator.
Tim Kelly was the tight ends for the Texans the past two seasons and an offensive quality control coach for three seasons before that. He was a graduate assistant with O'Brien during his Penn State tenure.
Kelly played defensive tackle at Eastern Illinois where he started all 48 games of his playing career. Eastern Illinois is a bit of a football powerhouse. It boasts Saints head coach Sean Payton, CBS announcer and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Super Bowl champion coach Mike Shanahan, and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as notable alumni among others.
He was also at Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010 as the team's defensive coordinator, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. He then went to Ball State before getting to Penn State with O'Brien.
When asked about keeping his staff together after the season O'Brien said this about Kelly.
"We've got a young guy on the offensive side of the ball – I can't mention every guy – but, Timmy Kelly, somebody that guys probably haven't heard a lot about, he's an excellent football coach."
Cody's Take
I love this move. The people who know you the best are the people closest to you and Kelly has been with O'Brien for years. The people who are also the most honest with you are the people closest when you ask for their opinion and that is where the hope in Kelly lies. If he is honest with O'Brien, and the rest of the staff, his increased input could have an immediate effect on the Texans.
I believe O'Brien will keep calling the plays but if he isn't good or the offense sputters he could hand the duties over to Kelly at almost any point.
Kelly spent a little time on defense as a coach and obviously played there as a player. I really like that aspect. Also, Kelly fits the mold of young coaches rising to success on offense. He has helped with it seems like every position group so he has experience with more than just one position group on this Texans team. Sean McVay used to be a tight ends coach ya know?
