Godsey labeled as ‘all ball’ by friend
Year Two of the Texans’ O’Brien era, Godsey has been given full command of a unit that could significantly surprise or greatly disappoint.
The Texans’ defense isn’t being questioned. J.J. Watt is a landmark, Vince Wilfork is a roadblock, and 67-year-old defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel could walk off the field tomorrow without denting his Hall of Fame-caliber legacy.
The Texans’ offense? Godsey has Arian Foster and DeAndre Hopkins. Everything else — from the starting QB battle between Mallett and Hoyer to Andre Johnson’s to-be-determined replacement — is a fascinating question mark.
“I have all the confidence in the world that he’ll do a good job,” O’Brien said. “He’s a bright guy. He’s a good communicator. He’s a fast thinker. He’s a riser in this profession.” True workaholic
Godsey has devoted his life and mind to the game. After an unpredictable first season that featured four different quarterbacks, a 9-7 record and a near-playoff appearance — the Texans won four of their final five games as their defense locked down and their offense finally opened up — Godsey is more dedicated than ever to the religion of the NFL.
The son of a coach, brother of college footballplaying siblings and friend of gridiron gurus across the country intently sets his alarm clock to ring at 4 a.m. Living close enough to NRG Stadium to never lose traffic time, Godsey proudly spends his days in tunnels, on fields and inside secretive rooms. Accuracy, efficiency and communication are everything. His day ends whenever his work is done. Then 4 a.m. awaits again.
“Whatever it takes, however many hours you’ve got to put in,” Godsey said. “I really don’t have a time limit.”
O’Brien’s
longtime friend and colleague is more of a devout hunter than a mad scientist, though. Godsey finds comfort in X’s and O’s and discovers joy in the minutiae of the game. But he’s also as demanding and competitive as the Texans’ head coach.
“(Godsey) definitely is a workaholic, and he is the most prepared guy on the staff. He lives and breathes the offense,” center Ben Jones said. “They both have that fire about them, and that’s what you want. You want somebody that’s going to put it on the line and take chances.”
When he was still the Yellow Jackets’ quarterback, Godsey would splice his practice cadence with the defensive positioning of Georgia Tech’s scout team. When the Texans’ new offensive coordinator reunites with Brent Key, who worked with Godsey and O’Brien under O’Leary, the only time the friends aren’t discussing football is when they’re updating each other about their families.
“I’m not going to lie; he can tell jokes,” said Key, who is currently Central Florida’s offensive coordinator under O’Leary. “But that’s just not George’s personality. George is all ball.” Learning on the fly
Godsey won’t look back or glance ahead.
Asked about a run-first offense that displayed its true potential only when the 2014 season was on the line, Godsey declined to reflect on games already won or lost. He conceded, though, that the Texans’ attack was a constant work in progress in Year One, with a new coaching staff adjusting to the virtues and limitations of unfamiliar athletes.
“We really didn’t know what we had because we essentially weren’t handson with them, except for the 16 days (during the offseason) and a little bit of the rookie camp,” Godsey said. “That’ll definitely help us this year.”
If Mallett or Hoyer soar and the team’s offense can match the defense for 16 games, the Texans could return to the postseason for the first time in three years. But any discussion about Godsey’s desire to one day follow in O’Brien’s footsteps and become one of 32 NFL head coaches was lost on the man himself.
“There’s a lot of papers on mydesk right now,” said Godsey, who credited the remainder of the Texans’ staff multiple times during an interview. “That’s where I’m putting my time right now.”
Mallett, Hoyer and Savage; two-minute drills, red-zone setups and thirddown execution — that’s where Godsey is devoting his life. The Texans’ OC and HC are attempting to erase the dividing lines between players and coaches, in turn creating a physical, precise offense that will be a strength, not a liability, in 2015.
The preseason awaits. Week 1 is just three months away. The NFL never ends, and Godsey’s 4 a.m. alarm clock is about to ring.
“You get what you put in, and I’m trying to put in a lot of work,” he said. brian.smith@chron.com twitter.com/chronbriansmith