QB coach, star pupil use creative give-and-take
Ryan loves what Watson is able to bring to the table even as a rookie
Sean Ryan has plenty of experience coaching players with swaggering confidence matched by their ability to make creative, and electrifying, highlight-worthy plays that change games.
Before Ryan became the Texans’ quarterbacks coach this year after a one-year stint coaching a receiving corps headlined by DeAndre Hopkins, he was the New York Giants’ receivers coach and was instrumental in the early development of star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Now, Ryan is again collaborating with one of the top young players in the NFL in Texans rookie quarterback sensation Deshaun Watson.
Although Watson and Beckham play different skill positions, Ryan sees some parallels in coaching both young players.
“I would say they do have some similarities because you realize how good these guys can be,” Ryan said. “It’s exciting. I think probably the confidence they have and the confidence you have in those guys as a coach, looking at the possibilities. ‘Do we think we can run this? Absolutely, we can run that with this guy.’ They’re similar that way.”
To say Ryan is thoroughly enjoying this coaching experience would be a massive understatement. He’s thrilled with more than Watson’s vast athleticism, arm strength and improvisational skills.
He loves the personality and leadership Watson has displayed and how much he wants to be coached hard and constantly improve. Watson has a hunger to learn not always seen in such a talented athlete.
Leads league in touchdowns
Watson leads the NFL with 15 touchdown passes and all players in the league with 17 total touchdowns. He’s on pace to finish the season with 40 touchdown passes.
“No question, I think sometimes guys talk a lot about his mobility, his athleticism. It’s all valid, but the other thing, too, is the guy stands in the pocket and can deliver the football,” Ryan said. “He understands defenses and what they’re doing to him. He’s done that, too. I think sometimes that gets lost in the shuffle because he is so athletic. But he’s a smart football player.
“It’s fun. It’s exciting because you’ve seen how he’s grown since he got here and you know how serious he takes his work. You expect him to continue developing. It’s not only what you’ve accomplished, but, more importantly, what there is out there potentially.”
Working closely with Ryan, head coach-offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and assistant quarterbacks coach Pat O’Hara, the first-round draft pick from Clemson has the most touchdown passes by a rookie in his first six games in NFL history.
Watson and Ryan have enjoyed trading ideas on how to attack defenses and have meshed well in their first year working together.
“It’s a good relationship,” Watson said. “It’s all positive vibes in that whole quarterback room. We have a good time. We have fun with it, and we know when to make sure we’re taking care of our business and then at the same time, we know how to sit back and relax and kind of just have fun and joke around.”
The Texans’ coaching staff takes input from Watson in building game plans and incorporates some of his ideas. The Texans have married college option concepts with traditional pro-style elements. They rank third in the NFL in scoring offense with an average of 29.5 points per game.
“It’s good, it’s a give and take,” Ryan said. “We present him with, ‘This is how we’ll attack the defense,’ and he’s able to pipe in there with things he had success with at Clemson. We listen and he has good ideas.
“It’s a lot of fun. It just makes game-planning more fun because it’s creative. You get to kind of change things up. It’s not the same week-in and week-out. You are looking at different things that you can add.”
Watson is the first rookie in NFL history with three or more touchdown passes in three consecutive games, throwing 12 in the Texans’ past three games. He’s the first to do so since Butch Songin in 1960.
These are undoubtedly Pro Bowl-caliber numbers that Watson is piling up.
“I don’t think we ever focus on it,” Ryan said. “Certainly, you’re trying to just perform offensively at a high level. I try not to look at the numbers, to be honest with you. The only numbers that matter are in February in Minnesota(site of the Super Bowl). We’re trying to keep that in perspective and not focus on it.”
Scratching the surface
The Texans and Watson are looking for continued exponential growth as they prepare for next week’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Texans want him to continue to work on diagnosing blitz packages and coverages to build on his rare ability to improvise and adapt on the fly.
“No question, there’s no doubt that we’ve got to continue to get better,” Ryan said. “It’s about ball security, it’s about reading defenses, making great decisions. There’s always room for improvement. We’re scratching the surface. We just have to keep going.”