Texans S Jonathan Owens gets ‘good vibes’ from the new coaching staff
The Houston Texans are in a period of transition as they prepare for their first year under coach David Culley.
Gone is the 3-4 defense that the Texans ran since 2011, a defensive scheme that spanned the last three seasons of the Gary Kubiak era and all of the Bill O’Brien era. Culley hired former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith as the new defensive coordinator, and Houston is installing the Tampa 2 scheme.
Safety Jonathan Owens, who has built up his career since coming to the Texans’ practice squad in September 2019, says he gets a good feeling from working with the coaching staff.
“I’m excited,” Owens said via Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson. “I’m always excited to learn new things. My first reaction from the coaches has been nothing but good vibes. They’re teaching me a lot.”
Owens especially enjoys working with new safeties coach Greg Jackson, who played in the NFL from 1989-2000 with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and San Diego Chargers.
“My position coach played 12 years in the league,” said Owens. “I can learn a lot from him. He understands. He teaches us. I respond well to it.”
One way that Owens, an undrafted free agent in 2018 who spent a year with the Arizona Cardinals before coming to Houston, is adding to his skillset is by working on gymnastic training techniques. The former Missouri Western State product has quite the resource in his girlfriend, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.
Said Owens: “Great woman, she motivates me more. It makes me want to go even harder. I’ve tried gymnastics a couple of times. I’m not going back. I thought I was an athletic. It humbled me.”
The Texans have plans for Owens in 2021. Rather than being just a special teams contributor or a jack-of-all-trades, Jackson would like to get Owens zeroed in on one position.
