Coaches

Reggie Herring embarks on his second tenure with the Houston Texans and new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as linebackers coach in 2011.

From 2002-03, Herring served as the Texans linebackers coach and helped former Texans linebacker Jamie Sharper lead the NFL with 166 tackles in 2003. Sharper’s tackle total from 2003 still stands as the Texans single-season standard. Texans linebacker Jay Foreman joined Sharper in posting back-to-back seasons with more than 130 tackles during Herring’s first two years with the team.

Prior to his most recent appointment in Houston, Herring served as linebackers coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2008-10 while Phillips was head coach. Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware led the NFL with a combined 46.5 sacks in that time, including the second-most sacks ever by a linebacker in a season and league-best 20.0 in 2008. Linebacker Bradie James led the team with 202 tackles in 2008, making him the second player in Cowboys history to surpass the 200-tackle mark in a season. The Cowboys top-three tacklers were from Herring’s linebacker corps all three seasons he was in Dallas.

Herring was named defensive coordinator at Texas A&M on former Texans defensive coordinator Mike Sherman’s staff early in 2008, but left a month later to take his position with the Cowboys.

In addition to his successes as an NFL coach, Herring spent 25 years in the collegiate ranks, coaching some of the country’s best defenses and coached in 18 bowl games overall. Herring spent 2005-07 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Arkansas and served as the interim head coach for the Razorbacks in the 2008 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. Herring’s defense helped the Arkansas win the 2006 Southeastern Conference Western Division and earn two postseason bowls. In 2006, Herring was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Before going to Arkansas, Herring coached Texans defensive end Mario Williams while serving as the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State in 2004, where his defense led the country in total defense, allowing 221.4 yards per game, and pass efficiency defense and was second in total pass defense. Williams, then a sophomore, was named an honorable mention All-American by Pro Football Weekly.

From 1994-2001, Herring coached linebackers at Clemson and added the title of defensive coordinator in 1997. Seven of Herring’s linebackers were drafted during his tenure at Clemson, including Anthony Simmons, who was taken 15th overall by Seattle in 1998. In 2000, he coached Butkus Award finalist Keith Adams, who also led the NCAA in tackles.
Herring’s first coordinator experience came at TCU from 1992-93. He coached linebackers at Auburn from 1986-91, winning three SEC championships. His coaching career began in 1981 as a graduate assistant on Jimmy Johnson’s staff at Oklahoma State, where he was hired on as linebackers coach from 1982-85.

A Florida State Hall of Fame selection in 1989, Herring was a three-year starting linebacker for head coach Bobby Bowden at Florida State from 1978-80. He led the Seminoles in tackles all three years and is still the third-leading tackler in FSU history. He was a team captain as a senior and played in the Tangerine Bowl and the Orange Bowl twice.

The 52-year-old Myrtle Beach, S.C. native, is married to the former Lisa Ward of Griffin, Ga. The couple has a daughter, Caroline, 25, and a son, Adam, 22.

HERRING’S COACHING LEDGER
2011:  Linebackers, Houston Texans
2008-10:  Linebackers, Dallas Cowboys
2005-07:  Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers, Arkansas
2004:  Defensive Coordinator, North Carolina State
2002-03:  Linebackers, Houston Texans
1997-2001:  Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers, Clemson
1994: Linebackers, Clemson
1992-93: Defensive Coordinator, Texas Christian
1986-91: Linebackers, Auburn
1982-85: Linebackers, Oklahoma State
1981:  Graduate Assistant, Oklahoma State