Rick Dennison returns in 2011 for his second season as the Texans’ offensive coordinator. Dennison is entering his 17th season in the NFL as a coach and his 26th year in the league overall. Prior to joining head coach Gary Kubiak’s staff in 2010, Dennison had spent his entire NFL tenure with the Denver Broncos, first as a player from 1982-90 and then as a coach from 1995-2009.
Houston’s offense experienced record-setting success with a renewed emphasis on the running game under Dennison’s direction in 2010. The Texans offense ranked third overall in the NFL with the league’s seventh-ranked rushing offense and fourth-ranked passing offense. Houston set franchise records with 390 points scored, 6,186 total yards of offense (386.6 per game) and 2,042 yards rushing (127.6 yards per game). Dennison’s offense also helped produce the franchise’s first NFL rushing and scoring leader, as RB Arian Foster led the league with 1,616 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
Rick Dennison returns in 2011 for his second season as the Texans’ offensive coordinator. Dennison is in his 17th season in the NFL as a coach and his 26th year in the league overall. Prior to joining head coach Gary Kubiak’s staff in 2010, Dennison had spent his entire NFL tenure with the Denver Broncos, first as a player from 1982-90 and then as a coach from 1995-2009.
Houston’s offense experienced record-setting success with a renewed emphasis on the running game under Dennison’s direction in 2010. The Texans offense ranked third overall in the NFL with the league’s seventh-ranked rushing offense and fourth-ranked passing offense. Houston set franchise records with 390 points scored, 6,186 total yards of offense (386.6 per game) and 2,042 yards rushing (127.6 yards per game). Dennison’s offense also helped produce the franchise’s first NFL rushing and scoring leader, as RB Arian Foster led the league with 1,616 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
Dennison’s first stint as an offensive coordinator in the NFL came in Denver from 2006-08 after his predecessor, Gary Kubiak, left the Broncos to become the head coach of the Houston Texans. Dennison coached the Broncos offensive line from 2001-05 and again in 2009. Dennison coached Denver’s special teams from 1997-00 and was an offensive assistant from 1995-96.
With Dennison at the helm, Denver’s offense averaged 350.5 yards per game from 2006-08 and rushed for 124.4 yards per game, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Despite starting a rookie at left tackle and a second-year player at right tackle in 2008, the Broncos offense gained 6,333 yards to rank second in the NFL and the offensive line allowed a franchise-record-low 12 sacks on the season.
In 2007, Denver was fourth in the NFL in yards per play (5.7) and was fifth in the league in yards per rush (4.6). In 2006, Dennison’s first season at the helm of the offense, Denver ranked fifth in the NFL with an average of 360.4 yards per game.
With Dennison in charge of either the offensive line or the entire offense from 2001-09, the Broncos ranked second in the NFL with an average of 135.1 rushing yards per game, and Denver’s 4.5-yard rushing average in that time period was the third-highest in the league.The Broncos line also excelled in pass blocking, surrendering just 226 sacks in nine years, which was the fourth-fewest in the league over that time span.
Dennison coached Denver’s special teams from 1997-00 and helped the Broncos win back-to-back World Championships in 1997 and 1998. Under his tutelage, PR Darrien Gordon and K Jason Elam each earned trips to the Pro Bowl and P Tom Rouen was one of the most consistent punters in the league. Dennison began his coaching career as an offensive assistant in Denver from 1995-96 after coaching for three years at the high school level for Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn.
Dennison played linebacker for the Broncos from 1982-90, appearing in 128 games with 52 starts and three Super Bowls (XXI in 1986, XXII in ‘87 and XXIV in ‘89). In 1989, he received the Ed Block Memorial Courage Award. A year earlier, Dennison ranked second on the Broncos in tackles with 133 during the 1988 campaign while posting a team-high three fumble recoveries.
Dennison joined the Broncos as a college free agent in 1982 after a fine collegiate career at Colorado State, where he was a second-team Academic All-American as a senior and earned three varsity letters. In 1979, Dennison earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from CSU followed by a master’s degree in the same field from CSU in 1982.
Born in Kalispell, Mont., Dennison attended Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colo., where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. His father, George, was president of the University of Montana before retiring in July of 2010. Rick and his wife, Shannon, have five children, sons Joseph, Steven and Trey, and twin daughters, Abrynn and Allie.
Joseph graduated from Yale, where he played football and now works in Seattle. He was married in February of 2011. Steven, a left-handed pitcher, was drafted in the 34th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the Florida Marlins out of Wheaton (Ill.) College and signed a free agent contract with the Houston Astros in June of 2011.
DENNISON’S COACHING LEDGER
2010-11: Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans
2006-08: Offensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos
2001-05, ‘09: Offensive Line, Denver Broncos
1997-2000: Special Teams, Denver Broncos
1995-96: Offensive Assistant, Denver Broncos
1992-94: Assistant, Suffield (Conn.) Academy
