Vance Joseph is in his second season as the Houston Texans defensive backs coach and was hired on Feb. 11, 2011. Joseph spent the previous six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, including the last five as the secondary coach.
Joseph’s first year with the Texans yielded dramatic returns in pass defense. The 2011 Texans were third in the NFL in overall pass defense, allowing 189.7 yards per game compared to the 267.5 net passing yards it allowed in 2010, which ranked last in the NFL. Houston led the NFL with a 51.9 opponent completion percentage and held opposing quarterbacks to a 69.0 passer rating. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph tied for the team lead with four interceptions and earned his first career Pro Bowl berth under Vance Joseph’s direction.
Vance Joseph is in his second season as the Houston Texans defensive backs coach and was hired on Feb. 11, 2011. Joseph spent the previous six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, including the last five as the secondary coach.
Joseph’s first year with the Texans yielded dramatic returns in pass defense. The 2011 Texans were third in the NFL in overall pass defense, allowing 189.7 yards per game compared to the 267.5 net passing yards it allowed in 2010, which ranked last in the NFL. Houston led the NFL with a 51.9 opponent completion percentage and held opposing quarterbacks to a 69.0 passer rating. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph tied for the team lead with four interceptions and earned his first career Pro Bowl berth under Vance Joseph’s direction.
In 2010, Joseph’s defensive backs keyed the NFL’s top third-and-long defense, stopping opposing offenses nearly 80 percent of the time. Joseph’s secondary led the 49ers defensive effort in 2009, recording 21 of the team’s 33 takeaways, helping result in the NFL’s largest turnover ratio improvement from 2008 to 2009 (plus-26). San Francisco also led the NFL in opponent passer rating inside its own 30-yard line in 2009, with a stingy 53.5 mark. Free safety Dashon Goldson had a breakout year with three interceptions and a career-high 114 tackles.
In 2008, the 49ers gave up the second-fewest pass plays of 20-plus yards in the NFL and allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL over the last five games of the season, giving up just 887 yards through the air in that span.
Prior to his stint with the 49ers, Joseph spent six years coaching in the college ranks. He served as defensive backs coach at Wyoming (2002), Colorado (2002-03) and Bowling Green (2004) before moving on to join Mike Nolan’s staff in San Francisco as the secondary assistant.
Joseph began his coaching career at his alma mater, Colorado, serving as a graduate assistant from 1999-2001.
Joseph made the transition from college quarterback at Colorado from 1990-94, to NFL cornerback. Joseph signed and played with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1995 and played for the Indianapolis Colts in 1996, compiling two interceptions in 17 career games.
Born and raised in Marrero, La., Joseph earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Colorado in 1994.
JOSEPH’S COACHING LEDGER
2011-12: Defensive Backs, Houston Texans
2006-10: Defensive Backs, San Francisco 49ers
2005: Assistant Secondary Coach, San Francisco 49ers
2004: Defensive Backs, Bowling Green
2002-03: Defensive Backs, Colorado
2002: Defensive Backs, Wyoming
1999-2001: Graduate Assistant, Colorado
