HOUSTON (Reuters) – The Houston Texans have hired former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips as their new defensive coordinator, the team said Wednesday.

Phillips, 63, replaces Frank Bush who was fired at the end of the regular season and returns to the NFL after he was sacked by the Cowboys following a 1-7 start to the year.

The Texas native played and coached at the University of Houston and was also an assistant to his father, Bum Phillips, at the city's earlier NFL franchise, the Houston Oilers.

Before becoming the Cowboys head coach, Phillips had been head coach for the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos and has held a number of coordinator posts in the league since joining the Oilers in 1976.

The Texans decided on Monday to stick with their head coach, Gary Kubiak, despite a disappointing 6-10 campaign.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110105/sp_nm/us_nfl_texans_phillips;_ylt=AsCUp92ctcWuCncQjF5p_1gw.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0YTFwbHAyBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMTA1L3VzX25mbF90ZXhhbnNfcGhpbGxpcHMEcG9zAzE5BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA3RleGFuc2hpcmVwaA--

This surprises me since defense was the Dallas Cowboys biggest weakness during Wade Phillips tenure as their head coach.

I would like to see if The Cowboys play against the Texans next year.

He was always better as just a coordinator.

He was always better as just a coordinator.
I agree. He's a pretty good coordinator but a lousy HC. I hope the opposite is true with Jason Garrett. It looks like we're stuck with him for awhile. I'm still not sure about him.

I agree. He's a pretty good coordinator but a lousy HC. I hope the opposite is true with Jason Garrett. It looks like we're stuck with him for awhile. I'm still not sure about him.

I didn't want him, I wanted a big name- a proven winner, because some of key talent is getting up there in age. Don't have time to watch Jason get a handle on things.

Beyond not getting the big name, I'm not upset that Garrett is the coach.