The Texans announced today that they have hired Jethro Franklin to serve as defensive line coach and Larry Kirksey to serve as wide receivers coach. Last season's defensive line coach, Bob Karmelowicz, will be re-assigned within the organization, and old WR coach Kyle Shananhan will be getting David Carr's initials tattooed on his...errr...will be the team's new QB coach, as announced last week.
Franklin apparently played briefly with the Oilers back in 1988 and most recently coached the D-Line in Tampa Bay (2006), USC (2005) and the Packers (2000-2004). Interesting move, in my opinion, since Karmelowicz was highly touted, especially following the selection of Mario Williams last year. Franklin was fired on January 9 by Tampa Bay after just one season as their defensive line coach, reportedly for struggling to comprehend the Tampa 2 defense run by Tampa DC Monte Kiffin and for failing to mesh with the players effectively.
Kirksey has plenty of college and NFL coaching experience, most recently serving as receivers coach at Middle Tennessee State University after stops in Detroit (fired) and Jacksonville (fired). He served as a "volunteer" with Denver in 2004, which establishes a Kubiak connection, for those concerned with that kind of thing.