Reggie Herring Reginald Wayne Herring ( born July 3 , 1959 ) is an American football coach and former player . A former linebacker at Florida State University , he is currently the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League ( NFL ) . Herring served as the interim head football coach for the University of Arkansas in the 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic . College career . Herring played at Florida State University from 1978 to 1980 , earning his bachelor ' s degree in criminology . As a player , he was a three - year starting linebacker , leading the team in tackles for three consecutive years . His 452 total tackles in his career ranks him third all - time for tackles in Florida State history and his 170 tackles during his 1980 senior season also ranks him third on the single - season tackle list . During his career with the Florida State Seminoles , he played in two Orange Bowls and one Tangerine Bowl , serving as team captain for the 1981 Orange Bowl team . His final two years at FSU , the Seminoles finished 11 – 1 and 10 – 2 and ranked in the top 10 in the final AP poll . In 1989 , Herring was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame . Coaching career . Early career . Herring first served as a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma State University in 1981 under head coach Jimmy Johnson . After one year , Johnson promoted Herring to coach OSU ' s linebackers , a position that he would hold until 1985 . During this time , Herring worked with quarterbacks coach Houston Nutt , under whom Herring would later serve as defensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas . In 1986 , Herring left OSU to coach linebackers at Auburn University under head coach Pat Dye . At Auburn , Herring helped lead the Tigers to three consecutive SEC titles from 1987 to 1989 . In 1992 , Herring was offered his first defensive coordinator position , though he continued to coach linebackers , at Texas Christian University . After two years at TCU , Herring left to coach linebackers at Clemson University . Herring was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Tigers for the 1997 season , and held that position through the 2001 season . In 2002 , Herring accepted a position in the NFL with the Houston Texans to coach linebackers , after having been on the job as defensive coordinator at Ole Miss for less than a month . Although Herring only held the Texans position for two years , he coached the 2003 league - leader in tackles , Jamie Sharper . In 2004 , Herring left the NFL to become defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at North Carolina State University . His first year at North Carolina State , the Wolfpack defense led the nation in total defense after ranking 89th in that category the year prior . Arkansas . In 2005 , Herring left North Carolina State for a defensive coordinator position with Houston Nutt at the University of Arkansas . At Arkansas , Herring improved the Razorback defense in almost every statistical category . In the 2006 season , Herring led a defense ranked 44th out of 119 Division I - A FBS teams . For his performance in 2006 , Herring was a finalist for the Broyles Award , given annually the nation ' s top assistant coach in college football . On November 26 , 2007 , after Houston Nutt left Arkansas to become the head coach at Ole Miss , Herring was announced as the interim coach of the Razorbacks for the Cotton Bowl Classic . The 24th - ranked Razorbacks lost the game 38 – 7 to 7th - ranked Missouri . He had said about the Capital One Bowl that his team needed to " . . . punch Mickey Mouse in the mouth . " Texas A & M . On January 4 , 2008 , Herring was named the defensive coordinator at Texas A & M by head coach Mike Sherman . Herring took part in the Aggies ' 2008 recruiting , and resigned after National Signing Day to become the linebackers coach at the Dallas Cowboys . Dallas Cowboys . Herring was hired by the Dallas Cowboys on February 8 , 2008 . He worked as the team ' s linebacker position coach under head coach Wade Phillips . With the help of his tutelage , the Cowboys led the NFL in quarterback sacks ( 59 ) during the 2008 season . Houston Texans . Herring joined new Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in January 2011 . Personal life . Herring is married to the former Lisa Ward of Griffin , Georgia . The couple has a daughter , Caroline , and a son , Adam , who is a linebacker on the Auburn football team .