HOUSTON – Hi everyone, this is KPRC-2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy checking in with this weeks Houston Texans newsletter!
TEXANS CAMP CONFIDENTIAL
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The grind is real for these guys now as they’ve passed the first week of training camp. As of Friday, it marks Day 8 of camp when it comes to the workout count. They had last Saturday off and Wednesday of this week as well.
Early on, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is going on a routine of three days of work followed by an off day for the players. Ryans wants to keep these guys as fresh as possible as they deal with the daily heat out at the Methodist Training Center.
STANDOUTS
QB: It’s been hit and miss from C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills so far. Mix of good days and subpar days. That’s part of camp. Thursday Stroud looked pretty good but earlier in the week he looked a tad shaky and threw three interceptions. Mills was up and down too but Thursday actually looked good and by my count had two “high five”/ “slap on the backside” moments with DeMeco Ryans, who was clearly happy with the passes Mills had thrown. One was dropped on a Go route and Mills was right on the money. Stroud is a rookie and will continue to learn and get comfortable and gain confidence.
So far the most consistent QB has been Case Keenum. He’s such a proven vet and has a firm grasp of this offense that’s obvious as we watch practice.
Others I’ve noticed make plays: RB’s Dameon Pierce/ Devin Singletary, WR’s John Metchie III, Tank Dell and Stephen Sims and Aiden Hutchinson. Nico Collins has also had a decent start to camp. He’s dropped some balls but has made some nice grabs too including one for a TD Thursday against Derek Stingley Jr.
DEFENSE: So far the D is well ahead of the offense, which is normal but as they stack days in camp the offense will start to catch up. Jalen Pitre is looking great along with Stingley and Jimmie Ward just to name a few.
TEXANS TOP QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH DEMECO RYANS
On the matchups between WR Nico Collins and CB Derek Stingley Jr. in practice, and if he considers Collins to be their top deep threat
“Right now, with the matchup of [Derek] Stingley [Jr.], with Nico [Collins], and with all our receivers, what you see is competition. Guys are challenging, and guys are pushing each other, and that’s what you want to see. Nico has done a good job in camp. He’s showing up down the field, showing up playing with really great hands no matter when the ball is coming to him, so he’s done a really good job for us, and when it comes to a one, two, a three – to me, that doesn’t matter, because who knows who is going to be out there. It’s just, ‘Can you make a play when it’s your opportunity to make a play.’”
On how the players are picking up on everything that he’s installed in this new scheme
“When it comes to the classroom, and the installs, and what we’re asking of [them] – we put a lot on our guys. There’s a lot of install over these first six, seven days of camp. There’s been a heavy amount of install. Now, everyone knows what to do. Everyone knows how to do it, and now is the time to go and compete. Now, can you do it better than the man next to you? It’s time to compete, go earn a job, go show that you want to be a part of the Houston Texans.”
TEXANS TOP QUOTES FROM WR JOHN METCHIE III
On how it feels to be back on the field
“This entire year has been eventful for sure. It’s had its ups and downs, but being back on the field feels great. It’s been a long way coming, but it definitely feels like a blessing – something that you’re grateful for every day.”
On the most challenging part of this year
“The most challenging part … I think there are a lot of challenging things that challenges you spiritually, mentally, physically, of course. I think the most challenging part was just kind of dealing with it with my family being in a different country for the most part. They would come down, but most of my loved ones were in a different country, so I think that was the most challenging part.”
On if he ever wondered if he would play football again
“Yeah, I’m not going to sit here and say no. At the beginning stages, of course you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know what the future has in store for you. You of course hope that you can overcome it and play football. But I would say in – probably in the beginning stages – there might have been some doubt. But I’ve had a strong faith, I had a strong faith then, and I have a strong faith now.”
On the support that he received from his family and former teammates at Alabama
“Yeah, definitely. Not just my family, my team here, my teammates, my coaches here, my old college coaches – Coach [Nick] Saban and all of them, all of the staff, all the old players – they all reached out and were always with me every step of the way. So, although my family wasn’t here, I had a huge support system from this team and my college team.”
On what he’s been working on with CB Derek Stingley Jr. after practice
“Yeah, iron sharpens iron. That’s nothing new to me. A lot of the guys that came from [Alabama] or some of these SEC schools – we’ve kind of had that mentality. So, coming here, that isn’t really anything different. I think working with ‘Sting’ [Derek Stingley Jr.] and the guys, it’s just working on our crafts, talking about things we got each other in practice, how we can make each other better, how we can help push both of our games forward. So, I think that’s what a lot of that is about.”
WHAT’S AHEAD:
* Training Camp continues Saturday with fans in attendance.
* The following week the Dolphins are in for Joint Workouts.
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