HOUSTON – Hi everyone this is KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy checking in with this week’s Texans Newsletter.
It’s the off-season now after several weeks of OTA’s and last week’s mandatory two-day mini-camp at the Methodist Training Center. The Texans officially wrapped up last Wednesday and are now on their summer break. Many of the coaches and players will get out of town briefly and return to put in the work in the weight room and conditioning as they prepare for training camp.
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Training camp will officially get rolling as of now on July 26, with the first camp practice. There’s no word yet on what days fans will be allowed to attend practice. The Texans will release that information in the next couple of weeks.
Last Wednesday, after their final workout, Head Coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the media to wrap things up before heading for a break.
On what he expects from QB C.J. Stroud at the start of training camp
“With C.J. and with all of our players – no one has a defined starting role right now. (I) just want to see continued improvement from our guys, right? Are you improving and are you accountable to your teammates? Can we all count on you to make the proper decisions and make plays? Ultimately, help us win football games. For the guys on our team who can put us in the best position to win games – those are the guys who I want out there.”
On what he sees from the team now heading into the break and where he wants them to be
“For right now and where we are, we’re in a really good spot. We just ended on the field – like the way the guys are competing back and forth, offense, defense – both making plays, both challenging each other – iron sharpening iron. That’s exactly what I wanted. And now I just told our guys, this just only sets you up to come back in training camp and compete for that job because we’re all competing. So, guys are in a good spot right now and we’re leaving on a really good note. Guys are confident in what they’re doing, what we’re asking of them and that’s all we wanted to make sure (of). We installed our schemes, installed our terminology. We wanted to make sure that guys have a really great grasp of what we’re doing, and I feel like we accomplished that this spring. And so now, on to the competition.”
On the comradery and energy
“The energy, the comradery – that’s what I thrive on. I want our guys to be energetic. I want our guys to be excited, not only about playing football, but excited about who you are playing football with – the men in that huddle with you. And that’s where we’ve gotten. To see guys cheering each other on, to see guys celebrating, having fun out there on the field, the comradery, the way the guys are gelling – it’s coming along just as I expected.”
On his thoughts heading into the summer break before training camp
“My thoughts as we leave for training camp – my thoughts are mainly (that) I want guys who are committed (and) can continue this process of improving, getting better, working out on their own – doing everything they need to do to come back in the best shape of their life. To come back and be in a position to first, compete for a job, and second, to help us be the best team that we can be.”
On if he feels that guys are in a good place mentally
“Yeah, I do. I feel like all of our guys are in a great mental state and they know what we’re up against. They know the challenges ahead, right? And if guys want to be a part of it, they’ll come back and prove to their teammates that they are up to that challenge and ready to work.”
We’ll check in again next week with more tidbits on the Texans as they inch closer to the start of training camp.