HOUSTON – For Texans running back Woody Marks, his rookie season was defined by an ability to adapt on the fly.
Marks eluded tacklers in tight spaces to create yards out of nothing and displayed enough power to break tackles. Although relatively underutilized compared to his college days, Marks was adept at catching passes out of the backfield. And he opened eyes as a bruising pass-blocker who took pride in knocking back blitzers.
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Marks emerged as the starting running back for a playoff squad, replacing former Pro Bowl runner Nick Chubb as the primary centerpiece of an up-and-down running game. Patience was a watchword for Marks, who didn’t earn the starting job over Chubb until the ninth game of the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That marked the first game of an 10-game winning streak that was snapped in the AFC divisional round against the New England Patriots.
Reflecting on his rookie season during a school assembly to recognize award-winning students at Oak Forest Elementary, Marks didn’t pat himself on the back. If anything, he was left somewhat unsatisfied despite leading the Texans with 703 rushing yards with two touchdown runs and catching 24 passes for 208 yards and three scores.
“I think I did decent,” Marks told KPRC 2. “Just next year, just try to be better, better my craft. There’s always room for improvement and just be the best version I can and be the best version of my last name.
“I just want to get better at everything. Just get smarter at the game. I really don’t have no goals. I just want to win. I want to get to the Super bowl and win the Super Bowl, so my goals come with team success.”
A fourth-round draft pick from USC, Marks rushed for a season-high 112 yards and a touchdown in an AFC playoff wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was held to 17 yards on 14 carries and lost a crucial fumble in the loss to the Patriot as the Texans’ running game was stonewalled with just 48 yards on the ground.
Marks’ adjustment to the NFL was relatively smooth overall, though.
His longest run in 16 games and eight starts was 23 yards with 39 first downs. He had a 50-yard catch-and-run against the Baltimore Ravens.
“The speed was very fast at first, then it slowed down," Marks said. “You kind of can see my main steps during the season, but I didn’t make a lot of steps in the secondary. I think I got complete hands coming out the backfield.
“It kind of separated me. Most guys didn’t think I could pass block, but I showed that a lot. Actually, made a big hit that last game against the Patriots.”
The Texans had set their ambitions on a Super Bowl run. Instead, their season ended on a cold, snowy day in Massachusetts. The Texans lost for the third year in a row in the AFC divisional round. They are now 0-7 all-time in that stage of the postseason.
“It was real hurtful to go out like that,” Marks said. “Whatever success I had, it wasn’t a success. We didn’t finish the game. We didn’t go to the Super Bowl.”
The Texans will return the majority of their starters for next season, especially from a top-ranked defense. They’ll look to upgrade the offense, including the offensive line and running game.
Marks is expected to be joined in the backfield by a veteran from a deep group of free agents that includes Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne, Breece Hall and Rico Dowdle, or via the NFL draft.
“We’ll be back,” Marks said when asked for his message to disappointed fans. “We’ll be back and we’ll be better.”
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, a former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl selection, had a rough playoffs with five interceptions and five fumbles and seven total turnovers. He has drawn heavy criticism since throwing four interceptions against the Patriots.
“He’s a great quarterback,” Marks said. “Whatever the media say, the media say. We know about C.J. and the throws that he makes, the way he runs the offense, the type of person he is, how he just gets everybody into that groove.
“C.J. is a great person, that’s first. When it comes to football, C.J.,, he can dot the ball any place you want to put it at.”
Marks (5-foot-10, 208 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds with a 1.57 10-yard split, a 35-inch vertical leap, a 9-11 broad jump, a 4.24 short shuttle and bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times.
Marks finished his collegiate career with 3,016 rushing yards and 31 touchdown runs with 261 catches for 1,564 yards and five scores.
In spurts, Marks displayed decisiveness, vision and toughness.
“I think Woody has, throughout the year, I feel like he’s gotten better with the more reps that he’s getting in,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I feel like Woody, he does a better job the more times he touches the football. He’s always going forward, always gaining positive yards and that patience comes with setting up your blocks.
“You have to do a good job setting up your blocks to put you in position to make guys miss at certain times, and Woody has done a good job of that.”
When Marks was a student growing up in Atlanta, he was thrilled to meet Falcons linebacker Jesse Tuggle.
Now, Marks is imparting advice to young people.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “That’s what I play the game for, what I live for. Meeting Jesse Tuggle in the fifth grade, it was just amazing. I ran through the gym when he came to our school. I was a big fan. I always look up to them guys.
“I was into the Atlanta Falcons, so anytime I seen somebody, I just cried. I was very sensitive back then. Football is going to end, but your academic career will never end. You can take a diploma a long way, but when you’re in sports, it’s going to end someday.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com