I would love to tell you how much sweat was flying everywhere and what a long, grueling practice it was at the Houston Methodist Training Center on Day 1 of training camp.
But, I can't.
Mother nature came to our rescue as it was overcast, 80 degrees, tops and Head Coach DeMeco Ryans had the guys on the field for about 90 minutes.
Like, wait, WHAT?!? It was a unique mixture of Greenbrier weather meets "It's a long season so let's ramp up responsibly". I was not prepared for that wonderful gift. Happy, but shocked.
But it was a spirited practice on both sides so let's dive into my Harris Hits for practice number one.
1. After our Texans Training Camp radio show ended at 10 am, I was able to get down to watch the very end of individual period and I went to watch the end of the defensive line drills. So many people say there's not much that can be deciphered from the offensive/defensive line because they don't have pads on. I scoff at that notion 1000% of the time because watching these guys move, run, rush and explosively get off the ball, yeah, that's all immensely valuable. One guy that stood out to me was third year DT Kurt Hinish. Now, I've watched Kurt a ton since he arrived in 2022, so the progress is easier to see, but my goodness, he looked quicker and more explosive than even last year. Hands. Feet. Coordination between the two. All happening much quicker and much twitchier too. GM Nick Caserio mentioned his name in his radio interview with us, so I had him on the brain while watching too.
2. I also took a gander at the offensive linemen as well for just a little bit. One thing stood out to me was the movement skills of OL Kenyon Green. He was moving quicker and faster than I could ever remember as he went through some OL blocking drills. He worked on his body a ton in the offseason, as has been well discussed and documented, but seeing that work pay off to help him move more efficiently was awesome.
3. The Texans started 7-on-7 and right out of the chute the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud seemed to pick up where he left off. On the first play, he had WR Tank Dell on a glance/seam route up the field. Dell had a step on his defender but there still wasn't a ton of room for Stroud to put the pass on Dell's body. As such, Stroud threw a low fastball where only Dell could make the catch, who did so for a first down. I absolutely love seeing Dell back in the fold and making plays, especially when his QB gives him an opportunity on a really difficult throw and catch.
4. I've been pumped about seeing newly acquired RB Joe Mixon in action as a runner, but his work as a receiver will help this offense as well. A couple of plays after Stroud hit Dell for a completion, Mixon ran an angle route on a LB, faced him up, shook him in space and when he turned back inside after his cut, he was wide open…and the ball from Stroud was right on time.
5. Speaking of Mixon, it was really cool to see him and WR Stefon Diggs dap up young guys at their position after they made big plays. The one thing I had heard about them this offseason was what good leaders they are. Little things like that go a long way in a long season and it was great to see them get pumped for their younger brethren.
6. It's hard to know exactly what rookies will step up in any given camp, but I thought S Calen Bullock was locked in. He seemed to be leading his group in the back end, making changes and getting everyone lined up in the right spots, playing the correct defense. But it was also his explosiveness to the ball that I liked as well. Early in practice, he was all over rookie TE Cade Stover in man coverage to force a PBU. Later in practice, he could've decapitated WR John Metchie III on an over route after a bootleg. QB Davis Mills booted out and saw a wide open Metchie III. Bullock saw him too and took off like a shot. Had they been in pads, in a game, Bullock would have separated Metchie III from the ball, giving him a major jolt. The important point was that Bullock spied the route quickly and then clicked/closed on the ball in a hurry. That's his game - length, speed and transitional quickness. Really liked his performance day one.
7. Oh my, P Tommy Townsend was hitting TANKS off his right foot. His hang time for the first three or four punts during the special teams period had to be near five seconds. The ball just floated forever. Wow.
8. QB Case Keenum threw one of the prettiest passes of the entire day when he threw a back-shoulder ball to WR Jared Wayne on the near sideline to me. The placement. The velocity. The accuracy. All picture perfect as Wayne turned back to make the catch for a first down.
9. As expected (without pads), the defense really ate up the run game for the most part, especially the outside run game. I remember seeing LB Henry To'oTo'o explosively run through on a run his way to the ball carrier for a TFL. But there were a couple of runs that hit for the offense, a couple of them for RB Dameon Pierce.
10. Okay, I mentioned Pierce on purpose because I wanted to touch on the new Dameon in 2024. Now, I'm well aware that things are different for running backs when no one has pads on, but I've never worried about Dameon shying away from contact or the physical part of the game. However, we wanted to see him be even more decisive on his runs. I wanted him to see the cut, make the cut and GO. Today? He did that. On his first run in team drills, he was on an outside zone path, saw his cut and hit the boosters up the field. YES! That's the key to this run game and Dameon hit it perfectly.
A little while later, he took a toss that he cut back and then wove his way through the defense, quickly and decisively. I pounded my notebook a couple of times because I was excited about what I was seeing, then I wrote "31 looks real good." I hope it stays that way because if he's running like that, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans will have been absolutely right about his 1-2 punch in the backfield.
11. I always love going to CFB Media Days to talk to coaches, players that coached, or played alongside, our Texans. Last week when I went to Las Vegas for Big 12 Media Days, I hoped that I could get a few minutes with Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell to discuss Texans second year WR Xavier Hutchinson. I've had instances where a coach didn't really want to talk about former players, but as soon as I asked Coach Campbell about X, his eyes lit up and he was so excited to do so. I thought about that today when I saw X make the catch of the day, right in front of me. He ran a speed out to the sideline and as he did Mills threw a fastball in that direction but a little bit more out in front that maybe Davis had anticipated. X laid out, snatched the ball in his two hands and tapped both feet in bounds for a tremendous catch.
12. Boy, I can't wait to see how disruptive rookie Marcus Harris can be when the pads go on. He nearly made one of the offensive guards fall on his face trying to block the ghost that was Harris. The former Auburn DT was so quick up the field that the guard just whiffed and Harris went scot free into the backfield.
13. Another rookie who is going to get people's attention during training camp/preseason games is RB Jawhar Jordan. He's got jump cuts for DAYS. He can see openings really well. He went out the back door on a run at one point that started to the left, but he darted out the hole well away from where the hole was supposedly located.
14. QB Tim Boyle has a rocket for a right arm. He showed that off on a completion to WR Steven Sims. Boyle RIPPED a throw to Sims as the WR sliced through the defense, on a slant route, all the way to the end zone. The offense was definitely hooting and hollering after that long touchdown.
15. A few reps later, Stroud ripped one to the sideline to Diggs for a catch and first down. Pretty, PRETTY route and throw for a completion.
16. JERRY HUGHES IS BACK! I didn't even recognize him in number 52, but it's great to have him back for this squad.
17. The offense got away with a beautiful rub route (pick route to the defense) on a throw from Mills to WR Ben Skowronek. If you're offensively-minded that route combination was gorgeous. If not, well, that was a penalty all day long.
18. Man, when RB J.J. Taylor is out in space, he's going to make life so miserable for 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Keenum dropped to throw and the defense clamped everything down the field. So, Keenum went through his progressions and couldn't find anyone open. Finally, he saw Taylor as his checkdown, and flipped him a pass out on the swing route. Taylor made the catch and then ZOOM, off he went. I'm telling you, it's going to be fun to watch him out in space this preseason.
So, that'll do it for day one. Short. Sweet. To the point…and without sweat dripping all over the computer. Day two will be here before we know it. See you then, everyone!
