David Culley and the Texans feel good about what happened this week.
The head coach and players were on the field at the Houston Methodist Training Center Thursday for Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and the first week of work is now complete. Culley said the voluntary workouts were very well-attended by the players, and he was excited to get to work with the squad. He also detailed what exactly happens during OTAs, from the meetings before practice on to the field work itself.
"We have those meetings and say, 'This is what we're doing today. This is what we want to get done,'" Culley said. "When we go into our individual period, our fundamental periods and those guys are working on all those skillsets and then we take that and move it to a group period. When we get in the group periods and you're doing seven-on-seven type of stuff or you're doing things where we're running plays, basically what you want to see is you want to see those things translated from individual period to that period where we're doing those particular plays."
The first-year head coach is pleased with the progress.
"Basically, it's a very simple step-by-step process and when you see it working that way, you feel good about that," Culley said. "That's what we're seeing right now."
Receiver Brandin Cooks cracked the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards last season, and was enthused about the work he and his teammates put in together this week.
"We're throwing, getting used to the timing with the quarterbacks, the individuals, things like that," Cooks said. "Coming together and learning how one another talk, how one another runs a route, how a quarterback wants it and what not. At the end of the day, building that camaraderie with all of us in the building right now."
Cooks has experience in the offensive system, which is coordinated by Tim Kelly. On the defensive side of the ball, Lovie Smith takes over as the coordinator and is installing a 4-3 defense. Houston's run a 3-4 since 2011. One of the many new faces is linebacker Christian Kirksey, who said the first week went "pretty well" as far as the defense gelling.
"Right now we're just building that team bond, getting to know one another," Kirksey said. "Just learning all the football from the basic level, getting this playbook down, getting the feel of our coaches. Our coaches are doing the same thing with us. We're just having fun out here."
The Texans will resume OTAs next week at NRG Stadium and the Houston Methodist Training Center.
The Texans hit the Houston Methodist Training Center on Thursday during the first week of OTAs.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 26, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
An image from the May 27, 2021 OTA workout at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.
