Following are player comments following the Texans first outdoor workout of the 2007 offseason.
Texans RB Ahman Green
(on dealing with the heat) "I've got to get used to this humidity. I'm definitely not taking it for granted because I've been down here for a couple of games and I played in college a couple of times down in Miami, so I know it's tough. I've been here since Sunday, but I know I've got another couple of weeks before I get used to this stuff."
(on getting used to the heat) "It's about two weeks—seven days to two weeks—before your body gets acclimated to the humidity and the hot weather. I just came from Green Bay and it's just now cracking into the 60s; a dry 60s, too, no humidity. But it's just getting used to it. I can't wait because I like training in this type of weather."
(on how much communication he had with the coaching staff) "Just a little bit when I got here before I signed. We talked a little bit about it and the good thing I like is that I played with (offensive coordinator Mike) Sherman, so I know what he expects out of a running back in his offense. And knowing what I learned from (Packers head coach Mike) McCarthy in Green Bay, that (Texans head) coach (Gary) Kubiak is going to do the same thing in terms of the Denver run."
(on bonding with his teammates) "They see me out here running, so they know I am Batman, but I am human. I can get broken down, and this first day of running definitely did that, but that's what we work hard for and that's what our goal is: to work hard and be contenders in the AFC South."
(on his relationship with QB Matt Schaub) "Yeah, we've got the same agent, so we've been to a lot of functions together. So we meet and talk, and he knows this offense and he's the type of quarterback that, from what he told me, when he's in trouble and he doesn't have the deep ball, he definitely goes down to the running backs on the check-down route. That's good to know, and that saves his body, too, because he gets the ball out of the way and lets us running backs take the punishment that we know how to take."
(on at what point for him football became a year-round game) "It's been like that for me since college. I would say high school, because I played on teams in high school that we were very competitive at every position. The same at Nebraska, with (fellow RBs) Lawrence Phillips, Clinton Childs, Damon Benning, then myself and J-Sims (James Sims) as well, so I've been around it. Everywhere I went, there were established running backs. Seattle was Ricky Watters, Green Bay was Dorsey (Levens), so I'm just used to the competitiveness. With that, that makes every team better."
Texans WR Andre Johnson
(on if he's played catch with QB Matt Schaub) "No, I haven't played catch with him yet. We'll do that tomorrow. Other than that, every time we see each other we're just talking and trying to learn things about each other."
(on his impressions of Schaub) "Just from looking at him and the way he walks around the locker room and things like that, you can tell he's a leader. That is something you want to have at the quarterback position."
(on being excited about the offense) "Yes, I'm excited. Last year was our first year in the system so we were learning a lot. Now everything they teach us we should just take it in stride and be able to go with it."
Texans QB Matt Schaub
(on the difficulty of adjusting to the heat in Houston) "Well, to start it is, on the first day out here running in the sun and the heat. Granted, it's only April, and it'll be a lot worse in June, July and August. It's different, but over time you get used to it and your body adjusts."
(on getting to know the coaching staff) "We compromise. They know what I can do and I know what they're trying to get done, so we meet in the middle and we discuss it and we go from there, but so far everything's been great and the coaches have a great plan so far for this offseason."
(on being the number one quarterback after backing up his first three years) "It's great. The guys have received me very well and embraced me to the team. I'm just looking forward to the opportunity and the chance to get to know them a lot better here as we work out and get better."
(on having a receiver like Andre Johnson on his team) "It's fantastic. It's a quarterback's dream to have a guy like that on the outside that can make people miss, go up, catch the deep ball, and is fast like him. He's just a great asset to have."
(on asserting leadership during workouts) "I think this is the time of the year to do it. It's hard to start that once the season gets going because everything gets going so quick and you've got to prepare for the games. So it's coming out here, working in the weight room, working on the practice field on our own time, getting to know one another and a feel and assert that leadership in the offseason rather than in-season."
(on dealing with the pressure of being the starting quarterback) "It's a challenge. I wouldn't say it's pressure, but it's a challenge and one that I'm looking forward to doing and my teammates are, too. It's going to be all of us together getting this thing done and working to get better every day. So I look at it as a challenge."
(on looking forward to throwing with WR Andre Johnson) "It's probably one of the things that goes the most unnoticed this offseason – getting a feel for the receivers, them knowing where I'm going to be and where I'm throwing it from and where I expect them to be. It's times like this where we all get a chance to get to know one another and get a feel for each other on the field."
(on if he hopes to throw with his receivers on a daily basis) "Oh, it's definitely a daily thing. More so than on the field, it's off the field just talking and getting to know one another and getting a feel for each other's personalities."
