After the 14th and final practice of organized team activities (OTAs), Texans coach Gary Kubiak spoke to the media.
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak
(on if the veterans will be practicing next week) "No, they're going to work out with (strength & conditioning coach) Cedric (Smith). A group of guys will work out with him in the morning, they'll be done at 10 (A.M.), and the rest of the young guys will be coming on the field. We're trying to keep all the young guys out here and a few select veterans so that we can still get some practice done with those guys. We're down to a few spots especially at tight end, worked with two guys again so (we're) fortunate to make it through."
(on any news at today's practice) "No. We just really kind of went through a little mock game kind of seeing how those guys operate just getting out here without guys getting people in their hip pocket all day. I wanted our kickers to kick a lot today against each other, so just getting a lot of work done a lot of mental stuff at the end of practice; one time situation during the season. They look like they're ready about to get out of here and I assume they're ready to go."
(on if this will be the last situation for kickers Kris Brown and Neil Rackers) "Yeah, we won't do it next week. Those guys will work with (special teams coach) Joe (Marciano) individually. So we won't do it next week. We just got to find a way to get it competitive because you're never going to be able to go into training camp and say that (K) Kris (Brown) is going to get 10 kicks and (K) Neil (Rackers) is going to get 10, it just doesn't work that way. So we got to create competition here in practice."
(on the health situation of TE James Casey and G Kasey Studdard) "(G) Kasey (Studdard) had his knee scoped this morning. He got nicked when we went into the bubble the other day, actually did it on the first play and practiced the whole practice, and came in the next morning with swelling. But we're fortunate he had a scope; should be about two to three weeks. So he's doing good. (TE)James (Casey) pulled a groin he's going to be a few weeks. If there was ever any good time I guess it's good so we can get him healthy now. He will not be out here next week."
(on OTAs in general) "I just told the guys we're further along. The thing we're doing right now, we're handling a lot more football than we're used to as a team offensively and defensively. It doesn't matter how much you do it, it matters how well you do it. So we're a little bit more complex a little bit more advanced in our schemes. We got to make sure that whatever we're doing we're doing it well."
(on how impressed he was with how the defense looked throughout the OTAs) "Yeah, they were ahead in my opinion. But I kind of expected that a little bit. We're catching up two new coaches with our offense, we had a tight end problem going on, (and) we missed (WR) Andre (Johnson) for a few days. That's part of it, but that's kind of like part of the season. I was impressed with how far they've come they all played together, stuck together, and were all there all day everyday. (Defensive coordinator) Frank (Bush) has done a good job with that group."
(on if the defense carried over from last year) "Yeah, you can see that. They're all just so much more comfortable. If you look at our defense last year, the first four weeks was kind of like revolving chairs with what was going on trying to get (CB) Dunta (Robinson) in right before camp started and (LB) (Brian) Cushing missed all of camp and those type of things. All of a sudden, you come out here and now they've all been playing together. You can just tell that they're all much more comfortable with what they're doing."
(on the realignment of the Big 12 conference) "I was asked that yesterday, and I really don't know enough about it to make a comment one way or another, so I'll stay away from it."
