USA Today Article on Texans offense/Carr

[Texans_Chick]

This is a great article:

Link (apologies for the awful pun, it ain't mine) "NFL report: Texans giving Carr a tune-up"

They could have sacked Houston Texans quarterback David Carr. It's been done a few times before.
Carr admits so himself. Incoming Texans coach Gary Kubiak had no allegiances. "A new coach can do whatever he wants," Carr says. "He has built-in excuses for starting over."

The NFL legacy of Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in 2002 and the first draft pick in Texans history, has been the number of times opponents have dropped him. As a rookie he was sacked an NFL-record 76 times. In 59 career starts, he's been sacked 208 times, an average of 3½ a game. "There's definitely an art to taking a sack," he says, rattling off two basic rules. "Don't give them your shoulder. And don't give them your chin."

But Kubiak, a former NFL quarterback, and offensive coordinator Troy Calhoun want to change all that. They're implementing a more Carr-friendly West Coast attack that they hope will reveal the talent he flashed at Fresno State, where as a senior he led the nation in passing yardage (4,308) and touchdown passes (42).

"David hasn't performed to his ability yet," owner Bob McNair says. "I felt that with Gary, he could really elevate David's performance. I think that was the deciding factor (in hiring Kubiak)."

Everybody knows about Kubiak's pedigree. In Denver he played behind, and later coached, John Elway. He worked with Steve Young in San Francisco. He has three Super Bowl rings. Now he's taking an active role in Carr's development and on game day he'll call the plays. But the Texans believe they have a secret weapon in Calhoun.

A former Air Force quarterback, Calhoun turned heads as offensive coordinator at Wake Forest (2001-02). In 2002, the Demon Deacons, a traditionally lower-echelon Atlantic Coast Conference team, led the league in total offense. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan brought him to Denver as a defensive assistant just to get him in the fold. A year later, in 2004, he became an offensive assistant.

"Troy and I were side by side in the press box the last two years in Denver," Kubiak says. "Every word out of my mouth, he heard. He was my right-hand man right there on game day, every day. I have tremendous confidence in him."

Carr compares Calhoun's expertise to that of his college coach, Jeff Tedford. "The first time I met him, I went home with a headache," Carr says. "We come for the 6:30 a.m. meetings. He says, 'Good morning, how ya doing,' then we're into it. You better have your caffeine because he's firing questions from the minute you get in there 'til the minute you leave. I can't say the same thing about other coaches I've had."

Calhoun might pop Carr with a play the Texans haven't run in three weeks, just to see how much he's retained. Or he might ask Carr what the left tackle is supposed to do on a certain play.

"We're learning what everybody does in this offense, and it makes everyone accountable for their own spot," Carr says. "Pretty much, when you're in an offensive meeting with these guys, everyone knows what you're supposed to be doing as a quarterback. Everybody knows what (wide receiver) Andre Johnson is supposed to be doing on this play. So if you're not doing your job, it's wide open. You can't say, behind closed doors, 'Well, maybe it was the offensive line's fault here.' "

[Texan Asylum]

Calhoun isn't out to embarrass anybody, but "you always want accountability. It can sting a little bit when you make a mistake, but you want to make sure each guy appreciates his role."

Aahhh, that accountability thing again...I like it ALOT!

And after four years of non-stop physical abuse, Carr knows his mechanics have slipped. "In reality, there are some things I've been doing the last couple of years that aren't exactly sound," he said after a recent minicamp practice. "The coaches have stayed on top of me, even when I've completed a pass."

First step to curing a problem is recognizing one.

Under Kubiak, Carr says the Texans will be more aggressive offensively than they were under previous coach Dom Capers. "There is always a place to go with the ball," Carr says. "That's going to help our offensive line out, and myself, reducing sacks."

I like what I smell a cookin'.

"We have a quarterback, we feel, who can take us to the next level," Kubiak says. "He's got a lot of time invested, too. He's got four years busting his (rear end). To give up on that, to me, is a mistake. This kid has put in a tremendous amount of work, and he's ready to play his best football over the next six or seven years."

Bravo David, good luck and here's to a successful year!

Thanks for the post, TC. Bravo to you as well!

[CloakNNNdagger]

TC........Great find!!!

Darn, the attitudes and emotions if nothing else are like what you expect from a first year player..........wait......this IS the team's FIRST year (again).

[Texan Asylum]

Darn, the attitudes and emotions if nothing else are like what you expect from a first year player..........wait......this IS the team's FIRST year (again).

No foolin'. This is gonna be A W E S O M E ! ! !

[U4ikrob]

Great Article TC - A load of info in there on Carr and his realtionship with Kubes and CAlhoun and how much work he's putting into this next Year. Certainly bodes well that the pieces are getting in place - Carr stating nad practicing to be really accountable and learn as much as he can before the season starts!!

Cant wait for TC to start in a few weeks!!

[texan279]

You know, all of these great articles we have been reading since the new coaching staff has been brought in about what they are doing, what they plan to do, and the players, I can honestly say I do not remember reading anything like this during the 4 years of the old regime, maybe I am wrong.

[thunderkyss]

Yeah..... Carr......

[aj.]

This almost feels as good as when Glanville took over for Hugh Campbell and brought in that offensive juggernaut June Jones.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by aj.

This almost feels as good as when Glanville took over for Hugh Campbell and brought in that offensive juggernaut June Jones.

On John McClains SR 610 interview with Warren Moon yesterday, Moon said that he invited Jones but not Glanville to his HOF ceremony in Canton next month.

[valleytexfan]

Veeery Encouraging! I think DC has all the tools to succeed now. :bananasplit:

[aj.]

If I had a nickel for every time I heard "Glanville, that little ***hole" when I asked a writer or ex-coach about Jerry, I would be rich. Although, he and June somehow still manage to make it work. I don't think Jerry has many friends.

[NATHANHALE]

Originally Posted by texan279

You know, all of these great articles we have been reading since the new coaching staff has been brought in about what they are doing, what they plan to do, and the players, I can honestly say I do not remember reading anything like this during the 4 years of the old regime, maybe I am wrong.

Caper's never included the fan in on 'anything.' Remember, his post game comments were limited to the word 'execute' and any derivitive of the word. IMO, Caper's had a problem in knowing what the team needed to do and coaching them to do it. He would say things like, 'we need to score early and often'-we need to open up the offense'-'we need to be more aggressive,etc.' But, for whatever reason, each week's game plan were virtually all the same and 'adjustment' was a 'foreign' word to Capers....as was 'communication' with the fans.

[TexanSam]

Great find! Man, this makes me even more excited for football season. I can't wait!!

[TwinSisters]

Originally Posted by aj.

This almost feels as good as when Glanville took over for Hugh Campbell and brought in that offensive juggernaut June Jones.

Brrrrrr. *spit*

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by aj.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard "Glanville, that little ***hole" when I asked a writer or ex-coach about Jerry, I would be rich. Although, he and June somehow still manage to make it work. I don't think Jerry has many friends.

AHHHH, weren't those the exciting.........but dissappointing years??.......

[Hardcore Texan]

This is encouraging stuff, now if only the TEAM can get some wins...

I can't wait for the season opener!

[threetoedpete]

Another good'un Texans Chick, ty.
Well I've been defending the guy for four years. I see it there. Waiting to come out. If these two can't do it. I was wrong. I'm excited too, but that opening schedule is brutal. At least we've got a decent by bye this year.

[DocBar]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

AHHHH, weren't those the exciting.........but dissappointing years??.......

I could handle being disappointed by making the playoffs 6 or 7 years in a row!!! And the "chuck-n-duck" WAS fun to watch in the 1st 3 quarters.

[TwinSisters]

Originally Posted by DocBar

I could handle being disappointed by making the playoffs 6 or 7 years in a row!!! And the "chuck-n-duck" WAS fun to watch in the 1st 3 quarters.

Here's a good article about Glanville and the House of Pain and why it was not good.
( Glanville was only around for the first three )

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/3358470.html

Sucking in the 80's. Glanville might have pulled off a few wins here and there, but he turned us into a buncha thugs. It was Pardee that lit the jets for the Oilers after Glanville got the cursed "hug of death". Of course it helped getting rid of Glanville's handler Herzeg too. From 1990-1993 Pardee and Houston had one of the best offenses in the NFL ( if not the best ). However as we all know... only Texas A&M could graduate a product that blows a 35-3 lead in a post season professional football game.

supposedly he is a changed man now though... not that I care all that much.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colum...lanville_x.htm

[DocBar]

Originally Posted by TwinSisters

Here's a good article about Glanville and the House of Pain and why it was not good.
( Glanville was only around for the first three )

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/3358470.html

Sucking in the 80's. Glanville might have pulled off a few wins here and there, but he turned us into a buncha thugs. It was Pardee that lit the jets for the Oilers after Glanville got the cursed "hug of death". Of course it helped getting rid of Glanville's handler Herzeg too. From 1990-1993 Pardee and Houston had one of the best offenses in the NFL ( if not the best ). However as we all know... only Texas A&M could graduate a product that blows a 35-3 lead in a post season professional football game.

supposedly he is a changed man now though... not that I care all that much.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colum...lanville_x.htm

Not saying I wanted Glanville back, but we DID go to the payoffs 7 years in a row. The Steel Curtain played like a bunch of thugs, too, but they won Super Bowls. I'm not advocating cheapshots or anything like them, but remember...Denver's OL is considered cheapshot artists because of the cut blocks.