Mini-camp

with mini-camp starting friday...Where is the best place to get news on the Texans?? I know most people agree when i say,the Chronicle has been poor the past few years on covering the Texans offseason activities.

HoustonTexans.Com and here at TexansTalk. Chron writing is just....blah.

wonder if they'll have free training camp passes this year? I sure hope so, that was a blast.

Is anyone allowed into the mini-camps like reporters etc. I doubt fans are, but I'm just wondering what sort of info we could expect to hear/see.

I bet Texans Chick will have a little bit to say about it and will keep us in the loop.

We are very lucky with the fans we have. Between Texans Chick stories and Bullpen (Andy) Photos pictures, we seem to be blessed. The only thing we really need the Chronic for is house training our pets.

HT.com usually posts photos following each day of camp too

I'm looking forward to the pictures of Alex Gibbs with a pointy hat and magic wand.

another hulk 75 ? not saying, just saying.

threetoedpete said:

another hulk 75 ? not saying, just saying.

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I don't get it

threetoedpete said:

another hulk 75 ? not saying, just saying.

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b0ng said:

I don't get it

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I don’t get it either.

No more Hulks, that guy was unbearable.

ObsiWan said:

HT.com usually posts photos following each day of camp too

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They also have a few videos, too.

Heath Shuler said:

I don’t get it either.

No more Hulks, that guy was unbearable.

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I dunno. Wake forest season ticket holder who seems prticulrly fond of abante.

Tedc said:

I bet Texans Chick will have a little bit to say about it and will keep us in the loop.

We are very lucky with the fans we have. Between Texans Chick stories and Bullpen (Andy) Photos pictures, we seem to be blessed. The only thing we really need the Chronic for is house training our pets.

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ain't that the truth

houstontexans.com news/news archives and Texans TV are the best sources for info like minicamps, OTAs, closed practices etc. The quote sheets on the news archive are gold.

HT.com has really jumped to the top of NFL team websites. Go look at TitansOnline.com and be thankful we have a MUCH better organization.

All I'm saying is that Gibbs is a magician. I'm nearly as big a fan of the Texans as I am of Wake Forest. I lived in Spring from 01-03, and got hooked (so to speak). I just don't post much.

DieselDeac said:

All I'm saying is that Gibbs is a magician. I'm nearly as big a fan of the Texans as I am of Wake Forest. I lived in Spring from 01-03, and got hooked (so to speak). I just don't post much.

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We'll all be watching the "evolution" of our O-line (and running attack) with great interest.

GuerillaBlack said:

HT.com has really jumped to the top of NFL team websites. Go look at TitansOnline.com and be thankful we have a MUCH better organization.

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Yea I agree. They are very fast and are constantly update the website at HT.com. I've been thoroughly impressed throughout the past year.

i have faith in the o-line...i will be watching the WLB spot....It will be interesting to see when Adibi takes over.

We have really need some one with speed & power to shut down Dallas Clark !!

shawn76ers said:

i have faith in the o-line...i will be watching the WLB spot....It will be interesting to see when Adibi takes over.

We have really need some one with speed & power to shut down Dallas Clark !!

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And then there's the DBs. We never really got a good look at Harrison or Mitchell last year. And we've added youngsters Molden and Barber plus Reeves and Ferguson. I want to see what the competition shakes out.

shawn76ers said:

i have faith in the o-line...i will be watching the WLB spot....It will be interesting to see when Adibi takes over.

We have really need some one with speed & power to shut down Dallas Clark !!

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To shut down Dallas Clark would require better play at the SLB position, not the WLB position.

The secondary will be helped just by getting all of our injured players back from last year. Getting anything out of Simmons, Robinson, Earl, and Alexander will be a bonus.

BattleRedToro said:

To shut down Dallas Clark would require better play at the SLB position, not the WLB position.

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To my understanding, we aren't running a scheme with a specific SAM or WILL OLB. Meaning, if Clark motions to the formerly weak side, our OLB's do not switch either. Our LB's line up in the same position at all times, thus disregarding the SAM and WILL terms. I believe our OLB's are expected to be capable of playing either side. Also, if Clark runs a crossing or drag route, which is common for receiving TE's, the OLB that was over him initially should not follow him and vacate his zone of the coverage. There has to be communication between the LB group, as with any unit. and since we do not distinguish FS and SS, safety help is sometimes able to be given to the TE, which is why at times we see the S out of position down the field.

YoungTexanFan said:

To my understanding, we aren't running a scheme with a specific SAM or WILL OLB. Meaning, if Clark motions to the formerly weak side, our OLB's do not switch either. Our LB's line up in the same position at all times, thus disregarding the SAM and WILL terms. I believe our OLB's are expected to be capable of playing either side. Also, if Clark runs a crossing or drag route, which is common for receiving TE's, the OLB that was over him initially should not follow him and vacate his zone of the coverage. There has to be communication between the LB group, as with any unit. and since we do not distinguish FS and SS, safety help is sometimes able to be given to the TE, which is why at times we see the S out of position down the field.

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If that was our system last year then lets not do that again because we routinely got abused by any team with a decent TE (Clark, Winslow II, Gates). Whatever the problem was, it haunted us pretty much all season (I'll grant that Tony G wasn't outstanding).

shawn76ers said:

i have faith in the o-line...i will be watching the WLB spot....It will be interesting to see when Adibi takes over.

We have really need some one with speed & power to shut down Dallas Clark !!

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I've been thinking that they were gonna leave greenwood there and put adibi on the other side of DeMeco. Or am i lookin at it wrong?

RipTraxx said:

I've been thinking that they were gonna leave greenwood there and put adibi on the other side of DeMeco. Or am i lookin at it wrong?

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They'll put the best 3 LB's out there.

RipTraxx said:

I've been thinking that they were gonna leave greenwood there and put adibi on the other side of DeMeco. Or am i lookin at it wrong?

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McClain (take that FWIW) has covered all his bases by saying he will start behind Greenwood but if he comes on fast will compete with Diles. Thanks Captain Obvious.

I like the 4/3 defense, but don't really care for our implementation of it in some cases. Why not put your best corner on the offenses best WR? Instead they play a side. Well duh. If I am the O-coord, all I have to do is make sure my #1 lines up on the opposite side. Seems pretty dumb to say the least.

Porky said:

I like the 4/3 defense, but don't really care for our implementation of it in some cases. Why not put your best corner on the offenses best WR? Instead they play a side. Well duh. If I am the O-coord, all I have to do is make sure my #1 lines up on the opposite side. Seems pretty dumb to say the least.

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I'd like to hear a coach explain it in more detail than "it helps us disguise our coverage" but a lot of teams have chosen to go that route.

GuerillaBlack said:

HT.com has really jumped to the top of NFL team websites. Go look at TitansOnline.com and be thankful we have a MUCH better organization.

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Eeeeeewwww...

I've noticed this too, though. HT.com has the best design, coverage, and interactivity of any NFL team site.

AnthonyE said:

Eeeeeewwww...

I've noticed this too, though. HT.com has the best design, coverage, and interactivity of any NFL team site.

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I love the intro they have for Duane Brown on the top.

infantrycak said:

I'd like to hear a coach explain it in more detail than "it helps us disguise our coverage" but a lot of teams have chosen to go that route.

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Who else uses that, do you know? I don't understand what is tricky or disguising about sitting on one side of the field, and staying there. Obviousely, there is some legit reason for it whether right or wrong. It just seems that you would want your best on their best.

Porky said:

Who else uses that, do you know? I don't understand what is tricky or disguising about sitting on one side of the field, and staying there. Obviousely, there is some legit reason for it whether right or wrong. It just seems that you would want your best on their best.

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What's tricky is that they line up the same whether it's zone or man. They blitz from the same positions. So you don't know which receiver is your hot read and there's a chance with some offenses that if the receiver and QB read the coverage differently, that they'll actually be on different pages and end up making a mistake (QB throwing to an empty space, etc.).

Instead of looking like it's man and shifting to zone or looking like it's zone and shifting to man or disguising blitzes or whatever, it looks the same every time. It looks vanilla. But then from that vanilla base, they could go into almost any type of defense. If it works, it's great. But you've got to have guys that can move.

Porky said:

Who else uses that, do you know?

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Not off the top of my head, but when this issue came up a couple years ago I made a point of watching other teams and saw that a bunch were doing it.

The Pencil Neck said:

What's tricky is that they line up the same whether it's zone or man. They blitz from the same positions. So you don't know which receiver is your hot read and there's a chance with some offenses that if the receiver and QB read the coverage differently, that they'll actually be on different pages and end up making a mistake (QB throwing to an empty space, etc.).

Instead of looking like it's man and shifting to zone or looking like it's zone and shifting to man or disguising blitzes or whatever, it looks the same every time. It looks vanilla. But then from that vanilla base, they could go into almost any type of defense. If it works, it's great. But you've got to have guys that can move.

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But couldn't you disguise the zone/man part of it while still lining up over the oppostions best WR rather than play one side of the field? I mean you could still go into a zone from that right? I'm not arguing just asking. I'm simply trying to figure out what perceived advantage it is for the Dback to line up on one side only. Simplicity? I really don't know, but it's something that keeps bugging me about our system.

Porky said:

But couldn't you disguise the zone/man part of it while still lining up over the oppostions best WR rather than play one side of the field? I mean you could still go into a zone from that right? I'm not arguing just asking. I'm simply trying to figure out what perceived advantage it is for the Dback to line up on one side only. Simplicity? I really don't know, but it's something that keeps bugging me about our system.

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Let's say you stick with the vanilla look but swap sides so that your best defender is on the same side as their best receiver. Then let's say that they put that receiver into motion and move him to the other side of the field. Do you make your corners swap sides? That's going to be hard to manage and they're going to be able to catch you mid-shift. Or do you go ahead and play that one guy man and make the zones shift to accommodate?

Whatever you're going to do, it's going to get complicated.

With our system, I'm sure that it's extremely complicated with changing assignments based on shifts and things like that.

The only way to really get your best cover guy on their best receiver is to play man.

does this weekend's mini-camp include the vets, as well as the rookies?

shawn76ers said:

does this weekend's mini-camp include the vets, as well as the rookies?

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Yes. Alot of teams are running full team mini camps instead of rookie camps because logistically it makes no sense to bring in 7-10 guys by themsleves. Some teams are holding tryouts for FA's during their rookie camps instead of merging them though.

I still don't think that our Safeties and OLB's are supposed to be "interchangeable" in the sense that they are supposed to play similar roles...IMHO, that wouldn't make much sense...

I don't think our SS turns into a FS when the strength switches, and I don't think our WLB takes on the role of a SLB if the strength changes...

It's just like Madden...The safeties, OLB's, DE's and CB's don't switch unless you make them...

Despite that, the FS is going to be the safety who is over the top most of the time and the SS will me man up on the TE or RB, or Reciever....

A lot of people assume that if the SS is man up on the TE, if that TE then goes to the opposite side the other Safety (FS) must then take on the SS responsibilities...

That is not always true...A LB may then become responsible for the TE if it's man...
All the while your defense isn't shifting much and there won't be a dead giveaway of whether its zone or man...

If it's zone then it's zone...doesn't matter where they shift other than the fact that defenders need to have recognition...If someone goes in motion the SS is not all of a sudden going to have over the top coverage and the FS is not all of a sudden going to have the motioning player man up....


Play Madden....Look at the pre-snap defensive assignments and watch how the red lines change but responsibilities basically stay the same without the LB's or safeties moving....Blitzes don't change based on motions unless specifically ordered by the coach..

And I'm not saying that our FS is never going to play in the box or be in man coverage...

But it's pretty obvious that our OLB's are not meant to be interchangeable....Look at the guys we play on the weakside and look at the guys we play on the strongside...

At one OLB spot we tend to play thicker stronger less athletic brick wall type guys...Danny Clark, Zach Diles, Charlie Anderson, Shante Orr (former DE's)...at the other spot we play guys who move better in space are better in coverage and tend to be quicker ; Greenwood, Shawn Barber, Adibi...

This is not coincidence...It is because our OLB's have different roles...

Does anybody remember last year when CC was forced to move down to the SS spot and Von Hutchins took on the FS position ?

Kubes said something to the effect of CC being a natural SS and that he was really being moved back into his real position....

Why would he make that comment if our safeties basically have the same roles and are supposed to be "interchangeable"....It shouldn't have mattered which spot he played if that were the case...Especially not enough for him to have made a comment like that...

If the Safeties are interchangeable why not just put Von Hutchins at the other safety position and let CC stay put ? Maybe because Von Hutchins was a cornerback who excelled at over the top coverage ? AKA what FS's do...

I just don't buy the theory about our Safeties that seems to be "common knowledge" around here...
Just because they don't switch sides when motion occurs doesn't mean that they are interchanging responsibilities...

That'd make very little sense because offenses would easily be able to pick up on that and exploit it...You want to minimize mismatches on defense and a defense designed that way would only help create them...

infantrycak said:

McClain (take that FWIW) has covered all his bases by saying he will start behind Greenwood but if he comes on fast will compete with Diles. Thanks Captain Obvious.

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LOL.

The best way to get news on minicamp is to check out HT.com and see if the Chronicle increases their coverage.

I don't have access to minicamp, so I will be like the rest of the people digging through the tea leaves of whatever comes out of camp.

Texans_Chick said:

LOL.

The best way to get news on minicamp is to check out HT.com and see if the Chronicle increases their coverage.

I don't have access to minicamp, so I will be like the rest of the people digging through the tea leaves of whatever comes out of camp.

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Come on TC. You can't throw your weight (figuratively speaking) around to get in there and be our information pipeline? JK, you do more than enough around here.

We got a draftee coming down here from Minnesota & another from the Pac NW & no telling who else from another cold/cool weather climates to go thru mini-camp in 90+ degrees to include that good old Gulf Coast humidity.
So we're talkin 100+ heat-index this weekend. Welcome to Houston guys !

Porky said:

But couldn't you disguise the zone/man part of it while still lining up over the oppostions best WR rather than play one side of the field? I mean you could still go into a zone from that right? I'm not arguing just asking. I'm simply trying to figure out what perceived advantage it is for the Dback to line up on one side only. Simplicity? I really don't know, but it's something that keeps bugging me about our system.

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I know the New Orleans Saints do the same thing with their secondary. They had one very good CB who played on the left side and one very poor CB who played on the right, and it did not matter which side the dangerous WR was on. This made it very easy for defenses to pick on J. David. Basically, for the Saints M. McKenzie was DRob, and J. David was Faggins. I think Smith's defensive approach is intriguing and promising, but it fails when you have obvious discrepancies between players. However, if you have two OLBs with roughly the same size and ability, it doesnt matter which side the offense lines up on. Same being true for cornerbacks. Bennett and Molden will need to elevate their game to the same level as Robinson for the diabolical "vanilla strategy" to be effective.

Well mini-camp starts today. I was going to ask again if anyone could get tickets and watch this weekend, but seeing as Texan Chick doesn't have access I have given up on that dream.

About the secondary though, I think Atlanta may play a similar scheme with their corners. I could be completely wrong because I havn't watched them a lot- it could have been a one time thing. But I do remember trying to watch how Chris Houston was playing ('07 rookie cb) and he mostly stayed on one side regardless of what receiver was over there.


I don't know a lot about the schemes in the secondary- I think this one has its pros and cons. The one good thing I see about leaving your best CB on one side, even if the best WR isn't over there, is because he (theoretically) can completely shut down that side of the field, or 30% of it. This allows the rest of the DB's to focus on the other side of the field and we may be able to get 1 more DB in that space to cause trouble.

TexansMVP said:

Yea I agree. They are very fast and are constantly update the website at HT.com. I've been thoroughly impressed throughout the past year.

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Too bad the site STILL crashes my computer every time I visit.

Porky said:

I like the 4/3 defense, but don't really care for our implementation of it in some cases. Why not put your best corner on the offenses best WR? Instead they play a side. Well duh. If I am the O-coord, all I have to do is make sure my #1 lines up on the opposite side. Seems pretty dumb to say the least.

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It could be a case where certain players are stronger on certain sides. Instead of making our best CB play all over the field, which let's the offense dictate where our DB will line up, the coaches might choose to establish that we have one part of the field well defended by playing to his strengths. Rare is the CB that can play both sides equally effective.

I'm not sure, but maybe this is the case.

I heard on the radio that Brown will be the starting Left Tackle as of right now.

Andrew6 said:

I heard on the radio that Brown will be the starting Left Tackle as of right now.

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Looks like it's sink or swim time, but I'm not going to read too much into a mini-camp practice in May.

Here is a blog from the texans site with the news.

I found the following especially noteworthy:

Brown worked with the first team for much of practice, facing off against defensive end Mario Williams (who looked even quicker and more aggressive than he did last year).

Andrew6 said:

I heard on the radio that Brown will be the starting Left Tackle as of right now.

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On one hand, horrible visions of Victor Riley flash before my eyes- handing over the LT spot to him despite performance.

Having said that, for Kubiak to make that kind of statement, he and Gibbs must be thrilled with the kid and immensely confident in his ability- that's very encouraging.