Gary Kubiak speaks to the lunchtime crowd at the Touchdown Club of Houston's annual 'Texans Day'
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak was the lunchtime speaker at the Touchdown Club of Houston’s annual Texans Day, today at the J.W. Marriott - Galleria.
Kubiak gave an informal "state of the Texans" address while approximately 120 guests enjoyed a delicious lunch.
Kubiak is always motivating and engaging and he has a sneaky sense of humor which came out in his opening remarks - a dry but perfectly delivered spoof about a 4 a.m. fishing trip that was canceled because of bad weather. It was one of those where you had to be there.
On a more serious side, Kubiak gave the lunchtime guests a quick and dirty update on the 2010 Texans, including a few words on new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp.
A few things that stuck with me from Kubiak's address ('quotes' may not be exact but are very close and accurate in context):
- Kubiak lamented the Texans 'close but no cigar' season in 2009 but made no excuses about not achieving their goal. He emphasized that improvement from the 'core of the team,' i.e., DeMeco, Andre, Schaub, Winston and himself (for example) is paramount to the team's success in 2010. Kubiak briefly re-visited several examples of the team not finishing games last year - and how they can't afford a repeat of that in 2010.
- Kubiak said that George Siefert once told him that you've achieved your goal as a coach when you can start to turn things over to the players on the field - and trust that everything will be run correctly. Kubiak thinks the Texans are close to that point.
- Kubiak's three keys to success this season: 1) win in the division; 2) be more physical; 3) overcome adversity to win. Kubiak said every team will have to overcome three crises in a season - and the Texans are already dealing with one in Brian Cushing's suspension.
- Kubiak called Cushing one of the best players in the NFL.
- Kubiak talked about the Texans draft class.
- On Kareem Jackson, Kubiak said 'by the end of the year we'll be talking about him like we've talked about some of our other great young players.'
- On Ben Tate: 'He's only practiced a few times and needs to catch up.'
- On Earl Mitchell: "He's going to end up stealing someones lunch money up front," Kubiak gushed. Are you listening Amobi Okoye? (Mitchell signed a contract today if you hadn't heard)
- On Darryl Sharpton: "He can play all three linebacker positions but we're going to groom him behind DeMeco. He'll also play special teams."
- On Garrett Graham: "I don't want to call him the next O.D. yet, but he's been very very good in these OTAs."
- On Sherrick McManis: "He lasted a little longer in the draft because he was hurt but we feel fortunate to get him where we did. He's a little behind because he came in late."
- On Shelley Smith: "One of the quickest interior linemen we've had here. He will push Studdard and Caldwell and those guys."
- On Trindon Holliday: "We had a weigh-in today and when I walked by and saw he weighed 163 I just said hoo boy." "He's the only guy on the team smaller than me."
- On Dorin Dickerson: "He's played a little bit of everything. He's a project but he'll be a wide receiver. We told him to just follow Andre Johnson around and do what he does."
Regarding the tough schedule ahead in 2010, Kubiak said "I don't care who we play. I care about how we play...."
Kubiak hinted that veteran players would be excused from mandatory minicamp next week. The staff would spend the time with the younger players who need the work more than the vets.
In terms of the players' focus being in the right place, Kubiak said that after years of 'breaking it down' with a simple "one two three ... Texans," the new breakdown is simply "Super Bowl."
Spotted in the crowd: University of Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin.
Read more about the Touchdown Club of Houston
Comments
Outstanding summary. I don't quite get the siefert reference - shouldnt that have already happened?
@David, I think Gary was saying that the Texans are finally at a level of maturity where he feels comfortable with delegating more and more to the field generals, i.e., Schaub, AJ, DeMeco, Pollard, Cushing and not need to lecture anyone on goals and vision - because they are given. Win a championship.
Some of the quotes might be a little hard to interpret. I reconstructed it all from memory and wasn't able to take notes or record the coaches comments.
On the subject(s) of draftees Grahmn & McManis, I was lucky enough over the past weekend to catch the 2009 contest between Wisconsin & NW on my U-Verse college channel, so got an early
look-see at these 2 picks. Grahmn was very impressive and certainly comparable to and reminiscent of OD. Great hands (he made several catchs over the middle and 2 TD grabs), but dosen't appear to be quite as athletic as OD. On the other hand, this guy is an accomplished in-line blocker and I saw a lot of plays where he handled a DE in one-on-ones and therefor was on the field most of the game when the Badgers had the ball.
The announcers said McManis was one of the best cover-corners in the Big Ten and guess that's why Wisconsin didn't throw as much to his side. He did make one sensational play, one of the best defensive plays of the game but also got burnt once pretty bad. But he's got some quicks so he's an intriguing prospect.
@Don, those are good observations.
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