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Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud 'Ahead Of Schedule' In Texans Offense

C.J. Stroud could be QB1 come Week 1 for the rebuilding Houston Texans

Cole Thompson

Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud 'Ahead Of Schedule' In Texans Offense
Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud 'Ahead Of Schedule' In Texans Offense /
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C.J. Stroud will have every chance to become the next franchise quarterback for the Houston Texans. That's the game plan, anyway. 

Maybe his plans should change after a month of practice at NRG Drive. 

Stroud, the No. 2 pick in this year's draft, is reportedly "ahead of schedule," according to the Texans' new coaching staff. He's already impressed members like quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson and defensive coordinator Matt Burke with his knowledge, attention to detail and willingness to correct mistakes instantly. 

“His deliberateness and intent to try to get better — he’s literally grabbing everybody he can on the field,” Burke told reporters Wednesday. “So, he’s been very sort of intentional about learning and just learning defense, too, like what did you call there, what was that coverage, or what did you do here? I respect that from him.”

Burke, who enters his first season as the Texans defensive coordinator, mentioned that after practice, Stroud quickly approached him with questions of coverage. Houston had implemented a new look in practice, which caused Stroud to have an off-practice.

Instead of waiting to go and watch the mistakes on film, Stroud went right to the source, walking back with the man who designed the concept to pick his brain on alignments and how the formation was set up prior to the snap. 

That's been Stroud since the start of voluntary OTAs, per Burke. He's always asking questions, wanting to know a bit more of both sides of the playbook. 

“He’s literally grabbing everybody he can on the field,” Burke said. 

Stroud, who spent two seasons captaining Ohio State's offense in Columbus, won't be promised the starting job Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. Davis Mills, the primary starter in both 2021 and 2022, still remains in the running entering Year 3 to start off the season under center while the former learns the nuances of the playbook early in his career. 

That's fine with Stroud. He wants to earn first-team reps in practice, not just be handed the reigns to a franchise that's won seven games in two seasons. Before Memorial Day weekend, Stroud worked primarily with the second-team offense during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Last week, most of his reps were run with the 1s. 

“Each day, he continues to get better, continues to get more comfortable with the verbiage of the offense and his command of the huddle," first-year coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. "I thought this week he has been really good, coming off of a long weekend. It was very eye-opening how on it he was.

"He did an awesome job in our situational periods, so, he is definitely progressing in the right direction, and the sky is the limit for him.”

The first step in practice for Stroud is mastering the basics of playing quarterback in first-year coordinator Bobby Slowik's offense. The next is building a rapport with the receivers. The Texans drafted two pass catchers in Houston's Nathaniel "Tank" Dell and Iowa State's Xavier Hutchinson to become potential building blocks in the passing game. 

The next step for Stroud is mastering his timing. According to reports out of practice, the rookie flashed at times in 11-on-11 drills but still needs to get acclimated to working against a live pass rush. 

The Texans are taking things slow in implementing the offensive playbook. Stroud, however, is advancing quicker than most expected. Things will become natural in time for former Buckeyes, but the sense he's trending upward could be what gives Houston hope for a bright future in the near present. 

"For the most part for us, we just want him to understand the urgency of playing on time and just kind of the foundation of this offense so he can be successful," Johnson said, per The Houston Chronicle. "I think he’s done a really good job of that.” 

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Cole Thompson
COLE THOMPSON

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