C.J. Stroud Hopes To 'Earn' Starting Job With Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud will have a chance to start Week 1 for the Houston Texans, but he wants to earn the title first.

HOUSTON -- C.J. Stroud's been here before. The location is new. The expectations are, too. But he's been in this situation while going through drills at Ohio State. 

Stroud needed to earn the trust of Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, as well as his teammates, before taking over as the team's starting quarterback. He wasn't promised the title of QB1 when committing to Ohio State out of high school in California, only the chance to compete. 

It's the same with the Houston Texans, though the hope is he'll surpass third-year veteran Davis Mills before the end of training camp and begin a new chapter with the franchise that's won seven combined games in three seasons. Still, Stroud's made it clear that he doesn't want to be handed the title of starter simply due to draft status. 

The best man for the job must start Week 1 when Houston travels to Baltimore, hopefully giving the AFC South club a victory heading into its home opener on Sept. 17. 

"I want to earn everything, and Davis [Mills] is a great quarterback, so is Case [Keenum], and honestly we’re not even focused on that," Stroud said Sunday following the fourth day of Texans training camp. "We’re just focused on getting better and better and better, because at the end of the day if you focus on trying to do something extra, or do this here and there, that’s when you start confusing yourself and [start] doing what’s out the playbook and make mistakes."

Stroud's still adjusting to life on his own. He's rarely explored his new home, though most of his time has been spent studying the playbook or watching film hours on end. Earlier this month, the No. 2 pick spent a weekend with his receivers in Los Angeles, working on repetition and timing on the field while building chemistry and camaraderie off it. 

First-year coach DeMeco Ryans mentioned Stroud's attention to detail and commitment to improving. Stroud often finds himself riding to practice with second-year safety Jalen Pitre to be the first at practice. 

The former Buckeye isn't just asking questions on offensive concepts, either. He spends car rides picking Pitre's brain on what he's seeing from the defensive's mind.

“He’s a true football junkie — loves football, always watching football, always asking for extra cutups from our coaches,” Ryans said. “When your guy has that much love for the game of football, he has no (choice) but to continue to get better and improve."

Fans in Columbus had a front-row seat to what a few hundred Texans faithful got to see Sunday for two years. After winning the starting job, the Buckeyes rolled under No. 7's watch. In two years, Stroud posted a 21-4 record, throwing for over 8,000 yards and 85 touchdowns while leading the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff. 

But again, the title was earned, just like Stroud wants it in Houston. That came with time and consistency in practice. So far, both quarterbacks have had their fair share of positives and countless negatives. Neither has taken a gaping lead through five practices and both continue to rotate in with the projected starters. 

“My approach every day, man, is picking one or two things and just working on that, and then of course as a whole just trying to get everybody around me better," said Stroud.

Ryans said Stroud has picked up the offense and the playbook and it's now about working on the little refinements to his game. 

“It’s footwork, it’s progression, his eyes — all of those little things,” Ryans said. “And that’s C.J. figuring those things out with his coach, getting with him and working on just one thing a day." 

The picture should clear up on Aug. 10 when the Texans face the New England Patriots. For now, the inclination is that it's Stroud's job to lose and Mills' job to gain. Live reps against an opponent should show the weak points of Stroud's game and areas he'll need to improve. 

Teammates seem to believe Stroud will start sooner than later. His impactful has been felt in the huddle, the film room and the locker room. Building a relationship with his teammates has been a priority for Stroud since arriving in Houston in April. 

So has been controlling what's in his midst and not relishing in the competition aspect. 

"I just keep my head down and I work," said Stroud. "Just try to work harder and harder every day, just try to beat that person in myself, trying to beat that negative person and just trying to be the best person I can be on and off the field.”

Stroud of course feels that way. After all, he's been here before. 

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