As DeMeco Ryans gets set for not just his first game as a head coach, albeit an exhibition, Thursday night in Foxboro will mark the beginning of a new era of quarterback in the city of Houston.
Like any high draft choice, particularly a quarterback, CJ Stroud, the second overall pick in this past April’s NFL draft, has great expectations from fans that have been starved for a young player and a team they could believe in once again.
He may not be the quarterback the city thought they were getting, as the Texans neared the end of the 2022 regular season with the league's worst record all but cinched up…until it wasn’t.
But Stroud has put his head down and let his game do the talking to this point, and it’s been good enough to earn the starting nod from Ryans and the Texans.
The way Stroud has stepped into his role as a natural leader and uber-confident signal caller for the team thus far has stood out to everyone who has seen his work ethic to this point, particularly 11-year veteran Case Keenum.
“I think his confidence, his unwavering mindset of just trying to get better, trying to put the team in the best possible situation, the ball where it needs to go with a lot of pressures,” Keenum said. “I’ve never been drafted as high as he was – I’ve never been drafted. So, I don’t know some of the pressures that go on there and other things that he’s dealing with, so I’ve been very impressed with his unwavering focus on getting better every day and his confidence in that.”
The Texans have placed a great deal of confidence in Stroud and believe he’s the key piece to a much larger puzzle for an organization that has failed routinely to put it together.
The former Ohio State standout, along with their new head coach and the No. 3 overall pick this year, Will Anderson Jr., have given hope back to a city that just a few short months ago seemed hopeless.
While a long road ahead awaits the Texans' new coaching regime and quarterback, it all begins Thursday night, and Ryans knows exactly what he wants to see from Stroud, along with the other rookies making their NFL debuts.
“I just want to see those guys not blink,” Ryans said. “I want to see them go out and continue to do what they’ve done in practice, not try to make too many big plays. It’s just about them focusing on their craft and what they’re doing. I want to see guys go out there and not make it too big. I want to see that the game isn’t too big for guys. I want to see guys operate efficiently, guys fly around, have some fun playing the game.”
Not many players had more fun on a football field during their playing days than Ryans. His infectious personality, passion and drive to be at his best for the team is what’s propelled him and prepared him for his dream job as an NFL head coach.
Helping his rookie quarterback realize his own dreams is the challenge at hand now and the first-year head coach said his expectations for Stroud on Thursday night are simple.
“I just want to see a guy come out and command the huddle,” Ryans said. “Command the huddle, command the offense. Get us lined up, get everybody on the same page and just operate efficiently.”
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