Texans Linebacker Ryans Teaching Team New Defensive Scheme
Added on Jun 28, 2011 by Jack Thurman in
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The NFL lockout continues to drag on undermining the preseason preparation of every team in the league. Some teams have more problematic situations than others–specifically, those who are trying to implement a new offensive or defensive scheme. One such team is the Houston Texans, who will be moving to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Wade Phillips. Since coaches and players can’t have any contact during the lockout, Houston linebacker DeMeco Ryans has stepped up to help get his teammates up to speed on Phillips’ preferred methodology.
The Texans had one of the league’s worst defenses in 2010, and the hope is that Phillips can change that. For his part, Ryans isn’t taking a lot of credit saying simply “”I’m just doing my part, man.” Currently, Ryans and approximately 35 of his teammates are in Houston taking part in voluntary workouts. Among the Texans participating is quarterback Matt Schaub:
“For us to be out here as a team, a group of guys choosing to be here, in the long-term will serve us good.”
Ryans is still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered last season, but is taking a leadership role during the workouts:
“It’s important for us to get out here and get the guys some looks at our different offensive sets, and try to do our adjusting. I think we are getting more comfortable with the terminology that we’re using. The more reps you get, the better you get it.”
Ryans also says that the players aren’t overly anxious to get a deal done just for the sake of reaching a settlement, rather they want to get an agreement that makes sense:
“It’s not about getting a deal done as quickly as possible, it’s about getting a fair deal done. Whenever that time comes, when a fair deal is on the table, that’s when it will get done. We’re not in a big panic to get something done, just for the sake of getting it done.”
Obviously voluntary workouts are no substitute for an actual training camp situation, but for the time being the Houston Texans players are making the best of the situation presented by the league’s ongoing labor dispute.
