McCain, who re-signed with the Texans on March 20, hopes to be ready for the start of OTAs on May 20 after missing the end of last season with a foot injury. The 2009 sixth-round draft pick from Utah discusses his decision to re-sign; growing up with six siblings and two stepbrothers in Terrell, Texas; the nickname “Hot Sauce”; his speed; his height; being part of an undefeated team at Utah in 2008; Ed Reed; Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and defensive backs coach Vance Joseph; video games; his injury; and Jamie Foxx.

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OTWS archive

2012
Episode 1 (6/2): J.J. Watt, Wade Phillips
Episode 2 (6/9): Duane Brown, Paul Kuharsky
Episode 3 (6/18): Whitney Mercilus, Keith Gilmore
Episode 4 (6/23): Case Keenum, Jerrry Rhome
Episode 5 (6/30): Matt Schaub, Geoff Kaplan
Episode 6 (7/24): James Casey
Episode 7 (8/4): Connor Barwin, Marc Vandermeer
Episode 8 (8/10): Justin Forsett, Chick Harris
Episode 9 (8/17): Bradie James
Episode 10 (9/8): Andre Johnson
Episode 11 (9/15): T.J. Yates
Episode 12 (9/22): Derek Newton
Episode 13 (9/29): Antonio Smith (Video: Smith on start of career)
Episode 14 (10/20): Bryan Braman (Video: Braman on special teams)
Episode 15 (11/3): Owen Daniels (Video: Daniels on TD celebration)
Episode 16 (11/10): Danieal Manning
Episode 17 (12/10): Darryl Sharpton

2013
Episode 18 (1/4): Chris Myers
Episode 19 (4/8): Brice McCain (Video: McCain talks speed)

Texans starting lineup changes
Ryan Harris will start at right tackle for Derek Newton. Barrett Ruud will start at inside linebacker for Bradie James. Whitney Mercilus will start at outside linebacker for Brooks Reed.Brice McCain will start at cornerback for Johnathan Joseph. 

Titans inactives
11 QB Rusty Smith
23 RB Jamie Harper
29 CB Ryan Mouton
52 LB Colin McCarthy
68 T Byron Stingily
87 TE Lavelle Hawkins
96 DT DaJohn Harris

Titans starting lineup changes
Tim Shaw will start at middle linebacker for Colin McCarthy.

THE TEXANS
·         Scored on their opening possession for the third time this season and scored a touchdown on the opening drive for the second consecutive game.

·         Scored first for the third time this season.

·         Allowed a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time this season when the Jets scored on a 27-yard pass with 4:07 remaining in the period.

·         Scored a field goal for the 15th consecutive game, tying a team record, when K Shayne Graham booted a 27-yard field goal to end the first half.

·         Have scored 44 points off of 10 takeaways this season.

·         Led at halftime for the fifth time this season. Houston has led at intermission in every game this season.

TE OWEN DANIELS
·         Extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 73 with a 14-yard catch on Houston’s opening drive.

·         Started the 82nd game of his career, moving him past Mario Williams for fourth place on the franchise’s all-time game started list.

·         Caught a touchdown pass for the third consecutive game, hauling in a 34-yard scoring strike from QB Matt Schaub on Houston’s opening drive, tying his career-long streak. He previously caught touchdowns in consecutive games from 9/18/11 – 10/2/11.

RB ARIAN FOSTER
·         Surpassed 3,500 career rushing yards on a 46-yard gain in the first quarter. Foster entered the game with 3,477 career yards. The 46-yard gain was his longest of the season and the third-longest of his career.

·         Scored his sixth rushing touchdown of the season when he found the end zone from 13 yards in the second quarter. Foster tied a franchise record by scoring a touchdown in seven consecutive regular-season games. Domanick Davis scored in seven straight games from 11/21/04 – 1/2/05. Counting the playoffs, Foster has scored in eight straight games.

·         Rushed for 100 yards in the first half. That was the most before halftime in his career. Foster rushed for 99 yards in the first half twice, vs. San Diego on 11/7/10 and vs. Jacksonville on 1/2/11.

·         Recorded his 19th career 100-yard game and his third of the season.

CB BRICE MCCAIN
·         Intercepted his first pass of the season and the fourth of his career when he picked off Jets QB Mark Sanchez in the second quarter. McCain returned the interception 86 yards, which was the third-longest return in franchise history.

WR DEVIER POSEY
·         Recorded his first offensive touch when he carried an end-around for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter.

OLB BROOKS REED
·         Registered his second sack of the season when he dropped Jets QB Mark Sanchez for an 8-yard loss in the second quarter.

·         Forced a fumble for the first time in his career when he stripped Jets QB Mark Sanchez in the second quarter.

QB MATT SCHAUB
·         Threw his 100th touchdown pass as a Texan when he hit TE Owen Daniels for a 34-yard score on Houston’s opening drive.

WR KEVIN WALTER
·         Surpassed 4,000 career receiving yards with his first catch of the game, a gain of 9 yards. Walter entered the game with 3,992 career yards.

MISCELLANEOUS STATS
·         Inactive players for the Texans included G Brandon Brooks, CB Roc Carmichael, SS Quintin Demps, T Andrew Gardner, CB Brandon Harris, WR Lestar Jean and RB Ben Tate.

·         Captains for the Texans were ILB Brian Cushing, WR Andre Johnson, QB Matt Schaub and DE Antonio Smith.

·         The Jets won the toss and elected to defer their option to the second half. Houston received the opening kickoff.

QB Matt Schaub
8th in completion percentage (69.7)

RB Arian Foster
7th in rushing yards (189)
T-1st in rushing touchdowns (3)
T-6th in rushing first downs (9)
T-9th in yards from scrimmage (222)
T-1st in scrimmage touchdowns (3)

RB Ben Tate
T-3rd in rushing touchdowns (2)
T-5th in scrimmage touchdowns (2)

DE J.J. Watt
T-2nd in sacks (3.0)
T-3rd in passes defensed (5)
T-1st in fumble recoveries (1)

ILB Brian Cushing, CB Kareem Jackson, CB Johnathan Joseph
T-10th in interceptions (1)

SS Danieal Manning
T-1st in fumble recoveries (1)

K Shayne Graham
T-8th in field goals made (5)
T-8th in points, kickers (21)

WR Trindon Holliday
8th in punt return average (13.0)

ILB Tim Dobbins, CB Brice McCain
T-7th in special teams tackles (3)

TEXANS WITH TIES TO FLORIDA
WR Andre Johnson (University of Miami, from Miami); C Chris Myers (University of Miami, from Miami); CB Brandon Harris (University of Miami, from Miami); WR Lestar Jean (Florida Atlantic, from Miami); ILB Mister Alexander (Florida State); WR coach Larry Kirksey (RB coach, University of Florida)

DOLPHINS WITH CONNECTIONS TO TEXAS
LB Kevin Burnett (Dallas Cowboys, 2005-08); TE Anthony Fasano (Dallas Cowboys, 2006-07); FB Jorvorskie Lane (Texas A&M, from Lufkin); DT Kheeston Randall (University of Texas, from Beaumont); QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M, from Big Spring); offensive coordinator Mike Sherman (coached at Texas A&M, 1989-1993, 1995-97, head coach 2008-11; Houston Texans, 2006-07); TE coach Dan Campbell (born in Clifton; TE at Texas A&M, 1994-98; Dallas Cowboys, 2003-05); LB coach George Edwards (Dallas Cowboys, 1998-2001); DL coach Kacy Rogers (Dallas Cowboys, 2003-07); assistant QB coach Zac Taylor (coached at Texas A&M, 2011); OL coach Jim Turner (coached at Texas A&M, 2008-11)

FORMER DOLPHINS WITH THE TEXANS
QB John Beck (2007-08); LB Tim Dobbins (2010); K Shayne Graham (2011); G Wade Smith (2003-05); QB coach Karl Dorrell was the Dolphins’ QB coach (2011) and WR coach (2008-10); assistant strength and conditioning coach Matt Schiotz was the Dolphins’ head strength and conditioning coach (2007)

FORMER TEXANS WITH THE DOLPHINS
S Troy Nolan (2009-11); offensive coordinator Mike Sherman was Houston’s offensive coordinator (2006-07)

TEXANS-DOLPHINS NOTABLE COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
Texans QB John Beck and Dolphins LS John Denney (BYU); Texans C Ben Jones and Dolphins S Reshad Jones (Georgia); Texans G Wade Smith and Dolphins T Artis Hicks (Memphis); Texans CB Brandon Harris and Dolphins RB Lamar Miller and DE Olivier Vernon (Miami, Fla.); Texans DE Tim Jamison and Dolphins T Jake Long (Michigan); Texans WR DeVier Posey and Dolphins WR Brian Hartline and LB Austin Spitler (Ohio State); Texans RB Arian Foster and Dolphins LB Kevin Burnett and DT Tony McDaniel (Tennessee); Texans NT Shaun Cody and ILB Brian Cushing and Dolphins RB Reggie Bush (USC); Texans CB Brice McCain and Dolphins LB Koa Misi, DE Paul Soliai, DE Derrick Shelby and CB Sean Smith (Utah)

TEXANS-DOLPHINS PRO CONNECTIONS
Dolphins LB Kevin Burnett (2005-08) and TE Anthony Fasano (2006-07) played for Dallas with Texans CB Alan Ball (2007-11) and ILB Bradie James (2003-11) and while Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips (2007-10), Texans LB coach Reggie Herring (2008-10) and Dolphins DL coach Kacy Rogers (2003-07) coached there; Texans G Andrew Gardner (2011), K Shayne Graham (2003-09), CB Johnathan Joseph (2006-10) and WR Kevin Walter (2003-05) played for Cincinnati while Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle coached there (2001-11); Dolphins LB Karlos Dansby (2004-09) played for Arizona with Texans DE Antonio Smith (2004-08); Texans ILB Tim Dobbins (2008-09) played for San Diego with Dolphins LB Kevin Burnett (2009-10); Dobbins (2008-09) played for San Diego with Dolphins WR Legedu Naanee (2007-10); Texans G Wade Smith (2007) played for N.Y. Jets with Dolphins LB Jason Trusnik (2007-09); Dolphins WR Anthony Armstrong (2010-11)  and T Artis Hicks (2010) played for Washington with Texans QB John Beck (2010-2011); Dolphins G Richie Incognito (2006-08) played for St. Louis with Texans P Donnie Jones (2007-11)

Texans non-dressers
8 QB Matt Schaub
13 QB T.J. Yates
21 CB Brice McCain
23 RB Arian Foster
24 CB Johnathan Joseph
25 CB Kareem Jackson
29 FS Glover Quin
38 SS Danieal Manning
44 RB Ben Tate
50 OLB Bryan Braman
53 ILB Bradie James
55 C Chris Myers
56 ILB Brian Cushing
58 OLB Brooks Reed
62 G Antoine Caldwell
74 G Wade Smith
75 T Derek Newton
76 T Duane Brown
80 WR Andre Johnson
81 TE Owen Daniels
86 FB James Casey
87 WR Jerrell Jackson
88 TE Garrett Graham
94 DE Antonio Smith
95 NT Shaun Cody
96 DE Tim Jamison
98 OLB Connor Barwin
99 DE J.J. Watt

Texans starting lineup changesrt
Keshawn Martin and Lestar Jean will start at wide receiver. Rashad Butler will start at left tackle. Cody White will start at left guard. Ben Jones will start at center. Brandon Brooks will start at right guard. Andrew Gardner will start at right tackle. Logan Brock will start at tight end. John Beck will start at quarterback. Moran Norris will start at fullback. Justin Forsett will start at running back. Mitch King and Jared Crick will start at defensive end. Hebron Fangupo will start at nose tackle. Whitney Mercilus and D.J. Bryant will start at outside linebacker. Mister Alexander and Tim Dobbins will start at inside linebacker. Alan Ball and Sherrick McManis will start at cornerback. Quintin Demps and Troy Nolan will start at safety.

Vikings non-dressers
7 QB Christian Ponder
12 WR Percy Harvin
20 CB Chris Cook
26 CB Antoine Winfield
28 HB Adrian Peterson
32 HB Toby Gerhart
33 FS Jamarca Sanford
34 S Andrew Sendejo
41 S Mistral Raymond
42 FB Jerome Felton
50 WLB Erin Henderson
52 SLB Chad Greenway
54 MLB Jasper Brinkley
65 C John Sullivan
69 RDE Jared Allen
71  T Phil Loadholt
74 LG Charlie Johnson
75 LT Matt Kalil
81 WR Jerome Simpson
82 TE Kyle Rudolph
89 TE John Carlson
93 UT Kevin Williams
96 LDE Brian Robison
98 NT Letroy Guion

Vikings starting lineup changes:
84 Michael Jenkins at WR for 81 Jerome Simpson
73 DeMarcus Love at LT for 75 Matt Kalil
72 Chris DeGeare at LG for 74 Charlie Johnson
61 Joe Berger at C for 65 John Sullivan
79 Pat Brown at RT for 71 Phil Loadholt
40 Rhett Ellison at TE for 82 Kyle Rudolph
11 Stephen Burton at WR for 12 Percy Harvin
14 Joe Webb at QB for 7 Christian Ponder
44 Ryan D’Imperio at FB for 42 Jerome Felton
38 Lex Hilliard at HB for 32 Toby Gerhart
91 D’Aundre Reed at LDE for 96 Brian Robison
62 Chase Baker at NT for 90 Fred Evans
99 Christian Ballard at UT for 93 Kevin Williams
97 Everson Griffen at RDE for 69 Jared Allen
51 Larry Dean at LB for 52 Chad Greenway
58 Tyrone McKenzie at LB for 54 Jasper Brinkley
55 Marvin Mitchell at LB for 50 Erin Henderson
27 Brandon Burton at CB for 26 Antoine Winfield
25 Chris Carr at CB for 20 Chris Cook
37 Eric Frampton at SS for 41 Mistral Raymond
22 Harrison Smith at FS for 33 Jamarca Sanford

Midway through practice, tight end Owen Daniels and cornerback Brice McCain collided on what coach Gary Kubiak described as a busted route. Kubiak said he was holding his breath as Daniels and McCain went down to the ground, but neither player was injured.

“We got lucky,” Kubiak said. “Hopefully, it’s our year to be lucky from that standpoint. Hopefully, we can stay healthy. Unfortunately, that’s football, but golly. We’re just trying to teach, but we’re lucky right there.”

The Texans made it through their 10 non-contact OTAs without any significant injuries. Kubiak was so happy about it that he said he gave head athletic trainer/director of sports medicine Geoff Kaplan a high-five after Thursday’s practice.

Players practiced without helmets on Thursday for the second consecutive day. Kubiak said it was “much better” than the Texans’ disappointing effort on Wednesday.

“We really responded today,” he said. “I liked the way we practiced. We’re into what we’re doing. We covered a lot of things… We got through OTAs clean, and I think our teaching’s been good.”

Kubiak will let many of the Texans’ veterans rest next week during mini-camp (June 12-14), allowing younger players to get more reps. He was pleased with the team’s overall work during OTAs.

“I thought it was good,” Kubiak said. “I think we work like a mature group. I think this team’s trying to find its way. It’s missing a few familiar soldiers out here and guys that they counted on every day to kind of lead the way, so we’re having some new guys step up from that standpoint. We’re going to have some new faces are going to step in for this team, but I think the progress has been good.”

We’re taking a round-by-round look at the players who have been drafted by the Texans since their inaugural season in 2002. In particular focus are the picks made since 2007, Rick Smith’s first draft as Texans general manager.

Bold denotes made Texans’ active roster that season
*Denotes finished 2011 season on an NFL roster
#Denotes Pro Bowlers

Texans sixth-round draft picks
2010: Trindon Holliday, WR, LSU (197 overall)*
2010: Shelley Smith, G, Colorado State (187 overall)*
2009: Brice McCain, CB, Utah (188 overall)*
2008: Dominique Barber, S, Minnesota (173 overall)*
2007: Kasey Studdard, G, Texas (183 overall)*
———————————————————————————
2006: Wali Lundy, RB, Virginia (170 overall)
2005: C.C. Brown, SS, Louisiana-Lafayette (188 overall)*
2004: Charlie Anderson, LB, Mississippi (200 overall)
2004: Jammal Lord, FS, Nebraska (175 overall)
2004: Vontez Duff, CB, Notre Dame (170 overall)
2003: Keith Wright, DT, Missouri (214 overall)
2003: Drew Henson, QB, Michigan (192 overall)
2002: Howard Green, DT, LSU (190 overall)*
2002: DeMarcus Faggins, CB, Kansas State (173 overall)

All five sixth-round picks under Rick Smith have made the active roster (Holliday was called up from the practice squad for one game in 2011). Studdard (14 games), Barber (7) and McCain (4) have all started games for Houston.

McCain, Smith and Holliday are still on the Texans’ roster. Studdard and Barber are unrestricted free agents. McCain is coming off a standout season as the Texans’ nickel corner. Smith spent last season on injured reserve but could be a key backup in 2012, while Holliday likely needs a strong offseason to earn a roster spot.

Bolstered by the signings of Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning and a greatly-improved pass rush in Wade Phillips’ new 3-4, that pass defense ranked third in 2011. On SportsRadio 610’s “Texans All Access” on Tuesday afternoon, Vance Joseph answered some of the key questions about the secondary going forward:

On No. 2 CB Kareem Jackson’s 2011 season: “God, he made wonderful strides. I mean, his first year, as a rookie coming into the league, most guys play too soon at corner anyway. You draft ’em first round and you expect ‘em to play instantly, and most guys, they develop bad scars. But from his first to second year, he changed his body, first of all. His first year, he played about 195, almost 200 pounds. Came back this year at 185. So that helped his long speed to at least be up to par where he can stay with NFL receivers. Then, his technique every week got better and better. He’s always been a tough, smart football player, but he was lacking the long speed and lacking the technique stuff, and that got better. Now, he’s in the spots to make the plays. He’s got to make the plays now. So from his first year to his second year, we’ve got him in A-plus position, we call it. Now, he has to make those plays more consistently.”

On what he told Jackson after his much-maligned 2010 rookie season: “I told him, ‘Just trust me, first of all. I’m going to help your technique, I’m going to help your body change.’ And pass defense, just like run defense, it’s a team thing. So as the pass rush got better, he got better. Because for 15-20 yards, he was a lockdown corner this year. His issues came when the fade ball came with large receivers. He didn’t finish the plays. But if you watch this kid on cut-ups in the offseason right now, for 15 yards, man, he was a lockdown guy. Comebacks, out routes, curl routes, he’s all over the receiver. OK, now he has to get better at finishing deep balls. But he’s so resilient, guys. He’s a tough kid. He’s gone through so much, but you wouldn’t know it being with the kid. He’s not bitter at all. He worked hard every day. He has no ill will towards anyone. He’s positive. He’s confident again. So it was a fun thing to watch him grow as a pro.”

On CB Brice McCain: “This kid, last year, he was probably one of the best nickels in the league last year from a man-to-man perspective. We watched the cut-ups here last week, and out of all the third downs, he may have only lost probably two or three man to man coverage reps the entire season. He’s got great quickness and great cover ability.”

On 2011 rookie CBs Brandon Harris [a second-round pick who played sparingly] and Roc Carmichael [a fourth-round pick who was injured in training camp]: “Brandon Harris is going to be in the same boat as Kareem. He’s got to change his body. He was probably almost 200 pounds all season this year. He’s got to get down about 185 again, so he can have consistent long speed. But Brandon Harris is a bright, bright football player. He’s got a high football IQ. He’s got ball skills. He’s got great quickness. When he played last year in the slot versus Oakland when Brice got hurt, he did a hell of a job. So, I’m expecting great strides from him. Now Roc Carmichael, he’s a kid that got hurt in camp, but when he did practice with us, he showed great explosion. He’s a tough kid. He’s got ball skills. So, those two kids should make great strides to help us.  We lost Jason Allen in free agency, so those two kids should step up and help us and win some games this year.”

On CB Sherrick McManis: “Sherrick is a good young player. He’s a tough guy. He’s got great speed. He was probably one of our best special teams players last year for Joe [Marciano], but he has to get better technique and has to become a better cover guy if he’s gonna play for us, because our defense is really based on guys playing man-to-man coverage. Even if it’s quarters coverage, that’s your guy when he runs vertical. But he’s got a bright future because he can run and he’s tough, so I’m excited about him.”

The question from “All Access” co-host/former Texans defensive end N.D. Kalu went like this: With Brice McCain, Sherrick McManis and 2011 second-round pick Brandon Harris all on the roster, does Phillips plan for an open competition opposite Pro Bowl corner Johnathan Joseph, or does he feel like Kareem Jackson is the starter?

“I think Kareem’s the starter,” Phillips said. “He started most of the games [last season]. Jason Allen played a lot for us. Of course, Jason went to Cincinnati. So, Kareem had a good year. Part of it was we had a good year defensively, but he had something to do with that. He played physical like we thought he would and he obviously played better than he did previously, and that was a big plus for us.”

Jackson started 13 games in 2011 in his second season out of Alabama. Allen, who signed with the Bengals this weekend as an unrestricted free agent, rotated with Jackson and started four games.

A first-round draft pick in 2010, Jackson gets more criticism from fans than any Texans player this side of Jacoby Jones. Much of it stems from his rookie season, when he was victimized on numerous big plays as a 16-game starter for the Texans’ 32nd-ranked passing defense.

“I mean, you could be on him, but we were, what – second in the league in pass defense or third?” Phillips said [the Texans ranked third with 189.7 yards allowed per game]. “He’s part of a secondary that all works together, and he did his part. He didn’t let us down. I thought I think certainly everybody can improve, including Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning and those guys and myself. We can all improve some, but I thought he improved a lot last year. He made a big step forward and he became a starter and played good enough to play with a team that did well pass defense-wise, and that was really the big difference in our team last year, defensively, certainly, after giving up so many yards the year before.”