Five days of training camp are complete, and Chris Myers can see a marked change in the Texans' atmosphere.
"It's just overall accountability," the veteran center said. "Everyone being on top of their own game to make each other better, to practice hard every single day and being accountable for one another. Once you're able to do that, success will come."
Myers and company have Thursday off, but will hit the fields at the Houston Methodist Training Center on Friday morning. A starter for all 16 games a season since arriving in 2008, Myers' leadership has been a key so far in a time of change.
"We have obviously a very young team and a lot of new guys that are new to the area and the team,
so being able to introduce them and take them under your wing and show them how Houston Texans football is," Myers said. "Obviously, that's changing with Coach O'Brien, but for the better."
A couple of young linemen have stood out through the first five days of camp.
"Alex Kupper actually jumped up there with the ones for the last few days, and he's really making a name for himself," Myers said. "He's playing pretty consistent and James Ferentz no. 78 playing center."
In fact, Myers described Ferentz as "an MVP for week 1".
"He's out here grinding away," Myers said. "He's doing his thing, he's focusing on what he needs to do and he's grinding away in the run game. So I'm impressed by his overall football game."
Ferentz is a rookie free agent from Iowa, and earlier in the week, O'Brien said he's practiced well enough to give himself a "chance to make the team".
