‘I feel like I’ve grown a lot,’ how Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud takes ownership of new offense in Nick Caley collab

HOUSTON – Rifling passes with precision, C.J. Stroud lobbed spirals over the top of the defense with a practiced motion while smiling in the pocket.

Before he broke the huddle at practice, the Texans’ star quarterback greeted several teammates with elaborate handshakes he dreams up for individualized encouragement and fun.

Heading into a pivotal third season, having previously led the Texans to a pair of AFC South division titles, the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has taken on greater ownership and autonomy over an overhauled offense that became stagnant last season under former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

While absorbing a ton of sacks and hits and watching his statistics decline behind a failing offensive line and adapting to an injury-riddled receiving corps, Stroud never complained. Ultimately, the Texans took major steps to try to upgrade the offense from a personnel standpoint. And Slowik was fired and replaced by former Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots assistant Nick Caley as the new offensive coordinator.

Stroud is embracing all of the change while being analytical about his own growth as a leader. It’s a new day for the Texans and their quarterback in his third season playing for coach DeMeco Ryans.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot spiritually, physically and mentally,” Stroud said. “I’m just grateful to have a coach like DeMeco who promotes that and family and friends who support me and teammates as well. So, feel like I’ve grown a lot.”

Yes, reaching the playoffs and winning the division are what Stroud is looking for. He’s also aiming even higher. The Texans are 0-6 all-time as a franchise in the AFC divisional round. They are the only team in the AFC to never reach an AFC championship game. Stroud is the opposite of complacent. He’s extremely hungry and ambitious.

“I just want consistent wins,” Stroud said. “Not just like on the scoreboard or just on the field, of course that’s very important, but just in life. So, just consistently winning.”

Winning for Stroud takes on a different form in terms of his responsibilities this season in a new-look offense that includes dramatic changes to the offensive line after trading five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil in addition to adding wide receivers Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to go with returning Pro Bowl selection Nico Collins.

Stroud now has the freedom to audible and change protection schemes, which wasn’t happening under Slowik. The relationship between Stroud and Slowik deteriorated as confidence in the former San Francisco 49ers assistant declined. Slowik wasn’t adapting and making halftime adjustments. And Stroud couldn’t make the changes he wanted to make under the previous setup. That isn’t the case with how Caley is approaching Stroud’s role. Stroud has the ability to institute change and take on greater leadership over an offense that includes returning quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, whom he’s worked with since his Elite 11 days in high school, and new senior offensive assistant and pass game specialist Jerry Schuplinski.

“This is more of a quarterback’s offense where you’re IDing, calling the shots, switching protections if you need,” Stroud said. “It’s just me and the center. I must have good communication with those guys and relay to everybody else what’s going on. Nick is doing a great job teaching us that, so is Jerry and Jerro. It’s a lot more ownership.

“I think it’s an opportunity to grow there. Every year there is a leadership role I can learn a little more. I think that gives me another edge where guys, if you change the play or do something good, guys can say, ‘Okay, we can trust this guy.’ That definitely helps leadership.”

As Stroud goes, so do the Texans. It’s a lot for Stroud to work on, but it’s a privilege he embraces.

“From that quarterback perspective you want that ownership,” Ryans said. “You want it to be on your plate so to speak. C.J., he’s looking forward to it. He’s open to it. He wanted it and we’re here. And so, I think he’s done a really fantastic job so far.

“Caley has done a really great job working with him. They’re getting on the same page, making sure the terminology, everything makes sense so we can get in and out of the huddle fast and play fast and operate clean. We’ve been doing that.”

Role model and friend Tom Brady won six Super Bowls in New England running a version of the offense Caley is installing.

Stroud has been watching vintage film of Brady from the formative years of the Patriots’ offense. While Caley has influences from Rams coach Sean McVay during his time as tight ends coach and passing game coordinator and working for Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick in New England, he’s putting his own stamp on the offense that he plans to adapt to the Texans’ personnel and change to attack every game plan depending on the opponent’s strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.

Stroud hasn’t consulted with Brady about the offense, but he’s watching his past handiwork to learn an offense that includes a lot of motion and movement before and at the snap and option routes for the receivers and quarterbacks as they read the defense. There’s also a plan to establish the run and become more physical.

“Those clips are always great to watch, somebody do it and at such a high level,” Stroud said. “He’s not like physically imposing his will but mentally whopping guys, play in and play out. I want to get to that. Like you said, they started back in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.

“It’s been a long time that it’s been the same offense. This is my first year, it’s not going to be what I watch on film yet. I’m sure that one day it will. I haven’t talked to him, but I’m sure if I did, he would have some advice.”

Stroud and Caley are already off to a strong start in their relationship.

“He’s doing a good job,” Caley said. “I enjoy being around him every single day and growing every day. So, it’s been a lot of fun.”

Caley is a coach with a lot of energy and high-octane attitude. He gets up early every day fired up and ready to go. Stroud is a lot more laidback in terms of personality, but they’ve meshed well in their collaboration.

“Nick is a fiery young coach who loves to yell and run around,” Stroud said. “I love it. He brings juice to the building every day. So, I’m excited to work with him every day and try to build a relationship. He’s done a good job relating to the players and always asking us what we want, how we want to do things and making it player owned. I love that of him.”

Stroud organized offseason throwing sessions with his teammates, including a trip north of the border to Toronto, Canada. The idea: a time to bond, experience a different culture together and build camaraderie.

“I’m a people person, so I think I’m a plug-and-play guy,” Stroud said. “I can relate to anybody at any time. I think that helps with me on the field. The new guys, I think I mesh with them pretty well. We’ve hung out of the field and seen each other out. I think I’ll be fine in that area and just try to keep building those relationships.”

Stroud runs the show, but he’s also one of the guys and jokes with and has deep relationships with his teammates.

“I feel like C.J. is the same guy he was: calm, collected leader,” Collins said. “That’s what you would expect from your quarterback. But feel like this year he’s on a mission every day to get better. Just like everybody else. I feel you can’t get complacent and comfortable in the league. You got to be able to grow. You see it every day on the grass field.”

Stroud will be eligible for a blockbuster contact extension next offseason after completing the third year of his rookie deal. How expensive an undertaking for the Texans, perhaps in the $60 million range, will depend on the success on the field. The Texans love what Stroud is doing.

“Yeah, C.J. had a good offseason,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “Our expectations for him are no different than any other player. Be the best you can be each day. Go out there and try to do the job to the best of your ability. If everybody does that as a team, we’re going to be in a pretty good spot.”

The way Caserio drafted players like rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery and signed veteran free agent offensive linemen and projected starters Cam Robinson and Laken Tomlinson and augmented the receiving corps with Stefon Diggs gone in free agency and Tank Dell sidelined with torn knee ligaments is something Stroud embraced.

“Just like anything in life, if that’s time, people, personal things, you got to invest into it,” Stroud said. “So, I’m grateful that we’re trying to fix things and get things squared away. I’m trying to lift those guys up every day. I think it’s very important and I’m excited and happy we did that.”

While a relatively stagnant offense and Stroud dipped significantly statistically last season, the Texans are confident that Stroud will take another leap in his development next season.

For a franchise with ambitions set on making a deep playoff run, Stroud represents a key figure in everything they’re working toward. There’s a strong belief in Stroud in the locker room, from the coaching staff and at the top of the organization from ownership.

A former second overall pick and Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State, Stroud, 23, has won a pair of AFC wild-card round playoff wins. He has completed 66.1 percent of his throws for a combined 976 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in the playoffs. In the regular season, Stroud has a 19-13 winning percentage with 63.5 percent accuracy, 7,835 yards, 43 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and a 93.7 passer rating.

Stroud’s numbers dipped last season to 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions one year removed from an epic rookie season that’s one of the best quarterback performances by a first-year player in NFL history. That wasn’t entirely on him, though. He was on the ground a lot, sacked 52 times in the regular season. He was sacked eight times and hit 14 times overall in an AFC divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“From C.J., I’ve seen continued growth,” Ryans said. “He’s now learning a new scheme, new offense, and he’s putting in the work, being diligent about working to be on it when it comes to the communication.

“We put a lot more things on his plate. He’s done a great job with that, and we’ll see him continue to progress. Really excited for him to really learn something new and really continue to lead our team.”

Stroud is determined to control the controllable. For him, that means everything: strategy, attitude, the whole nine yards.

“My attitude, my play, my communication. I think those are some things I can control,” Stroud said. “I’ll try to do that as best I can. I think we won some games and went to the playoffs and did some great things. Everybody is different, different personalities, different people. We got to adjust on what people like. For me, my job is being a servant, so I’m trying to serve others.

“I would say just trust the process. It’s not about what people think, who people think you are, what they think you are or when they think you should do it. It’s about your process and how you’re going to go about it. If God is happy, you’re teammates are happy and yourself, then you’re good.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com