2013 Houston Texans OTAs: Quotes From Day Seven

The team's official site has an All-Kubes edition of the post-OTA quotes today. Here's a link to the full transcript. Below are a handful of the more noteworthy words Houston's head coach uttered after his charges completed the seventh day of their 2013 OTAs.

Gary Kubiak:

(on what he’d like to see from his team by the end of the mini-camp) "What I’m doing right now, to be honest with you, probably have got everyone way overloaded, all these young guys. I’m really trying to see what they can handle. We’re throwing a bunch at them every day, just seeing who can keep up and really trying to send a message to them of what they’re going to have to handle when we come back. You expect some of these things. But it’s interesting because you see some of them handle it. You see some of them struggling right now. We’ll sort it all out but try to get them all in position to compete in July."

(on how the team is doing health-wise) "We’re fine. Everybody’s alright, I think so."

(on NT Earl Mitchell) "(NT) Earl (Mitchell) is doing really well. Earl’s obviously a starter and he acts like one right now. He’s just very confident in what he’s doing. Usually that’s what you’ll see when a guy gets that opportunity, they’ll take it and run with it. Everything this offseason, not just OTAs, has indicated that Earl is ready for his turn. (I’m) proud of what he’s done so far."

(on which young players are jumping out at him) "There’s quite a few. I don’t know. When I say young players, I include (WR) Keshawn (Martin) and (WR) Lestar (Jean) and people like that, and (RG) Brandon (Brooks). They’re young players. Defensively, I think I’ve said this a few times, watching (OLB) Whitney (Mercilus) work this year. All of the sudden he goes, he’s a full-time starter. He’s a very young player. He’s obviously much improved in everything he’s done. So that will be the key to our team this year; how quick guys like Whitney become four- and five-year players instead of second-year players. But they’ve had a good offseason. It’s been good."

(on how Brandon Brooks has stepped up to handle the responsibility of being a starter) "Good. We’re not in pads so it’s tough to see linemen but the biggest thing, he’s comfortable mentally in what he’s doing so his physical talents have taken over. He went and took care of himself this offseason. Y’all can see how he came back, so that tells you how important it is to him."

(on how OLB Bryan Braman fits into the competition at outside linebacker) "Very much so. I mean, (OLB) Bryan’s (Braman) basically working as a starter. He’s a different guy than he was last year for us. The young kid (OLB) Willie Jefferson that we’ve got out here, reminds me of Bryan a lot that we had last year. They’re going to be called on to play and play big for us. So you need to have a great—not only these days, but summer as well."