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| The Houston Texans Held Training Camp Practice In West Virginia |
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. - “Almost Heaven, West Virginia,” were the words bellowed out by John Denver back in August 1971 on his hit song “Country Roads.”
Most of the players on the Houston Texans roster had never heard of that song before, but after spending a week at the Greenbrier Sports Performance Center in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, the lyrics are probably still stuck in the back of their minds.
For the second year in a row, the Houston Texans left the comfort of the Methodist Training Center and NRG Stadium to go “Camping.”
Last season, after their first preseason game against the Chicago Bears, the team practiced for three days at University School in Huntington Valley, Ohio, which is the high school alma mater of general manager and executive vice president Nick Caserio, as they prepared for their second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With so much success in building team chemistry and brotherhood, head coach DeMeco Ryans decided it was a good idea to leave Houston again to continue what they had started last season.
“DeMeco is a big believer in connections,” Caserio said exclusively to Big Sarge Media. “So, I would say that trip last year to Cleveland, when it is just you, there is nowhere to turn other than to yourself. There is always a number of factors that go into it, but just being a team is the goal. Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everyone involved.”
The Texans often visited the Greenbrier Sports Performance Center when former Texans head coach Bill O’Brien was coaching the team, and according to Caserio, the facility has all the tools and resources needed for an NFL team to practice there.
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| Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. (51) and S Calen Bullock (2) |
Ryans, who is in his third year as head coach for the Texans, echoed Caserio’s comments when asked about the reasons behind their decision to hold training camp away from their usual facility again.
“When we went to Ohio, just being there, we saw how connected our guys became,” said Ryans. “Guys didn’t have anywhere to go. Guys couldn’t run home. So, it made it like the old school (training) camp.”
Being away from all the distractions that can happen off the field during training camp and just focusing on getting better was the highlight for many Texans players, who could often be seen hanging out with each other at the Greenbrier hotel.
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| Texans WR Xavier Hutchinson |
“You get to learn a lot about your teammates when you spend an extended amount of time with them, like we have done the last two camps,” said third-year wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson. "Knowing a person’s skill set and what they contribute to the team is something we observe on the field and during film study. But hearing about a teammate’s upbringing or learning more about their hobbies and interests helps forge stronger bonds."
As the Texans wrapped up their final practice day in White Sulphur Springs before traveling to Minnesota for their first preseason game, DeMeco Ryans took some time to reflect on the past week.
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| Texans WR Nico Collins Practices Getting Two Feet In Bounds During Individual Drills |
“Guys just continued to get tighter,” said Ryans about the similarities of both camps away from Houston. “Guys were just hanging out and bonding as teammates. That’s the stuff that happens off the field that no one sees.
“Everyone wants to report what they see on the field, but I truly believe that you have to be a tight team and be connected off the field, and I have seen that growth from our team, and that is all I could have hoped for.”
The Texans will return to Houston after their preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings and will start preparing for their next opponent, the Carolina Panthers, at NRG Stadium on Saturday.