Rookies Might See More Time Against Colts [Chron.com]
 

From the beat in the Chron:

Getting the rooks some reps is one of the last ways to salvage anything from this wasted year of 2008 for the Houston Texans.

Kubiak's regretted not letting some of the young guys back-ups play more the last year or two....Diles, Walter, etc. It's a good idea. They might not be any better than what we already have, but it could help make things a little more clear when the off season starts.

Hello.....what about Okam? He could be the best of the bunch, but we will never know if he doesn't get more chances.

Played last week. Didn't do real well. Kubes said he would play again this week. Their hoping he does better.

Kubiak hasn't exactly been high on Okam. I'd be suprised to see him live out his rookie contract.

DT's take time to develop, and I still have high hopes for Okam. That being said, he routinely got driven back...not always by a double team either. Not good for a guy who we thught could be the monster in the middle to anchor everything . He did make a couple of really nice plays, bot there was more negative than positve that I saw.

He still needs to play. Okam getting reps will help a lot more next year than letting zgonnia and his big old calves trot out there.

Doesn't say much for the position coaches, one of which is Jethro Franklin, can't remember the other one.

It's Karmelowicz I think...although he's been re-designated as special assistnat for defense....or some other BS title. I've got plenty of questions on the position coaches, but mainly Hoke. It think there could be some issues with having two guys in charge of the defensive line, but I don't think Okam is evidence of bad position coaching...although there's plenty of other evidence. There's a reason Okam slipped....even at Texas, where I was a big fan, he would disappear for stretches or even whole games. DT in the NFL requires "man" strength, not weight room strength. It takes time.

Franklin and Bush have been the DL coaches.

My question for all of you is how long did it take Tommy Harris and Vince Wilfork to adjust to the NFL? And both of them where considered can't miss guys.

The one thing this team does not have with it's fan base is the one thing it needs, time to grow up.

That's right, and Karmelowicz was the DL coach in 2006 and is now special assistant to head coach....code for didn't want to have to fire him.

The same problem he's having right now is the problem he had in college. I'm not going to hold my breath.

I'm not denying the problem in college...although I do think it's overstated some. Even really good DT's aren't going to get noticed unless you are really paying attention. It's quite possible for a DT to have an outstanding game and have zero tackles to show for it. He did seem to lose interest at times in college and not dominate when he should have, so I understand the concern though...

Once a player gets tagged with something like that it is almost impossible to break. Even if Okam turns out to be the anchor in the middle for the next 8 years, I guarantee there will still be plenty of people talking about how he's always out of shape and doesn't play hard.

Sounds kinda like what everyone says about TJ now. And like Painkiller said, no one has patience. DL takes time for almost every player, add in bad coaching for two years, playing out of position for 5, and manner is which he was aquired and forget it. TJ might as well go play for the arena league as far as most people are concerned.

I like TJ, he has become an average player with good motor, even playing out of position. He is no more true NT than I am. He has come out of his shell, and he shows spirit now that he didnt have before. Is he a draft bust, maybe but he cant help that anymore than Brady can help going in the 7th. Is he a bust as an NFL player, not to me.

If Okam can run his big butt on the field and take double teams all day keeping a blocker off the LB's to make plays at or behind the line then I could care less if his carrer tackle total is 0.

You could have included Haloti Ngati. I was very high on Willfork, and then Ngata, but the coaches weren't listening. Oh well. It's the Houston curse.