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Q. What's it like for you now on the field and looking around? You got Tank, Nico, all the weapons at your disposal?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, it's fun. A lot of hungry guys and guys who have played some great ball in their careers and just ready to win and ready to eat.
So it's very exciting. We're just trying to build that chemistry and timing right now and going pretty good right now.
Q. How important was it to get your your receipts together like you have this year? Sorry, throughout the off-season.
CJ STROUD: Yeah, it's really important. That's where not only you build just the timing and the chemistry on the field, but also just spending time off the field getting a feel for one another personality-wise, just really having fun with one another.
Football is meant to be fun, so that's what we do on those trips. Just really we know football is the reason we're here, so we get the work done but also enjoy it.
Q. ...Stefon in your remember off-season?
CJ STROUD: Just really how hard he works. He's somebody who loves the game and doesn't cheat it. That's why he's been successful, and I think he'll continue that success.
I'm blessed enough to hopefully be a part of that. That's some things that stuck out to me. Just how personable he is, how relatable he is, and friendly and vocal. Really nice to have him around.
Q. You had a great rookie here. What are some things that you think you can improve to take it to the next level?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I mean, there is a ton of things. Most of the things, you know, I really can say just like owning the offense more, the operation, putting more on my plate with run checks, protection checks, things like that.
And then really just like everything inside the field. Xs and Os can always be better. Always have better footwork. I want to definitely attack down the field more this year and press guys back, and also take what the defense gives me. If it's boring, if it's a boring play, stay with the boring stuff and be efficient with that.
So those are all things I can get better at. I hope to do that.
Q. (Regarding Stefon). Does is it feel different coming into this training camp?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think for me, just keep the main thing the main thing. We want to -- of course we have not only a lot of expectations, we have a lot of big goals on this team. That's how it should be.
The person that always doubts themself will probably never make it to that point. You got to have confidence and a goals and a plan and execute that plan. That's what we're doing.
Really you have to be where your feet are. We're in training camp now. You got to execute that and make sure we're taking every day to get better.
Q. What did you like about this team in terms of the locker room chemistry, the camaraderie? What do you like about the team?
CJ STROUD: I think you said it right there, just the camaraderie, the brotherhood. Last year I was blessed enough to have no egos and everybody -- was wonderful to see everyone do well and do well themselves of course.
When that's in the locker room it's nothing but success waiting to happen. That's kind of the vibe right now in the locker room.
Q. What are the goals you have for the season, and are they different from what you had going into last year?
CJ STROUD: No. I mean, winning. That's the goal. You win, you move on. So that's the goal from the start to finish.
Q. Last year you all had a mantra of iron sharpens iron. I've seen you talking to Derek after practice today. How important is that to be able to talk to those defensive players to see what they have seen from a defensive stand offensive line on a...
CJ STROUD: Yeah, you said it. Iron sharpens irons. Those are my teammates, and the people I want to see do well is on my team. So if he gets me on play, I ask him what he seen, and if I get him on a play he always asks me what I did to make that play work.
So it's just iron sharpens iron, good on good. Help one another.
Q. This year for you, having to deal everything as a rookie? (No microphone.)
CJ STROUD: Yeah, it's definitely a little more confident just knowing like how training camp works, the reps I'll take, going with the ones. Last year I really didn't know that until the very beginning of the regular season.
So right now, you know, just trying to just not only build the camaraderie but be a leader with the first team and the second and third. Everybody who is watching this can know this is the standard, so up to me to set the standard and very excited.
Q. You said you wanted some time off. First time you'll have some in a long time heading into the off-season. Were you able to relax? Was it busy? How would you summarize your first NFL off-season?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, a little bit of both. I had some time to sit down and sit with fam and really just enjoy some days in my mom's house, on her couch chilling, which I haven't got to do since high school.
Also I got to have my teammates come to LA, went to Miami with some guys from Houston. Really had some great throwing sessions with those guys. So it's been a multitude of both, I think a successful one.
It was my first one so I can learn from this and now next year have more of an idea on how this goes in the off-season.
Q. In the off-season (regarding Ohio State). What is your relationship with him and what type of talent, how can he help the team?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, me and Jeff missed each other by just one year. I was a fan of his in college when I was going to Ohio State. You know, he has a lot of up side and he'll show what I think -- what we see every day, I think he'll show that this year. I think he needed that fresh start, so excited for him to get that.
Q. (Indiscernible.) What can you tell us about that?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, me and Cade are brothers, man, somebody who I had the chance to play with in college, but spend a lot of time with him off the field in college, barbecuing chilling, playing the game, all type of stuff. That's somebody I consider my brother. Our families are really close.
He's been doing really well out here blocking, catching, running good routes on offense, which is really exciting to see.
Q. Coming out of Ohio State you were always were CJ Stroud of course. Going through your rookie year and all the accolades, how different has it been for you now? What CJ Stroud are we getting now? How is it for you out on the streets?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I would say the CJ you're getting is the CJ that's always been here. I don't plan on changing any time soon. I kind of was the same way last year. Of course, like have some success, but like I always remember like how quick they love you is how quick they hate you.
I am head down, working, tunnel vision on my goals and team goals we have. What happened last year happened, but you're never able to get that back. That's success and failure, so you learn from it, you move on, forget about, and now it's time to work from now on.
And you know, walking around the street, like I get a little more recognition and people noticing me, but I just try to show love. Let people know I'm a normal person that just plays football on TV sometimes.
So I really think I'm pretty normal. I don't know. But I'm blessed to be in this for sure.
Q. (Regarding film this off-season and Stefon.)
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I watched a little bit of everybody around the league. I watch Buffalo, Rams, Minnesota. I watch Kansas City. Lions are a great team to watch offensively. So I learn from everybody.
Yeah, Stef is somebody that definitely can open up your playbook. But we have all of those guys around. He'll say that too. So it's a five-headed monster. It's definitely super dope to have just a bunch of options.
Q. As a result, expectations are a little bit higher. How have you guys as a team been handling the outside noise and people expecting you guys to do really good things this year?
CJ STROUD: Just work. That's all it's about. Just working, and either you do it or you don't. We're the ones on the field that got to go figure it out. I think we'll do that. We been playing ball since we were kids. It's not going to be easy. It's going to be harder. We have a target on our back this year. That's how you should want it and that's what I'm used playing at Ohio State.
I'm really honored and blessed to have the teammates I do to want to challenge, and for guys to want to come and play here. This Texans team isn't for everybody. It's hard here. Blessed to play the game we been playing since we were kids.
I think all the expectations, we just work, everything will take care of itself. Story is already written.
Q. You went through it earlier about the ownership of the offense. What do you consider yourself as far as the mastery level? I know it changes week to week. From your standpoint, your evolution, where do you think you're standing now?
CJ STROUD: I'm still young in the game, pretty new. It's only year two for me, so I have a lot to learn. I want to get better. I'm willing to get better. I'm willing to be vulnerable about that and ask questions. I ask hard questions. I want to know why I'm doing what I'm doing.
Last year I got to see a lot of success from that also, some things that I need to get better at. It's a balance of not just shooting yourself in the foot but holding yourself accountable when you need to and raising yourself up and staying confident.
That's kind of where I'm at now most definitely.
Q. (No microphone.)
CJ STROUD: Right now, we got the game out, so we trying to get that in the locker room so guys can play and have some fun with that. Yeah, those are -- I mean, like being boys. There is no like secret sauce you put in there. Just guys being guys.
Q. (Regarding college football game.)
CJ STROUD: I like it. Yeah, I liked it. They put the (indiscernible) in there. I need a check.
I'm praying for everybody from the hurricane. Help is on the way. Me and my foundation are trying to help right now as I'm speaking. We're thinking about everybody who was affected. We want to help. Praying for everybody. Hope everybody is getting their power back. We are trying to get people in the streets to get the debris and stuff off people's houses and gates and fences.
Prayers out, and if we can help out in any way, just reach out to my foundation, please, and we'll try.
Thank you, guys.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports