YumaCactus
06-02-2008, 01:10 AM
Posted: June 1, 2008
Megan Manfull
For Sporting News
Matt Schaub (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 6849))'s first season as a starter after being traded by the Falcons was anything but smooth. He missed five games, left four other games early because of injuries and watched Sage Rosenfels (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 5557)) emerge as a threat to take the starting job by going 4-1 in Schaub's absence. But as soon as the season ended, Texans coach Gary Kubiak snuffed a potential controversy by announcing Schaub would remain the team's starter.
Now, the coaches are counting on Schaub, who will work on how to take hits better while continuing his recovery from offseason surgery on his nonthrowing shoulder, to prove why they have so much faith in him.
Schaub reflects on last season -- and looks ahead to 2008 -- with Sporting News correspondent Megan Manfull.
SN: How much did it help your confidence when Kubiak named you the 2008 starter right away?
SCHAUB: It's definitely a confidence booster to know your coach has that confidence in you. You always need two quarterbacks in this league to get through a season. Sage went in there and played really well. We support each other and are really good friends. But to have that confidence instilled in you right from the get-go is huge.
SN: Because Rosenfels played so well last year, does that put extra pressure on you?
SCHAUB: I don't know about pressure. But it's competition. That's just the way the game is. We embrace that. We like that. In this business, you can never settle or get too comfortable in your position because that's when someone will sneak up and take your spot. Embrace the competition and keep going.
SN: What did you learn in your first year as a starter?
SCHAUB: It's a grueling, long season. As a backup, you don't really get a full sense of it because you're not out there every day mentally just drilling yourself on the game plan, going through the reps and then going out there on Sundays and trying to play consistently for 16 or 17 weeks. It's a marathon of a season. And I had to go through that with an injury and missing some time. It's something that now I know what it takes -- how to prepare and how to withstand that season.
SN: How did you chill out after the season?
SCHAUB: I didn't. I had surgery. After that, I got married and went on my honeymoon.
SN: What's the biggest thing you're working on this offseason?
SCHAUB: Getting myself healthy. Rehabbing my shoulder and getting to work out again. I'm just focusing on that side of things.
SN: After the Texans finished 8-8 last season, do you sense higher expectations and a different attitude?
SCHAUB: I can't say there are different expectations because we always expect to play and finish at a high level. But, obviously, after we finished with the best record this organization has ever had, people outside can see, "They are on their way." We are only a few wins away from reaching the level we want to get to year in and year out. We are starting to realize we are so close and just a few plays away from reaching that goal.
SN: How tough was it to go 8-8 and still finish last in your division?
SCHAUB: I look at it differently than other people. I like it because week in and week out you're going to be playing against tough competition. There are going to be some fierce Sunday afternoons when you're going against the Colts, Titans and Jaguars. Every game means that much more. So I actually think it makes it more fun. It makes it more exciting to know that every week those lights go on, it means something.
SN: What do you need to do to close the gap in the division?
SCHAUB: Take care of the ball. Take the ball away. Improve the turnover margin. If we do that, we could have easily won two, three or maybe four more games last season. We were right in some of those games and should have won them there toward the end. But if we take care of the ball better and the defense creates a turnover or two more, hey, we're right there in that hunt.
SN: What are your first impressions of rookie left tackle Duane Brown (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 8803))?
SCHAUB: Well, you know, he's a big guy. He's young and he's hungry. You can tell he wants to come in here and help us out and play at a high level. He's starting to learn how to think and react to things at this level and at this speed of play, so you can definitely sense he has the potential. Once he gets his stuff down, he will be a great player.
SN: Two quarterbacks from your draft class -- Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning -- have Super Bowl rings. What did you learn from watching Eli win his?
SCHAUB: You don't have to do too much. Just manage the game, trust your defense and just play the game and take what the other team gives you. Don't try to do too many things, and play smart. The Class of '04 has numbers that count When it comes to the NFL's favorite subject--quarterbacks--there may never be another Class of '83, but don't overlook the Class of '04. It's putting up hefty numbers in areas that mean the most: wins and championships. In fact, the '04 class already has as many Super Bowl rings as the '83ers: two. And how about that 108-78 regular-season record and 11-6 postseason mark?
Megan Manfull
For Sporting News
Matt Schaub (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 6849))'s first season as a starter after being traded by the Falcons was anything but smooth. He missed five games, left four other games early because of injuries and watched Sage Rosenfels (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 5557)) emerge as a threat to take the starting job by going 4-1 in Schaub's absence. But as soon as the season ended, Texans coach Gary Kubiak snuffed a potential controversy by announcing Schaub would remain the team's starter.
Now, the coaches are counting on Schaub, who will work on how to take hits better while continuing his recovery from offseason surgery on his nonthrowing shoulder, to prove why they have so much faith in him.
Schaub reflects on last season -- and looks ahead to 2008 -- with Sporting News correspondent Megan Manfull.
SN: How much did it help your confidence when Kubiak named you the 2008 starter right away?
SCHAUB: It's definitely a confidence booster to know your coach has that confidence in you. You always need two quarterbacks in this league to get through a season. Sage went in there and played really well. We support each other and are really good friends. But to have that confidence instilled in you right from the get-go is huge.
SN: Because Rosenfels played so well last year, does that put extra pressure on you?
SCHAUB: I don't know about pressure. But it's competition. That's just the way the game is. We embrace that. We like that. In this business, you can never settle or get too comfortable in your position because that's when someone will sneak up and take your spot. Embrace the competition and keep going.
SN: What did you learn in your first year as a starter?
SCHAUB: It's a grueling, long season. As a backup, you don't really get a full sense of it because you're not out there every day mentally just drilling yourself on the game plan, going through the reps and then going out there on Sundays and trying to play consistently for 16 or 17 weeks. It's a marathon of a season. And I had to go through that with an injury and missing some time. It's something that now I know what it takes -- how to prepare and how to withstand that season.
SN: How did you chill out after the season?
SCHAUB: I didn't. I had surgery. After that, I got married and went on my honeymoon.
SN: What's the biggest thing you're working on this offseason?
SCHAUB: Getting myself healthy. Rehabbing my shoulder and getting to work out again. I'm just focusing on that side of things.
SN: After the Texans finished 8-8 last season, do you sense higher expectations and a different attitude?
SCHAUB: I can't say there are different expectations because we always expect to play and finish at a high level. But, obviously, after we finished with the best record this organization has ever had, people outside can see, "They are on their way." We are only a few wins away from reaching the level we want to get to year in and year out. We are starting to realize we are so close and just a few plays away from reaching that goal.
SN: How tough was it to go 8-8 and still finish last in your division?
SCHAUB: I look at it differently than other people. I like it because week in and week out you're going to be playing against tough competition. There are going to be some fierce Sunday afternoons when you're going against the Colts, Titans and Jaguars. Every game means that much more. So I actually think it makes it more fun. It makes it more exciting to know that every week those lights go on, it means something.
SN: What do you need to do to close the gap in the division?
SCHAUB: Take care of the ball. Take the ball away. Improve the turnover margin. If we do that, we could have easily won two, three or maybe four more games last season. We were right in some of those games and should have won them there toward the end. But if we take care of the ball better and the defense creates a turnover or two more, hey, we're right there in that hunt.
SN: What are your first impressions of rookie left tackle Duane Brown (http://javascript<b></b>:fantasyPopup('nfl', 8803))?
SCHAUB: Well, you know, he's a big guy. He's young and he's hungry. You can tell he wants to come in here and help us out and play at a high level. He's starting to learn how to think and react to things at this level and at this speed of play, so you can definitely sense he has the potential. Once he gets his stuff down, he will be a great player.
SN: Two quarterbacks from your draft class -- Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning -- have Super Bowl rings. What did you learn from watching Eli win his?
SCHAUB: You don't have to do too much. Just manage the game, trust your defense and just play the game and take what the other team gives you. Don't try to do too many things, and play smart. The Class of '04 has numbers that count When it comes to the NFL's favorite subject--quarterbacks--there may never be another Class of '83, but don't overlook the Class of '04. It's putting up hefty numbers in areas that mean the most: wins and championships. In fact, the '04 class already has as many Super Bowl rings as the '83ers: two. And how about that 108-78 regular-season record and 11-6 postseason mark?