Danny Barrett – Syndication Server

Texans’ Dameon Pierce credits RB coach Danny Barrett with early success

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce gives credit to RB coach Danny Barrett for the early success he has had so far.

Dameon Pierce knows who gets a big chunk of the credit for his early success as an NFL running back.

“I would say like 93%,” Pierce told reporters Thursday after Houston Texans training camp practice.

Who gets the “93%” for Pierce’s development as a pro is running backs coach Danny Barrett, who gave the former Florida product a routine to stick with as he adjusted to the NFL.

“It’s really just habitual,” Pierce said. “All my ‘habituals’ I kind of, you know — D.B. [Barrett] did a great job of grooming me into the player that I am off the field, because on the field, he was like, ‘That’s the easy part.’ The easy part is on the field, the hard part is maintaining it, doing it every day, having the same routine day in and day out.”

Some weeks were better for Pierce on the ground while others had hardly any daylight. Nevertheless the theme of waking up sore with back aches and tightness was the same, regardless of what happened on the field, but the routine kept Pierce going.

Another area where Barrett helped was with the way Pierce saw himself.

Said Pierce: “He is very clear on the vision he has for me even when I don’t see that vision for myself. Like, I had an interview earlier, he was like, ‘How did you feel being 61 yards short of 1,000 yards?’ I couldn’t imagine that, but D.B. saw that from day one, and he saw the potential I had and he brought it up out of me, so I [give] credit a lot to coach Danny.”

What Pierce can count on when it comes to Barrett, who is in his sixth season coaching the Texans’ backs, is consistency.

“I don’t care if I was a year 10 vet, he’ll still be on me like I was a rookie, so that’s one thing I like about D.B.: he’s going to be the same him every day, and he’s going to bring the same intensity every day,” said Pierce. “He’s going to hold me to a standard, a high standard.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Report: Texans keep Danny Barrett as running backs coach

The Houston Texans are bringing back running backs coach Danny Barrett as part of DeMeco Ryans’ staff.

If there is no malfunction, why undertake corrective measures?

That is the strategy the Houston Texans are deploying with their running back coach position.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are retaining Danny Barrett as their running backs coach, bringing back the 61-year-old for his sixth season with Houston.

The Texans had a promising season with the run game in 2022 with the emergence of fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce, who tallied 939 yards and four touchdowns through 13 games. The rookie was third in the NFL among the 2022 draft class for rushing yards.

Pierce was also the first back to have 900-plus rushing yards for Houston since 2019 when Carlos Hyde hit the mark en route to 1,080 yards on the season.

Houston bringing back Barrett is another Texans Wire prediction nailed regarding coach DeMeco Ryans’ staff.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601914802]

Texans must help RB Dameon Pierce take care of himself to have longer career

Rookie Dameon Pierce proved he can be a bowling ball of a running back, but the Houston Texans must help him preserve himself to have a longer career.

Dameon Pierce was hard to bring down.

Pierce, who has not played a down since the fourth quarter of Week 14 as his season ended with an ankle injury, is still tied for the fourth-most yards per carry after contact at 2.3.

While the production was impressive for a rookie, it may be unsustainable for the Houston Texans’ fourth-rounder throughout the entirety of his four-year contract.

According to running backs coach Danny Barrett, the coaching staff is aware of Pierce’s bruising style in his rookie year and believe they can tinker with it to incorporate more elusive elements and keep Pierce fresh.

“We’ve already talked about it,” Barrett said. “Go look at every rep that we had last year for himself and then look at what could have we done different with the finish, whether we’re going to run through people, which you’re going to have to do sometimes, or do we try to make a move at the second level and just make them miss. I think he has that ability to do that, and I think that’s what you’re going to see more so from him in the future.”

There is evidence to suggest that Pierce can add an elusive element to his game. The Florida product had the third-most broken tackles in the league at 27, and had the third-most broken tackles per attempt at 8.1.

“He won’t be just running over people,” said Barrett. “He’ll make guys miss in space, sort of like the long touchdown run earlier in the year. He made a guy miss in space. He used his speed to get into the end zone as opposed to running through it. Those are the things we’ll look at collectively, and he’ll get better from that.”

Pierce’s 939 rushing yards were the third-best by a rookie runner in Texans history, and are still 13th in the NFL going into Week 17. No other rookie running back has more yards than Pierce in 2022.

[listicle id=79761]

RB Dameon Pierce surprised Texans with his ability to keep his legs moving

Houston Texans running backs coach Danny Barrett says Dameon Pierce’s ability to keep his legs moving was something that surprised the staff.

The Houston Texans knew what they were getting in their fourth-round running back from Florida.

Dameon Pierce had demonstrated at Florida and throughout the draft process that he was a physical runner and would finish off runs.

According to running backs coach Danny Barrett, while Houston knew they were adding a “talented football player” to the stable, they didn’t know what else Pierce would be able to offer.

“You knew he was a physical runner, able to finish runs,” said Barrett. “But just his ability to keep those legs moving and moving, pounce like that, adapting to the speed of the game, he probably surprised himself somewhat as well.”

Pierce was tied with Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery for the third-lowest yards before contact per carry in the NFL at 2.0, indicating the the offensive line wasn’t opening enough holes for running backs. However, Pierce was able to finish off runs with his 2.3 yards after contact, still tied for the fourth-most in the NFL despite Pierce not having played a down since Week 14.

The rookie started in 13 games for Houston, and the attitude Pierce brought inside NRG Stadium buoyed a team that struggled to win throughout the year.

“Because of the type of work ethic he has and his attitude every day, it’s infectious,” Barrett said. “He comes to work every day trying to get better, and that’s really what he built on week in and week out. How can I get better? How can I improve?”

Pierce finished the season with 939 rushing yards, which are the 13th-most in the NFL entering Week 17. No other rookie has more yards than Pierce, despite his season ending with an ankle injury in Week 14.

The Texans’ rookie was voted an alternate to the Pro Bowl, but will not be able to be an official Pro Bowler until a running back from the AFC drops out.

Said Barrett: “I’m happy for him that his peers recognized him as well to be voted as an alternate to the Pro Bowl. That says a lot for a first-year player and not being able to finish off the year.”

Pierce’s 939 rushing yards rank as the third-best for a rookie running back in Texans history.

Running backs coach Danny Barrett explains why his players are crucial to the Texans offensive success

Barrett let reporters know that the #Texans’ offensive success is dependent on how well his players are prepared.

The Houston Texans have relied on their ground game to move down the field on offense, and with a challenging matchup against the Tennessee Titans on the horizon, they will continue to lean on their running backs for major production in Week 8. Running backs coach Danny Barrett spoke to reporters about the importance of his group in the offense’s success on Thursday and made it clear that the varied skillsets they bring to the table are a major part of the success they’ve found so far this season.

“First and second down is key, whether it be running the football or out of the backfield being in a checkdown situation,” Barrett explained. “It’s been good. I think we’re more versatile than what we’ve been dealing with before. I think unpredictable as well, which is always going to keep the defense off balance. Hopefully we can continue to do that. I’m looking forward to the outing this week against Tennessee. It’s always a big game. I love that fact that we’re going to be back at home in front of our home fans, loud and proud as we come out. For us, we’ve just got to get back on track, get a win and get moving.”

The Texans faithful should have a good game on their hands on Sunday as the team looks to push the envelope of what rookie running back Dameon Pierce is able to do against their division rivals. Tennessee is sitting atop the divisional standings at the moment but will be starting rookie quarterback Malik Willis for the first time in his career.

While the quarterback change won’t affect the effectiveness of the Texans’ running backs, it could mean that Houston will have the luxury of moving the ball on the ground if they don’t have to erase a deficit as soon as the game starts. Watch for Pierce and resurgent back Dare Ogunbowale to be key fixtures in the Texans’ gameplan, and clutch contributors in the effort to secure the team’s second win of the season/

Texans running backs coach Danny Barrett says Dameon Pierce can improve his vision with continued film study

The #Texans’ running backs coach was bullish on Pierce’s ability to develop his vision with more time spent studying opponents’ film

One of the few things that have gone right for the Houston Texans this season is the outstanding play of their rookie running back Dameon Pierce. His excellent work in the ground game has been a boon for the team through seven weeks, and given that he is still in just his first season as a pro, it isn’t out of the question that he might continue to get even better.

Running backs coach Danny Barrett commented on one area that Pierce can improve in the coming weeks in his remarks to reporters on Thursday. When asked about the rookie’s vision, Barrett told the media that continued film study will help Pierce get a more natural feel for where he needs to go with the ball in his hands.

“It’s all about the concept in which we are trying to present,” Barrett explained. “Understanding which run concept we are in and being able to hit your landmarks and know your reads. We do a lot of that in film study, on the field, going through it on the field, making those cuts, trying to visualize what’s going to take place. Ideally, we always talk about the O-line is going to get you to the second level, which is the secondary, and once (Dameon Pierce) can get to the secondary, now it’s up to him. Whether he’s going to beat them with speed or use any kind of cuts to try to get to those home runs. He’s got the ability to do that. He’s shown that in the past.”

Pierce’s talent is unquestionable at this point, and as a key cog in the Texans’ offensive attack, any improvement he makes in his rookie season will serve to strengthen the team moving forward. If he can follow the roadmap laid out by Barrett and continue to chip away at the few weaknesses he has shown this season, Houston might have an All-Pro caliber running back on their hands in the very near future.

Is the Texans’ Rex Burkhead the underdog to be RB1?

The Houston Texans have a crowded group at running back with three Pro Bowlers in the mix. Can Rex Burkhead emerge as the starting RB?

When people think of the Houston Texans’ competitive running back group, Pro Bowlers Mark Ingram, David Johnson, and Phillip Lindsay come to mind.

However, there could be an underdog in the group that could vie for the top spot.

According to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus, Burkhead has a shot to be the Texans’ starting running back due to his efficiency as a pass-catcher.

The Texans running back competition is unusual, to say the least. Lindsay is the youngest player at the position at 27, while the other three backs will be on the wrong side of 30 by the end of the season. Johnson was the only player on the roster in 2020, while the other three were all free-agent additions this offseason.

The former Denver Bronco has been the best player of the four on the ground in recent years, leading the group in explosive plays over the past four campaigns at 65, even though he’s just played three seasons while the others have played in all four.

Meanwhile, Burkhead has been the most efficient receiver among the group, averaging 1.89 yards per route run over the past four years. Everyone else is under 1.50 over that same timeframe.

Anything could happen in this one. We may not have a clear winner now, but it’s a situation to keep monitoring as the season gets closer.

Burkhead caught 96 passes for 856 yards and seven touchdowns in his 41 career games with the New England Patriots from 2017-20. With the Cincinnati Bengals from 2013-16, Burkhead caught 34 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown through 42 career games.

Running backs coach Danny Barrett told reporters on June 8 that he believes the competition at running back will “sort itself out.”

“Right now we’re really just working on conditioning and just getting the base fundamentals down from a positional standpoint more so than plays,” Barrett said. “I think it’ll sort itself out. Again, just looking at what each and every guy can do right now, it’s been exciting for myself. So, as we move forward to training camp, it’s going to be even better once the competitive juices start to flow. I think we’ll have a better feel for that.”

The Texans’ first training camp practice starts Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.

Maurice Jones-Drew says Texans have 30th-best starting running back

NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew rated the Houston Texans’ starting running back situation as being No. 30 in the entire league.

The Houston Texans have a loaded running back stable with seven rostered backs, including three Pro Bowlers in Phillip Lindsay, David Johnson, and Mark Ingram.

What coach David Culley and his offensive staff will have to determine throughout training camp and preseason is who should be the bell-cow.

According to Maurice Jones-Drew’s latest running back rankings at NFL.com, the Texans have the 30th-best starting running back in the league — that is, if their starting running back is none other than Ingram.

I believe Mark Ingram will be the Texans’ starting running back come Week 1, but I can’t put anything past Phillip Lindsay. To keep Lindsay off the field (I’m not actually convinced this will happen), Ingram needs to provide a physical, punishing run game for a Texans offense that has myriad question marks heading into training camp. Given Ingram’s familiarity with David Culley, who coached Ingram in Baltimore, the veteran has a real opportunity to bounce back from a down 2020 performance and have one of his best seasons as a seasoned back who thrives at the goal line.

Ingram produced 299 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 72 carries through 11 games in 2020, a considerable downgrade from his Pro Bowl performance the year prior when he rushed 202 times for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns through 15 games, all of which he started.

Texans running backs coach Danny Barrett appreciates having the 31-year-old in his position group as Ingram is a “natural leader.”

“Just his ability to be around the guys and talk about things from his experience,” Barrett told reporters on a Zoom call on June 8. “That’s one of the first things that we talked about from day one, from your experience what does it take in a room like this. He voiced his opinion about some things, and everybody was agreement and vice versa.”

If Ingram is supplanted as the starting running back throughout the regular season, Houston will still have a capable leader in the locker room.

Houston Texans add Miles Smith to coaching staff, keep RB coach Danny Barrett, move Bobby King

The Houston Texans are expected to add Miles Smith as linebackers coach, shuffle Bobby King to coach the DL, and keep RB coach Danny Barrett.

The Houston Texans continue to add to their coaching staff under newly hired David Culley while also reshuffling the responsibilities of existing assistants.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Texans are expected to hire former Illinois linebackers coach Miles Smith, the son of new Texans defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

The younger Smith coached linebackers under his father from 2019 until the end of their time together in Illinois. In 2018, Smith got his start with the Big Ten program as a cornerbacks coach.

From 2014-15, when the father was the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the son was defensive quality control for the team.

The Texans will also retain coaches Danny Barrett and Bobby King. Barrett will continue to coach running backs as he has since 2018 while King will move from coaching inside linebackers to coaching the defensive line, a job previously held by former defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

[vertical-gallery id=58368]