After ‘lost’ rookie year, Nix returns refocused
Now healthy, NT can set a goal to get on O’Brien’s good side
J.J. Watt, Brian Cushing, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer entered the room. Quiet, honest words from a Texans nose tackle who didn’t take the field in 2014 engulfed them.
While others stood inside NRG Stadium’s media center Wednesday, Louis Nix placed his 6-2, 331-pound body into a small chair. While others confidently prognosticated or proudly boasted, Nix spoke softly, sometimes casually joking, sometimes sarcastically looking back at a lost rookie season.
The No. 83 overall pick (third round) in the 2014 NFL draft had been a tremendous disappointment. The Texans knew it. Coach
Bill O’Brien believed it. Nix was fully self-aware of his first-year failures. By unexpectedly reflecting on what went wrong and an uncertain road that lies ahead, Nix said more than any of his teammates on a day that was supposed to be devoted to new beginnings and the start of OTAs.
“A lot went on my first year here. It was a lot to deal with,” said Nix, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason and eventually was placed on season-ending injured reserve. “It was difficult to maintain it with all the issues. But I’m happy about now, and that’s what I’m worried about. I’m just trying to move forward and do the best I can.”
The first step Nix needs to take is outside O’Brien’s doghouse.
The second-year coach consistently took up for his players during his first season. No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, Derek Newton, Arian Foster, Andre Johnson and Ryan Fitzpatrick all received public vows of support from the team-first coach. But outside of the recently released D.J. Swearinger, no Texan looked more out of place or unprepared than Nix. His desire, commitment and dedication were consistently questioned. When a highly disappointing rookie year resulted in no plays, no tackles and no sacks, the Texans were left wondering just how much Nix wanted to play pro football for a living.
O’Brien’s frustration with Nix was evident.
“Bill is Bill. He challenges everybody,” Nix said. “Sometimes you guys make it more than what it is. … He wants guys to be better. I take no offense to it.
“I know he just wants me to be the best player that I can be. He sees potential, and I see it in myself. I’m starting to get back in a groove of things. I’m just going to keep trying to do the best I can.”
O’Brien didn’t speak with the media Wednesday.
After Nix’s washed-out year was complete, the Texans responded by making the addition of 11-year veteran Vince Wilfork their defensive priority during free agency. While Wilfork, 33, received a two-year, $9 million deal ($5 million guaranteed) to line up with Watt and Jared Crick along the front of the team’s 3-4 attack, Nix immediately became a backup without playing a snap.
“You’ve got J.J. Watt and (Wilfork) in the room,” Nix said. “Those two guys are the guys. One has a Super Bowl; one is Defensive Player of the Year. You want to emulate that. It helps you want to work hard and be just like them.”
Watt was in the room last year, though, as were Cushing, Clowney and the remainder of the NFL’s seventh-ranked scoring defense. Nix’s troubles appeared before training camp when he appeared out of shape, and he sometimes looked unmotivated during his injury rehab.
“Just the injuries, I had to deal with those,” said Nix, who started only one of his final six games at Notre Dame because of a knee injury and entered the draft surrounded with injury concerns. “Sometimes mentally, that can affect you. I’ve really never been hurt in my life, but I got through that hump. Right now, I just want to focus on everything at hand.”
Heading into the 2015 season, Nix is finally healthy and approaching game shape. Expectations have been lowered; the spotlight has moved from the frustrating third-round pick to Wilfork’s enormous presence. And Nix now has the same goal as O’Brien for the little-seen No. 92.
“Make it through a practice, man,” Nix said. “That’s my goal.”