Matt Schaub Speaks: An Interview with the Houston Texans' Starting QB

The congestion of bodies is absolutely punishing. You look to your left and right, hoping to dash for a clear passage through to the other side, but it's not promising.

After inching for what feels like forever, a crevice to maneuver through finally opens. If you pick up enough speed, you can hit the opening before the big guy coming from the other direction forces you off course.

Sweat drips into your eyes and your breathing is heavy. The crowd is shifting even closer, everyone astutely aware of the opportunity as the opening ahead becomes even narrower.

Drenched in your own perspiration and overwhelmed by the stifling conditions, you collapse. Defeated.

Yet, this is not an attempt to create the atmosphere of a torturous football game. Not in the slightest. In New York City, that's called riding the train in July and August.

But the perils of such conditions are very real. And such hazards are exactly what inspired Matt Schaub, the NFL, and Gatorade to launch the "Beat the Heat" campaign this summer.

Speaking with passion and unquestionable enthusiasm on the topic, Schaub detailed the importance of staying hydrated on the field.

And understandably so. Taking measures to prevent against heat exhaustion has been a chief concern in the NFL since the untimely passing of Minnesota Vikings' lineman Korey Stringer in 2001.

Taking a moment to discuss his efforts with Gatorade, the sixth-year quarterback out of Virginia shares his preparations for the upcoming season, thoughts on Mike Vick, and handling the extremely competitive rivalries in the AFC South.

Angel Navedo: You’re with Gatorade and the “Beat the Heat” campaign they’ve recently launched. How deeply involved are you with everything?

Matt Schaub: Pretty involved. We’re trying to get the word out on everything about the "Beat the Heat" program and raise awareness on the subject.

AN: What was it that inspired you to join the campaign?

MS: Number one, being here in Houston and knowing how extremely hot it is almost every day of the summer. [Knowing] how much we have to go through to replenish fluids and be properly hydrated during August is a huge reason for getting involved.

Thinking back to my youth days, growing up in Pennsylvania, it doesn’t get nearly as hot there as it does down here.

But remembering those days in August—sweating and working hard in practice, not knowing how important hydration was, or replenishing the fluids that we lost during two-a-days—was a big reason for my wanting to get involved.

[I want] to raise awareness to parents and youth coaches about how important it is. You have a lot of coaches out there who have that old school mentality, thinking it makes you weak or something like that. But it’s important. Players can lose a lot of fluids, get ill, or even in some cases die from it.

AN: I remember when I played, it used to be about earning our water breaks.

MS: (laughs) Yeah, exactly. I remember those days, too. And those days need to be long gone.

[Professional athletes] are fortunate to have athletic trainers who harp on replenishing our lost electrolytes and fluids with Gatorade. It's important to get those things back in to help us recover so we can go back out to practice.

Those electrolytes are what help us perform at a very high level for a long period of time. Water doesn’t do that, but Gatorade is important for us to replace those things in our body.

AN: Absolutely. So Matt, your last two seasons ended with consecutive 8-8 finishes, but last year there was a lot of momentum built up to carry out the season.  What’s being done to try and carry that into 2009?

MS: Well, like you said, that finish that we had to last season really catapulted us into the off-season. Guys were really excited to get back to work. There were a lot of guys who never even left.

They just wanted to get after the off-season program and come back to training camp ready to go and start the year fast, much like we were able to finish the year last year.

Guys were really enthused with their participation in the off-season program and were ready to go here in camp. We’re looking to get off to a fast start and continue to play well throughout the year.

AN: Understood. The Texans' offense advanced quite a bit last year with Andre Johnson's breakout season and Steve Slaton's emergence. Is there someone on the team who makes you feel like he can build upon that even more? 

MS: Well, I think it’s the group as a whole. All the starters from last year’s team are the same people this year. To have the same group and the continuity that they have working together is gonna really show itself early in the season. 

With Owen Daniels playing tight end, who went to the Pro Bowl last year, and our entire offensive line back after playing all 16 games together last year, I think they're going to be a big plus for us going into this year.

Kevin Walter on one side of the field—opposite Andre Johnson—is a big-time playmaker for us. Having Steven and Vonta Leach behind me in the backfield, our running game should be strong again, along with our play-action pass game and catching the ball out of the backfield.

We have a lot of weapons back there. It’s just about us as a team, and individuals taking the next step as players to get better. If we all get better individually, then as a group we’re going to get better.

AN: Given Andre Johnson's phenomenal season, do you feel like he's receiving his due and proper as one of the game’s top receivers? Or is he still unappreciated?

MS: I think he’s starting to be recognized throughout the league as one of the best receivers in the game. He really flies under the radar because he’s a soft-spoken individual who just goes out and plays and performs. He comes to work every day to get better.

He’s not one of those, quote-unquote, typical receivers you see in the game today who’s gonna have the camera in his face all the time with the media. He goes to work and whatever it takes to win is what he wants to do.

If he goes down with 80-85 catches this season and we win three or four more games than we did the past couple years, then he’s all for it. As long as we’re winning, that’s what matters to him.

AN: That's always refreshing. So the offense should be able to click early, but it can't be easy lining up against Mario Williams and that improved defense every day in training camp.

MS: You’re right. We went out this off-season and really bolstered our defense in spots that we needed to. We’ve got a lot of talent on that side of the football, and it’s only going to help us throughout the season.

It helps us as an offense to go against guys like that. With Duane Brown at [left tackle], going against Mario every day only helps him when he faces Kyle Vanden Bosch, Dwight Freeney, and guys of that nature.

AN: So let's figure out this AFC South. It's a ridiculously competitive division that leaves you guys with minimal room for error. Do you believe the Texans are about ready to push for a division title?

MS: I definitely think we are. As long as we go out and play good football and play our game, I think we’re in a good position.

We’re getting better every day and we’re going to climb to the level of those teams that were winning this division for years. We’re not gonna wait for them to come down to us.

We’re just gonna keep getting better and take it one game at a time.

AN: Last year’s 8-8 finish would’ve been good enough to get you in the playoffs in another division. Have you ever wondered where the Texans would be if the league were aligned differently?

MS: (laughs) Well, it’s tough to think about that. We’re obviously aware of that situation, but we’re in the division that we’re in and we just have to keep getting better. Those teams aren’t gonna change much.

AN: Unfortunately, you've been sidelined the last couple of seasons with injuries. What steps have you taken to remain healthy and get a full season done in 2009?

MS: Being able to finish out last season and being 100 percent this offseason while attacking the conditioning program has been big. The year before, I had to come off a surgery that didn’t let me get [to the field] till May.

It's been good to get in there from the get-go and build myself up. I continue to prepare the same way I have in the past and be ready for the season.

AN: What are your gameday preparations like? Anything specific you do to psych yourself up before a game?

MS: There’s not much that I do to psyche myself up. Just the opportunity to go out and play is enough. I get myself prepared and warmed up to just go out and play. Mentally, I just get myself ready to go.

Some of the other guys are the guys who can get psyched up listening to music and everything. I just kinda have my routine, go out, get loose, and just play. As a quarterback, you wanna be wired in and ready to go.

But having the opportunity to go and play is all the motivation I need.

AN: You started your career in Atlanta playing behind Michael Vick. What did you take away from your time with the Falcons?

MS: I had a great three years there. It was a great transition from college for myself. Being in a great city with a great organization and getting a lot of playing time in the process—in the pre-season and when I was called upon—I had a great experience.

And working behind a guy who’s one of the most visible athletes in the world really helped me be prepared when my time came here in Houston.

AN: Did you learn anything from watching his game that you’ve adopted to yours?

MS: I’d like to say I learned how to run really fast and be very quick (laughs). But that’s not my M.O.

I definitely learned a lot from Mike. Just watching him and seeing how he prepared himself to play, and handle all the things you need to handle as a QB in the NFL, I learned how I wanted to go about things when I got my opportunity.

AN: Do you believe he can find his way back into a starting role in this league?

MS: I definitely think so. He has a lot of ground to make up for missed time, but I feel like he’s getting an opportunity now, and it’s well-deserved. I’m excited that he’s back in the league, and excited that he’s in uniform with a chance to play.

I definitely think he can work his way back into a prominent role in the NFL.

AN: Great stuff. Thanks a lot for your time, Matt. I really appreciate it.

MS: All right, no problem.

AN: Good luck in your upcoming season, and stay hydrated.

MS: (laughs) All right, definitely. Thank you.