HOUSTON — As third-year quarterback Davis Mills dropped back to pass during team 11-on-11 drills, he spotted wide receiver Noah Brown running down the sideline. What also caught his eye was second-year cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. riding the inside hip of Brown.
He attempted the pass anyway, throwing the ball towards the outside arm of Brown, away from Stingley. Mills thought he had made a great pass until safety Jalen Pitre jetted over from the middle of the field, almost causing another interception for the defense.
“Not on us,” the second-year safety bellowed out in Mills’ direction.
That bravado that Pitre plays with is why many believe he will make his presence known again this season after recording 147 tackles (99 solo) and five interceptions. At 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, Pitre isn’t afraid to take on any player on the offensive side of the ball and prides himself on being aggressive. Most of the time, it works to his advantage, while other times, it costs him, as evident by his league-high 19 missed tackles in his rookie season.
Yet first-year safeties coach Stephen Adegoke doesn’t want Pitre to change his approach to the game; he wants to help him play with “controlled aggression.”
“Rule number one in football is you need to play within the continuity of your scheme,” Adegoke said during OTAs. “As long as he is playing within the scheme, that is the most important thing. If we say, ‘You have free range to run downhill and do this in the B-gap,’ I don’t want to stop him. But now I have to coach him and teach him how to do it under control, with good leverage and good technique.”
With new head coach DeMeco Ryans set to call the defensive plays this year along with Matt Burke, Pitre will be in his second defensive scheme in as many years. After four days of training camp, the former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year is delighted about his role this season.
“It’s all about running to the ball and being mean when you get there,” Pitre said after practice. “I think Coach DeMeco [Ryans] preaches that. He wants us all to be aggressive, so I’m going to continue to do that, continue to try to be the first one to the ball.”
One of the glaring attributes that stood out about Pitre coming out of Baylor to Texans general manager Nick Caserio was his work ethic and ability to learn and adjust. During the off-season, Pitre knew he needed to correct some things heading into this season. Caserio also knew that and signed 10-year veteran defensive back Jimmie Ward to help Pitre become better acclimated to playing in a Ryans-style defense that had so much success in San Francisco.
“It’s all about running to the ball and being mean when you get there,” said second-year safety Jalen Pitre about playing in a DeMeco Ryans led defense. #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/JP58RftlNx
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) July 31, 2023
“A great tandem,” Pitre said about the combination of him and Ward. “When I can go out there and play with somebody that’s that good and plays with his hair on fire – a guy that wants to hit. I love guys that don’t shy away from contact. Things like that are inspiring to me because I’m always trying to push him, and he’s always trying to push me. It’s always growth in that. I’m blessed to be able to play with him.”
Football means everything to Pitre, but so does his connection with his teammates, especially those playing in the secondary with him. He has developed a close bond with cornerback Derek Stingley. The two spend a lot of time studying, working out, and playing video games. This past off-season, they were joined by Jacobi Francis and Christian Harris in Hawaii for some relaxation and football-related drills.
“It was good to just connect,” Pitre told reporters about his trip with his teammates. “I feel like me, [Derek] Stingley [Jr.], Jacobi [Francis] and Christian [Harris] spent a good amount of time together. But it’s always good to go somewhere else and do it. It was cool to go out on the beach, chill with them, work out with them, and continue to connect with my teammates.”