How Dameon Pierce, a more decisive Texans running back, is ‘doing a really good job in camp’

HOUSTON – Dameon Pierce endured a frustrating season without complaint last season, remaining quiet and restrained in a year where his depth chart status, workload and productivity all declined.

A year after being named a Pro Bowl alternate as one of the top rookie running backs, Pierce was relegated to a complementary role behind Devin “Motor” Singletary — cheering on his teammate as his numbers took a hit.

Now, fast forward to this year’s training camp and Pierce looks ready to bounce back. He worked tirelessly in the offseason and gained muscle mass, finding a balance between size and speed. He’s also much more decisive in his movements as he seems much more comfortable in offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s zone schemes. Pierce ran with the first-team offense on Saturday with starter Joe Mixon out for the day. Pierce had several good runs.

“He came in ready to compete and ready to work,” Slowik said. “And I mean, last year, there was always a lot going on. This year, he was able to really focus mentally. He was able to focus physically so he could focus on offense, but he could also focus on himself.”

“He’s always been a hard worker. But now he’s seeing the fruits of that and it’s fun to watch him in OTAs and in camp. I mean, he’s doing a really good job in camp. I mean, it’s fun to watch, I can’t wait to continue to see him grow.”

Pierce rushed for 416 yards and two touchdowns last season while averaging 2.9 yards per carry in 14 games and seven starts, battling an ankle injury and a difficult adjustment to Slowik’s running system. Pierce rushed for 939 yards and four touchdowns as a Pro Bowl alternate in a dynamic rookie season two years ago, averaging 4.3 yards per carry as he established himself as a lethal presence and earned the NFL’s Rush of the Year award for his performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Texans did acquire Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals via trade and signed him to a three-year, $27 million contract extension and selected Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan, but they still have plans for Pierce. Pierce, who worked diligently this offseason while taking time off to finish his degree at the University of Florida, is part of the equation as a change of pace behind Mixon and on kickoff returns after his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season against the Cleveland Browns.

In spring drills, Pierce looked strong, compact and fast.

“What I’ve seen from Dameon this offseason is a guy that’s worked hard,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Like you mentioned, he’s changed his body, he’s strong, he’s been working out every day of the offseason program. Not only is he working out, but I’m proud of Dameon for coming back and finishing his degree at Florida. So just a complete guy, working out as a football player, but also finishing his degree means a lot to him.”

“I see Dameon having a very clear mind as we work, and I think that will set him up for a really productive year this year. He has the makings of being a really good running back for us and I think him and Joe, as a duo, would be very beneficial to all of us.”

Against the Browns, Pierce reminded everyone in the NFL how explosive and powerful he can be when carrying a football down the field.

Pierce attacked kickoff coverage in a 36-22 loss to the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium, aggressively attacking the middle of the field in a structured return before cutting to his right toward the sideline and fleeing pursuit. The Buford, Georgia, native wasn’t going to be caught — especially by Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins, who injured his hamstring while pursuing Pierce in vain. He was pushed at the 2-yard line by linebacker Charlie Thomas II and dove into the end zone.

It was one of the few bright spots as the touchdown put the Texans on the scoreboard after the Browns opened a 14-0 lead on Joe Flacco’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper.

Pierce’s touchdown was just the third kickoff return for a touchdown in the NFL last season and the second by the Texans after fullback Andrew Beck’s 85-yard return against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Dameon gave us the spark that we needed, he gave us the spark to get us back in the game,” Ryans said at the time. “Putting him back in there on the kickoff return is something we’ve been exploring all week, and he’s done a really good job in practice. And he showed up. He came out and made a big play for us to get our whole team fired up. I’m proud of Dameon and what he was able to do for us today.”

Pierce had a season-high 24 carries for 81 yards in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 1 and 20 carries for 66 yards against the Atlanta Falcons the following week. He injured his ankle against the Carolina Panthers, missing nearly a month of competition before returning.

Pierce, a fourth-round draft pick out of Florida, wasn’t an easy player to fit into a San Francisco 49ers-style zone-running scheme because he was playing in a simpler offense under former offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton.

“It’s a completely different offense than he used to play,” Slowik said last season. “It takes time.”

“A new offense, so it’s really like another rookie year for me,” Pierce said last season. “A complete overhaul from top to bottom. A completely new identity, a whole new philosophy, just trying to figure out how I can make plays within the system.”

“Ultimately, we’re a lot more precise than we were last year, with two different offenses. That comes from the 49ers, those guys have a winning tradition, those guys know how to win, they know exactly how to run the ball. They know exactly what they want, they know how they want it.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texas and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.