May 20, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) during organized team activities at the Methodist Training Center at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
Apparently Arian Foster has very very high expectations.
In 2012 Foster ran for 1.424 yards, caught 40 passes for 217 yards and added 17 total touchdowns, the second most of his career.
He’s hoping to improve on those numbers with the Houston Texans this season.
The 26 year old (he’ll be 27 by the time the NFL season begins) told Fox Sports Southwest he wasn’t at this best last season.
"I just want to bounce back. I didn’t feel like I had the best season last year….I just didn’t feel like I was at my best, and it’s gonna change this year. (I’ve) just refocused and rededicated myself to another level, and hopefully it shows. I’m not traveling. I’m not doing a lot. I’m here in Houston and I’m training."
Foster was leaned on heavily last year, especially with backup running back Ben Tate missing significant playing time due to injury.
The former Vol set a career high in carries with 351, and a career low in receptions (outside of his six game rookie season in 2009) with 40.
Foster’s yard per carry average also fell to a career low 4.1 in 2012.
You might look at those numbers and assume that Foster’s heavy usage accounted for most of his “decline”, but if you look closer you’ll notice that Foster’s heaviest usage came in 2010. That season he actually had 393 touches compared to 391 last season. The 2010 season happened to be Foster’s best as a professional.
The only area where Foster lacked in production, compared to the rest of his career, was in receiving yards.
And that wasn’t entirely his fault.
Texan’s quarterback Matt Schaub appeared to not even notice Foster on his check-downs at times last season. During the 2010 and 2011 seasons Foster made his living in the passing game on screen passes and check-downs (as most prolific receiving running backs do). He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I’m not sure if Foster and Schaub were on a different page last season or if the defense planned around eliminating Foster from the passing game.
Whatever the reason, that would be the main place where Foster can regain some of his elite production in 2013.
According to Chris Baldwin of Culture Map Houston, Foster is already “jumping out” at practice. Baldwin wrote “it’s impossible not to notice Foster’s explosive first step”.
Foster spent plenty of time in the limelight last off-season, with his hotly debated decision to go vegan (from which he has since rescinded a bit) to his high usage of Twitter.
This off-season he says he’s relaxed more and focused on training saying “this is probably one of my most intense training offseasons I’ve had since I’ve been in the NFL”. Matt Schaub added to that saying “He takes care of himself well”.
Foster says he’s set high goals for himself this season. They’ll have to be pretty lofty if he plans to improve dramatically on his 2012 season.
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