Jay Prosch

Houston Texans fullback Jay Prosch runs through a drill at training camp on Sunday, July 27, 2014, in Houston.

(AP Photo)

Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien said last week it wouldn't take long for former Auburn fullback Jay Prosch to get back to being a full practice participant after suffering a hand injury because "he's a tough kid."

Sure enough, on Tuesday, the rookie was doing all he could even with a cast on his hand.

"He's been a guy that since he walked in here, he's worked very hard," O'Brien said in his press conference after practice on Tuesday. "He's one of those guys that hates to miss anything, so it was good to have him back out there today with a taped-up cast on and things like that. He was trying to do as much as he could."

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But what exactly happened to the former UMS-Wright star, who was Alabama's Class 4A Lineman of the Year in 2009? The Houston Chronicle reported Prosch had a broken hand. CBS Houston reported he had surgery to place pins in his hand.

At Tuesday's press conference, O'Brien was asked if Prosch had had surgery.

"I don't remember," O'Brien answered. "Did he have surgery?"

On Prosch's injury, O'Brien said: "It's like a broken hand or something. But he's all right."

NFL teams are not required by the league to report injuries during the preseason.

Prosch didn't feel like discussing his injury with reporters on Tuesday either.

"I'm not talking about it," the Houston Chronicle quoted Prosch as telling reporters trailing him off the field. "It's just kind of fresh right now. I'm trying to deal with it."

Even when O'Brien made his first press conference comments about Prosch's injury on Aug. 3, the Texans' sixth-round draft pick was taking part in practice on a limited basis.

"He's a tough kid," O'Brien said. "He'll be back in there sooner than you think. We're going to take every precaution necessary with him. But he's really come in here, for a rookie at this stage of his career, he's learned the offense pretty well. ... As soon as he can be full contact, he'll be ready to go."

With Prosch out of the lineup, the Texans lost their preseason opener 32-0 to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. Houston hosts the

in its second preseason game on Saturday night. The Texans and Falcons will hold joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday in Houston. Footage from the practices could wind up on HBO's "Hard Knocks." The series is following the Falcons this preseason.