ENGLEWOOD -- When Gary Kubiak became a head coach with the Houston Texans he had a blueprint. He spent 11 seasons as the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator, and took plenty of ideas and even the playbook with him.

“The book is just a little different shade of blue,” Kubiak said.

Kubiak can try out the Broncos’ scheme against Denver on Thursday, when he coaches against his former team. Few men have a longer history with the Broncos. Kubiak was John Elway’s backup quarterback from 1983-91, and was Denver’s offensive coordinator from 1995-2005.

The game will be unusual for Kubiak and Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who touted Kubiak when the Texans job was open after the 2005 season and even let Kubiak take the entire playbook to his new job.

“If I would have tried to limit it, he’s smart enough to already have it in his house anyhow,” Shanahan said.

Kubiak said he hasn’t had much time to think about coaching against his former team, and downplayed his emotion going into the game. Shanahan, whose son Kyle is Houston’s quarterbacks coach, also said he didn’t worry about the emotions of going against the Texans but he does keep up with them.

“I’m always rooting for Houston because of my relationship with Gary, when we’re not playing them,” Shanahan said.

The Texans would look familiar, even if the plays weren’t similar. There are 16 members of Houston’s organization — six coaches, five players and five front-office members — who used to be Broncos. Kubiak’s plan when he took the Houston job was to copy as much as he could from the Broncos. Shanahan took many ideas on running an offense and scheduling meetings and practices from his time as an offensive coordinator in San Francisco, and Kubiak soaked it up.

“That’s the way I was brought up, and it’s obvious it’s successful,” Kubiak said. “We tried to instill the same type of things here, as far as practice habits and meeting habits. The way we go about our business is probably pretty darn identical.”

The education has persisted. Three times while answering questions during a teleconference Tuesday, Kubiak brought up a different lesson Shanahan had taught him about football.

Kubiak said when he was on Denver’s staff Shanahan gave him a lot of responsibility, as far as scheduling practices and camps, which helped his transition. He said he talks to Shanahan regularly and asks for advice when necessary.

“He’s the first place I go,” Kubiak said.

Even though Kubiak said he was prepared football-wise to be a head coach, he didn’t anticipate having so much to handle off the field.

“I think you can say I’m ready for this opportunity, but until you get it I don’t think anybody knows how demanding the job is,” Kubiak said.

“As a head coach, you’re wearing a lot of different hats, for offense, defense, special teams,” Shanahan said. “You’re talking about free agency, the draft, organizational schedules. There’s a few more things you’ve got to do.”

Kubiak’s Texans were 6-10 in his first season, and like the Broncos, are 6-7 this year. He admitted there are good days and bad days.

“It’s everything the boss told me it would be, and then some,” Kubiak said.

Stokley sits

The Broncos had a full practice Tuesday. Receiver Brandon Stokley, who has a sore knee, did not participate. He said he hopes to participate in today’s short practice before the team flies to Houston.

“We’ll see how it progresses,” Stokley said.

Safety Nick Ferguson, who also has a knee injury, was present for the opening drills of practice when the media was present but he did not take part in the normal portion of practice.

Odds and ends

Defensive end Elvis Dumervil, who had three sacks against Kansas City, was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. ... Receiver Brandon Marshall’s court date for a charge of driving under the influence was changed from Thursday to Dec. 18. Marshall was arrested on Oct. 22.