Direckshun
07-28-2007, 07:52 PM
http://www.uwrf.edu/chiefs/prev_updates?page=2&Files=07-28-07pm.htm
Saturday, July 28, 2007: Training Camp News
Direct sunlight and 81 degree heat could not keep 285 fans from observing the Chiefs practice this afternoon. The wind continued from the east-southeast at six miles per hour, humidity was at 39 percent, and the dew point was 54.
Special Update
The Kansas City Chiefs announced today a new show of solidarity with a devastated high school football team. The Rangers from Greenburg, Kan., lost their football equipment as well as their homes on May 4.
“It’s a little town west of Wichita, about five hours from Kansas City. It’s definitely in the Chiefs Kingdom. And at 9:45 in the evening, a Friday night, an EF5 tornado hits this community,” said Mitch Holthus, anchor of the Chiefs Fox Football Radio Network, and the "Voice of the Chiefs."
“Now, I’ve grown up in the Heartland. I’ve been a Kansan for most of my life, and I’ve seen tornadoes; I’ve seen damage. People see damage here in Wisconsin, in Minnesota. I’ve never seen anything like this. This was like someone took a weed eater and wiped out the whole town. There is nothing left.”
Rather than throw in the towel, the residents of Greenburg have fought to keep their community alive.
“They are bound and determined to come back. One of the main ways to keep their spirit is to rally around their school, and their school activities. Well, they have no school,” said Holthus. “They’ve also decided to keep their sports teams alive. They’ll be playing games on another field at another school. They have nothing; they have no equipment. They lost absolutely everything.”
To show support for the Greensburg team, more than 200 members of the Chiefs organization today donned baseball caps with the Greenburg Rangers' colors and proudly bearing the letter “G.” President Carl Peterson showed a presentation last night to the team featuring the town’s destruction, and Head Coach Herm Edwards passed out the hats. They are a limited edition item just for the Chiefs' organization.
“I think the hats have a two-fold purpose: one, they show that the Chiefs care about getting the Rangers back on the field, and that they care about their surrounding communities and their teams. Two, it’s a unifying aspect for our team. It gives everybody something to think about beyond themselves. It unifies all of the different parts of this team: the players, the personnel, the whole organization,” said Holthus. “Quite honestly, this is my 14th year as the voice of the Chiefs’ radio network, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this organization more galvanized. It is a symbol to Greensburg, but it is also a symbol to all the people watching the Chiefs that this is a unified organization.”
In addition to wearing the caps, members of the Chiefs family—players and staff—have sought or given donations to the Rangers to buy new equipment. Peterson solicited other organizations to donate funds, such as the NFL and various local youth football groups. Chiefs Director of Community Relations Brenda Sniezek has also played a large part in gaining revenue for the Rangers. Mike Davidson, equipment manager, found cleats and other basic equipment for the team, and Vice President of Football Relations Lynn Stiles made several trips to visit the site of the devastation in Greensburg this summer.
As a further gesture, the Rangers will be the Chiefs' guests to watch the team battle the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 23 at Arrowhead Stadium.
“The Chiefs have stepped forward – no, jumped forward - with both feet,” said Holthus.
Offense
With the presence of heat and the blazing sun, special teams worked on punting and the take-off downfield to start practice. Chiefs quarterbacks threw a few reps of outlet passes to tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Keith Willis, Mike Pinkard and Michael Allan. The tight ends practiced getting up and off the line. After that quarterbacks Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, Casey Printers and Jeff Terrell split off to work on foot drills. Printers’ quick feet stood out in the bunch.
The, practicing without defenders, the quarterbacks practiced 3-step drops and practiced 10-yard outlet passes in the flats to wide receiver Samie Parker and rookie wide receivers Ryan Titus, Ean Randolph and Maurice Price.
At 4:12 p.m. the offensive line was given a 2-minute water break while the quarterbacks and wide receivers set up for a touch down receiving drill from the 15-yard line. The corners of the end zone were targeted with the throw, with each quarterback getting an even amount of reps. Wide receiver Samie Parker was quick to successfully meet the ball on passes from all four quarterbacks. Rod Gardner had trouble stretching for the pass and twice couldn’t handle them in the left corner of the end zone. Wide receiver Eddie Kennison recovered from a stumble to get up and catch a pass from quarterback Damon Huard.
Huard led the offense for a 9-on-9 drill while Brodie Croyle stuck with the wide receivers. During the 9-on-9s running back Marcus O’Keith was stopped cold by a hard tackle from linebacker Kendrell Bell and defensive tackle James Reed after catching an outlet pass from Huard. Running back Kolby Smith was a standout in the evening’s practice and gained a strong seven yards on a hand off from Huard up the middle. Fullback Gilbert Harris earned a five-yard gain, but not without a hard take down from safety Chad Williams and defensive end Montez Murphy.
All out pressure from the defense, players dressed in full pads and the urge of the players to hit something made the 11-on-11 drill a sight to see. The offense stepped up its game from the morning’s practice and Head Coach Herm Edwards focused on the down play of the defense: “Come on D’. Got to go. Got to pick it up D’.” Quarterback Damon Huard came out with the first unit and was 4-6. Six-foot, six-inch defensive end Jared Allen used his arm span to get his fingers tips on Huard’s first pass to full back Greg Hanoian to tip it away. Huard’s second incomplete pass came from a throw away pass to the left sideline when wide receiver Jeff Webb went down. Quarterback Brodie Croyle was 8-10. Wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu gained 10 yards on an outlet throw from Croyle despite double coverage. On a hand-off from Croyle, running back Marcus O’Keith shot around the corner on a sweep of the left sideline for a 20-yard gain, aided by great blocking from the line. Quarterback Casey Printers was 8-9. He took the ball on one short run up the right sideline for about 7 yards.
During a 7-on-7 drill the Chiefs ran through end zone situations. The defense went about three-quarter pressure on the offense. Huard was 2-3 on throws. He hit tight end Tony Gonzalez in the middle. Gonzalez, as usual, was sharp throughout practice. Huard completed a 13-yard aerial to running back Marcus O’Keith for a touch down. His pass to wide receiver Jeff Webb was incomplete on a low throw to the right side of the end zone. Croyle got the snap four times. Tight end Michael Allan jumped too soon off the line on Croyle’s first take. Croyle then went 2-3, with the scrimmage line at the 12, 10 and six-yard lines. Fullback Gillbert Harris received Croyle’s first pass followed by a hard smack from cornerback Benny Sapp. From the 12-yard line Croyle whipped the ball to running back Kolby Smith for a touch down. On the six yard line Croyle attempted to launch the ball to tight end Mike Pinkard in the back of the end zone but it was tipped by linebacker Keyaron Fox.
Defense
This afternoon was the first practice with pads, and it was also the hottest practice thus far. Being able to wear pads meant the players actually had a chance to lay a few hits on each other. Before any of that could happen, they performed their daily strengths and stretches and split off in to groups to work on their specific position.
The defensive backs showed that they would not let the heat bother them while working on the sleds. This is a new drill this year, in which players go through two continuous, different contact drills. First, they line up in a three-point stance in front of a three pad blocking sled. After slamming into it, they quickly shift to their left and hit into a five-pad sled. The players must alternate hitting every other pad. It is a full-throttle, hard hitting drill with plenty of noise and adrenalin.
Veteran players cornerbacks Ty Law and Patrick Surtain made this drill look like it was a walk in the park, but for others it was more difficult. Rookie cornerback Tyron Brackenridge had some trouble getting his timing right and at one point slipped and ran the wrong way almost running in to another player. Defensive Backs Coach David Gibbs yelled, “Your killing the drill rook[ie].” The players had to do the drill three times because of Brackenridge, but they finally got it perfect. Gibbs is willing to work his guys as many times as it takes until they get it right. Making his football players better is a top goal.
The linebackers performed a one-on-one drill where they would try to play off a block to enter a hole. Rookie linebacker Brian Crum was the odd man out, not having any player to go up against. Crum fired up Linebackers Coach Don Blackmon, because Blackmon thought he was not going full speed. Blackmon shouted, “Are you tired? Do the drill right!”
At 4:15 p.m., after the team quickly gathered to work on field goal blocking, the defensive backs met in the middle of practice field No. 1. The fans sitting on the west end got a good look at the defensive backs diving and tackling foam dummies on a large blue foam mat. The mat is used so the players avoid injury as they go full speed practicing the big hits they would make from behind if a wide receiver or running back makes a catch. The defensive backs then worked for roughly 10 minutes on practicing their coverage drop-backs, running backwards for 10-yards, then turning to the side while continuing running.
Next, the offense and the defense worked together. As the defensive backs went against the wide receivers, they proved that yesterday's stellar practice session wasn’t a fluke. Quarterback Brodie Croyle saw a lot of action in this drill. On one play, Croyle dropped back and fired a pass that was broken up and nearly intercepted by cornerback Michael Bragg. Bragg has had a good camp so far; he has been around the ball and has been very competitive.
The quarterbacks and wide receivers were not afraid to try the deep ball during the wide receiver against defensive backs drill. There was a battle for position between cornerback Justin Phinisee and wide receiver Samie Parker on the left sideline. They battled the whole way down the field as veteran cornerback Patrick Surtain backed up his fellow defensive player yelling, “That was offense!” meaning a penalty would have been on the wide receiver in a game.
Following the individual drills, the team gathered for their routine 11-on-11 practice on Field No. 2. The offense focused primarily on short passes over the middle, mixed with runs to the middle and outside. It was fairly hard for the defense to defend the short passes, but they stopped the run well. Quarterback Brodie Croyle worked the hard count successfully on a few plays, drawing players off-sides. Defensive Coordinator Gunter Cunningham screamed, “Got to hit him when the ball snaps, not when he says ‘hut, hut!’ ”
There was only one turnover during the 11-on-11 drills, caused by defensive end Jared Allen, who got through the line and hit rookie running back Kolby Smith in the back field. The ball fell to the ground and Allen leaped over him and jumped on the ball, displaying his speed and quick reactions.
Special Teams
Kicker Justin Medlock along with fellow teammates, punter Dustin Colquitt and long-snapper Jean-Phillippe Darche practiced on Field No. 1 as the rest of the Chiefs practiced on Field No. 2 in their first day off full pads. Medlock got some game day-like work when he nailed four out of four field goals. Being a kicker in the NFL takes nerves of steel, so the more work Medlock gets in the better. It is also important for Darche and Colquitt to get work in as well. The field goals made by Medlock ranged from 25-yards to almost 40-yards. Medlock didn’t face too strong of a rush and got his kicks off cleanly.
Fans
Ice cream from the Falcon Foods stand helped cool down River Falls residents Ralph and Betty DeRoy as they watched practice this afternoon. Ralph favored the chocolate marshmallow variety, while Betty noshed on classic peppermint stick as they watched for Head Coach Herm Edwards on the field. “We’re looking for the coach; we haven’t been able to spy him,” said Betty. “We’ve also been waiting for Priest Holmes to arrive.” Both visited Chiefs camp with their grandson, Connor, 13, who received a third place trophy at today’s Punt, Pass, & Kick contest.
UWRF Housing Coordinator Emilee Driscoll took a moment to slip away from her duties to watch the Chiefs on the field. This is Driscoll’s third year serving at housing coordinator during Chiefs camp. As part of her job, she oversees residence halls Grimm, McMillan, Parker, and Crabtree. Driscoll cites wide receiver Eddie Kennison as one of her favorite players, and not just for his performance on game day. “Last year one of his sons came to campus and Kennison didn’t make a huge fuss about it. He didn’t ask for special treatment. He stayed with his son in Parker Hall so he wouldn’t have to be by himself.” A recent graduate of UWRF, Driscoll hopes to work in community relations with the NFL. Until then, she keeps busy making sure players, coaches, staff, and the NFL Films crew have everything they need. Be sure to look for Driscoll around campus; she’s the one zipping by in the golf cart.
Enjoying their first time at training camp were Sandra Ringcob and her sons Shane, 11 and Caleb, 10. The Ringcobs, who are from Eagan, Minn., were also present at the Punt, Pass, & Kick event, which was held after morning practice. Shane and Caleb said they had a great time at Punt, Pass, & Kick, and are also excited to see their favorite players, including tight end Tony Gonzalez, and guard Brian Waters. They hope to see running back Larry Johnson. Sandra, who is planning to attend Family Fun Night on Aug. 8 with her sons, likes watching the speed and consistency of each player. She also likes watching the wide receivers, and Head Coach Herm Edwards direct the team.
Cory Renaud, 15, from Rhinelander, Wis. was present at training camp today. Renaud, whose favorite players include cornerback Ty Law and running back Larry Johnson, was excited to have his Chiefs poster signed by several players after the morning practice. Renaud also likes the fact that he can see the players up close, and says he enjoys River Falls because the people are friendly and the scenery is nice.
Nine year veterans of the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp Mark and Sara Gehrt, from DeSoto, Kan., have made River Falls their annual vacation destination. They have two children: Katie, 12, and Mitch, 11, who instead of going to Disney World where most kids would want to go, they opt to come UWRF to watch their favorite team train. The Gehrts have been married for 16 years and as a wedding gift to one another, they became season ticket holders. Seven out of the nine years the Gehrts have been coming to River Falls they’ve stayed at the Country Inn and Suites, located just a few miles north of the Athletic Complex and Ramer Field. “That pool is where my kids learned how to swim,” said Sara. For years to come, the Gehrts vow to be Kansas City Chiefs fans and go distance to support their team.
Jeff Sumy and son Gunner, 16, are rookies at the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp. “He really wanted to come watch his favorite team practice,” said Jeff of son Gunner. The father-son duo will be staying in the area for three to four days in hopes of getting as many autographs as they can, especially that of Brodie Croyle, Gunner’s favorite player and fellow quarterback. Jeff and Gunner plan to go to one of the area golf courses while in River Falls: of course, only when the Chiefs are not practicing.
Extra, Extra...
Kicker Casey Printers appears to be unsatisfied with merely kicking the ball through the goal posts. After narrowly missing two preoccupied UWRF staff members yesterday, today the powerful Printers fired a field goal that flew into a fan's camping chair, thankfully empty.
Wide receiver Eddie Kennison signed autographs after practice, which ended at 4:48 p.m. 30 fans lined the fence to get his autograph. Kennison signed autographs for 10 minutes.
Linebacker Donnie Edwards paused for a quick interview after today's practice. Edwards commented on the upcoming season, saying that “talent doesn’t win football games. We have to go out there and execute. Hopefully we’re going to make some big plays this year.” Edwards was very enthusiastic about the athleticism the Chiefs have this year and says he has high hopes for the team.
As the Chiefs left the field they received ice cold Gatorade to cool them down after their first practice in full pads. Tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Michael Allan, Keith Willis and Mike Pinkard stayed on the field to receive extra passes. Gonzalez was overheard telling a few media members that he would address the press “tomorrow or Monday,” which will be a rare occurrence for him when it happens.
During camp there are many infractions and penalties that coaches and assistants are unable to catch. The Kansas City Chiefs use qualified referees to substitute before NFL officials arrive on Aug. 2. Referees Ted Bauer from New Richmond, Wis., and Tom Stewart from Sparta, Wis., are helping the Chiefs sort out who is causing penalties and who is lined up wrong. Bauer has a background in refereeing high school games, and Stewart has reffed college games in the past. Bauer and Stewart will not be here the whole camp, but they each have four or five more practices left before the NFL officials take over. Bauer said, “ We don’t throw flags or whistles. Our job is to see infractions and write them down on a card, and we hand it to the guy in charge.” Stewart added, “Then the cards go to the position coaches.” Stewart went on to sarcastically joke, “The linemen are going to be happy to see my card.” With rookies and players wanting to get a jump on the ball to make an impression, there are lots of penalties in training camp. Bauer and Stewart’s jobs are important because coaches want to make sure players have the right positioning before it’s in a big game situation, and the infraction affects a game outcome.
Saturday, July 28, 2007: Training Camp News
Direct sunlight and 81 degree heat could not keep 285 fans from observing the Chiefs practice this afternoon. The wind continued from the east-southeast at six miles per hour, humidity was at 39 percent, and the dew point was 54.
Special Update
The Kansas City Chiefs announced today a new show of solidarity with a devastated high school football team. The Rangers from Greenburg, Kan., lost their football equipment as well as their homes on May 4.
“It’s a little town west of Wichita, about five hours from Kansas City. It’s definitely in the Chiefs Kingdom. And at 9:45 in the evening, a Friday night, an EF5 tornado hits this community,” said Mitch Holthus, anchor of the Chiefs Fox Football Radio Network, and the "Voice of the Chiefs."
“Now, I’ve grown up in the Heartland. I’ve been a Kansan for most of my life, and I’ve seen tornadoes; I’ve seen damage. People see damage here in Wisconsin, in Minnesota. I’ve never seen anything like this. This was like someone took a weed eater and wiped out the whole town. There is nothing left.”
Rather than throw in the towel, the residents of Greenburg have fought to keep their community alive.
“They are bound and determined to come back. One of the main ways to keep their spirit is to rally around their school, and their school activities. Well, they have no school,” said Holthus. “They’ve also decided to keep their sports teams alive. They’ll be playing games on another field at another school. They have nothing; they have no equipment. They lost absolutely everything.”
To show support for the Greensburg team, more than 200 members of the Chiefs organization today donned baseball caps with the Greenburg Rangers' colors and proudly bearing the letter “G.” President Carl Peterson showed a presentation last night to the team featuring the town’s destruction, and Head Coach Herm Edwards passed out the hats. They are a limited edition item just for the Chiefs' organization.
“I think the hats have a two-fold purpose: one, they show that the Chiefs care about getting the Rangers back on the field, and that they care about their surrounding communities and their teams. Two, it’s a unifying aspect for our team. It gives everybody something to think about beyond themselves. It unifies all of the different parts of this team: the players, the personnel, the whole organization,” said Holthus. “Quite honestly, this is my 14th year as the voice of the Chiefs’ radio network, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this organization more galvanized. It is a symbol to Greensburg, but it is also a symbol to all the people watching the Chiefs that this is a unified organization.”
In addition to wearing the caps, members of the Chiefs family—players and staff—have sought or given donations to the Rangers to buy new equipment. Peterson solicited other organizations to donate funds, such as the NFL and various local youth football groups. Chiefs Director of Community Relations Brenda Sniezek has also played a large part in gaining revenue for the Rangers. Mike Davidson, equipment manager, found cleats and other basic equipment for the team, and Vice President of Football Relations Lynn Stiles made several trips to visit the site of the devastation in Greensburg this summer.
As a further gesture, the Rangers will be the Chiefs' guests to watch the team battle the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 23 at Arrowhead Stadium.
“The Chiefs have stepped forward – no, jumped forward - with both feet,” said Holthus.
Offense
With the presence of heat and the blazing sun, special teams worked on punting and the take-off downfield to start practice. Chiefs quarterbacks threw a few reps of outlet passes to tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Keith Willis, Mike Pinkard and Michael Allan. The tight ends practiced getting up and off the line. After that quarterbacks Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, Casey Printers and Jeff Terrell split off to work on foot drills. Printers’ quick feet stood out in the bunch.
The, practicing without defenders, the quarterbacks practiced 3-step drops and practiced 10-yard outlet passes in the flats to wide receiver Samie Parker and rookie wide receivers Ryan Titus, Ean Randolph and Maurice Price.
At 4:12 p.m. the offensive line was given a 2-minute water break while the quarterbacks and wide receivers set up for a touch down receiving drill from the 15-yard line. The corners of the end zone were targeted with the throw, with each quarterback getting an even amount of reps. Wide receiver Samie Parker was quick to successfully meet the ball on passes from all four quarterbacks. Rod Gardner had trouble stretching for the pass and twice couldn’t handle them in the left corner of the end zone. Wide receiver Eddie Kennison recovered from a stumble to get up and catch a pass from quarterback Damon Huard.
Huard led the offense for a 9-on-9 drill while Brodie Croyle stuck with the wide receivers. During the 9-on-9s running back Marcus O’Keith was stopped cold by a hard tackle from linebacker Kendrell Bell and defensive tackle James Reed after catching an outlet pass from Huard. Running back Kolby Smith was a standout in the evening’s practice and gained a strong seven yards on a hand off from Huard up the middle. Fullback Gilbert Harris earned a five-yard gain, but not without a hard take down from safety Chad Williams and defensive end Montez Murphy.
All out pressure from the defense, players dressed in full pads and the urge of the players to hit something made the 11-on-11 drill a sight to see. The offense stepped up its game from the morning’s practice and Head Coach Herm Edwards focused on the down play of the defense: “Come on D’. Got to go. Got to pick it up D’.” Quarterback Damon Huard came out with the first unit and was 4-6. Six-foot, six-inch defensive end Jared Allen used his arm span to get his fingers tips on Huard’s first pass to full back Greg Hanoian to tip it away. Huard’s second incomplete pass came from a throw away pass to the left sideline when wide receiver Jeff Webb went down. Quarterback Brodie Croyle was 8-10. Wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu gained 10 yards on an outlet throw from Croyle despite double coverage. On a hand-off from Croyle, running back Marcus O’Keith shot around the corner on a sweep of the left sideline for a 20-yard gain, aided by great blocking from the line. Quarterback Casey Printers was 8-9. He took the ball on one short run up the right sideline for about 7 yards.
During a 7-on-7 drill the Chiefs ran through end zone situations. The defense went about three-quarter pressure on the offense. Huard was 2-3 on throws. He hit tight end Tony Gonzalez in the middle. Gonzalez, as usual, was sharp throughout practice. Huard completed a 13-yard aerial to running back Marcus O’Keith for a touch down. His pass to wide receiver Jeff Webb was incomplete on a low throw to the right side of the end zone. Croyle got the snap four times. Tight end Michael Allan jumped too soon off the line on Croyle’s first take. Croyle then went 2-3, with the scrimmage line at the 12, 10 and six-yard lines. Fullback Gillbert Harris received Croyle’s first pass followed by a hard smack from cornerback Benny Sapp. From the 12-yard line Croyle whipped the ball to running back Kolby Smith for a touch down. On the six yard line Croyle attempted to launch the ball to tight end Mike Pinkard in the back of the end zone but it was tipped by linebacker Keyaron Fox.
Defense
This afternoon was the first practice with pads, and it was also the hottest practice thus far. Being able to wear pads meant the players actually had a chance to lay a few hits on each other. Before any of that could happen, they performed their daily strengths and stretches and split off in to groups to work on their specific position.
The defensive backs showed that they would not let the heat bother them while working on the sleds. This is a new drill this year, in which players go through two continuous, different contact drills. First, they line up in a three-point stance in front of a three pad blocking sled. After slamming into it, they quickly shift to their left and hit into a five-pad sled. The players must alternate hitting every other pad. It is a full-throttle, hard hitting drill with plenty of noise and adrenalin.
Veteran players cornerbacks Ty Law and Patrick Surtain made this drill look like it was a walk in the park, but for others it was more difficult. Rookie cornerback Tyron Brackenridge had some trouble getting his timing right and at one point slipped and ran the wrong way almost running in to another player. Defensive Backs Coach David Gibbs yelled, “Your killing the drill rook[ie].” The players had to do the drill three times because of Brackenridge, but they finally got it perfect. Gibbs is willing to work his guys as many times as it takes until they get it right. Making his football players better is a top goal.
The linebackers performed a one-on-one drill where they would try to play off a block to enter a hole. Rookie linebacker Brian Crum was the odd man out, not having any player to go up against. Crum fired up Linebackers Coach Don Blackmon, because Blackmon thought he was not going full speed. Blackmon shouted, “Are you tired? Do the drill right!”
At 4:15 p.m., after the team quickly gathered to work on field goal blocking, the defensive backs met in the middle of practice field No. 1. The fans sitting on the west end got a good look at the defensive backs diving and tackling foam dummies on a large blue foam mat. The mat is used so the players avoid injury as they go full speed practicing the big hits they would make from behind if a wide receiver or running back makes a catch. The defensive backs then worked for roughly 10 minutes on practicing their coverage drop-backs, running backwards for 10-yards, then turning to the side while continuing running.
Next, the offense and the defense worked together. As the defensive backs went against the wide receivers, they proved that yesterday's stellar practice session wasn’t a fluke. Quarterback Brodie Croyle saw a lot of action in this drill. On one play, Croyle dropped back and fired a pass that was broken up and nearly intercepted by cornerback Michael Bragg. Bragg has had a good camp so far; he has been around the ball and has been very competitive.
The quarterbacks and wide receivers were not afraid to try the deep ball during the wide receiver against defensive backs drill. There was a battle for position between cornerback Justin Phinisee and wide receiver Samie Parker on the left sideline. They battled the whole way down the field as veteran cornerback Patrick Surtain backed up his fellow defensive player yelling, “That was offense!” meaning a penalty would have been on the wide receiver in a game.
Following the individual drills, the team gathered for their routine 11-on-11 practice on Field No. 2. The offense focused primarily on short passes over the middle, mixed with runs to the middle and outside. It was fairly hard for the defense to defend the short passes, but they stopped the run well. Quarterback Brodie Croyle worked the hard count successfully on a few plays, drawing players off-sides. Defensive Coordinator Gunter Cunningham screamed, “Got to hit him when the ball snaps, not when he says ‘hut, hut!’ ”
There was only one turnover during the 11-on-11 drills, caused by defensive end Jared Allen, who got through the line and hit rookie running back Kolby Smith in the back field. The ball fell to the ground and Allen leaped over him and jumped on the ball, displaying his speed and quick reactions.
Special Teams
Kicker Justin Medlock along with fellow teammates, punter Dustin Colquitt and long-snapper Jean-Phillippe Darche practiced on Field No. 1 as the rest of the Chiefs practiced on Field No. 2 in their first day off full pads. Medlock got some game day-like work when he nailed four out of four field goals. Being a kicker in the NFL takes nerves of steel, so the more work Medlock gets in the better. It is also important for Darche and Colquitt to get work in as well. The field goals made by Medlock ranged from 25-yards to almost 40-yards. Medlock didn’t face too strong of a rush and got his kicks off cleanly.
Fans
Ice cream from the Falcon Foods stand helped cool down River Falls residents Ralph and Betty DeRoy as they watched practice this afternoon. Ralph favored the chocolate marshmallow variety, while Betty noshed on classic peppermint stick as they watched for Head Coach Herm Edwards on the field. “We’re looking for the coach; we haven’t been able to spy him,” said Betty. “We’ve also been waiting for Priest Holmes to arrive.” Both visited Chiefs camp with their grandson, Connor, 13, who received a third place trophy at today’s Punt, Pass, & Kick contest.
UWRF Housing Coordinator Emilee Driscoll took a moment to slip away from her duties to watch the Chiefs on the field. This is Driscoll’s third year serving at housing coordinator during Chiefs camp. As part of her job, she oversees residence halls Grimm, McMillan, Parker, and Crabtree. Driscoll cites wide receiver Eddie Kennison as one of her favorite players, and not just for his performance on game day. “Last year one of his sons came to campus and Kennison didn’t make a huge fuss about it. He didn’t ask for special treatment. He stayed with his son in Parker Hall so he wouldn’t have to be by himself.” A recent graduate of UWRF, Driscoll hopes to work in community relations with the NFL. Until then, she keeps busy making sure players, coaches, staff, and the NFL Films crew have everything they need. Be sure to look for Driscoll around campus; she’s the one zipping by in the golf cart.
Enjoying their first time at training camp were Sandra Ringcob and her sons Shane, 11 and Caleb, 10. The Ringcobs, who are from Eagan, Minn., were also present at the Punt, Pass, & Kick event, which was held after morning practice. Shane and Caleb said they had a great time at Punt, Pass, & Kick, and are also excited to see their favorite players, including tight end Tony Gonzalez, and guard Brian Waters. They hope to see running back Larry Johnson. Sandra, who is planning to attend Family Fun Night on Aug. 8 with her sons, likes watching the speed and consistency of each player. She also likes watching the wide receivers, and Head Coach Herm Edwards direct the team.
Cory Renaud, 15, from Rhinelander, Wis. was present at training camp today. Renaud, whose favorite players include cornerback Ty Law and running back Larry Johnson, was excited to have his Chiefs poster signed by several players after the morning practice. Renaud also likes the fact that he can see the players up close, and says he enjoys River Falls because the people are friendly and the scenery is nice.
Nine year veterans of the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp Mark and Sara Gehrt, from DeSoto, Kan., have made River Falls their annual vacation destination. They have two children: Katie, 12, and Mitch, 11, who instead of going to Disney World where most kids would want to go, they opt to come UWRF to watch their favorite team train. The Gehrts have been married for 16 years and as a wedding gift to one another, they became season ticket holders. Seven out of the nine years the Gehrts have been coming to River Falls they’ve stayed at the Country Inn and Suites, located just a few miles north of the Athletic Complex and Ramer Field. “That pool is where my kids learned how to swim,” said Sara. For years to come, the Gehrts vow to be Kansas City Chiefs fans and go distance to support their team.
Jeff Sumy and son Gunner, 16, are rookies at the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp. “He really wanted to come watch his favorite team practice,” said Jeff of son Gunner. The father-son duo will be staying in the area for three to four days in hopes of getting as many autographs as they can, especially that of Brodie Croyle, Gunner’s favorite player and fellow quarterback. Jeff and Gunner plan to go to one of the area golf courses while in River Falls: of course, only when the Chiefs are not practicing.
Extra, Extra...
Kicker Casey Printers appears to be unsatisfied with merely kicking the ball through the goal posts. After narrowly missing two preoccupied UWRF staff members yesterday, today the powerful Printers fired a field goal that flew into a fan's camping chair, thankfully empty.
Wide receiver Eddie Kennison signed autographs after practice, which ended at 4:48 p.m. 30 fans lined the fence to get his autograph. Kennison signed autographs for 10 minutes.
Linebacker Donnie Edwards paused for a quick interview after today's practice. Edwards commented on the upcoming season, saying that “talent doesn’t win football games. We have to go out there and execute. Hopefully we’re going to make some big plays this year.” Edwards was very enthusiastic about the athleticism the Chiefs have this year and says he has high hopes for the team.
As the Chiefs left the field they received ice cold Gatorade to cool them down after their first practice in full pads. Tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Michael Allan, Keith Willis and Mike Pinkard stayed on the field to receive extra passes. Gonzalez was overheard telling a few media members that he would address the press “tomorrow or Monday,” which will be a rare occurrence for him when it happens.
During camp there are many infractions and penalties that coaches and assistants are unable to catch. The Kansas City Chiefs use qualified referees to substitute before NFL officials arrive on Aug. 2. Referees Ted Bauer from New Richmond, Wis., and Tom Stewart from Sparta, Wis., are helping the Chiefs sort out who is causing penalties and who is lined up wrong. Bauer has a background in refereeing high school games, and Stewart has reffed college games in the past. Bauer and Stewart will not be here the whole camp, but they each have four or five more practices left before the NFL officials take over. Bauer said, “ We don’t throw flags or whistles. Our job is to see infractions and write them down on a card, and we hand it to the guy in charge.” Stewart added, “Then the cards go to the position coaches.” Stewart went on to sarcastically joke, “The linemen are going to be happy to see my card.” With rookies and players wanting to get a jump on the ball to make an impression, there are lots of penalties in training camp. Bauer and Stewart’s jobs are important because coaches want to make sure players have the right positioning before it’s in a big game situation, and the infraction affects a game outcome.