Camp Practice Update 8/11 P.M.
August 11, 2009 - Bob Gretz |
From River Falls, Wisconsin
It was a hot one Tuesday afternoon here in the northwoods, and it had nothing to do with the head coach’s demeanor or the hard hitting that’s been part of practice all through camp.
It was just hot outside, stinkin’ hot, the hottest practice day of this year’s camp, and maybe the last three or four years. Temperatures pushed into the high 80s and there was little or no breeze blowing through the UW-River Falls practice fields.
“This felt like training camp,” said head coach Todd Haley. “I thought this was an excellent day of work for us. I thought the guys pushed through well. Even after practice.”
LG Brian Waters had the offensive line as a group run extra gassers after practice as other players scattered over the three fields and worked on individual moves and the like. At one point, 10 minutes after the post-practice team huddle had broken up, there were still 29 players on the field doing something.
“Those are all things you like to see,” said Haley.
Here’s what else he saw and had to say about the 15th practice of the pre-season:
- Asked what he’s looking for from his group of wide receivers, Haley said: “I look at wide receivers as more than just pass catchers; they have to be football players. They have to block, they have to catch the ball in traffic, make contested catches, make big plays in big situation. But they have to be football players first.” When pressed on who among his current group had qualified under that standard, he mentioned Terrance Copper, Rodney Wright, Amani Toomer and Bobby Engram.
- It was another tough day for WR Dwayne Bowe. In the individual position segment, the receivers run a four-cone drill. The cones are set up in a box pattern, about five yards apart. The receiver runs around those cones and has to catch a pass on each side, and the throws are coming in hot. When Bowe succeeded in catching all four of his passes, he slammed the ball down, flung off his helmet and posed as if he’d just scored the winning TD pass. On the next drill, two coaches were welding bags and hitting receivers as they tried to catch the ball. In six chances, Bowe did not have a successful catch. He was the only receiver who didn’t catch at least one pass.
– The rehab team was down to five players for this practice, as LBs Monty Beisel and Demorrio Williams, along with RB Jamaal Charles returned to practice. It was the first time Williams has been on the practice field in uniform this camp. The only five players not working were LB Zach Thomas, Gs Wade Smith and Tavares Washington, S DaJuan Morgan and RB Kolby Smith. Haley was pleased with the decrease in players working in what he’s called “No Man’s Land”: “To make this team you need to be on the field and that’s a good sign when that group is getting smaller and smaller. Throughout the season it will be the same m.o. for us; if you want to play you’ve got to practice.”
– The Chiefs practiced a no huddle offense for one segment of practice to mixed results. QBs Matt Cassel and Tyler Thigpen were a combined nine of 16 throwing the ball, with each one having a pass deflected by the defense. It was not a precision performance.
– They ran 20 plays in the teamwork portion of practice and the defense won, but was not as dominant as it was on Monday. It was a 60-40 breakdown for the defense. Cassel was just two of six throwing the ball.
– OLB Andy Studebaker continues to get some opportunities to long snap. He was sent in during a punt drill and promptly threw one back that almost went over P Dustin Colquitt’s head. Colquitt was able to get the punt off, but only after leaping to catch the snap. On another snap, Colquitt held onto the ball and did not kick because SS Bernard Pollard was screaming in from the right side, blowing through a block attempt by Charles and he would have easily blocked the punt.
– Rookie DL Dion Gales had to take a punishment run for jumping offsides during the pass rush-protection drill. He ran that 200 yards like he was on his last legs.
– OLB Vince Redd started showing up in this practice, as he displayed a very quick and powerful pass rush from the outside. Haley made it clear to the young man claimed off waivers from New England, that he needed to show that kind of play in every practice.
– Beisel got a sack in a team period and Haley was not happy that rookie WR Quinten Lawrence had decided not to block anybody on the play. Lawrence was in a type of H-back role, having gone in motion and not in a pass route. He heard it good from the head coach.
– After practice, DT Derek Lokey was working on long snapping … TEs Brad Cottam and Sean Ryan caught passes off the ball machine with TE coach Bob Bicknell watching … DEs Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee worked on hitting a sled with D-Line coach Tim Krumrie instructing … OLB Tamba Hali and NT Tank Tyler were working on hand fighting moves, and important element for any pass rusher … the usual cast of about six to 10 players was catching kicks off the ball machine … four young LBs worked with coach Pat Perles on taking and shedding blockers … OT Herb Taylor was working by himself on pass blocking sets … rookie CB Jackie Bates was running extra sprints, not 10 or 20 yards, but 100 yards and back.