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ES Coverage: 2008 Training Camp - Day 3 (Final)

JimmiJo

By JimmiJo
in The Stadium

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JimmiJo

JimmiJo

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Posted

ES Coverage: 2008 Training Camp - Day 3

07/22/08

86.JPG

:helmet:

Playtime is over kids, today is the day they strap on the pads and start hitting.

Good morning all, JimmiJo here ready for another day of Washington Redskins training camp. Today we get our first glimpse of Jason Taylor in a Redskins uniform. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures of our newest defensive lineman.

Of course we are all on the edge of our seats to learn what number Mr. Taylor will be wearing. Actually you are on the edge of your seats. I already know. Would you like me to tell you? Ok, I will.

55

Alrighty then. I'm going to head on down to the fields and get this party started.

Stand by...

10:30AM

Back in the media room. They called practice at about 9:50 because storms rolled through. The team then had Coach Zorn and Jason Taylor at the bottom of the stairs to answer questions. No other players were made available so I don't have any audio. I do however have photos and will work on them now.

2PM

You know, spending 13-hour days out here, standing in mid-90 temps, dealing with cameras, recorders, bugs, and players who want to get in out of the heat, it can make you tired and become a grind. Don't get me wrong, I love it and will contine as long as they let me, but it can be wearing on you at times.

And then you spend 25 minutes with a half-dozen writers talking to Coach Joe Bugel about his players, the veterans, the new guys, why he stayed after Gibbs, Coach Zorn, the old days, and just about everything fans care about, and you remember why you wanted this gig.

He is the man.

5:10PM

Just back up from the fields. I am going to upload some audio and then work on my write-up. No photos from the afternoon session but I do have tales to tell of hitting and sticking.

:helmet:

AUDIO

To listen to comments by Colt Brennan click HERE

To listen to comments by Jason Goode click HERE

To listen to comments by Kevin Huntley click HERE

To listen to comments by Marcus Washington click HERE

To listen to comments by Byron Westbrook click HERE

:helmet:

AM PHOTOS

Photos 1

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252363

Photos 2

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252365

Photos 3

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5358547#post5358547

:helmet:

AM Write Up

We had a shortened practice today due to weather. At the beginning of the session it was sunny and hot and I was focused on getting good photos of Jason Taylor (because Murf won’t show up and do his job). The next thing I know I look up and notice it is cloudy. Chris from PR then tells me that rough weather is on the way. Sure enough, by about 9:40AM a horn was sounded and the staff here at Redskins Park began ushering the fans out.

Although short, this morning session was good because they had pads on and we finally started seeing them hit. My favorite drill happened early on when Coach Bugel and Coach Palermo brought the offensive and defensive lines together for some 2-on-2 drills. These involved two offensive linemen lined up against two defensive linemen, with the defenders rushing and offense blocking.

Demetric Evans is making his mark in camp so far as for the second time in as many days he flattened an O-linemen. It was Jon Jansen yesterday and today’s victim was Todd Wade who, like Jansen, wound up on his back looking at the sky.

Tempers flared a few plays later when Chris Wilson was taken to the ground by Tackle Devin Clark, prompting Wilson to start jaw jacking to Clark as the o-line began to voice there pleasure with the defender going down. Soon both lines were sniping back and forth. “One of your guys was on his butt a few plays ago and we didn’t say anything,” said Lorenzo Alexander loudly, referring to the play where Todd Wade went down. The players settled down and the drill resumed.

With the threat of weather the coaches brought all the players and went straight to the 11-on-11 drills. I’m sure you’re curious so I will tell you that Jason Taylor did not participate in any of the 11-on-11s.

The defense seemed to get the best of it this morning being quick off the line and breaking up passes. Fred Smoot was impressive today and has been all camp. He was shut down on Malcolm Kelly making two very nice plays to break up receptions. Shawn Springs got pick as well.

The offensive line stuttered a bit with successive false starts, first Fred Davis and then Pete Kendall. This prompted the coaches to replace the personnel package with the next group.

Some of you may have heard that Jason Campbell is being a bit critical of himself, saying he needs to progress more in the offense. This was evident today in how receivers we often waiting on passes. This has been a trend this camp. It is possible that the coaches are calling a lot of hitch and comeback routes but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Rather it seems that receivers are getting to a spot and having to stop and wait for the ball.

This is not to say that Campbell didn’t have his moments today. He hit Santana Moss who got open 20 yards downfield. Campbell also connected with Chris Cooley for a touchdown while working on goal line offense.

There was a bit of comic relief following the Cooley TD with Jon Jansen running around doing a jumping chest bump with other offensive linemen. There is something about a large white man jumping around that precludes grace.

We are standing by waiting for the afternoon session. The sun is again shining, the temps are rising, and fun is in the offing…

:helmet:

PM Write Up

It is official, I now like Colt Brennan. Not because he did anything on the field to make me change my mind, but rather because he is such a good interview. He’s vocal, he’s positive, he’s charming, he looks good. Heck, he can stop by my dorm room anytime.

So the team had a good practice this afternoon. Very businesslike and effective, until 11-on-11s. That’s when folks started banging a little. More on that later…

I spent the first half of practice watching wide receiver and quarterback squad drills. It was a quiet afternoon and I wanted to focus on coaching. To my right was Coach Hixon with the wide-outs and to my left was Coach Zorn with the QBs. For anyone who thinks Zorn is a laid back guy, they need to watch him coach the quarterbacks. He is intense and very vocal with the group. Given his last job it is no surprise that Zorn seems to know exactly what he wants from his quarterbacks.

Today was about the most vocal I have heard Zorn with the QBs, continually correcting and admonishing them. Later there was a drill with the tight ends that had Zorn being vocal with the QBs and the tight ends.

Hixon on the other hand appears to be more laid back. He guides the receivers on routes, footwork, and hand technique. The receivers worked on a downfield blocking drill that was interesting to watch. What at first seems like a good block becomes subpar after Hixon demonstrates how it should have gone.

After a time I noticed that in the far end zone the running backs were working on receiving drills. There has been a greater emphasis on receiving with the backs this camp; much more so than under Gibbs. In speaking to the running backs they all say that there will be more opportunities to catch balls in this offense.

Once 11-on-11s started it was much like this morning, with defense getting the better of it. As the conclusion of practice it struck me that right now, it appears the defense is in front of the offense. I say this because the defense is getting a good rush on the offense, they are breaking up passes or picking them, they are filling up running gaps in the line, and often when receivers make a catch a safety or corner is bearing down on them and has to veer off to avoid the contact (in other words the receiver would have been smashed). Also in camp there are many completions that would have been a sack or hurry if the quarterback was not protected.

Not to say the offense didn’t have some moments this afternoon and to be fair, we don’t know anything at least until they start playing preseason games and we see how they do.

Here are my notes from the afternoon practice:

• Jason Taylor played a bit during 9-on-9s but not during 11-on-11s. I saw nothing noteworthy on the plays he was in.

• Clinton Portis took a handoff and was met in the gap by H.B. Blades, who knocked Portis flat on his back.

• Demetric Evans continued to look good this afternoon, getting a quick burst off the snap and driving blockers back. On one play he was able to quickly get up field and bat a screen pass.

• Malcolm Kelly made a nice reception with a defender hanging all over him.

• Justin Tryon intercepted Jason Campbell on a ball intended for Anthony Mix.

• I am told Leigh Torrence had a pick as well.

• Campbell connected on a nice slant to Cooley (running full-speed)

• I see a lot of you are asking about Rocky McIntosh. I would love to get you some details but he’s not talking. Not to me at least. I’ve asked him twice and even tried to talk to him without the recorder. He was happy to chit-chat but would not say nothing about his health or when he will be ready.

Quotes

“You gotta make a hit! You gotta make a hit!” - Danny Smith to the special teams unit

“Eyes downfield!” – Coach Zorn to quarterbacks during scramble drills

“Push it, now explode!” – Coach Zorn to quarterbacks during scramble drills

“You can’t block soft!” – Coach Bugel to unidentified lineman

“Communicate! Communicate!” – Marcus Washington to the defense

:helmet:

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CCSkinsFan

CCSkinsFan

Posted
Posted

Seems the 'Skins have nothing but "old numbers" !! LOL

Seriously, I'm interested to see how his first day of workouts ... in pads, no less ... goes, and please, Lord ... no more injuries. Let's just dump the hype, and see how this thing plays itself out.

Go 'Skins !!!

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