Training Camp A.M. Practice 8/11

I arrived at Dove Valley early and had to wait for the gate to open. It is hot already and its only 7:15. As the faithful file into the complex, we are met by Cliff, the Field Security Boss. He precedes to inform us that there is a reserved section between the 40's that is for Team employees because it is Bronco Employee Appreciation Day.(Nice Perk). So I claim my position at the far 35 yard line and settle in to wait for a little action.

My patience is soon rewarded. Kyle Orton and Tom Brandstater walk out in full pads and start soft toss with the ball boys. Jimmy Eat World proclaims, "It just takes some time" over the PA system, while the players slowly filter on to the field. A little Jackson 5 "Dancin' Machine" entertains us next. Kory Lichtensteiger makes a few FG snaps to Kyle, to a tune from Kool and the Gang, and then we hear from Michael Jackson.

Matt Prater tees one up at the 30, and ST practice starts. ST Coach Priefer calls for the "Hands" team to line up, and they go through some Onside Kick Coverage and recovery drills. They take a few reps, then Priefer requires the 2nd team "Hands" players to march on to the field. He runs through angles and directs the players on their responsibilities for each return situation. Darcel McBath gets some pointers from the coach. They make an attempt and Ayers covers the ball and Priefer lauds McBath for a good job blocking out the recovery attempt on the play. Then the players huddle and run a full speed "called" onside play, to the satisfaction of Coaches Priefer and Burns. They run one more drill at 3/4 speed with just 5 players on the Returning side and Josh Bell muffs the recovery(OK, he hardly tried). The Horn blows, and the team begins some 11 on 11 drills.

I see Knowshon Moreno for the first time. The Offense throws a couple of passing plays to warm up. They are running plays from the huddle today, and 3rd string WR's are "scouting" as DB's. I see that Ryan Harris is back on the field today, but there is no sign of Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, or Champ this morning. Simms and Brandstater get a couple of reps in on passing plays. Tom B. makes a nice crisp pass to Richard Quinn, then Simms makes two passes to Eddie royal, a short and then a long completion in which Royal is covered by Nate Swift. 2nd teamers are playing as the scouting Defense front 7. Orton makes a pass to Quinn that misses him in the hands. Knowshon gets a carry at 3/4 speed. It is very generous of them to be running plays right in front of me. Hillis, Buckhalter, Torain, and Darius Walker get running reps, and then the Horn blows again.

More tunes, this time with a little Hip-Hop flavor; and the Stretch session begins. It is about 9:10, and warming up more. The players limber up with some crossover sidesteps, backward trots, and the galloping skips, then a few 40 yard jogs and walk-knee leg stretch excercises before spreading out for Coach Tuten's ministrations. Some more Hip-Hop plays out across the field. There is a pretty sizable crowd for a Tuesday morning. Carlton Powell, Kenny Peterson, Ronald Fields, Ryan McBean, Rulon Davis, E Ped, Nic Clemons, and Robert Ayers are right in front of me for calisthenics.

Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" comes on and Peyton Hillis lets go with an Arkansas Howl, eliciting laughter to everyone within hearing range. The Hip-Hop regiment of players razzes him up and Everette Pedescleaux howls back "Hey Peyton." Next up is Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and the players get into it.

The "D" runs off to the far field and the "O" splits off into groups on the near field. The Lineman practice their "pulling", while the Receivers run the "Tires", and then go off to run their slalom drill. A "head-bobber" Hip-Hop song comes on to the delight of the entire "D." The QB's play long toss and the RB's work the lane drills. The DB's run backpedal reps on the other field. Then the RB's move on to receiving drills with short square in pass patterns. Darius Walker misses a catch and his coach tells him to "COME ON." Kickoff Return blocking is the next item on the agenda and it is funny to see the Kickers out there with blocker pads as Kick Off scouts. No one bowls them over however. The QB's are throwing hard 20 yard passes to the coaches. HORN.

The QB's join the RB's for some handoff reps. They run a variety of one and two back sets with a coach calling a different play each time. Some are with Hillis taking the upback handoff and some with him lead blocking or going in motion. They run a few audibles, so the Backs can get used to the QB's voice while he yells over his shoulder. They run a two back play with a fake to Hillis, then a fake to Knowshon and Orton completing a pass to Hillis out in the flat. Then they run a couple of plays from shotgun with short swing passes. The HORN sounds.

The 1st team Offense lines up with the scout team. 3 players don red jerseys to isolate the right DT, the MIKE LB, and the SS. Buckhalter and Moreno take reps. Then, a sweep is run to the Left side and Knowshon shows a little speed. Next, they run a stretch play off Clady with C Buck carrying the ball. Then there is a Power run to Moreno with Hillis leading the way. They run it again with Peyton in pre snap motion. After few more reps for each RB, the HORN goes off.

The 1st team Defense returns to the near field for some 11 on 11 reps with the 1st team Offense. Alphonso Smith is filling in at Champ's position. C Buck takes a handoff over the left side, and then Moreno takes off and shows us some acceleration and some nice cuts. The crowd is pleased. Hillis gets caught up at the Line Of Scrimmage and I hear a Defensive coach saying, "STRIP THE BALL, He's not a sack of potatoes!" The next play Coach McDaniels yells at Carlton Powell for being out of position and tells the players to huddle back up. They run a dozen or so plays off of Ryan Clady and rotate RB's with Hillis, Moreno, Buckhalter, Torain, and Darius Walker all getting reps. The "D" gets their revenge as Rulon Davis stops Knowshon at the line just before the HORN blows again.

They switch directions as the 1st team "D" goes up against the scout "O". Out come the chains to mark out yardage simulations. Nic Clemons makes a stop at the LOS. Rashod Moulton deflects a Brandstater pass. Doom and Peterson show some lateral quickness running down a play at the sideline. Brandstater makes a nice completion to Branson and the HORN sounds.

Out comes the 1st team "Base D" against the 1st team Offense. Chad Jackson makes a couple of receptions from Orton. Simms and Orton both take reps passing the ball and Tony Scheffler, Eddie Royal, and Chad Jackson all make catches. Simms throws a pass that Quinn drops, but Jarvis Moss is dramatically offsides on the play. So Moss trots off to take a lap and the crowd encourages him as he passes by. Kyle passes to Royal on a short over the middle play and then actually overthrows Eddie on a play action go route with a strong pass that Royal barely gets his fingers on. They follow up with a pass to Daniel Graham and there's that HORN again.

The Ball boys hustle to "cone" the 20 yard line as the team lines up to watch more 1st team 11 on 11 drills. The squads swap sides again. Orton eludes the rush and is nearly picked by Alphonso Smith. Branson doesn't catch up to an Orton pass that stretches the receiver high on a long out to the sideline. Simms passes to Nate Swift, and David Bruton breaks up a pass intended for Kenny McKinley. Crowder howls in frustration trying to get a sack on Brandstater. Elvis Dumervil breaks up a pass at the line, and then Brandsater passes to Marquez Branson in the flat. Tom Bootlegs a run to the right and at the end of the play there is extracurricular activity "WWF style," with Blake Schlueter and Nic Clemons as the two combatants. After a takedown, the players are split apart and tempers cool. Saved by the HORN.

Out comes the JUGGs machine and Kickoff Return drills begin. Alphonso Smith is the deep man on the return team, while Peyton Hillis assumes the upback position. McKinley takes a few reps as the deep man and shows us his speed with a nice return at one point. Coach Priefer calls the 2nd team to the field and says, "We are not walking here, hustle on to the field!" Knowshon takes a rep as Return man. Then the practice turns to the Kickoff Coverage Team vs. the Scouts. Priefer stresses, "Wrap him up" and "Knock the Ball Out!" They take turns starting their coverage runs from the 30, 40, and 50 yard lines. The Scout returner burns them on the last rep and Priefer throws his hands up in fake disgust. HORN.

Segment 7 shows us passing drills with Orton throwing to the Receiving corps. Coach McDaniels is working closely with this unit, pointing out where he wants the ball delivered and where he wants the receivers to make their cuts. The players respond well and he praises them as well as coaches them. He tells Kyle that he has to "sell" the Safety as well as informing Royal that he must show the Safety different "looks" on his breaks. HORN.

The OC calls for a certain (I'm not divulging) personnel package and the QB's resume drilling with the WR's with the RB's joining in. Chris Simms makes a deep completion to Royal. A coach stands at the DB's Jamming position to simulate breaking off the line. They take a couple more reps and then the HORN goes off.

Swapping sides again, the 1st teams face each other for more 11 on 11 scrimmage. Royal makes a catch, Knowshon runs, and Scheffler catches the ball on two consecutive plays. After a Torain run up the middle, Simms overthrows Eddie(high) with DJ Johnson covering on the play. Spencer Larsen blitzes up the middle and gets burned on a delayed handoff to Knowshon, who rattles off a nice gain. Kyle throws to Royal on a check down after looking off the Safety.(smiles abound) Goodman and Royal clash on a long Simms pass with Eddie juggling the ball and Andre' breaking it up. Moreno gets a cutback carry and the coaches praise the play saying,"That's It."  HORN.

The ball is placed at the 25 yard line and the players swap sides again. One of the defensive coaches wants Darcel McBath calling signals on the "D." Kyle makes a pump, turns around, and fires a pass to Hillis who makes the catch, turns up the field, and fumbles the ball to himself. Moreno runs another. They run a nice inside out quick screen to the left with Royal receiving and Scheffler making the containment block. Then Orton fakes a quick throw to the flat, pumps, and McKinley makes a nice snag on a high heater, and gets a cheer from the crowd. It is now 10:45 and practice is running longer than scheduled (Bonus time, Yeah!) Royal makes another inside screen pass and plays "Catch Me If You Can" with Josh Barrett. They finish with a power run to the right with Moreno carrying, then a screen to C Buck, with good blocking and the Defense trying to strip the ball. And a Torain run off Right Tackle off of a 3WR set with Scheffler going in motion. The security starts to hustle us off to the Autograph Area as some of the team does wind sprints from sideline to sideline and the rest do warm down drills. Brett Kern, Britton Colquitt, Matt Prater, Blake Schlueter, Richard Quinn, Marquez Branson, Jeb Putzier, and Daniel Graham sign autographs after practice. They strictly adhere to the 10 minute limit as they are required to attend meetings following practice.

That's it for the morning practice. I'm posting this from a Borders bookstore about a mile away from the facility, while I await the evening practice. My next post will probably be late in the evening because I have to drive back to Colorado Springs. So I will "Communicate " with you later. Kirk out.