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Sunday, May 13, 2007
Wrapping it up at The Branch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some sights, sounds, thoughts and fun items as minicamp winds down at The Branch:
Owner Arthur Blank was out for Sunday’s practice, and lined up close enough to some of the drills to prompt flashbacks of last-season’s training camp injury to mind. Remember, when he sustained a torn rotator cufff after getting slammed by Fred McCrary?
“This is where Mrs. Blank wanted to spend the first half of Mother’s Day,” Blank said later, toward the end of drills. “At practice.”
After that, Mrs. Blank was to be treated to brunch.
Without pads, it’s hard to get a feel for how the defensive line shapes up for the time being, especially first-round pick Jamaal Anderson.
Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said the 6-foot-6 ex-Razorback “shows flashes” of why they valued him so highly, but contact work in preseason camp will be needed to get the fuller picture. The same goes for the interior linemen, whose ranks are depleted by the absences of Rod Coleman and Grady Jackson.
As for last year’s top pick, Jimmy Williams, Zimmer said “he looks like the kind of guy we’re looking for at safety.” His strong suit is considered to be run coverage.
He’s moving there after the Falcons drafted Arkansas cornerback Chris Houston in the second round. Houston had some moments lining up with the first-team defense Sunday. But he’d probably rather forget biting and missing a try at a pick on a sideline route. Joe Horn danced quite a few yards with plenty of open field ahead of him.
D.J. Shockley’s got plenty of company in the quarterbacking corps behind Michael Vick, but the former UGA player is sporting some different technique throwing the ball. Instead of a wide arc-like windup out of the snap, he’s working on a more textbook football throwing motion.
Newly signed Joey Harrington and Chris Redman have the mechanics down, but showed some glimpses of their drawbacks. Harrington wasn’t consistent throwing the ball down the field, got intercepted by Allen Rossum after badly overthrowing Roddy White. Redman, who knows Petrino’s offensive schemes from Louisville, had a bullet pass easily picked off in short coverage.
Michael Vick still shows some tendencies to hold on to the ball for a long time, even when he’s got an open receiver. One one play he stayed in the pocket for a good while, then bounced a pass toward Laurent Robinson, who had come back for the ball.
Robinson’s been earning raves all weekend, but after messing up a route got the full treatment from Petrino. Before the coach could yank off his cap and get in the rookie’s grill, White quickly counseled him on his error.
The placekicking game is considered competitive between new signees Billy Cundiff and Aaron Elling. But Elling didn’t help himself by badly missing two close field goal attempts, wide right. If he were a golfer they’d be spectacular slices. He did nail his subsequent kick, an extra point that sailed over the netting and the camera crew filming up high.
This may have been mentioned in a previous entry of Blog That Kick, but rookie safety Daren Stone has some serious hops. While at the University of Maine, the sixth-round pick cultivated a hobby of leaping cars in a single bound.
Not the hoods of cars. The roofs — of sizable American sedans. Watch his technique here and here.
Doesn’t even need the Fosbury Flop. I don’t know if Stone will make the team, but that might be as nifty a display of physical skill as anything at minicamp this weekend.
Our own D. Orlando Ledbetter cornered Petrino after practice to get the former high school point guard’s all-time All-NBA team for the AJC’s daily newspaper featured Gimme 5.
I won’t spill all the beans here — check the top of page two of the sports section in the coming days for all the names — but one of Petrino’s faves is none other than Atlanta-born World B. Free.
Gotta love it! Anbody who thinks the halcyon days of pro basketball have been in more recent decades is missing the glory of the ’70s, when the NBA took the best of the rollicking ABA, including a more free-spirited flair, and laid the foundation for what’s come since.
Didn’t mean to get off-topic — or off-sport — but I couldn’t pass that one up.
Gibson trying to catch on
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flowery Branch — Fred Gibson glided into the end zone on a downfield passing drill Sunday as easily as the ball thrown by D.J. Shockley dropped into his hands. Perfect timing, all around.
And Gibson held on. Defender beaten. Touchdown. No signs of Gators anywhere.
His motor couldn’t stop revving, though, as he scuttled up a small hill toward the observation bleachers before smoothly putting on the brakes inches from the metal.
“Woooooooooooooo!” Gibson blared out, just like it was old times in Athens.
Ever since he left the Georgia Bulldogs following the 2004 season, Gibson has been looking for a football home. After his play at the three day Falcons minicamp, he’s got some reason to believe he could find one here.
He’s been one of the more notable surprises coming out of the camp, although he’s vying for a roster spot at a crowded position. It’s a talented, speedy group of receivers (some of whom share his penchant for ill-timed drops) but he feels he’s as prepared as he has ever been for such a chance. His best shot, he believes, is to win a place on special teams.
“I just take every day very seriously,” said Gibson, who was released by the Miami Dolphins in February after spending two seasons there on the practice squad. “I’ve been making big plays.”
There’s quite an array of big-play talent already on hand, especially with the addition of veteran Joe Horn. Michael Jenkins, Roddy White and Adam Jennings return from last season, draftee Laurent Robinson is a keeper, and Brian Finneran is back after missing last season with a knee injury.
Gibson knows the numbers are against him at that position, so “I have to stand out on special teams. I’ve got to fit in wherever I can fit in. Just showing up every day, making plays, that’s what I’ve got to do.”
His situation is a big comedown after being drafted in the fourth round by the Steelers in 2005 and signed to a three-year contract as a possible replacement for Plaxico Burress. But Gibson was released in training camp as Pittsburgh — which would win the Super Bowl that season — was generally unimpressed.
He didn’t get on the field for the Dolphins in the two seasons he was there during the Nick Saban regime, but said staying in an NFL environment kept him sharp. And encouraged.
“There’s such a big difference between college and pro, no doubt about it,” he said. “It’s totally different. I think I understand that a lot better now.”
He’s one of seven former Bulldogs attending the minicamp, and getting to hook up with Shockley was sweet.”In the huddle, D.J. just gave me the eye,” Gibson said.
Even sweeter would be sticking around.
“I’m sure the fans would love to see number 82 again at the Georgia Dome.”
Petrino: ‘We got a lot done’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flowery Branch — The Falcons minicamp concluded rather uneventfully Sunday, a dramatic reversal from Friday’s circus atmosphere surrounding Michael Vick.
Instead of 60 or so newshounds at the start of the workouts, less than half dozen media looked on during a rather quiet Mother’s Day, including our Steve Wyche and D. Orlando Ledbetter. There were nearly as many Falcons media representatives holding out microcassettes during the interviews.
Even traffic to this reclusive patch of outer Gainesville was a breeze — less than an hour from Marietta. Only the meanderings of a frightened deer out onto I-985 near the I-85 split was cause for commuting alarm on a still Sunday morning.
There was just one practice today, which broke up around noon, and with no major casualties to report. The only player who didn’t look good coming off the field was free agent defensive end David Patterson, a rookie from Ohio State, who walked off very gingerly halfway through the session and didn’t return.
The only Grady Jackson sighting was on the other side of a thick window in the Falcons’ compound as he looked out on the proceedings, breaking into a big grin for a moment.
Warrick Dunn got a little more time in drills today, which head coach Bobby Petrino made note of that in his post-practice comments.
Five practices in three days, in which the coaches “threw a lot” at the players. Now comes a summer of detailed film breakdowns to analyze what everyone did as the staff sharpens its preparations for the start of training camp in August.
“We got a lot done,” Petrino said. “Defensively we had a good day today … they improved a lot from Saturday.
But …
“We’ve got a long way to go.” He was talking about the entire team.
That was the general theme echoed by his coordinators as a new staff has come in to usher the Falcons through a transition, with a new offensive scheme, a different philosophy on the offensive line, a lot of new personnel on the defensive side of the ball, among other things.
Once again this is a franchise in flux in terms of personnel, philosophy and approach to meeting owner Arthur Blank’s unchanging demands.
Asked to state his concerns, Petrino smiled and said: “I’m never going to tell you anything that’s not good.”
He found a lot to like after getting his first closeup look at his new team.
The offensive line, he said, “is getting a good feel.” The secondary “looks like it understands” the schemes being taught. “I’m happy with how we’re getting the ball down the field.”
As for the drafted newcomers, “I like our rookie group. They’re not intimidated. They’ve fit some of the needs we really have.”
A lot to take in, and a lot to absorb. Steve Wyche will have more in tomorrow’s paper (and which will be posted tonight on ajc.com) about “What We Learned.”
I’ll post later this afternoon on some specific areas the Falcons are addressing, toss out some more observations of today’s practice and relay my conversation with former UGA wide receiver Fred Gibson, who’s fighting for a place on the team.
Stay tuned.
