Scenes And Sounds From Minicamp Day 1
June 12th, 2012
Under blistering bright sunshine out at One Buc Palace today for the start of the Bucs’ three-day minicamp, Joe scanned the fields for two hours seeking the telling and interesting from the energetic New Schiano Order practice.
Here are some observations:
*Josh Freeman didn’t have his best day. He was picked off by Lavonte David, and at one point he missed three or four throws in a row during a red-zone simulation, 11-on-11 drill. There were other bad throws and Freeman just didn’t look his sharpest. At one point in a drill that forced quarterbacks to scramble and make a decision at roughly the 1 yard line, Freeman was told by what appeared to be QB coach Ron Turner to take another rep so he doesn’t finish on a bad note.
*On the flip side of Freeman’s interception was Lavonte David moving very well and really looking very comfortable and quick.
*Arrelious Benn got an earful from high-energy receivers coach P.J. Fleck after he dropped a pass in the end zone. “Open your hands.” Benn did some good things otherwise and was getting work returning kickoffs.
*Nobody seemed to have trouble getting open against E.J. Biggers.
*There’s no hitting or pads in these practices, but that doesn’t mean guys don’t move fast and get tangled up at times. Jeremy Trueblood found himself tripped up from behind and accidentally stepped on. Trueblood was not hurt significantly.
*Greg Schiano was furious after down-on-the-depth-chart rookie linebacker Antonio Leak busted through on what likely would have been a blocked punt. “That’s the second time that happened!” Schiano yelled.
*Mike Williams was returning some punts and he was being drilled by the special teams coaches to catch with “high elbows.”
*Freeman looks even thinner than he did last week.
*Freeman and Dan Orlovsky were pulled aside for what looked like a checkdown drill and were throwing to Dallas Clark and LeGarrette Blount, with Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams participating as targets about eight yards past Clark and Blount, respectively. No other players participated. Those trying to read into starting lineups can feel free to concoct theories off that.
*Yeah, it’s underwear practice, but Michael Smith is electric to watch on kickoff returns. Dude really has elite quickness.
*In a funny exchange while defensive backs were working on picking up fumbles (“knuckles on the ground!”) and finishing the play, Derrick Roberson picked up a wobbly, odd-bouncing ball and finished the play in the wrong direction. Greg Schiano just happened to be watching and yelled to Roberson, “We’re going to call you Jim Marshall if you do that.” Schiano then asked Roberson, “Do you know who Jim Marshall is?” Joe didn’t hear Roberson’s response. For those who don’t know how Marshall is, he had a famous wrong-way touchdown run in the 1960s, which stained his All-Pro career.
*The Schiano tempo didn’t let up in the summer temperatures. Screaming to have guys running to their next drill after 1 hour and 55 minutes of practice, Schiano barked, “This is how you’re going to feel at the end of the game. Push it right now.”
Stick with Joe throughout the day and all week for the latest on minicamp.
June 12th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Sounds interesting
June 12th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Thanks Joe for giving us an inside view to the happenings at 1 Buc. Sounds like some are coming along fine while some better get with letting last year go. Ya Free, You! Come on big guy settle down.
June 12th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Thank you, Joe!
June 12th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Great updates. I noticed Josh’s size from pics at his camp. Hope he does not go too far in the other direction and lose strength.
June 12th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Same Josh. In the red zone can’t get it in. Wnslow still got that gun to his head causing him to throw picks. Wait. Winslow is gone. So now what’s the excuse? Hey Josh. Dan is waiting!!
June 12th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Out of the entire draft, I am the most excited about Lavonte David. I dont care if he starts the season at 220lb’s, he is a playmaker. Which we sorely need at linebacker.
June 12th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
greg schiano said freeman looked good today
June 12th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
“Hey Josh. Dan is waiting!!” ~ Good one
That may be Freeman’s new excuse…. Maybe he never felt threatened by Josh Johnson’s presence but now their could be an actual QB on the roster that could challenge him!
June 12th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
joe – how concerned are you about freeman? you see this as a hiccup or signs of a bigger issue? the way you write it, the situation seems rough.
June 12th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
if you watch the video today schiano said freeman had a good practice today.
June 12th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Freeman is coke thin.
June 12th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Freeman has been doing great. He has one bad day and the haters come out of the woodwork. Trolls.
June 12th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
It is hilarious that Joe is tacitly campaigning that Blount is the starterbc he was with VJ and Clark in check down drills.
I am sure that this is proof positive, and that they are no other conceivable possibilities for this, except that our first round 7 mill RB is merely the backup to our league minimum UFA!
Comical! Thank goodness the Joes are making personnel decisions.
BTW: do you all know how many receptions Blount has had since the start of his Jr year at Oregon? 29 – in 4 years. He had 4 receptions at Oregon, boy that adds Chip Kelly, to RahRah, Dom, Olson, Jeff Fisher etc to the list of coaches who determined Blount a passing game liability.
But Joe heard he caught a ball at the Senior Bowl! Brilliant!
June 12th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Freeman has been throwing alot of picks in OTAs and it has carried over to minicamp… Hope he gets these kinks worked out…
June 12th, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Joe here,
William, you don’t need to repeat yourself. Two things to consider: 1) When Schiano talks to the media he’s yet to watch film of practice. When Schiano is at practice, he’s got a lot going on at once and can’t evaluate everything.
If the coach says Freeman had a good day, great. Joe’s relaying what Joe saw. Surely Freeman himself isn’t happy about tossing a pick and missing several throws. Sure he made throws, but it wasn’t his best day. Feel free to re-read what’s in this post. JOe’s not making stuff up.
June 12th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Joe here,
Thomas 2.2 – No need to be an ass. Joe’s not secretly campaigning for Blount by informing fans what running back was chosen to work on checkdowns with Freeman for 12 minutes or so.
Also, the Senior Bowl analysis of Blount’s receiving ability didn’t come from Joe. Multiple reports from NFL.com and beyond.
June 12th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Ok, the thing is you choose to write the negatives instead of both the positive and negatives about freeman’s practice.
June 12th, 2012 at 8:28 pm
Awesome, thanks for this. Love the format too
June 12th, 2012 at 8:41 pm
last time I checked this is mini camp where players and coaches work on weaknesses in an effort to get them corrected for Training Camp next month. i’m tired of the media going to camp and making our team sound like SB contenders every offseason. If Freeman had a bad series and threw an INT, I’d rather hear about it instead of getting the typical coachspeak being reported that everyone looks great.
IMHO Freeman will have an outstanding year, this time of year some bad throws are to expected. It’s up to Freeman to get it cleaned up by September.
June 12th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
Joe…did you just ell Thomas not to be an ass?!? Dude , that’s like telling a turd not to stink. It is what it is.
June 13th, 2012 at 12:00 am
LMAO@ Bobby
When I read Joe’s analysis, I didn’t infer any opinions at all. Just facts of the practice. If Joe had said everybody looked crisp and sharp and in September form, then I would be much more concerned. The only concern I can draw from anything I’ve read or seen so far is that Freeman has lost so much size, how much strength has he lost, if any?
June 13th, 2012 at 1:07 am
“Nobody seemed to have trouble getting open against E.J. Biggers.”
No crap, he is one of the worst pro CB’s I have ever watched, I hope he gets cut before the season starts.
June 13th, 2012 at 1:55 am
Regid Benn has hands of stone and a very low IQ = #4 on the depth chart. One contract then he’s outta here. He needs to sack up
June 13th, 2012 at 2:21 am
Freeman will be ok but this is the normal routine for him after 3 years. He will have a good season but we must temper our expectation of him so there is little disappointment.
June 13th, 2012 at 11:13 am
I tweeted Josh Freeman trying to get to the bottom of that incredibly horrific interception he threw to Lavonte David. These were his responses.
“We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re talking about practice.”
“I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we’re talking about practice.”
“Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last, but we’re talking about practice man.”
“How silly is that?”
“Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that, but I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything.
“I know it’s important, I honestly do, but we’re talking about practice.”
“We’re talking about practice man.”
“We’re talking about practice.”
“We’re talking about practice.”
“We’re not talking about the game.”
“We’re talking about practice.”
“When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about practice right now.”
“Hey I hear you, it’s funny to me too, hey it’s strange to me too, but we’re talking about practice man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about practice.”
I must admit, I may have screwed up my Tweet and gone back in time by accident. This new technology is so confusing!
June 13th, 2012 at 11:45 am
Miguel
Next time, try not to drink the worm at the bottom!