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WP: Redskins Insider....
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/
Posted at 1:43 PM ET, 05/ 2/2008
What We've Learned So Far (With Jansen Update)
From Paul Tenorio:
It was hot out there on the practice field, but the coaches were getting active and involved right from the start. Special teams coach Danny Smith was barking instructions to his players during the teams drills at the start of practice and Zorn even showed his energy on one big play...more of that to come.
The rookie wide receivers didn't get any reps with Jason Campbell and the first team during 11 on 11s, but Fred Davis got out there in some sets along with Chris Cooley.
Running back Clinton Portis was rocking his yellow shoes and practicing, with only four players inactive (CB Carlos Rogers, LB Rocky McIntosh, QB Colt Brennan and S Kareem Moore).
Rogers and McIntosh, who are recovering from knee injuries, took part in individual drills on the sideline, doing some light jogging and slower drills. Brennan, who had hip surgery, stood with the quarterbacks and watched, while Zorn said Moore had his knee scoped last week but will be fine.
The Play of the Day came during 7 on 7 drills, when Jason Campbell dropped back and found wide receiver Anthony Mix down the right sideline in the back of the end zone. With a corner in his face, Mix bobbled the ball after a deflection, but hauled it in one-handed. He was out of bounds by the time he got control and nearly sprinted into the woods behind the field, but Zorn had already sprinted 10 yards down the field and screamed encouragement at Mix for the catch.
Campbell said he thought Zorn was going to tackle Campbell's former Auburn teammate when he saw him take off after the play.
"I thought he was going to run him and down and tackle him there for a second, he took after Mix like a shotgun," he said. "But that's excitement, though. You like guys that are excited about playing or coaches that are excited about being out here, excited about playing."
Zorn said the play was important because it was an example of translating a lesson learned in the building out onto the field.
"I'm very excited but that wasn't a put on or anything like that," Zorn said. "I just want to make sure that those guys, when they make that kind of effort to catch the ball and to stay with it, if you saw what he did, I said well that was just unbelievable. Now that was out of bounds, it didn't count in the game because you've got to catch it the first time, but he deserves [encouragement]. That idea we were talking about in there was 'Finish. Finish.' And he did that."
Mix saw several reps with the first team, often playing as the third receiver with Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El.
In one of the key battles to keep an eye on during training camp this summer between rookie punter Durant Brooks and incumbent Derrick Frost, there wasn't much to report. The two rotated kicks, with both booming some high, deep punts. On the final rep, however, Brooks mis-hit the ball and it lame-ducked about 15 yards shorter than any of his previous punts. The rookie didn't look happy, but again, both kickers only took about five punts, so there wasn't much to report.
The next practice will get underway at about 3:25 and run till approximately 5.
It's Minicamp Friday (Updated)
As Jasno mentioned in his last post, he'll be out for a while because of the death of his mother-in-law. Jason Reid and Paul Tenorio will be blogging.
Here's Paul's first file:
The first practice is expected to start in a few minutes at 11 a.m. and run until approximately 12:30. Afterwards, Coach Zorn, Jason Campbell, the rookies and a few other players will be talking to the media and we'll try to see how Campbell's first practice under Zorn went and what it was like to be throwing to some big targets out there.
Greg Blatche won't be talking until after the afternoon session, which is expected to run from 3:25 until about 5:00 PM. We'll be blogging throughout the day, trying out best to fill in for JLC, so keep checking in here to Redskins Insiders for quotes and updates from the Skins' first minicamp of the year.
They're running some 11 v. 11 right now (at 12:39). Devin Thomas just took his first rep in this drill and downblocked on a running back reception. No rooke receptions yet...
Rookie tight end Fred Davis just saw some action (at 12:48) with the first team, lining up in a two tight-end set with Chris Cooley. The two ended up on the same side of the line and the reception went to...running back Marcus Mason on a swing pass the opposite way. The two rookie wide receivers meanwhile have taken reps with the second, third and fourth units meaning no Campbell-to-Thomas or Campbell-to-Kelly combos yet. We have seen many different formations and it feels like real Redskins season out here -- as evidenced by Fred Smoot's trash talking after breaking up a pass. Practice just ended so more to come soon.
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