Rookie camp isn't pretty

The Bucs wrapped up their first day of rookie camp a little while ago here at One Buc Place.

It's an annual event that really can provide some interesting stories as guys from various backgrounds and a wide variety of talent levels try to follow their NFL dreams.

It can also be an adventure for coaches, who have only one day of preparation to get these guys on the same page -- even though they've probably never met and certainly haven't played together.

"For all these guys, it's a big learning curve," coach Jon Gruden said. "Some of these guys were in a spread offense and have never been in a two-back set. A lot of college football teams we styudy don't even use a fullback. So, for some of our linebackers to read a two-back set, it's almost impossible. They've never done it."

It turns into something of a fire drill at times.

"To try to get 42 or 44 new faces on the same page, understanding the snap count and getting the center-quarterback exchange can be challenging," he said.

But the players did as well as can be expected, Gruden said. Perhaps that's because they've been here since a little after dawn prepping and installing a handful of plays.

Here are some of the guys who are hoping to see their dreams fulfilled this weekend, even if they are all considered long shots:

DE Tommy Blake, TCU
DT Chris Bradwell, Troy
DE Daniel Brooks, Jackson State
K Art Carmody, Louisville
T Jared Carnes, USF
G Jackie Claude, Florida State
LB Derrick Doggett, Oregon State
WR Wes Doyle, San Diego
CB Bryan Flowers, Jacksonville
DE Vegas Franklin, Miami
CB Byron Garvin, Kansas State
RB Lavarius Giles, Jackson State
K Chris Gould, Virginia
T, Floyd Headen, West Texas State
WR Bruce Hocker, Duquesne
S Anthony Houlis, Florida State
WR Amari Jackson, USF
CB Brandon Jackson, Georgia Southern
S Kyle Jackson, Florida State
FB Langston Johnson, Yale
LB Adam Kadela, Northwestern
QB Sam Keller, Nebraska
T Adam Kieft, Central Michigan
TE Gerard Landry, Southern
TE Jon Loyte, Boston College
LB, Ron McCullough, Bethune-Cookman
LB Corey McKeon, Nebraska
DT Tywain Miles, Tarleton State
DT Alphonso Moran, Kansas State
WR Derrick Richards, Utah
C John Rochford, Miami
CB Junior Rosegreen, Auburn
LS Garrison Sanborn, Florida State
G Pat Schwenke, West Texas A&M
RB Clifton Smith, Fresno State
LB Gian Villante, Hofstra
OL Walter Walker, USF
FB  Stan White, Ohio State

[Daniel Wallace, Times]

Comments

[gator]

S Kyle Jackson went to UF, but we can pretend he went to FSU cuz he was terrible anyway.

[poolman]

why no mention of the possible simms trades? had to go to tbo to find that out. imagine, holding on to him because theres a chance he might be worth more than a 6th round pick...like he'll come in to training camp and do well, and improve his value. not likely. should have let him go somewhere else. bad personnel decision.

[Tony]

poolman: That story has been dismissed as hogwash. There is no validity to their writing, all heresay. That's why I refuse to go to their website. Not to mention they're constantly focused on negativity. Roy Cummings is a piece of garbage.

[Tony]

Hey Stephen: How did Sam Keller look today?

[Justin M]

Any standouts at the mini-camp?

[Phil Simms]

Chrissy can either pay back his signing bonus and leave and last years salary/NFL welfare, report and compete like a man in TC/Preseason which may up his trade value, or sit out the season. Whatever happens, don't try to send that slug back home to my refrigerator.

[RICH]

I AGREE WITH TONY. THE THE SPORTSWRITERS IN THIS TOWN ARE THE WORST BUC-BASHERS I`VE EVER HEARD. IT`S SICKENING, THEY SHOULD SAY GOOD THINGS TO BOOST OUR PLAYERS MORALE INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE TEAM DOWN AND THE COACHES CONSTANTLY. ALL THEY EVER DO IS SAY HOW GREAT KIFFIN IS. WELL `OL COACH KIFF IS A DAMN GREAT COACH....BUT SO IS ALOT OF OTHER COACHES AT ONE BUC PLACE. MAN ALWAYS A DOWNER IN THE TRIBUNE AND TIMES PAPER.

[Stephen_Holder]

Rich, I hope you don't seriously think it's my job or any other reporter's job to say things that "boost our players' morale." We are not cheerleaders. You're going to get the facts, like them or not. Sometimes it's going to be good news; other times it'll be bad news.

And Tony is referring to the Tribune, I believe. We didn't report the piece of news about the alleged Simms trade.

[Jim]

Hey Steve,
Noone expects you guys to be cheerleaders, but the word supportive comes to mind. The problem is that most of the sportswriters in this area seem to color their 'facts' with an air of sarcasm and know-it-all arrogance, as if they actually ever ran a team before. Here is the truth, the bottom line is that everyone loved Dungy, but he couldn't build an offense worth a shite, and had to go to Indy where the already had an offense to succeed. When he and Rich left our future was mortgaged in backloaded contracts to aging veterans, it took a long time for Bruce and John to clean it up,... and yeah, it always been pretty along the way,... but I can't think of another team who has so much young talent, hall of fame veterans and still has a buttload of money to spend,... kudos to them,... Go Bucs.

Jim, You're a moron.

[JS]

i have a question... when can we start contract negotiations with our rookies (the ones we drafted)? aqib talib, dexter jackson, zuttah, etc etc...

[James]

"Jim's a moron" but you're too scared to leave your name?

______'s a puzzy!

Btw Jim, you're 100% correct.

[James]

"Jim's a moron" but you're too scared to leave your name?

______'s a puzzy!

Btw Jim, you're 100% correct.

[Quentin]

You really have to wonder what the hell Nebraska QB Sam Keller was thinking when he decided to try out for the Bucs. It's all but impossible for him to even make the training camp roster here. Surely he'd be better off trying out for another team.

[JoeG]

Stephen, Jim's 100% correct regarding the "slant" and "tone" of the articles written by the majority of local beat writers.

The constant negative connatations are sickening to the majority of your readers..... and yet management continues to do nothing about it.

I will also state that "for the most part"..... you are the exception to my rant. Keep up the good work!!

JS... the front office is free to negotiate the rookie contracts at anytime, from now until the report for camp.

It's customary to wait until the week before camp to "back up the Brink's truck" at these young men's doorstep.

The philosophy being, that they can't get into too much trouble if they don't have the cash until after the "two a days" start!!

[aaron]

the reporting over at the tribune is a very much like a high school newspaper. the times does a great job covering the bucs. i have no problem with how they do things.