A Wing Pilot
Section:445 Row:19 Seat:1&2
I was fortunate to be one of the coaches that signed up for the NFL youth coaches clinic hosted by the Miami dolphins (all NFL teams do it). $30 Registration gave us a 500 page coach’s manual and playbook, a CD-ROM containing plays, breakdowns, and drills, a t-shirt, a membership to the NFLYCA and a certificate.
We all showed up at 8:30 about an hour before the team did. We had a private area in the stands roped off for us next to the media section. Before we get any further I did not bring my camera and I apologize as I was busy with the clinic. We all sat and watched practice with about 50 other coaches. The great part about watching it with other coaches is the discussions on who was missing assignments and who was doing well, on top of the fact that we could bounce ideas off of each other.
Here are the things that we as a group noticed from practice
1. Saban rules the practice; He demands teamwork and demands a tight schedule.
2. The practice comes of very collegiate, lots of clapping, and rallying around each other, which was nice to see
3. Constant changing of all positions. For instance: AJ throwing to 1 and 2 teams, Zach playing with 1,2,3 teams, etc.
4. Lots of different looks and lots of options and Stunts (I must have counted at least 6 on one set of plays alone)
5. None of the quarterbacks looked great today I don't care what everyone says. AJ has a hard time with the plays, Gus doesn't have a good rhythm, Sage has trouble with the short ball, and Berlin couldn't hold the ball longer if he tried... guy thinks too much.
6. Welker looks FANTASTIC, good returns, good receptions in second team and I saw him run with first team a few times as well.
7. RB, there is so much depth there its going to be crazy to see who goes and who stays... its really insane how good brown, Gordon, and Morris. Kay Jay also had some nice touches as well lest I leave him out.
So in summary, Defense seems to be picking everything up faster then the offense but fret not it’s still June.
Post practice some of the guys came over for signatures (to the fence) the most I had ever seen. Randy McMicheal, Jason Taylor, Jeff Zognina, Ronnie Brown, Matt Turk, and a few others... our class was starting so I didn't pay attention but thought it was really cool of them to do that.
After the area cleared a few alumni came and spoke with us, Nat Moore, Shawn Clancy, Sean wooden, and a few others. We talked mostly coach speak and how important it is to teach kids fundamentals, and get them educated. We went out on the field and did a tin of drills and spoke with the guys on how to perform different things and practice for them. most of the time we spent on CB's, DB's, RB's and WR. Wooden was awesome walked us through about every drill I must have taken 6 pages of notes. Not sure that you guys care so much about the clinic but all in all it was AWSOME. Best $30 I ever spent. In fact the 500 page playbook/manual was worth it by itself!!! They then threw in some free lunch and Gatorade. We left the facility at about 1:30 and the players were still in meetings until 2pm.
Guys that impressed EVERYONE (vets, not so much rookies as no history to compare)
DEFENSE:
Zach Thomas: Old my ARSE guy muscled up enormous and added some speed as well, looks like he read the forums and wasn't to happy that some people said he's lost a step.
Jeff Zognina: Always been a big guy but he’s just off the hook: 285 my right butt cheek that guy is 300lbs of stone wall!!!! Again apparently pissed that people said he was old.
Tony Bua: I though he wouldn't make a good safety, he looked pretty solid out there but still has more to work on
OFFENSE
QB crew: See above
RB Morris and Gordon looked very smooth and comfortable out there!!!
WR: Welker did great had allot of in the middle cross routes and really fought for the ball every time he had a chance
TE: Randy was randy and is looking great (as long as he doesn't drop the ball)
FB: Evans is a monster and a pretty good blocker; he plays like a rookie even if he has 5 years in the pros!!!
Dline: one word SOLID
Oline: one word BETTER!! (Hard to judge going up against the likes of our Dline)
Well, that wraps it up!!!! Big thanks to ProShopGirl for hanging out with me and introducing me to her husband (another coach) and HUGE props go out to Whalen Willis from the Dolphins Org, for setting up this whole thing. It was AWSOME!!!
We all showed up at 8:30 about an hour before the team did. We had a private area in the stands roped off for us next to the media section. Before we get any further I did not bring my camera and I apologize as I was busy with the clinic. We all sat and watched practice with about 50 other coaches. The great part about watching it with other coaches is the discussions on who was missing assignments and who was doing well, on top of the fact that we could bounce ideas off of each other.
Here are the things that we as a group noticed from practice
1. Saban rules the practice; He demands teamwork and demands a tight schedule.
2. The practice comes of very collegiate, lots of clapping, and rallying around each other, which was nice to see
3. Constant changing of all positions. For instance: AJ throwing to 1 and 2 teams, Zach playing with 1,2,3 teams, etc.
4. Lots of different looks and lots of options and Stunts (I must have counted at least 6 on one set of plays alone)
5. None of the quarterbacks looked great today I don't care what everyone says. AJ has a hard time with the plays, Gus doesn't have a good rhythm, Sage has trouble with the short ball, and Berlin couldn't hold the ball longer if he tried... guy thinks too much.
6. Welker looks FANTASTIC, good returns, good receptions in second team and I saw him run with first team a few times as well.
7. RB, there is so much depth there its going to be crazy to see who goes and who stays... its really insane how good brown, Gordon, and Morris. Kay Jay also had some nice touches as well lest I leave him out.
So in summary, Defense seems to be picking everything up faster then the offense but fret not it’s still June.
Post practice some of the guys came over for signatures (to the fence) the most I had ever seen. Randy McMicheal, Jason Taylor, Jeff Zognina, Ronnie Brown, Matt Turk, and a few others... our class was starting so I didn't pay attention but thought it was really cool of them to do that.
After the area cleared a few alumni came and spoke with us, Nat Moore, Shawn Clancy, Sean wooden, and a few others. We talked mostly coach speak and how important it is to teach kids fundamentals, and get them educated. We went out on the field and did a tin of drills and spoke with the guys on how to perform different things and practice for them. most of the time we spent on CB's, DB's, RB's and WR. Wooden was awesome walked us through about every drill I must have taken 6 pages of notes. Not sure that you guys care so much about the clinic but all in all it was AWSOME. Best $30 I ever spent. In fact the 500 page playbook/manual was worth it by itself!!! They then threw in some free lunch and Gatorade. We left the facility at about 1:30 and the players were still in meetings until 2pm.
Guys that impressed EVERYONE (vets, not so much rookies as no history to compare)
DEFENSE:
Zach Thomas: Old my ARSE guy muscled up enormous and added some speed as well, looks like he read the forums and wasn't to happy that some people said he's lost a step.
Jeff Zognina: Always been a big guy but he’s just off the hook: 285 my right butt cheek that guy is 300lbs of stone wall!!!! Again apparently pissed that people said he was old.
Tony Bua: I though he wouldn't make a good safety, he looked pretty solid out there but still has more to work on
OFFENSE
QB crew: See above
RB Morris and Gordon looked very smooth and comfortable out there!!!
WR: Welker did great had allot of in the middle cross routes and really fought for the ball every time he had a chance
TE: Randy was randy and is looking great (as long as he doesn't drop the ball)
FB: Evans is a monster and a pretty good blocker; he plays like a rookie even if he has 5 years in the pros!!!
Dline: one word SOLID
Oline: one word BETTER!! (Hard to judge going up against the likes of our Dline)
Well, that wraps it up!!!! Big thanks to ProShopGirl for hanging out with me and introducing me to her husband (another coach) and HUGE props go out to Whalen Willis from the Dolphins Org, for setting up this whole thing. It was AWSOME!!!
