Training Camp '99 CoverageAdd yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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Although we didn't attend yesterday's scrimmage it was nevertheless an eye-opening 30 hours spent in Champaign this weekend.
Proud to say that we survived . . . eh . . . "witnessed" both of Friday's practice sessions between the Rams and Colts. I must say that both of those sessions were held under some of the most oppressive weather conditions I can remember. I have spent my entire 37 years in the upper Midwest, and I can only recall a couple of stretches worse than what we've seen the last couple of weeks here. It was like having a hot, wet blanket on top of you.
Not surprisingly, Friday's practices we tempered by the heat . . . both were stopped upwards of a half hour early. The level of play was also hampered by the weather . . . and the effort was not surprisingly ratcheted back a bit. In other words . . . it was just too damn hot to be too intense . . . and everyone seemed to understand it.
Including those pair of 'old time' coaches . . . Vermeil and Mora.
Also . . . didn't spend a *LOT* of time watching the Rams defense against Manning and Co. - so there's not going to be a whole lot in this report about 'em. Because the practices were spread out over the two practice fields used by the Fighting Illini - the Ram defense against the Colt offense / the Ram offense against the Colt defense - I decided to spent the majority of my time with the latter.
In my opinion, that's where most of the Rams' problems were last year . . . so that's where I was going to spend most of my time. Moreover, I spent the majority of *that* time eyeballing the individual drills and competitions involving the skill positions guys . . . far and away from where the big boys were grunting, sweating, spitting and swearing.
Anyway . . . some impressions.
~Peyton Manning. Oh, my. Is *this* kid the real deal. What a prospect! Proud to say that I've been a rabid supporter of him since he was a sophomore at Tennessee . . . and never once wavered when the Leaf Faction came on after the '97 college season. Peyton is something! Not only is he a superior thrower, he has the utmost respect of his teammates and coaches. He handles the Colt offense like a guy who's been in the league 10 years . . . making reads and audibles at the line of scrimmage with all the confidence in the world.
~It's obvious to me that *ANYONE* who sees this Rams' team up close will come away with the impression that the receiver position is the strongest on the team. Although Issac Bruce did next to nothing on Friday (thankfully)--short of stretching out, running a few drills, and keeping his hammies loose--the Ram wideouts were consistently overmatching Colt DBs in EVERY man-to-man drill and situation.
~Bruce, Holt, Hakim and Proehl are the locks. My guess is the improving Tony Horne also makes the roster as a lock, thanks to his abilities as a return man (but not limited to that - he looked good catching the football during both sessions).
~Of the rest of the receivers in camp right now, Mac Cody seems to have a leg up . . . thanks to his pro background in Canada. Just a little further along with his skills sets and understanding of the position as a pro than the other guys.
~Despite flashing some individual skills at different times while I was watching, everyone else there at receiver. . . rookies Danny Jones (Utah), Darrius Blevins (Memphis) and Tony Small (Georgia), World League standout Donald Sellers (New Mexico) and Kevin Knox (Florida State) are on that proverbial bubble. The best shot for any of those guys seems to be making the developmental squad . . . maybe injured reserve.
~Make no mistake . . . Torry Holt has the looks of an *amazing* prospect. He did some things during Friday's two practices that were nothing short of breathtaking. Not only is he a superb athlete . . . he understands the position he's playing better than a lot of veterans on other teams. He's a natural receiver, for one thing. Runs exceptional routes, has great body control and all the tools necessary to be a superstar. Up close, you understand the Rice comparisons. Didn't see him doing a lot of open field running--thanks to the conditions of the controlled nature of the practice sessions-- but from what I've seen of him on tape, he's got all the gears . . . and knows when to slide from one to the other.
~Holt is built along the same lines as Ike . . . but even a bit more long and lean. Torry also has some of the best, most smooth footwork imaginable. He was wonderful instincts for the position, great athleticism, incredible ups . . . and hands as soft as a baby's butt. What a wonderful change of pace to see No. 88 being occupied by someone who's that dedicated to playing the positon. This kid is a RECEIVER and FOOTBALL PLAYER . . . not just a sprinter.
~Many of the highlights of the day's practice (for me) came during goal-line drills between Ram wideouts and Colts corners. Lots of fade routes and look-ins. One that really sticks in my mind was when Holt ran a fade into the right corner of the end zone. In one of the few times all day that a Colt corner was actually able to stay with him, Torry simply continued the route as designed, but maintained eye contact with the DB all the way into the corner. Holt never once tipped his hand that the ball was in the air. Instead, he simply waited until the ball was nearly on top of both of them, then exploded into the air (with very little in the way of a 'gather' step) and pulled it in without so much as an audible grunt. I'm telling you . . . it was smooth as glass. The corner was so completely caught off guard and lost . . . he ran right past the play and wasn't even a factor. Although it looked matter of fact to a lot of observers, I thought it was an amazing display of skill and athleticism on Holt's part.
~I know Phantm has been talking all off-season about receivers who play over top of DBs. We all know that's where Bruce plays. If you can believe it . . . I don't think it's going to be long before Holt is *better* at that aspect of the game than Issac. The kid is . . . absolutely fabulous.
~That said, I got a pit in my stomach everytime I watched Holt work with the punt return unit (and mad man Gansz). I am hoping that the Rams fight the temptation to use Holt as a punt returner . . . no matter how good he seems to be there. The upside to what he may contribute there is simply not worth the potential downside to his being injured in those situations. I would hope Vermeil, Martz and Saunders will give Torry all the space he needs to become the best pro wideout he can be . . . and not force feed the punt return duty on him. (I'd personally like to see Tony Horne get a shot at that slot as the fifth receiver on the roster.)
~Torry did something else wonderful during Friday's controlled scrimmages against the Colts. Was watching him in my binoculars running an underneath pattern against a developing Colt zone. Torry simply got deep enough in a situational third down set, found a soft spot in the zone, turned, bent his knees slightly to get a good low, firm base, held out his hands as a target and then brought in a short flip from Green effortlessly. It was like a basketball player getting great position in the low post and calling for the ball. Holt's hands didn't move more than a couple of inches when he made the catch . . . making it obvious how soft his hands really are. Again, it looked like a very simple play to most . . . but the instincts for doing that particular job . . . knowing how to get himself free, how to create space to make the catch . . . it gave me goosebumps. I've been watching Jerry Rice dissect defenses in this way for 14 years. He's got many thousands of miles to go before being in that class, but Holt is Rice-esque in many things he does on the field.
~Many here know that I was a big fan of Rick Proehl when the Rams signed him during the '98 off-season, and I must say he made a lot of big plays for 'em last season. But, as has been noted here, he also dropped a lot of easy balls during the season. And, after watching him up close Friday, I couldn't help but notice that he does the same thing in practice situations. It's the damnest thing. The guy has terrific soft hands, but there are times he lollygags with his hands when the ball's on it's way and they're not in proper positon to snap it in. They invariably get there late, get crossed . . . and catchable passes are dropped. It's friggin' weird to see. Seven out of 10 he pulls in as clean as can be - hands only, no body. Two of the other three are dropped. It seems to be a lack of concentration . . . and doesn't give me a lot of confidence.
CONTINUED>>> Part 2