WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 , 2019. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ SU D5
fast; I’m surprised,” he said Sun-
day. “There was a cadence I
messed up on twice [today], but I
got it down.”
Players who don’t get many
plays during practice compensate
with what they call “mental reps.”
Offensive lineman Jerald Foster
and Sims, both undrafted free
agents, stand next to teammates
on the sideline and listen. When
the call goes into the huddle, they
test each other on what should
happen next.
First-year players laughed at
the concept of “off days” during
camp. “Maybe they are for the old
guys,” Martin said. Younger play-
ers spend hours reviewing their
video and playbook, where every
wrinkle seems to have another
wrinkle.
Every player who was asked
how well he thought he was doing
with the playbook hedged. A typi-
cal response: Pretty good, but
there’s always room to improve.
That’s w hy t he process of learning
the offense reminded Chesson of
something he heard while at
Michigan.
The Wolverines’ coach, Jim
Harbaugh, had a confidant
around the building, a former
Marine named Jim Minick,
whom everyone called “The
Colonel.” Once, to prove a point,
Harbaugh asked Minick how long
it took to train a battalion. Ches-
son remembered The Colonel’s
response: “If you have two days, it
takes two days. If you have two
years, it takes two years.”
“That’s the kind of thing with
offenses,” Chesson said. “You’ll
actually never get it, right? Every
time you learn something, there’s
[another layer].”
[email protected]You’re not the first read, so
your job is to block. Normally,
you’d p robably hit the cornerback
covering the wide receiver, but on
this play, your blocking assign-
ment is what the Redskins call
“MDM,” or “Most Dangerous
Man.” This means, at the snap,
you must evaluate the cornerback
and identify the backside defend-
er who, if the defense is in zone
coverage, might already be
sprinting to the flat. You need to
determine which of those two
defenders has a better chance to
blow up the play, a nd block him —
but not too soon. Some teams
throw bubble passes laterally, but
the Redskins throw them for-
ward, which means no receiver
can block a defender until the
catch is made.
“There’s a lot more blocking
assignments [for wide receivers
in the NFL],” said Harmon, who
ran the spread at N.C. State. “It’s a
lot more concepts.”
The offense has tripped up
even one of the team’s most expe-
rienced players. Last season,
Penn played for Gruden’s b rother,
Jon, in Oakland and, when the
Redskins signed Penn last week,
Jay joked it would take him
“30 minutes” to pick up the sys-
tem. Jay’s offense is “very similar”
to Jon’s, Penn said, and he point-
ed out that both schemes still
contain elements they had back
in the 2000s, when they were all
with the Ta mpa Bay Buccaneers.
Penn called himself “old
school” and “a big note-taker.” He
has three or four pages marked
up with new verbiage. In his 13th
season, Penn understands almost
all of the ideas; the trouble is
what to call them.
“I’m picking up the lingo prettybut what first-year players find
tricky is not the plays themselves.
It’s the volume of them.
Skill players from spread of-
fenses in college only needed to
memorize a numbered route tree.
Now, their team runs several
formations, and some plays can
be called out of multiple forma-
tions. Sometimes, parts of a play,
such as the receivers’ routes or
the linemen’s blocking assign-
ments, automatically change de-
pending on the defense’s cover-
age or movement before the snap.
The Redskins call those pre-
planned adjustments “conver-
sions.”
For example, if the play calls
for a certain receiver to run a
hitch, but he faces press coverage,
the route might convert to some-
thing else.
Coaches expect players to be
versed in the three components
of each play — concept, forma-
tion, protection — and calls come
into the huddle sounding like a
football equation. Craig Reyn-
olds, an undrafted rookie run-
ning back out of Kutztown (Pa.),
impersonated a quarterback in
the huddle, spitting out a play-
call: “This this that this this!”
“It’s the defense’s fault the of-
fense is complex,” grinned wide
receiver Jehu Chesson, who
learned the offense last year with
flash cards. “They have to dis-
guise [coverages] and come up
with all these exotic blitzes and
stunts to try and get to the
quarterback. If they stayed vanil-
la, though, we’d be vanilla, too.”
To illustrate the complexity,
consider one simple play from
one position. You’re the No. 2
wide receiver, and the coach just
called a bubble screen.wrong. This was the chance to
apply what they had spent so
much time discussing.
“We kind of tag-team [figuring
out plays],” McLaurin said. “It
really helps.”
For the Redskins’ rookies, com-
prehending and executing the
playbook is crucial. It’s the base-
line expectation, and coaches
have drilled into all players that
there are fewer days, and fewer
practice reps, remaining until
Washington kicks off the regular
season at Philadelphia on Sept. 8.
Ta lent means nothing if it’s flying
in the wrong direction, missing
blocks or derailing the vision of
Coach Jay Gruden in some other
way.
How players best digest infor-
mation can often be traced back
to how they learned in school.
Some scribble in notebooks, such
as offensive tackle Donald Penn
and McLaurin, who calls himself
“a really active learner.” Others
prefer video on an iPad, such as
offensive lineman Ereck Flowers
and rookie wide receiver Kelvin
Harmon. A few applied learners,
such as wide receiver Steven Sims
and guard Wes Martin, can’t exe-
cute until they’ve walked through
the play on the practice field. It’s
stressful.
“You’re coming in, you don’t
know the system, and you got to
play,” Sims explained. “You’re go-
ing to get tired, and everything
else plays an effect.... You got to
pick [the playbook] up right now
just so you can compete.”
Often, players and coaches de-
scribe Gruden’s offense as com-
plicated. The concepts are similar
to a West C oast, pro-style scheme,REDSKINS FROM D1professional football
JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POSTMaking his Case
Redskins quarterback Case Keenum is in a three-way battle for the starting job with teammates Colt McCoy and Dwayne Haskins.
Coach Jay Gruden has offered little clarity about who might play Thursday in the Redskins’ preseason opener at the Cleveland Browns.Gruden remains vague
on how he’ll handle QBsCoach Jay Gruden said Monday that
not all three quarterbacks vying for
the starting job necessarily would
play in Thursday night’s preseason
opener at the Cleveland Browns. The
option remained to play just two of
Colt McCoy, Case Keenum and rookie
Dwayne Haskins, and split up the
playing time by quarters.
Gruden gave a little more detail
Tuesday — but not much, saying he
has a plan for the rotation.
“We’ll play at least three,” he said.
There are four quarterbacks on the
roster, including Josh Woodrum, and
Gruden said he intended to share the
plan with them after practice.
The afternoon workout didn’t shed
much light on how things would be
handled. The first four series of the
team period were split between
Keenum and McCoy, with the twoflipping back and forth. Haskins then
came in and had back-to-back series
to himself. It was a good day for the
rookie, who was accurate and
decisive with his throws. He had
impressive connections with wide
receivers Paul Richardson, Trey
Quinn, Robert Davis and Jehu
Chesson.
“We’ll see how he does in a game,”
Gruden said. “It will be kind of cool
to see him in a game. We’ll see how
he does. We’ll see how he’s taken
what he’s done on the practice field to
see how it transitions into a real
game situation. And how he handles
the huddles and cadence,
anticipation, accuracy — all that
good stuff.”
McCoy was back on the field after
being held out of the latter part of
Monday’s practice.McLaurin back to Ohio
Rookie wide receiver Te rry McLaurinwill be a fan favorite in Cleveland
after starring at Ohio State alongside
Haskins. McLaurin has been working
with the Redskins since the spring,
but this will mark his and all of the
rookies’ first real taste of the NFL.
The third-round draft pick has
been showered with praise from
coaches and teammates, and he has
consistently made plays in camp. His
speed is obvious, and he has shown
good hands and special teams ability.
McLaurin is an intellectual player
and is trying to learn all three wide
receiver positions to take advantage
of his versatility.
“I feel like things have really
slowed down for me,” he said. “I
remember that first practice just
being so nervous, and things were
kind of going fast. But I’ve always
been a great study when it comes to
studying the game.... I feel like I’ve
done a good job developing that,
working on my mistakes.”
— Kareem CopelandOBSERVATIONSExcerpted from washingtonpost.com/redskinsA SSOCIATED PRESSA day after Denver Broncos
wide receivers Emmanuel Sand-
ers and Courtland Sutton fought
at training camp, the players who
threw punches and water bottles
at each other presented a unified
front, joking that their next bout
will be on pay-per-view for a cool
$69.99.
“Tickets go on sale tomorrow,”
Sanders said Tuesday as he and
Sutton stood before reporters
who asked what had sparked the
scuffle between teammates who
play the same position and even
went to the same college (SMU).
Neither gave any details about
what led to the tussle, but both
said they put the disagreement to
rest.
“It stands good,” Sanders said.
“Obviously, we’re family. We went
to the same school, grew up in the
same area. It was a miscommuni-
cation. That’s j ust what it is. But at
the end of the day, we’re back on
the same page, trying to be the
best receivers in the world.”
Sutton, a second-year pro who
declared himself the No. 1 wide
receiver this spring, concurred
with Sanders, a 10-year veteran
coming back from a torn Achilles’
tendon.
“I think what Emmanuel said
was right on point,” Sutton said.
“We’re brothers at the end of the
day. T hat’s all that matters. Like he
said, we went to the same school.
This is a dude I look up to, a dude
I’ve been watching for a long time,
chasing his records and getting
here and following in his foot-
steps. So, you know, all that stuff is
swept under the rug; we’re mov-
ing on to bigger and better things.
We’re ready to win and take what
we have here and keep growing it.”
Ignoring further questions,
Sanders again touted their next
“bout” on pay-per-view before
both walked away.
l 49ERS: Running back Jerick
McKinnon is back on the field
nearly a year after a torn right ACL
prematurely ended his first
season with San Francisco.
McKinnon participated in posi-
tion drills after being removed
from the physically unable to per-
form list. He practiced carrying
the ball and running routes, but
the 49ers didn’t allow him to take
part in 11-on-11 drills.
l BILLS: Buffalo cornerback
E.J. G aines is out indefinitely with
a groin injury.
Coach Sean McDermott didn’t
reveal the severity of the injury
but said Gaines is expected to miss
a number of weeks. Gaines missed
one practice after being hurt
Sunday.
He’s a fifth-year player who was
competing for the starting job
opposite Tre’Davious White.
l COWBOYS: Defensive end
Robert Quinn fractured his left
hand in practice at training camp
and is expected to miss the rest of
the preseason.
Quinn suffered the injury dur-
ing a one-on-one pass rushing
drill against left tackle Ty ron
Smith. Stephen Jones, the Cow-
boys’ executive vice president of
personnel, s aid Quinn would have
surgery but should be ready for
the opener Sept. 8 against t he New
York Giants.
l PACKERS: Jordy Nelson’s
NFL career ended in the same
place it began: Lambeau Field.
Nelson signed a one-day con-
tract with Green Bay and an-
nounced his retirement after
11 seasons, 10 of which he spent
with the Packers.
“I’ll be remembered as a Pack-
er,” t he 34-year-old wide receiver
said. “ Obviously I enjoyed m y year
last year in Oakland. But this is
where I started, and it’s great to
come back and end it that way.”
Nelson was known for his
speed, size and chemistry with
quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who
was the starter for Nelson’s entire
tenure in Green Bay.
l PANTHERS: Cam Newton’s
return to game action will have to
wait.
Carolina C oach R on Rivera said
Newton and linebacker Luke
Kuechly will not play in Thursday
night’s preseason opener against
the Bears in Chicago, adding he’s
being extra cautious with both
players.
Newton is working his way
back into form after having ar-
throscopic surgery on his right
shoulder in January. Kuechly
missed time last week after he got
“rolled up on” during practice; t he
six-time Pro Bowl linebacker
wouldn’t d isclose the exact nature
of the injury.NFL NOTESBroncos’
infighting
comes to
a detente
BY MIKE PRESTON
AND JONAS SHAFFERowings mills, md. — Baltimore
Ravens defensive tackle Michael
Pierce said he is close to 100 per-
cent and regrets not attending
offseason minicamps, which led
to him adding 30 to 40 pounds
above his playing weight.
Pierce, who can become a free
agent after this season, also said
he had a discussion with his agent
about whether he should attend
or miss minicamps. Some players
don’t participate in the camps as
leverage in potential contract
negotiations.
“There was a discussion, but he
left it in my hands,” said Pierce,
who was listed at 340 pounds last
season. “It was a poor decision on
my part not to start my diet
earlier and get my t ail in here and
get to the [organized team activi-
ties]. I feel like my wheels are
turning really well at this point.
What do we have — 3 5 days until
the opener against Miami? Some-
where around there, so the count-
down is on, and I’m looking for-
ward to it. I’ll be ready for sure.”
Pierce’s weight loss has been
noticeable, and he said he is at
about 85 percent in terms of
playing condition. He has hired a
chef and spent numerous hours
working with Ravens strength
and conditioning coach Steve
Saunders and director of sports
nutrition Sarah Snyder.
The Ravens need Pierce to play
well this season. He was the
team’s top defensive lineman by
the end of last year, when he
finished with 32 tackles but also
became a threat as a pass rusher.
Pierce is expected to split playing
time at nose guard with starter
Brandon Williams.
In training camp practices,
Pierce h as looked good, especially
reacting quickly on the snap.
Pierce and Williams might give
the Ravens the best tandem of
run stoppers in the NFL.
“Michael Pierce is having a
great camp,” defensive line coach
Joe Cullen said. “Michael came
back a little heavier than we
wanted him, but he has really
worked hard to get to where he is
today, right now. He’s about close
to where we need him, but he’s
still not there. But he’s really
practicing hard.”
They’re practicing hard on the
other side of the ball, too. When
the Ravens and Jacksonville Jag-
uars were done with intrasquad
drills Monday, quarterback La-
mar Jackson huddled with the
offense, looked over the defense
and handed the ball off — again
and again and again.
At times late last season, it
seemed the Ravens would not
even need their wide receivers to
move the ball, and in this particu-
lar drill, they were omitted alto-
gether.
Before the joint practice’s m ain
attraction — 1 1-on-11 action, with
everything but live tackling — got
underway, the sideshow was a
between-the-tackles running
drill. And Patrick Ricard was hap-
py to provide a soundtrack.
He thudded against defensive
end Yannick Ngakoue (Mary-
land). He cracked into lineback-
ers James Onwualu and Myles
Jack.
Not every block made the same
sound, but they all left the same
impression: If there’s anyone on
the team who can “get medieval”
on a defense, as offensive coordi-
nator Greg Roman said he hopes
they will, it’s the 300-plus-pound
Ricard.
The third-year player hears
that directive all the time from
Roman. For almost any team
building a modern offense, a
smash-mouth fullback might be
last on the wish list.
Run-first attacks are inefficient
enough; why add a thumper with
four career catches, someone
whose mere on-field presence
suggests a running play is immi-
nent?
The Ravens are prepared to do
things differently. Ricard will not
spread out the defense as a slot
receiver or pass-catching running
back would; he’s probably going
to try to flatten it.
“There’s an element of our of-
fense where we want to be able to
get medieval and get downhill on
people,” Roman said. “There are a
variety of ways to do it. We don’t
want to narrow ourselves to say,
‘We’re only doing this,’ or, ‘We’re
only doing that.’ Let’s roll the
balls out there, see what the guys
can do, and see who steps up and
progresses. Pat’s doing a really
good job.”
— Baltimore Sun
Pounds are
flying o≠
Baltimore
DT Pierce
Redskins rookies battle learning curve