…Before practice, one of the defensive linemen’s drills is to run around three tackling dummies, then turn back and get to one that serves as the quarterback. The defensive backs, finished with their individual work, watched. That gave Fred Smoot a chance to yap a little bit.
”We’ll come over and do that drill, no problem,” he shouted to the linemen. ”We would love to get some of those pass-rush drills.”
…Rookie Jeremy Jarmon, from the University of Kentucky, was one of the last D-linemen to perform this drill. Secondary coach Jerry Gray shouted to him, ”Come on Kentucky Bourbon, let’s go!”
…And now back to Smoot.
”Where you at Dix!” he yelled to rookie Antonio Dixon. ”I got my money on you!”
Alas, he was disappointed. Antonio Dixon did not participate.
…Following the special teams practice in the afternoon, quarterback-turned-receiver Marques Hagans and fellow receivers Keith Eloi and Trent Shelton had a throwing competition. It wasn’t close as Hagans unloaded a 65-yard pass that hit the goalpost; 10 yards longer than Eloi’s best toss. Another of Hagans’ launches nearly went through the uprights from that distance.
”I wanted to see if I still have it,” Hagans said.
Shelton? A distant third.
…By the way, look for the kicking rotation to remain the same as last week, assuming, of course, they can manage a field-goal attempt this week. Special teams coach Danny Smith said he hasn’t told kickers Shaun Suisham and Dave Rayner what his plans were. Suisham was supposed to kick in the first half vs. Baltimore last week; Rayner was going to handle the second half.
But when you can’t move the ball, you can’t attempt field goals.
So Smith’s plan? He didn’t want to divulge it. Then again:
”If you think about we did last time and predict that we might do it again, you would probably be right,” he said.
