Thoughts From Day 5 Of Bucs Training Camp

August 1st, 2012

Vincent Jackson grabs a pass in front of Mark Barron Wednesday morning.

Some observations Joe had from this morning’s training camp practice at One Buc Palace:

* If a player made a big impression on Joe time and again in practice today, it was wide receiver Tiquan Underwood. He seemed to always find a way to make a play, even if he was covered like paint by a defensive back. Joe will have more later, but Underwood (partly because of Arrelious Benn’s injury) was getting a ton of reps with the first team offense. Barring injury, not only is Underwood a lock for the roster, he may push Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn for the No. 3 slot.

* The defense had two players that made big impacts today. One was defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who seemed to own the inside. Once, he burst through the line and dropped Muscle Hamster like a rag doll for about a five-yard loss. The second defensive player to stand out to Joe was Lavonte David. Man, is he fast. David had a nice interception on Josh Freeman and nearly had one earlier when Freeman rifled a pass to Sammie Strougher along the left sideline, just a hair before David got his mitts on the ball.

* Sans a couple of fumbles, the practice was crisp.

* Somehow, with cornerback Leonard Johnson draped all over him, Sammie Stroughter was able to make a nice grab on a ball along the right sideline. His nice play came with a price as Johnson leveled Stroughter with wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck barking “Finish the play, finish the play.”

* Overall, the Bucs defensive backs were not having a good day as not only was Freeman completing passes right and left, wide receivers were making crazy catches throughout practice.

* Intensity level was pretty high in Joe’s eyes. Walk-through running plays weren’t exactly walk-through, more like sprint-through.

* Doug Martin had better days. He twice put the ball on the ground, the second time timeout was called and Bucs coach Greg Schiano gave the offense a stern lecture.

* Wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck is an in-your=face kind of a guy. He often will cover receivers in drills. He also used some sort of hand-drill where receivers fight off handsy defensive backs. It looked like a class in karate or some martial arts teaching.

* Mike Williams never gave up on a play that Joe saw. Once, Freeman terribly underthrew Williams but Williams raced back to the ball and made a diving catch of the errant Freeman offering.

* Once, Freeman could have ordered a pizza he had so much time in the pocket, allowing a receiver to get open along the left sideline for a massive bomb completion.

* Dakoda Watson is explosive coming off the snap.

* Once, Lavonte David held Doug Martin to just a one-yard gain which got Greg Schiano all pumped up for the Bucs rookie linebacker.

8 Responses to “Thoughts From Day 5 Of Bucs Training Camp”

  1. BucFan20 Says:

    So now 2.2 will start should start calling Martin “Doug Blount”. After all ,he is always on LGB for his fumbles no matter what. And this is only training camp and Martin’s already putting the ball on the ground.

  2. thegregwitul Says:

    Good report, Joe.

  3. Mike J Says:

    BucFan20, do you know how many plays Martin has been in on in 5 practices?? One fumble is pretty good, in all probability, percentage-wise.
    Always look at context.

  4. BucFan20 Says:

    @ Mike J
    Does not matter. Any fumble from LGB and 2.2 claims he is a bad RB. NO EXCUSE for a fumble. Anytime! What’s good for one is good for for the other. He got dropped for a 5 yds loss. To which he would say Blount was doing the tippe-toe. Did not know where to go because he can’t read the play book. Not a line problem. Just showing it can happen to “THE BEST” of them.
    Get the point!!

  5. chimichango07 Says:

    I heard somewhere that the play GMC made was AFTER nicks was taken out. Any truth to that?

  6. Mr Lucky Says:

    “* Sans a couple of fumbles, the practice was crisp.”

    Just like last season…sans a couple of missed tackles/fumbles/interceptions/ the team was crisp….

    Fumbles are UNACCEPTABLE.

    PERIOD

  7. The Dutcher Journal (Pete Dutcher) Says:

    I’m curious how Blount is doing with jumbles in camp.

    Mr. Lucky, I think this is an entirely different situation. Last year if umbles were made players lost playing time and were not coached thru it. Schiano and his staff are identifying weaknesses and actually addressing them. THIS is the perfect time for players to make mistakes.

  8. Jordan Says:

    BucFan20, stfu….