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Veteran Leadership Helped Set Tempo for Final Practice
The Cardinals concluded this weekend’s mini-camp with Sunday morning’s practice at the Cardinals Training Facility.
“For the fifth practice, that was tremendous energy because I know they are sore,” stressed Head Coach Dave McGinnis. “You saw some of the vet guys pull the young guys up with them and that was a tremendous practice as far as energy wise. We put in some of our nickel stuff today and used some different nickel combinations on our rush line. You saw Emmitt (Smith) run that little toss out there and it looked good. We got some things accomplished this camp.”
Throughout the free agency process, Vice President-Football Operations Rod Graves has reiterated his desire to inject a winning attitude and veteran leadership into the Cardinals franchise. McGinnis was pleased this mini-camp with the leadership of the free agent acquisitions that Graves and his staff signed this spring.
“This is a new football team,” stated the head coach. “The faces are different. And the things that we are doing offensively, defensively and special teams wise are different and they are new and we needed to get together. I loved the veteran leadership we had remaining on this team and I really can see how valuable the guys are that we’ve brought in. Everyone of them are just exactly what I thought they were and that is going to go a long way in helping us on both sides of the football and on teams.”
This weekend was the first opportunity for many of these new vets to began making their mark and during the team’s first practice on Friday, safety Dexter Jackson’s enthusiasm rallied the defensive backs before a one-on-one drill with the wide receivers.
“That is just me,” explained Jackson. “I love to play the game. When you have fun playing the game, you tend to play the game better. That is in whatever you do. You have love for it, you’ll do better.”
For fullback James Hodgins, his work has been made pretty easy so far -- he’s gone from blocking for Pro Bowl running back Marshall Faulk to paving the way for the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith.
“I keep a Pro Bowl running back wherever I go,” laughed Hodgins. “That is the key to success. Seriously, it is real easy to block for someone with that type of talent. They make it easy on you by reading the blocks and making the plays. It really makes me look good and being part of history, I enjoy that.”
When Hodgins first made his visit to the Cardinals a few months ago, he talked about the importance of maintaining Sunday’s game speed all week long.
“For me, it’ll show up more when we are in pads,” promised Hodgins. “People will be forced to raise their level when I am around. But, I am still doing everything full speed this weekend and going hard, but the tempo out here has been pretty good. Everybody is going pretty fast.”
Seven-year vet James Darling, who has played for New York and Philadelphia, has been concentrating mainly on sorting through all of his terminology.
“For me, it is always tough coming from a new team, just a lot of terminology to learn and I have a lot of improvement to do,” stated Darling. “Certain things are called something else in New York, and something else in Philly and that is what I am having a tough time with but I am getting it. I am trying to pick up on details because Coach Fitz is a detail coach and that is what I like about him.”
All three like the chemistry they are seeing from their new team.
“This team is a tight group and I am having a great time,” said Darling. “Coach Mac runs things very well and I like the way things are looking and the feel of everything.”
“There are a lot of new guys here and I think everyone has really come out with a positive attitude and a lot of energy,” added Jackson. “Everyone ran to the ball and everyone is trying to get better right now. Where we finished at last year on the defensive side, there is only one thing to do and that is to improve.”
Actually where Jackson finished last year was as a World Champion with the Buccaneers, but he’s already taken on this team as his own and his leadership has been noted.
“I think I do need to step into a leadership role but I don’t think it is a necessity as far as the secondary is concerned,” offered safety Adrian Wilson. “We already have two guys back there that have already won Super Bowls. We’ve got Super Bowl MVP back there in Dexter and Duane (Starks) who has a Super Bowl ring. It is just a necessity for me as an individual to improve myself. We have a lot of guys that can be leaders and with those two who have already proven themselves in this league, they are taking the pressure off of me so I can just concentrate on stepping up my own game.”
The new cast of free agency has brought veteran leadership, but it is also important that some of the returning players also step into more of a leadership role this season and defensive lineman Kyle Vanden Bosch seems prepared for just that.
Last year, Vanden Bosch was returning from a knee injury and wasn’t cleared for full contact practice until after the start of training camp. A year later, he’s ready to get things rolling and put his knee problems behind him.
“I am far more physically prepared now and this year I am going to focus more on some of the mental aspects of my game,” stated the third-year defensive end. “With the loss of some seasoned vets I am looking to take more of a leadership role this year and help lead the new Cardinals to a winning season.”
The leadership provided by both new and returning vets during Sunday’s closing practice will go a long way towards building a winner this fall.
“I was waiting to see today without any prompting and without any coaches yelling or screaming what kind of energy we were going to have out here today,” reemphasized McGinnis. “And you could see some team leadership today because the players brought that energy out today and that was great. I was waiting to see exactly that.”
Veteran Leadership Helped Set Tempo for Final Practice
The Cardinals concluded this weekend’s mini-camp with Sunday morning’s practice at the Cardinals Training Facility.
“For the fifth practice, that was tremendous energy because I know they are sore,” stressed Head Coach Dave McGinnis. “You saw some of the vet guys pull the young guys up with them and that was a tremendous practice as far as energy wise. We put in some of our nickel stuff today and used some different nickel combinations on our rush line. You saw Emmitt (Smith) run that little toss out there and it looked good. We got some things accomplished this camp.”
Throughout the free agency process, Vice President-Football Operations Rod Graves has reiterated his desire to inject a winning attitude and veteran leadership into the Cardinals franchise. McGinnis was pleased this mini-camp with the leadership of the free agent acquisitions that Graves and his staff signed this spring.
“This is a new football team,” stated the head coach. “The faces are different. And the things that we are doing offensively, defensively and special teams wise are different and they are new and we needed to get together. I loved the veteran leadership we had remaining on this team and I really can see how valuable the guys are that we’ve brought in. Everyone of them are just exactly what I thought they were and that is going to go a long way in helping us on both sides of the football and on teams.”
This weekend was the first opportunity for many of these new vets to began making their mark and during the team’s first practice on Friday, safety Dexter Jackson’s enthusiasm rallied the defensive backs before a one-on-one drill with the wide receivers.
“That is just me,” explained Jackson. “I love to play the game. When you have fun playing the game, you tend to play the game better. That is in whatever you do. You have love for it, you’ll do better.”
For fullback James Hodgins, his work has been made pretty easy so far -- he’s gone from blocking for Pro Bowl running back Marshall Faulk to paving the way for the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith.
“I keep a Pro Bowl running back wherever I go,” laughed Hodgins. “That is the key to success. Seriously, it is real easy to block for someone with that type of talent. They make it easy on you by reading the blocks and making the plays. It really makes me look good and being part of history, I enjoy that.”
When Hodgins first made his visit to the Cardinals a few months ago, he talked about the importance of maintaining Sunday’s game speed all week long.
“For me, it’ll show up more when we are in pads,” promised Hodgins. “People will be forced to raise their level when I am around. But, I am still doing everything full speed this weekend and going hard, but the tempo out here has been pretty good. Everybody is going pretty fast.”
Seven-year vet James Darling, who has played for New York and Philadelphia, has been concentrating mainly on sorting through all of his terminology.
“For me, it is always tough coming from a new team, just a lot of terminology to learn and I have a lot of improvement to do,” stated Darling. “Certain things are called something else in New York, and something else in Philly and that is what I am having a tough time with but I am getting it. I am trying to pick up on details because Coach Fitz is a detail coach and that is what I like about him.”
All three like the chemistry they are seeing from their new team.
“This team is a tight group and I am having a great time,” said Darling. “Coach Mac runs things very well and I like the way things are looking and the feel of everything.”
“There are a lot of new guys here and I think everyone has really come out with a positive attitude and a lot of energy,” added Jackson. “Everyone ran to the ball and everyone is trying to get better right now. Where we finished at last year on the defensive side, there is only one thing to do and that is to improve.”
Actually where Jackson finished last year was as a World Champion with the Buccaneers, but he’s already taken on this team as his own and his leadership has been noted.
“I think I do need to step into a leadership role but I don’t think it is a necessity as far as the secondary is concerned,” offered safety Adrian Wilson. “We already have two guys back there that have already won Super Bowls. We’ve got Super Bowl MVP back there in Dexter and Duane (Starks) who has a Super Bowl ring. It is just a necessity for me as an individual to improve myself. We have a lot of guys that can be leaders and with those two who have already proven themselves in this league, they are taking the pressure off of me so I can just concentrate on stepping up my own game.”
The new cast of free agency has brought veteran leadership, but it is also important that some of the returning players also step into more of a leadership role this season and defensive lineman Kyle Vanden Bosch seems prepared for just that.
Last year, Vanden Bosch was returning from a knee injury and wasn’t cleared for full contact practice until after the start of training camp. A year later, he’s ready to get things rolling and put his knee problems behind him.
“I am far more physically prepared now and this year I am going to focus more on some of the mental aspects of my game,” stated the third-year defensive end. “With the loss of some seasoned vets I am looking to take more of a leadership role this year and help lead the new Cardinals to a winning season.”
The leadership provided by both new and returning vets during Sunday’s closing practice will go a long way towards building a winner this fall.
“I was waiting to see today without any prompting and without any coaches yelling or screaming what kind of energy we were going to have out here today,” reemphasized McGinnis. “And you could see some team leadership today because the players brought that energy out today and that was great. I was waiting to see exactly that.”
