Tag: Practice

WATCH: First glimpse of new WR Tarik Black impressing at practice

The Texas football social media department released a highlight video of new wide receiver Tarik Black during fall camp.

With all of the misinformation and news flying around the past few days, Texas fans are in need of a bright light. Continue reading “WATCH: First glimpse of new WR Tarik Black impressing at practice”

Three position battles that intrigue Texas head coach Tom Herman

Texas head coach Tom Herman is looking forward to three particular position battles during fall training camp.

Friday provided a sense of normalcy for the Texas football program. Continue reading “Three position battles that intrigue Texas head coach Tom Herman”

Texas QB Sam Ehlinger looks ripped, first day of training camp updates

The Texas football social media department provided fans with updates and photos of the first training camp practice.

Texas football held their first day of training camp on Friday. Continue reading “Texas QB Sam Ehlinger looks ripped, first day of training camp updates”

Terron Armstead takes mentor’s role at NFL offensive line summit

New Orleans Saints All-Pro left tackle Terron Armstead was a leading speaker at Lane Johnson’s recent NFL offensive line training summit.

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There’s a cold war brewing between the NFL’s offensive and defensive linemen, initiated by Denver Broncos sack artist Von Miller’s annual pass-rush summits. Miller has huddled with a mix of the game’s best and newest defenders each summer, putting everyone together where their experience and diverse skills sets can help make everyone better. New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has been a regular participant, offering his input while soaking up as much knowledge as he can.

However, Jordan was recently being studied hard by his opponents across the line of scrimmage. Not to be outdone by Miller, Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson organized his own summit for the NFL’s big men, inviting them for a long weekend of tutelage and training. Jordan’s teammate Terron Armstead has joined Johnson each year, and was tapped to speak to the group of first-year players at the 2020 event.

“It’s something you can do in Walmart, in the cereal aisle,” the All-Pro said to his audience, pointing out that they don’t need a world-class practice facility to hone their craft. Sure, that helps, but at the end of the day he and other blockers can get a workout in anywhere they can move.

Armstead drove off his message, adding, “Over and over. Repetition.”

It might feel odd to think about Armstead as an older, experienced voice, because it doesn’t feel like he entered the NFL all that long ago. Drafted by the Saints out of small-school Pine Bluff in Arkansas back in 2013, Armstead has gone on to establish himself as one of the best left tackles in the game today. When healthy (and sometimes even when not), he’s capable of stonewalling any defender that tries to cross him. Of course he’s going to be a leading voice at this sort of conference. But hopefully he learned enough on his own without betraying too many of his teammates’ secrets.

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NFLPA advises Drew Lock — and all NFL players — to end unofficial practices

The NFLPA has advised NFL players to end unofficial practices due to COVID-19.

This time of year, NFL coaches are not allowed to talk to players about football schemes and teams are not allowed to hold practices due to rules in the collective bargaining agreement between owners and players.

Players are allowed to organize unofficial practices on their own without coaches — and that’s exactly what Broncos quarterback Drew Lock did. Denver offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur isn’t allowed to attend the practices but he was pleased to hear that Lock organized them.

Those practices might be coming to an end now.

In a letter to NFL players on Saturday, NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer advised players to end unofficial practices.

“Please be advised that it is our consensus medical opinion that in light of the increase in Covid-19 cases in certain states that no players should be engaged in practicing together in private workouts,” Mayer wrote.

If Lock and Co. listen to the NFLPA’s advice, Broncos players won’t practice together again until reporting for training camp in late July.

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NFL plans to reopen team facilities, but Saints to wait for training camp

New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said the coaching staff will wait until training camp to regroup at the team facility

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The NFL issued a four-part memo to all 32 teams on Monday laying out guidelines for the reopening of team facilities, closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but the New Orleans Saints aren’t in a hurry to regroup at their Metairie headquarters.

Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said as much in a Monday conference call with local media, explaining that head coach Sean Payton had told his staff they would wait for a return in time for training camp later this summer.

“We’re handling everything that we can remotely,” Allen told Nola.com’s Luke Johnson. “At this time of year, if the players were in, I think it would be maybe a little bit different story. But I think we can get a lot of things accomplished being able to work remotely.”

While the Saints chose to not hold a formal virtual offseason — Payton told his players to focus on their families, and to show up at training camp in the best shape of their lives — the team has been scheduling teleconference calls, sometimes with guest speakers. NBA great Shaquille O’Neal was in on one such meeting.

So far, more than a dozen NFL teams have sent members of the coaching staff back to their facilities. But with state and local guidelines differing wildly in which businesses may reopen and when, it could take a while for everyone to get back on a level playing field.

It’s not clear just yet when the Saints will open their training camp. That’s likely going to happen at the NFL’s discretion (in accordance with local rulings), but dates are usually announced in mid-June. Last year, Saints rookies reported for work on July 18. Veteran players joined them a week later.

In the meantime, the Saints will continue to work from home and organize meetings as best as they can. With such an experienced roster to work with and a largely-unchanged coaching staff at the wheel, they should be able to resume work quickly once the time comes.

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WATCH: Bryce Young trains with Alabama receivers before official practices begin

Alabama’s five-star true freshman quarterback Bryce Young is seen training with Alabama WRs days before official training is set to begin.

It was recently reported that SEC football players would be allowed back on campus to train with staff beginning June, 8.

However, that may be too long to wait for some of the Crimson Tide’s 2020 squad.

A few videos were posted online which showed numerous Alabama players, including quarterbacks throwing, receivers running routes and catching passes and defensive backs getting some one-on-one work in on the field where the Million Dollar Band practices on University Blvd. on campus.

The videos are from a trainer that is not affiliated with Alabama, Ro Simon Jr..

This video shows receivers DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Slade Bolden, John Metchie, Javon Baker, Xavier Williams and defensive back Marcus Banks.

Another video shows Alabama’s five-star true freshman quarterback Bryce young passing to Jaylen Waddle.

Waddle had to jump to catch the pass, but got both feet down in the end zone which would make this an NFL touchdown.

Mac Jones can be seen in the background wearing his shoulder pads with shorts and no jersey.

These are not official practices, but it should feel good for Alabama fans knowing their players want to be out there perfecting their craft.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on all things Alabama football as the season gets closer.

Boston’s Danny Ainge hopeful to reopen team practice facilities soon

Boston Celtics team president is hopeful the team may be able to begin using their practice facilities as soon as next week.

Boston Celtics team president Danny Ainge is enjoying the ESPN Michael Jordan documentary series “The Last Dance” like the rest of us in the absence of sport-

But, is also itching to get back to the real thing along with us as well, according to recent comments he made on the “Lowe Post” podcast — also produced by the Worldwide Leader.

Speaking on a host of subjects, Ainge and the host Zach Lowe soon turned to the topic of restarting the NBA season.

The Celtics head honcho shared some details about where Boston is in the process of taking up the NBA on its slackening of restrictions on the use of practice facilities in municipalities that have lifted or relaxed stay-at-home orders for the pandemic.

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The league has banned use of team facilities since mid-March.

“Massachusetts has been one of the slowest in opening things up. Our next phase is, we’ll open up our facility. We’re hoping to do it next week,” began Ainge.

“It’s 1-on-1 … one coach, one player. Coaches with masks and gloves. Players in the gym, disinfect the gym. I don’t think anybody’s afraid of that. If I said we’re two or three weeks away from playing, I’m sure there would be some players that would have some trepidation.”

“I think everybody’s just really anxious to play right now. That’s what I think,” he added.

While there have been rumbles that players on teams with little to play for in terms of a postseason are understandably less keen on returning to play out the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season, Ainge hasn’t heard such opinions from his own players.

“These are the times that we play for,” he explained. “It’s almost like we just played 60 games and it doesn’t mean anything. I think that I would like to finish the season. I think most of the players, if not all the players, would like to finish the season and move on to next year.”

While there is a not-small chance the league goes directly to a postseason format of some kind, and a chance the rest of the season — playoffs and all — are canceled entirely, there has been growing optimism some sort of a finish will at least be attempted in the coming weeks and months.

But for now, all we can do is wait — and at least this weekend — watch “The Last Dance”.

Watch: Ty Montgomery shares practice field highlight reel

New Orleans Saints running back Ty Montgomery has a background in playing wide receiver, which is reflected in his practice highlight reel.

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Ty Montgomery might be listed as a running back, but his biggest contributions to the New Orleans Saints figure to come through the air. He’s an accomplished pass-catcher whose NFL career began as a wide receiver (which is reflected in his jersey number), even if he struggled to get into rhythm in recent years when paired with inexperienced passers like then-rookie Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. He and every other pass-catcher took a step back under New York Jets playcaller Adam Gase last season.

Still, the Saints have to hope that Montgomery will be able to make the most of his touches (if he ends up earning any at all). He has the skills set to back up Alvin Kamara’s role in the offense, allowing number-two running back Latavius Murray to play at his best as more of a downhill runner. If Kamara has to miss time again, the Saints would probably prefer Montgomery running his routes and moving around the formation rather than Murray.

And that appears to be what Montgomery is preparing for. The 27-year-old shared a highlight reel of bright moments from a recent training session on his official Twitter account, showing a nice ability to adjust to off-target passes. That’s not something he should expect to happen often when paired with Drew Brees, but it’s always good to be prepared.

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Boston Celtics await news from State on reopening practice facilities

The Boston Celtics await word from the state of Massachusetts on reopening their practice facilities.

The Boston Celtics await word from the State of Massachusetts regarding reopening their practice facilities, reports the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy.

Shuttered not long after the NBA ceased all league activities following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s positive diagnosis for the coronavirus responsible for the pandemic, the Celtics have not had use of their own training center since mid-March.

Boston has since been waiting until their facilities are deemed safe by local authorities in accordance with league guidelines on reopening team facilities.

“We will open our facility for one player, one basket, one coach at a time when we’re improved,” related lead team Governor Wyc Grousbeck (via Murphy).

“We have all of our applications and discussions underway. We don’t think it will be very long — I will say that,” offered Grousbeck. “We’re going to make sure it’s the safest thing anybody does all day long. If we’re open as a state, this might be the safest spot you can possibly be.”

Echoing the highest regard for caution shared by state Governor Charlie Barker, Grousbeck and the Celtics are eschewing any rush back to normalcy in favor of a measured approach that puts social well-being at the fore.

Even when the facilities do reopen, it will be for one player at a time, with the absolute minimal number of support staff present to work with each player.

Around the rest of the NBA in municipalities where stay-at-home orders have been lifted, players have been largely jubilant about returning to workout facilities despite the risk-

The move was made by the NBA to allow such reopening in order to minimize players seeking access to less safe public alternatives, but has put some teams at a relative competitive disadvantage — not that Grousbeck and Co. seem to mind, given the stakes.

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