Training Camp - Day 20

[Angry Pope]

Training camp, Day 20

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Wednesday

News and notes, sights and sounds from Wednesday's practice:

– Lane Kiffin was more reserved, soft-spoken and 11 pounds lighter, but returned to practice after battling what tests may show is mononucleosis.

During warmups, when Kiffin normally moves among the team and issues challenges and establishes goals, he instead mingled quietly, stopping to a few times for a quiet word or two with players he last coached Saturday night.

He may have to coach that way for awhile, saying doctors are 95 percent sure it's mononucleosis.

"The limitations are that I’m really not supposed to do anything but walk out here," Kiffin said. "I’m not supposed to exert energy and yell. I guess all head coaches coach that way anyway so I’m going to get to see what it’s like."

Kiffin said he first began feeling ill last Thursday, managing to make it through the game with the help of adrenaline supplied by his first game as Raiders coach.

"As soon as that game was over and I was done with (the press) it just really hit rock bottom there," Kiffin said. "Went home, went to bed, woke up and had 103.7 degree temperature. It was all downhill from there."

It was then that Kiffin knew things were serious.

"Usually . . . if you just get one night of rest and drink a bunch of fluids, I’m fine in the morning. I’ve been fortunate that way,' ' Kiffin said. "When it kept going, it was finally like, we were getting worse and worse. We kept hoping (I'd) break out in a sweat and think, ‘OK, we broke it.’ And that was four days in a row thinking that and then it didn’t.

"So, I went in Monday morning to do some tests and came back to try to push through it because I had some meetings to go to here and stuff and then it wasn’t going to be a possibility so they took me back in, they took me in for good.”

Kiffin was discharged from the hosptial Wednesday at 11 a.m. He said he watched practice on a laptop and occasionally spoke with coaches. Coaches in turn passed along Kiffin's suggestions and critiques to players.

Raiders players could see a difference in Kiffin's demeanor.

"You could tell he’s not 100 percent," quarterback Andrew Walter said. "He’s obviously pretty tough being out here. They said he wasn’t really supposed to be out here yet, but he is. It shows me how much he cares. Nice to see coach back out.”

Right tackle Cornell Green said some of the players were ready for Kiffin's return.

"I think a couple guys wore masks in the meeting, stuff like that, hoping they don’t get an infection or anything, some germs or whatever," Green said. "But we’re glad Coach Kiffin’s back.”

– Quarterback Josh McCown had the only offensive turnover Wednesday, not including a pair of interceptions by scout team quarterback Jeff Otis, who was simulating the 49ers.

McCown's interception was intecepted by Fabian Washington.

"We turned the ball over one time, so we're close to perfect that way and we're continuing to hit on that," Kiffin said. Sixty-nine plays Saturday night, one fumbled snap. We'd like that to be none but we're making progress in that area."

– The defensive interceptions against Otis and the scout team came from cornerback Chris Johnson and safety Michael Huff.

– Look for the Raiders to have enough confidence in their "Wolverine" nickel defense (which employs safeties Donovin Darius, Stuart Schweigert and Huff) to use it even during down-and-distance situations that call for a 4-3.

– McCown threw the best looking long ball of the session arching a pass a good 50 yards in the air down the right sideline. It was dropped by Doug Gabriel, attempting an over-the-shoulder catch, near the goal line.

– As he did against Arizona, Walter continues to have good chemistry on throws over the middle with tight ends John Madsen and Zach Miller.

– Daunte Culpepper is easily the most accomplished passer on sideline out patterns, throwing with a velocity neither McCown nor Walter can match. He hit Johnnie Lee Higgins for a first down on one such pass Wednesday.

– Defensive end Quentin Moses, whose chances for a starting position will have a great deal to do with how he defends the run, was taken to school by Dominic Rhodes. Rhodes started off to his left, was stacked up, then reversed field to the right. With Moses in a one-on-one situation, Rhodes planted, spun and left Moses grasping for air.

– Place kicker Sebastian Janikowski, alone on one of the football fields, amused himself by throwing a football over the fence to some kids who were watching practice from the back of a senior citizen's complex.

– Culpepper continues to show good mobility, at one point turning up field on a scramble to his right. The next step will be to see if he remains willing to punish tacklers like few other quarterbacks in NFL history.

– Terdell Sands missed practice Tuesday night because of an elbow injury, Kiffin said. He returned to practice Wednesday.

– LaMont Jordan missed practice to have a tooth pulled, Kiffin said.

– Still no decision on whether Michael Bush will be activated from the physically unable to perform list to play in a preseason game or whether he will go on injured reserve.

"We're exploring both those options," Kiffin said.

– Cornerback Stanford Routt is not expected to be ready to play until the regular season opener, Kiffin said. Routt, Duane Starks (hamstring), Jordan, Bush, Josh Shaw (knee) and Chad Slaughter (ankle) did not practice.

– Defensive end Chris Clemons (hamstring) returned to practice.

– Wednesday's post-practice activity was the annual flag football game between the field house staff and the office staff, which was spirited enough for a skirmish a game's end.

Walter, who routinely has his throwing arm and shoulder wrapped in ice following practice, went without it Wednesday.

"Everyone's still on the field," Walter said of the training staff, all of whom were either playing or coaching the field house team.

– Here's an example of why defensive players love Rob Ryan. Defensive end Dave Tollefson, who played his high school football locally at Ygnacio valley High, asked Ryan to stop by after practice and meet his mother.

"We love this guy," Ryan said to Tollefson's beaming mother, giving her a big hug. "He's come out of nowhere."

– One-on-one blocking drills aren't always an indicator of which players are the best blockers because much of line play has to do with correctly determining which players to block and making those calls quickly.

That said, center Jeremy Newberry's skill at swallowing up oncoming rushers is unrivaled among Raiders linemen. If he continues to hold up, it will be tempting to put him in the starting lineup in Week 1.

– JaMarcus Russell is the only player in the first round of the draft not to have signed a contract after the Jets signed cornerback Darrelle Revis.

– Kiffin said he would disclose the quarterback rotation for the 49ers game Thursday. The Raiders practice at 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m. A walkthrough on Friday is their last practice in Napa before adjourning to the top-secret confines of the facility in Alameda.

Don't be surprised if the starter is Walter . . . and don't read too much into it, either. Once practices begin in secret, the the real depth chart will become clear to those on the inside, leaving the rest of us asking questions and making educated guesses.

 

[Madturk]

– LaMont Jordan missed practice to have a tooth pulled, Kiffin said.

Are you fuggin kidding me?

 

[SoCalRaider]

With the kinds of hours Kiffin has been putting in, this mono thang is going to be a bear.

I say we cut Lamont right now... and bring him back next week so we can cut him again. It's incredible how much I HATE that guy.

 

[Angry Pope]

– LaMont Jordan missed practice to have a tooth pulled, Kiffin said.

Are you fuggin kidding me?

Kind of left me shaking my head too. I am not going to pass judgement yet until he plays but he has certainly been a walking infirmary all training camp and minicamps. He could use a little of Kiffin's toughness to rub off on him.

 

[R4Life]

August 15, 2007
Kiffin returns, and other Wednesday nuggets

NAPA - Lane Kiffin is all about football.

He returned to the practice field today and began his media session talking about the offense not committing turnovers and the fumbled snap in last week's preseason game.

Of course, everyone wanted to know how the coach was doing physically, not about turnovers.

It's not often a 32-year-old who works out the way Kiffin normally does is in the hospital.

Kiffin said doctors believe he had mononucleosis. Kiffin tried to watch practice film on DVD from the hospital, but found that too taxing.

He was back and the victim of heckling from players about needing to wear medical masks and asking if he needed a nurse with him.

But it's a credit to the job Kiffin already has done that he was gone and the team didn't missed a beat.

Greg Knapp knew what to do with the offense. Rob Ryan was in charge of the defense.

In a few days, Kiffin will be back to raising his voice in practice. Then his illness will be a footnote to the start of his coaching career.

Then he can talk about football all he wants and I won't have to ask about his temperature.

• The team didn't practice in pads today and probably won't again anytime soon with an exhibition Saturday.

• Today was one of the highlights of training camp. The Raiders' fieldhouse interns played the office interns in a game of flag football.

The game usually becomes pretty rough with the flags being nothing more than decoration. I didn't stick around to see who won, but with $8,000 to $10,000 in the pot contributed by players, I don't blame the kids for getting physical.

• Buddy Ryan, the former coach and father of Rob Ryan, was at practice for a third day in a row. Owner Al Davis also was on hand.

- Jason Jones

Posted by Ahmed Ortiz at 07:36 PM

 

[Rupert]

– LaMont Jordan missed practice to have a tooth pulled, Kiffin said.

Until I know the full story I'm giving LaMont the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the tooth was lodged in his penis.

 

[R4Life]

Until I know the full story I'm giving LaMont the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the tooth was lodged in his penis.

I still wouldn't pass judgement - after all - it is RNorris' birthday.

 

[Angry Pope]

'Body language' key in Raiders playbook

Jerry McDonald

08/15/2007

NAPA: You didn't need to look at the scoreboard or standings to see how things were going for the 2006 Raiders.
It was written all over the face of Art Shell and his Mt. Rushmore exterior.

It was in the lackadaisical gait of wide receiver Randy Moss and in the reaction of LaMont Jordan when he ignored a live ball deep in his own territory against the San Francisco 49ers.

It was in the sagging shoulders of punching-bag quarterback Andrew Walter and in the faces of a group of whipped-puppy offensive linemen who were collectively whacked in the nose with a rolled up newspaper on a weekly basis from September through December.

It was in the tell-tale eye roll of support players when asked about special teams coach Ted Daisher, whom they neither liked nor respected.

When the Raiders lose games under Lane Kiffin, watch closely to see if they act like losers.

``Body language,'' is the unofficial mantra of the 2007 training camp, which wraps up Friday in Napa, with the team reconvening in Alameda after Saturday night's game against the 49ers in San Francisco.

Tom Rathman preaches it to his running backs, making sure they sell their pass patterns with enthusiasm and attack their blocking assignments with zeal.

Tom Cable insists on it with his offensive linemen, who are urged to get on with the business of getting better rather than dwell on their 72-sack season of shame.

Rob Ryan yells it out to his defense even though his unit didn't often succumb to bowed heads and tales of woe.

Kiffin and his staff are watching their players in between plays, in hallways and meeting rooms.

``When I meet with them individually, I tell them, `Make it so we can't cut you,' '' Kiffin said. ``Whether it's your body language or the way you practice or the way you carry your playbook or the way you act outside of this building, don't ever give us a reason to cut you.

``People show a lot about themselves when you're not necessarily looking right at them. Those are the players that we want, players we can trust.''

Jordan owned up to his mistake last season when he dropped and didn't chase a lateral against San Francisco, believing it to be a forward pass. It led to a gift 49ers touchdown.

But it's no coincidence Jordan is getting a heavy dose of ``body language'' reminders from Rathman.

``He's emphasizing play fakes, showing nonverbally that you know who you're going to block, taking the right steps,'' Jordan said. ``Where are your eyes going? Where's the stripe of your helmet going? It's a number of things.''

Body language only goes so far and can be deceiving. If every coach had to be a bundle of energy, Tony Dungy wouldn't have won a Super Bowl. Not all players are vociferous and outwardly enthusiastic.

It's just that the 2006 Raiders, particularly on offense, were the perfect storm, a three-month siege of gloomy cloud cover. There was no firebrand offensive coach to counterbalance the taciturn Shell, no quarterback of the Rich Gannon prototype to ignite those who needed a push.

Kiffin has increased the tempo and held assistants accountable for the enthusiasm of their position groups. Sometimes it looks contrived. Assistants are occasionally louder than their players and Kiffin looks as if he's auditioning for the role in Chucky II %#151; Gruden returns.

But the coaches keep pushing, the players have seemed to respond and there was no mistaking a different look and feel in a 27-23 preseason win over Arizona.

It carried on even when Kiffin, who returned Wednesday afternoon, was hospitalized with a viral infection.

``It's a credit to him that the mindset and the tempo we've established since we've stepped on the practice field is still there even when he's not here,'' quarterback Josh McCown said.

Body language is especially important at quarterback, and it's an area where Kiffin and Co. will closely examine McCown, Walter and Daunte Culpepper. They've all had ups and downs during training camp. Only Walter has gone chin-to-chest since camp began, and it's happening less often as time passes.

Sometimes, McCown said, a quarterback can give the wrong impression by accident.

McCown, who is fair-skinned, had a habit of looking down to avoid the lights and the sun. Detroit offensive coordinator Mike Martz told McCown to pick his head up and project a better image for his teammates' sake.

``You have to present yourself in a way where the guys say, `You know what? I'm going to line up for this dude and he's going to get us in the end zone,' '' McCown said. ``Some how, some way, he's going to make it work.''

So keep those heads up, guys.

The body language police are watching.

 

[R4Life]

More blah blah from the blah blahs

NFL Notebook:
Subdued Kiffin returns to lead Raiders' practice

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NAPA, Calif. -- Lane Kiffin moved around the practice field slowly, instead of the way he usually pops from drill to drill. When the Oakland Raiders coach had something to tell one of his players, he'd call him aside and do it face-to-face instead of yelling it out for all to hear.

Kiffin was back at practice Wednesday after missing the previous two days while being hospitalized for a viral infection. But it was a very different Kiffin, who was under orders from his doctor not to yell or exert energy.

"I guess a lot of head coaches coach that way anyway, so I'm going to get to see what it's like," he said.

For the players, it was very strange to see their energetic 32-year-old coach acting so subdued as opposed to his usual demeanor. They razzed him a bit, with some even wearing surgical masks to the team meeting before practice.

"I told him he should designate one of the trainers or something to be the person who yells for him but he didn't do it," said receiver Mike Williams, who has known Kiffin since the coach recruited him from high school to Southern California. "Just having him out there you could see the coaching staff was glad to have him back, the players were glad to have him back.

"Everybody was kind of throwing jokes at him. He's a part of our team. He's the leader. He's the face for this team. To have him back was big."

Kiffin said the doctors are "95 percent" sure he has mononucleosis and are treating him that way.

Doctors are awaiting results of some final tests before they make a diagnosis. He lost 11 pounds while he was sick.

He said he doesn't view this as a wakeup call to cut down on the long hours he puts in as a coach, saying he could have caught it from his children.

"I don't think that's it, I really don't," he said. "People are going to want to say that. Like 'Young coach, just overdid it.' I really don't think that's it, because I've been working like this for 12 years."

REVIS SIGNS: The New York Jets signed first-round pick Darrelle Revis, ending the touted cornerback's lengthy holdout.

Revis, selected 14th overall after New York traded up to draft him, missed 22 practices -- including Wednesday's single practice -- and the team's preseason opener last Friday against Atlanta since training camp started July 27.

"It was tough," Revis said Wednesday night. "Basically being a competitor and being the type of football player that I am, I didn't want to sit there and see my teammates playing. I was frustrated for a while, but I just looked at the positive side of it and let my agents handle it."

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said the team and Revis' agents, Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod, agreed in principle to a deal late Tuesday night.

"We're glad it's over," Tannenbaum said.

EXTRA POINTS: Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chike Okeafor will probably miss the season after undergoing surgery to reattach a torn biceps tendon. ... Arrowhead Stadium, with the family of the late Lamar Hunt kicking in an extra $50 million, is going to get a $375 million renovation.

 

[R4Life]

Kiffin Video after practice with the kissing disease

 

[Angry Pope]

Time out with Justin Griffith

Vince D’Adamo

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Editor’s Note: This is a special edition of “Time Out With ...” Oakland Raiders players who came from small towns to become NFL players. These editions will run throughout August while the Raiders are in Napa for training camp. This week, fullback Justin Griffith is featured. Griffith is in his fifth NFL season and first with the Raiders after four years with the Atlanta Falcons. Griffith is from Magee, Mississippi (population 4,200). He attended Magee High School, which has an enrollment of 500 students.

D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about growing up in Magee, Mississippi?

Griffith: It was a football town. You had a couple of guys like John Mangum and Chris Mangum. Chris Mangum played for Carolina in the Super Bowl (in 2004). John Magnum played for the Chicago Bears. We had other guys who played college football that came from there. I happen to be one of those guys, too.

D’Adamo: What was Friday night like on game day in Magee, Mississippi?

Griffith: It was lively in Mississippi, Georgia and all of those southern schools (that) are known for high school football. There are big running backs and they know how to play defense. It’s almost like going to a junior college game.

D’Adamo: What position did you play on your high school football team?

Griffith: We ran the Wing-T and I played fullback. They got the ball a whole lot.

D’Adamo: What position did you play defensively?

Griffith: Linebacker and defensive end.

D’Adamo: Which other sports did you play?

Griffith: Track. I ran the third leg of the 400 relay.

D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about playing multiple sports as opposed to just one?

Griffith: You had a chance to experience different types of sports and see which ones you really liked, but you enjoyed going to track meets and talking to other people.

It was a chance to meet other athletes that are pretty good at the sport that they played. There are great track runners, great baseball players, great basketball players that you get the chance to watch or play against.

You get to see them develop throughout the years.

D’Adamo: Was it difficult to get recognition coming from a small town?

Griffith: Once they got ahold of what was going on in Magee, Mississippi, people came down there. I was fortunate enough to be one of the top players for ESPN and one of the top players in the state.

D’Adamo: Do you think there’s a prejudice against small-town athletes?

Griffith: I don’t think so. When I left Magee, Mississippi, I went to Mississippi State, which is in the SEC (Southeastern Conference). When you get there people don’t really know that you came from a small town until you tell them.

I was fortunate to play there and then get drafted in 2003 to play for the Atlanta Falcons. I played there for four years and now I’m with the Oakland Raiders.

D’Adamo: Once you left your hometown and went to college, how much did it broaden your scope?

Griffith: A whole lot. Once you get outside of your hometown, people in your hometown start talking about you like you’ve become their hometown boy.

When I went to Atlanta, I always though I was representing my hometown. Now that I’m here in Oakland, I still think I’m representing my hometown. I want to represent them well.

D’Adamo: Once you got out of high school, subsequently went to college and now in the NFL, how much harder have you had to work for your success?

Griffith: You’ve got to work 10 times harder. You’ve always got guys trying to get a job. This is what I do to put food on the table and pay my bills.

It’s just like some guys are trying to come in and do the same thing. You’ve also got to be smarter because if you lose a step, you’ve got to know what you’re supposed to do.

D’Adamo: What type of advice would you give to kids from Calistoga or St. Helena regardless of whether they go on to play sports?

Griffith: I tell them to dream big because you never know what might happen. You’ve also got to work hard and never let someone tell you that you can’t do it. I’ve seen guys like (Baltimore Ravens quarterback) Steve McNair, who lived nine miles from where I came from in Mississippi, that was a 1A football school (at Alcorn State). Then he led the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl. They didn’t win it, but he led them there.

D’Adamo: Given that smaller communities have more limited resources than bigger communities, how much of an emphasis is there in your town to work together?

Griffith: It was a community type of feel. You have the Olympic parades where you see everyone comes out to the football games. The town shut down on Friday nights. Everyone knew each other. You were friends with everyone. They cheered you on. They know that you might have a chance to go to the top.

D’Adamo: What would you be doing if you were not playing professional sports?

Griffith: Probably coaching. I love fooling around with college football players. I think that would be an ideal thing for me. I could see myself being a speaker for youth groups.

D’Adamo: Is it fair to say that coaching might be in your future?

Griffith: It’s fair to say that. It’s not definite, but it’s fair to say that.

D’Adamo: How much would you look forward to staying connected to the game as a coach?

Griffith: I would look forward to going out there and see the guys go through the same thing that I went through. They may feel like they want to quit but you’ve got to have the mindset to go out there and finish what you start. If you do that, you’ll be successful.

D’Adamo: Lastly, what do you enjoy most about training in the Napa Valley?

Griffith: I enjoy the weather. Since I live in Georgia, I had training camp there, too, and since I also came from Mississippi it doesn’t get better than the Napa Valley weatherwise.

You wake up in the morning and it’s 56 degrees. There’s no humidity. I could run around all day in this stuff.

 

[Angry Pope]

A little Raiders' success might be hair-raising

Scott Ostler

Thursday, August 16, 2007

If Rob Ryan ever gets an NFL head-coaching job, dead coaches like Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry will spin in their barber chairs.

Ryan is the Raiders' defensive coordinator. He's the guy on the sideline with the super-long gray hair that is trying desperately to escape from under his cap. He's got a scruffy beard and a Homer Simpson front porch, and when Ryan walks around practice with his shoulders back and his arms held out from his sides, you can almost hear the Bee Gees singing "Stayin' Alive."

Ryan's goal is to help lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl, and he said, "I know how to get there. It's by working hard, it's not by winnin' any beauty contests."

So Ryan works hard at not winnin' any beauty contests, although he's got a shot at Mr. Congeniality.

He cut his hair when he got the Raiders' job four years ago, but when the team struggled, he decided to grow it back.

It's a strange sight to people like me who go back to the days when the high school football coach's main job was to rain manly scorn and holy terror upon any boy with even slightly long hair. Times change, and now many coaches let players have long hair. But is the NFL ready for its first freak-haired head coach?

Ryan got his first head-coach interview last year, with Raiders boss Al Davis. But Davis is different - you can have snakes growing out of your skull and he wouldn't care. Not all team owners have Davis' maverick/Elvis streak.

"I don't think people give a s- about how my hair looks," Ryan said Wednesday after the team's afternoon practice. "I think they're gonna want a good football coach who knows the game, knows personnel, and that's who I am."

Dream on, Rob. A conservative estimate is that Ryan's appearance would cut him out of the head-coaching picture on at least half the teams in the league.

"Can you imagine (Falcons' owner) Arthur Blank hiring Ryan?" one NFL-er asked.

Said Ryan: "I interviewed with Bill Belichick. He hired me (as Patriots' linebacker coach). I interviewed with Mr. Davis, he's won a bunch of Super Bowls, he hired me. I ain't gonna worry about it. They want to hire a short-haired Ryan, they can hire Rex Ryan."

And they might. Rex Ryan is Rob's twin brother, the clean-cut defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

In the past year or so, Rob and Rex both have popped onto the unwritten list of leading head-coach candidates. They're both 44 and are in their 21st season as coaches.

"I've always had my name on the list, but nobody else did," Rob Ryan said. "I think last year people started to notice how great our defense was playin'. Hell, I don't know, I don't know what happens, but I know we've got six Super Bowls in our family, it's no coincidence that a Ryan's been a part of those teams. Hell, we know we belong in this league."

Ah, the lineage. Rob and Rex are the sons of Buddy Ryan, the defensive genius who served as coordinator in Chicago during the Bears' Super Bowl championship run, then late in life, at 52, became a head coach in Philadelphia. He has been at Raiders' practice the last couple of days, watching his son work.

Buddy said he thinks Rob and Rex will make splendid head coaches, but when Rob grew his hair long a couple of years ago, "I told him to cut it."

That type of advice worked when Rob was a teenager living at home. Not now.

"I'm not exactly a box of chocolates," Rob said, "and I know it's hard to believe, but my wife likes my hair this way."

Wife Kristen serves as Rob's barber, about twice a year.

Ryan's Raiders certainly don't care about his hair or his face scruff or his ample stomach. They like him, they trust him, they are loyal to him, and vice versa. It's not unlike the mutual affection once shared by Buddy Ryan and his players.

Defensive end Warren Sapp said Thursday, "One thing that sets Rob apart from any other D-coordinator that I've ever been around is his love for his players. Most coordinators, once they get a little name for themselves, or some recognition, it becomes 'My offense, my plays, my this or that.' Rob has always held true that it's ours. 'It's all ours. Give me some input, I'll listen to what you're saying.' " Ryan said he isn't campaigning for a head job.

"I always look at the short picture," he said. "I want to win a Super Bowl with the Raiders. I'm happy to be a defensive coordinator for the Raiders.

"I'll be head coach in this league, I know that. All you have to do is work hard and things happen."

And when an NFL team decides Ryan is its guy, that team won't have any trouble finding him.

 

[Angry Pope]

Jordan's motivation? Pay cut, competition

Steve Corkran
08/16/2007


NAPA — Motivation comes in many forms for football players. Money. Playing time. Respect. Status.

Raiders running back LaMont Jordan knows them all too well.

He always seems to find something that gets his juices flowing, be it real or imagined Two years ago, he arrived at training camp itching to prove he was worthy of the huge contract bestowed upon him by the Raiders and that he was talented enough to be a starter.

Last year, Jordan used a season-ending injury in 2005 and his dedication to learning the blocking scheme as motivation. This year, Jordan has been energized by the Raiders forcing him to take a pay cut and the signing of Dominic Rhodes.

"There was nothing fun about what we were doing last year," Jordan said. "Nothing. But Kiffin (Lane, coach) has definitely put back the fun in Raider football, and I'm looking forward to see how this thing comes together."

Things fell apart from the outset last season. Jordan went from a vital part of Oakland's offense to an afterthought. He caught 70 passes in 2005 but only 10 last season. His rushing yards dropped from 1,025 to 434.

The high point came in a game against the Cleveland Browns on Oct.1, when Jordan rushed for 128 yards and one touchdown. The low point came when Jordan sustained a left knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs seven games later.

For the second straight season, Jordan averaged only 3.8 yards rushing and ended the season on the sideline. That prompted the Raiders to sign Rhodes and select Michael Bush in the NFL draft.

"LaMont was kind of sitting in a situation where there wasn't much competition for him," Kiffin said.

"We needed to get competition at that spot immediately. Dominic brings that."

Jordan said he considers himself the starter until Kiffin tells him otherwise. So far, Kiffin has been noncommittal on naming a starter for the regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept.9.

"We don't know who the starter is," Kiffin said. "We don't have a philosophy that you share carries to share carries. They've got compete, and they'll figure that out by the way they practice and the way they play in preseason."

Fortunately for Jordan, Rhodes has to serve a four-game suspension. That gives Jordan plenty of time to establish himself as the primary back in an offense geared toward getting the most out of the running backs.

That's welcome news to Jordan, he said.

"Last year, we never emphasized getting the backs the ball," Jordan said. "We spent so much time standing (around) and helping out the linemen with the seven-step drops we were doing."

The Raiders offense scored only 12 touchdowns in 16 games. Finally, then-coach Art Shell demoted offensive coordinators Tom Walsh and promoted John Shoop. Still, not much worked.

There's reason for optimism under Kiffin, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and offensive line coach Tom Cable, Jordan said.

"Overall, we're just going to be a better offense," Jordan said. "We have a system that we understand, the quarterbacks understand. We have a system that we like. But, also, the person who's calling the plays (Kiffin), that's going to be a big difference. None of that really matters. Us, as players, have to go out there and take care of our job and, if we do that, then we'll be fine."

If not, at least he'll have just cause to seek out another source of motivation.

 

[Angry Pope]

Eugene hopes he's found a home

Small-town product who played on three Europe teams last year makes quick impact for Raiders

MARTY JAMES

Thursday, August 16, 2007

What a difference a year can make. That’s the way Hiram Eugene feels.

A year ago he bounced between Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Berlin of NFL Europe. He was also hurt and got a late start as a free agent on organized team activities, the Oakland Raiders’ offseason program.

This year Eugene, a free safety on a very deep and talented defense, feels like he’s done all of his homework and is ready for any challenge that comes his way.

“I’m much more confident of myself this year than last year,” he said after Wednesday’s late afternoon practice at the Raiders’ training camp complex. “Our tempo in camp is so high. But you benefit from it, because the game is moving at a fast pace. You have no choice but to really go at that pace.”

Eugene didn’t miss an OTA, enabling him to get a jump start on the season and what is expected of him.

“It has been a good camp for me,” said Eugene, a second-year player from Louisiana Tech. “But I know there’s still some things that I lack. I try to work on the things that I’m having trouble with, and it helps me carry it into the game.”

Eugene — who is from Jeanerette, a small town in southern Louisiana — started off the preseason in a big way.

Playing the dime position as a fifth defensive back in a zone set up, he intercepted a pass on third down and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown with nine minutes to go in the second quarter of the Raiders’ 27-23 win over Arizona last week in Oakland. He went untouched to the end zone.

“I was in the right place at the right time, doing my thing,” he said. “It was a very big moment. For one, you get the coaches and the fans behind you, and that’s always a plus. And then you build that confidence off of that after making such a big play. All good can come out of something like that.”

Eugene also had two tackles, both in the open field.

Those types of plays can go a long ways in registering an impression with the coaching staff and improving a player’s chances of making the roster. Eugene, who was on the practice squad for the majority of last year’s season, is listed third at free safety on the Raiders’ depth chart. He’s playing behind Stuart Schweigert and B.J. Ward.

“I think I’ve got a very good shot,” Eugene said. “For me, it’s going to take continuing to make more plays, continuing to recognize, and continuing to have my teammates trust me as well as my coaches.

“(Defensive coordinator) Rob Ryan puts me in a good position to be able to make plays. He’s got a lot of trust in me.”

Eugene also spent time on the Raiders’ practice squad in 2005 after joining the Silver and Black following the start of that season.

“I’m very pleased with the way things have been going. The way coaches here are running things, the players are getting fired up.”

Asked about his individual skills in the secondary, Eugene said he can break on the ball well, has good range of the field, and has a good read on the quarterback.

“I’ve got a good knack for the ball. I try to be where ever the ball is.”

Eugene was All-District and All-State at wide receiver and free safety for two years (1997 and 1999) at Jeanerette High School. He also earned All-State honors in basketball and track and field (high jump and long jump) in 1999, and was considering professional baseball at one time.

He played two years of football at Pearl River Community College and made 29 tackles with a sack as a senior at Louisiana Tech while playing in 12 games.

 

[Angry Pope]

Some other articles just basically said the same thing about Kiffin so I didn't post those.

 

[Angry Pope]

If You Build It…

GREG BENSON

8/16/07

From the top down, the face of the Raiders changed from a sallow shade of gray to a shiny shimmer of silver. The opiate of optimism brought on by a fresh, young coach and a host of wholesale changes has transformed the Raiders from a 2-14 flounder to a promising perch.

It all began in January, when owner Al Davis fired Art Shell and tapped the college ranks for his 16th head coach. Lane Kiffin, at age 31, became the youngest to ever hold that position in the history of the modern-era NFL (John Madden was 32 when Davis promoted him to head the team in 1969).

Kiffin, an offensive whiz kid at the University of Southern California, joined the Trojans staff in 2001 as tight ends coach and handled wide receivers from 2002-03. In his six years at USC, he instilled a record-setting offense with the likes of Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush (2005) and Matt Leinart (2004), winning back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004.

As a recruiter, Kiffin is recognized as one of the nation’s top talent scouts and his collegiate success proves it. His offensive designs consistently produced big numbers for the athletes he’s mentored. The Trojans set Pac- 10 records in 2005 for total yardage, first downs, points scored, touchdowns and PATs.

However, the NFL is a whole ’nother game. Or, is it? “When I got out there, it became really easy,” said Kiffin after coaching Oakland to a 27-23 pre-season win over the Arizona Cardinals. “It just became football — making decisions, calling plays, figuring the game out and managing the game — whether you’re in high school or in the NFL.”

Discipline and decisiveness define Coach Kiffin’s style. The wheels are constantly turning as he paces the sidelines, listening in on Rob Ryan’s defensive calls and scanning the play sheet in concert with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp upstairs. He has surrounded himself with a solid coaching staff, bringing in notable offensive line coach Tom Cable and other like-minded offensive assistants.

But it takes more than coaching to build a team. It takes players who listen and veterans who communicate.

“I was excited about the energy on our sidelines,” said Kiffin Saturday night. “Some of the front-line guys in the second half were cheering the guys on and coaching them up as they came off the sidelines… It’s all part of building a team.”

Oakland’s next team-building experience comes this Saturday across the Bay against the 49ers.

 

[Angry Pope]

Rookie Bush pushing on sans mates

He works out under the watchful eye of trainers while on the PUP list

08/15/2007

NAPA -- Day after day, rookie running back Michael Bush can be found doing the same thing: running by himself, executing drills under the watchful eye of a trainer and yearning for the day he gets to join his teammates on the practice field.

"If you're out here, you see the stuff they put me through, running-wise, and you think, 'Why is he not out there (with his teammates)?' But, I feel good every day," Bush said Tuesday.

Bush isn't on the practice field because he fractured his right leg in the first game of his senior season at Louisville. The injury required the insertion of a steel rod and a second surgery to facilitate the healing process.

The Raiders selected Bush with the first pick of the fourth round of the NFL draft in April. Bush has been monitored closely and brought along slowly ever since.

He was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list at the beginning of training camp, which prohibits him from participating in the team's practices. The next step is for the Raiders to activate Bush, extend his stay on the PUP list or place him on the injured-reserve list.

Bush wouldn't be eligible to play until after Week 6 -- and no later than Week 10 -- if he remains on the PUP list beyond the final roster cutdown. After Week 6, teams have four weeks to decide whether to activate, release or place on injured reserve players on the PUP list. Bush would be ineligible to play this season if he were placed on the injured-reserve list.

Injured reserve isn't an option, Bush said.

"No doubt in my mind, I'm not even close to thinking about I.R. ... They'd like for me to play this year, but if I can't they know they've got other guys."

Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is keeping tabs on Bush but is not ready to make a determination on his status for this season.

"We look at him every day, one-on-one every day," Kiffin said one week into camp. "I just don't know when it's going to be."

Quote of the day

"There's a lot of people questioning whether I'm the guy for the job. And, of course, at some point pride's going to get in the way and, at some point, you're going to want to make a statement. But it's not something I talk about. Right now in the AFC West, I'm clearly the back that's not even in this hemisphere. When you look at Travis Henry (Broncos), Larry Johnson (Chiefs) and LaDainian (Tomlinson, Chargers), I'm not even mentioned on the same page as those guys. That's something that I would like to change. I have to do my part, the offensive line has to do their part, us as a team, we have to do our part." -- Raiders running back LaMont Jordan on his playing with an attitude this season

Play of the day

Cornerback Chris Carr jumped in front of a Daunte Culpepper pass for wide receiver Travis Taylor and intercepted the ball in the end zone during the morning practice.

Extra points

Oakland released guard Ben Claxton, who sustained a knee injury early in camp and missed a majority of the team's practices. ... Wide receiver Carlos Francis returned to practice. ... Jordan (back) said he intends to play against the 49ers on Saturday night. He missed Oakland's first exhibition game, against the Arizona Cardinals last Saturday. Defensive tackle Terdell Sands missed the evening practice. No reason was given. ... The Raiders signed defensive tackle Jared Clauss, who appeared in 29 games for the Tennessee Titans in 2004-05.


-- Steve Corkran