Ahmad Carroll walks fine line

[woodbuck27]

WED., AUG 16, 2006 - 1:49 AM

Carroll walks fine line

JASON WILDE
608-252-6176

jwilde@madison.com

GREEN BAY - There are times when all Al Harris can do is look at Ahmad Carroll and shake his head.

Harris, the Green Bay Packers' veteran cornerback, remembers coming up with the Philadelphia Eagles and having Pro Bowlers Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor and Brian Dawkins teach him how to be a true professional. In turn, Harris has been trying to impart that same knowledge to Carroll, his locker-room next-door neighbor and the team's resident problem child.

And while Harris was a quicker and more willing learner, he's convinced that Carroll will eventually "get it," as he puts it.

"I may be a little biased because I look at him like a little brother, but he's getting there," Harris said between training-camp practices Tuesday. "He's (not even) 23 years old, man. You have to work with him. A lot of guys got drafted this year that are 23. This is his third year in the NFL.

"I think it's night and day from his rookie year. He's more professional. He's getting there. The thing is, we were raised on the field by two different types of people. Troy and Bobby and Dawk, they didn't push their influence on me. He's going to have to pick it up, like I did. It'll happen. It will."

For now, though, the 2004 first-round pick is maddeningly inconsistent with his play, and his on-field behavior in practice and in games - from his trash-talking to his chest-thumping constant noise-making - can be irritating to everyone but Harris, who said Carroll "can't do anything to irritate me anymore. I've seen everything from him."

What the Packers would like to see more of from Carroll is consistency, and less goofiness.

"There's a fine line," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I really like his energy, but also there's a time and place for all that, too. And sometimes he does cross the line. But he does bring an energy to the practice field, to the game field and to our meetings."

Saturday night's preseason-opening loss at San Diego was typical Carroll. He was beaten for a 22-yard touchdown, called for a 15-yard personal foul on a punt when he retaliated for an illegal block by the Chargers' Drayton Florence. Florence already had been flagged for a personal foul, but Carroll's reaction made the penalties offset.

Later in the game, though, Carroll broke up two deep passes, playing near-perfect coverage on each.

"As far as Ahmad's concerned, people always want to label him a lot of different ways," said secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, who coached Carroll as a rookie in 2004 and is back with the team this year. "I was very optimistic when we drafted him. To throw him into the fire the way we did that first year was a big task for a 20-year-old kid. Again, we wanted him to be better than Mike McKenzie because that was the guy he was replacing, because of all the issues (with McKenzie's unhappiness). So he was put in a hell of a position.

"His personality rubs people the wrong way and so forth, but there's a lot of enthusiasm in that young man."

During the organized team activity camp this spring, Carroll confessed to, among other things, playing poorly last season; being "hard-headed;" "not listening;" and being "immature" last year, when he led the defense in penalties for the second straight year with nine, had only two interceptions and routinely was beaten on key plays.

On Tuesday, he said his hooting-and-hollering antics are him "having fun. A lot of times, we'll be dead out there, I just try to pick up my teammates."

For all his faults, Carroll looks like a sure bet to be the Packers' third corner behind Harris and Charles Woodson, although Carroll admits that "my position is up for grabs." He might be in more danger if 2005 fifth-round pick Mike Hawkins could stay healthy, but he's been in and out of practice with a sore knee and hasn't challenged Carroll's spot.

On Tuesday, general manager Ted Thompson described Carroll as being "a tough guy. He practices every practice, he takes every rep. Those are qualities in a player that are very admirable."

In contrast, Thompson conceded that while Hawkins is "a very talented kid," he hasn't helped himself by being hurt so much, although he did his best not to criticize the player.

"When you're really thinking about your team and how it's going to be made up, you have to think in terms of people you can really count on," Thompson said. "The guys that go out there every day and practice every day, they stay in the coaches' minds. And the guys who aren't practicing, you can kind of forget about them a little bit."

Give Carroll this much: With all his antics, no one will forget about him.

GO PACKERS ! FAN FAITH !!

[4and12to12and4]

Good article. I hope Carroll will channel his energy positively this year. Trash talking is part of the game out there with wideouts and corners. Sometimes, having that attitude helps certain players get pumped up to play their best. Ahmad seems to need that to motivate himself.

Not to change the subject, but when I was watching the Bears/Chargers game, I noticed that anytime the Bearshad a big hit on the Chargers in the first few drives, they would talk trash to them as they were getting up. Then, after a Chargers receiver or tight end (can't remember who) caught a nice pass upfield, he got up and did his own trash talking, and he got nailed for a 15 yard penalty. The reason he got flagged was because when he talked trash his hands were flying around and his head was wagging. It hit me that this is why AC looks to us like he talks more trash than other CBs and WRs. They all do it, but he is so damn animated during his "speeches" to the offensive perpitrator. So, maybe Harris needs to teach him how to be a little more subtle about it.

[mmmdk]

Yep, there's a fine line allright. Does Ahmad Carroll even know how good he could be? He's 22 years old yet not the sharpest knife around but he could be something really good - even make probowls. Or not - it's still a battle but he's got the time & talent to be a probowler (someday).

[woodbuck27]

Ahmad Carroll has always had to step up, in every step of his development.

From a kid, to a teen, to a College player he got just there; and now we are witnessing the same challenges for him as a PRO.

How patient will Ted Thompson be with Ahmad Carroll? What choice does he really have - NOW? Other than allow more time for Carroll to decide his own fate with "the Packers".

There is a thread on OUR forum now, regarding the question of should the team switch him to learn the Safety position?

I believe, given OUR need for depth at the CB position, and "the fact", he should be decent in "the Dime", we need him to remain a CB for now.

We are still OK at the Safety position even after the loss of Marviel Underwood, but I don't see alot of REAL depth at CB, presently.

GO PACKERS ! FAITH FANS in 2006 !!

GOOD LUCK PACKERS Vs. "the Falcons - tonight.

[]{ilr]3]

I get upset alot watching the crap he does and the things I hear about. Maybe he is a little to young yet to "Get it. I hope he does. Concidering he is only 23 he may have a long productive career ahead of him if he does and that could be good for the Pack. He is very fast, I do like watching him chase people down. I was amazed at Family Night when he ran down Cory Rogers from behind. He made Cory look damn slow!

[CaliforniaCheez]

There are times when all Al Harris can do is look at Ahmad Carroll and shake his head...the team's resident problem child.

Carroll will eventually "get it," as he puts it.

It'll happen. It will."

Harris, who said Carroll "can't do anything to irritate me anymore. I've seen everything from him."

What the Packers would like to see less goofiness.

coach Mike McCarthy said. "he does cross the line."

Saturday night's preseason-opening loss at San Diego was typical Carroll. He was beaten for a 22-yard touchdown, called for a 15-yard personal foul on a punt.

"As far as Ahmad's concerned, people always want to label him a lot of different ways," said secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, "His personality rubs people the wrong way and so forth."

During the organized team activity, Carroll confessed to, among other things, playing poorly last season; being "hard-headed;" "not listening;" and being "immature" last year, when he led the defense in penalties for the second straight year with nine, had only two interceptions and routinely was beaten on key plays.

For all his faults, Carroll admits that "my position is up for grabs." He might be in more danger if 2005 fifth-round pick Mike Hawkins could stay healthy.

On Tuesday, general manager Ted Thompson he hasn't helped himself although he did his best not to criticize the player.

"When you're really thinking about your team and how it's going to be made up, you have to think in terms of people you can really count on," Thompson said.

The article could be weeded down to the essentials.