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07-30-2006, 10:33 PM
SUNDAY, July 30, 2006, 10:20 p.m.
Camp Report, July 30
THUMBS UP
It’s nothing more than a feel good story of training camp. But 24-year old Brian Wrobel, who grew up in De Soto, Wis., rooting for the Packers and idolizing Brett Favre, handled himself well in his first real opportunity of camp. With Favre taking the morning off Sunday, Wrobel got to run eight plays at quarterback during the team session. “I thought he did a heck of a job,†said coach Mike McCarthy. “He was excellent in the huddle. The plays came out of his mouth.â€Â
Not only did Wrobel look composed and run the offense without a glitch, unlike many fourth-string quarterbacks in their limited opportunities, but he completed all three of his passes, albeit all short stuff. On his final play, an all-go call, Wrobel looked deep, hesitated rather than force a throw and then couldn’t find his check-down receiver and had to take off running. In the first two practices, Wrobel didn’t throw a pass in team drills.
After starting for three years in high school at De Soto, a town of 366 near the Mississippi River, Wrobel played college ball at Winona State. He went to camp with the Seattle Seahawks last year and played in NFL Europe this past off-season.
THUMBS DOWN
Reality always sets in once training camp starts. And the reality so far is that the Packers’ wide receivers aren’t making plays down the field.
Here and there, they make a play that jumps out. Donald Driver ran a go pattern across the field Sunday morning and caught a pass from Aaron Rodgers when safety Nick Collins was late to pick him up on a switch with cornerback Charles Woodson. Later, Rodgers hit rookie Greg Jennings on a deep corner. Jennings also has caught some passes over the middle from Favre. And there was the Favre to Driver 75-yard TD against Woodson in seven-on-seven Friday night.
But only 17 of the 47 completed passes in team sessions over the first four practices have been caught by the wide receivers and most of those were in the short to medium range. Robert Ferguson has been shut out, although he missed practice Friday and caught a deep ball on the sideline Saturday where he was barely out of bounds. Rod Gardner returned to practice Sunday and didn’t catch a pass. Marc Boerigter has one catch in all of the team sessions.
Here’s something that speaks volumes. Calvin Russell, a free agent from Tuskegee who probably doesn’t have any chance of making the team, has made as many plays as any wide receiver other than Driver and Jennings.
INJURY REPORT
Ryan Pickett did some individual work, but no team work on his first day back following his car accident.
Leo Bookman (ankle) and Patrick Dendy (ankle) remained sideline.
Along with Favre (ankle), tackle Chad Clifton (knee) and running back Najeh Davenport (ankle) also observed the morning practice. They all returned at night, but Clifton dropped out and had an ice pack strapped to his right knee.
ODDS & ENDS
McCarthy didn’t see much technique in a highly spirited one-on-one pass blocking drill in the night session between the running backs and linebackers. But A.J. Hawk overpowered William Henderson and exploded through Vonta Leach in one of their two match-ups. Fellow rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge annihilated rookie Arliss Beach.
Running the No. 1 offense, Rodgers was 6 of 6 in team drills in the morning practice. It probably was his best practice so far. … Rookie Ingle Martin, who has struggled to this point, might have thrown his best pass of camp in the morning, a completion down the seam to tight end Donald Lee. But Martin was 1 of 5 in team drills and 1 of 4 in 7-on-7 at night.
Woodson ran with Driver and broke up a Favre pass deep down the middle in the night practice. It was Woodson’s most impressive play so far.
The first fight of camp pitted linebacker Ben Taylor against rookie running back A.J. Cooper.
William Whitticker worked with the first unit at left tackle in the morning, but moved back to right tackle at night. … When the offensive line has been at full strength, Chris White, Wayne Lucier and Pete Traynor have alternated between center and left guard.
The morning practice was held in the Hutson Center following a heavy thunderstorm. … Six sprinklers along the west sideline started spraying water during the night practice and showered the players on that side of the field.
ON THIS DAY
July 31, 1982 – Ezra Johnson lined up at right end with the Packers’ No. 1 defensive unit on the first day of two-a-day practices. Casey Merrill, the season-long starter at the position last year, worked with the second line. “I guess I had a bad off-season,†Merrill fumed. “It’s silly. But why not make him take the job away from me? Why patronize a guy because he was a No. 1 draft choice?†In 1978, Johnson’s first year as a starter, he registered 20 ½ sacks, but he was bothered by injuries the next three years.
MONDAY SCHEDULE
There will be one practice at 2 p.m. Players are scheduled to wear pads.
Camp Report, July 30
THUMBS UP
It’s nothing more than a feel good story of training camp. But 24-year old Brian Wrobel, who grew up in De Soto, Wis., rooting for the Packers and idolizing Brett Favre, handled himself well in his first real opportunity of camp. With Favre taking the morning off Sunday, Wrobel got to run eight plays at quarterback during the team session. “I thought he did a heck of a job,†said coach Mike McCarthy. “He was excellent in the huddle. The plays came out of his mouth.â€Â
Not only did Wrobel look composed and run the offense without a glitch, unlike many fourth-string quarterbacks in their limited opportunities, but he completed all three of his passes, albeit all short stuff. On his final play, an all-go call, Wrobel looked deep, hesitated rather than force a throw and then couldn’t find his check-down receiver and had to take off running. In the first two practices, Wrobel didn’t throw a pass in team drills.
After starting for three years in high school at De Soto, a town of 366 near the Mississippi River, Wrobel played college ball at Winona State. He went to camp with the Seattle Seahawks last year and played in NFL Europe this past off-season.
THUMBS DOWN
Reality always sets in once training camp starts. And the reality so far is that the Packers’ wide receivers aren’t making plays down the field.
Here and there, they make a play that jumps out. Donald Driver ran a go pattern across the field Sunday morning and caught a pass from Aaron Rodgers when safety Nick Collins was late to pick him up on a switch with cornerback Charles Woodson. Later, Rodgers hit rookie Greg Jennings on a deep corner. Jennings also has caught some passes over the middle from Favre. And there was the Favre to Driver 75-yard TD against Woodson in seven-on-seven Friday night.
But only 17 of the 47 completed passes in team sessions over the first four practices have been caught by the wide receivers and most of those were in the short to medium range. Robert Ferguson has been shut out, although he missed practice Friday and caught a deep ball on the sideline Saturday where he was barely out of bounds. Rod Gardner returned to practice Sunday and didn’t catch a pass. Marc Boerigter has one catch in all of the team sessions.
Here’s something that speaks volumes. Calvin Russell, a free agent from Tuskegee who probably doesn’t have any chance of making the team, has made as many plays as any wide receiver other than Driver and Jennings.
INJURY REPORT
Ryan Pickett did some individual work, but no team work on his first day back following his car accident.
Leo Bookman (ankle) and Patrick Dendy (ankle) remained sideline.
Along with Favre (ankle), tackle Chad Clifton (knee) and running back Najeh Davenport (ankle) also observed the morning practice. They all returned at night, but Clifton dropped out and had an ice pack strapped to his right knee.
ODDS & ENDS
McCarthy didn’t see much technique in a highly spirited one-on-one pass blocking drill in the night session between the running backs and linebackers. But A.J. Hawk overpowered William Henderson and exploded through Vonta Leach in one of their two match-ups. Fellow rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge annihilated rookie Arliss Beach.
Running the No. 1 offense, Rodgers was 6 of 6 in team drills in the morning practice. It probably was his best practice so far. … Rookie Ingle Martin, who has struggled to this point, might have thrown his best pass of camp in the morning, a completion down the seam to tight end Donald Lee. But Martin was 1 of 5 in team drills and 1 of 4 in 7-on-7 at night.
Woodson ran with Driver and broke up a Favre pass deep down the middle in the night practice. It was Woodson’s most impressive play so far.
The first fight of camp pitted linebacker Ben Taylor against rookie running back A.J. Cooper.
William Whitticker worked with the first unit at left tackle in the morning, but moved back to right tackle at night. … When the offensive line has been at full strength, Chris White, Wayne Lucier and Pete Traynor have alternated between center and left guard.
The morning practice was held in the Hutson Center following a heavy thunderstorm. … Six sprinklers along the west sideline started spraying water during the night practice and showered the players on that side of the field.
ON THIS DAY
July 31, 1982 – Ezra Johnson lined up at right end with the Packers’ No. 1 defensive unit on the first day of two-a-day practices. Casey Merrill, the season-long starter at the position last year, worked with the second line. “I guess I had a bad off-season,†Merrill fumed. “It’s silly. But why not make him take the job away from me? Why patronize a guy because he was a No. 1 draft choice?†In 1978, Johnson’s first year as a starter, he registered 20 ½ sacks, but he was bothered by injuries the next three years.
MONDAY SCHEDULE
There will be one practice at 2 p.m. Players are scheduled to wear pads.