Scott Robinson
What audacity.
Two yards from the sideline, amidst a sun-drenched morning at Spaulding Field, RT Brett Downey slowed down his pace as the next offensive line unit hopped in for the subsequent drill.
Suddenly, Coach Mora, with veins bursting from his forehead, abruptly stopped the play. Stepping out from behind the defense, Mora belted out at Downey in a hoarse scream:
“Run your ass off the field or run out there!”
Mora pointed to the exit of Spaulding.
“Over-the-wall” sure seems silly under such expectations of hustle: Apparently, this new coach’s mantras has teeth to go along with his coach-speak.
Responsive, Downey ran everywhere from that point on.
Seems as though these messages are being received.
When the right tackle was asked about the incident, he replied: “It’s intense. They’re expecting perfection.”
To be sure, this regime has made it clear: There is no acceptance of a complacent mentality. Players are expected to get on board or get out.
With the morning’s outburst came Coach Mora’s point: Players are now competing for any spot, even on the practice team.
My Way or the Highway
If one theme could be derived from today’s practice, it’s this: The players must hustle to be on the field. Period.
And with this message, comes the fruition of the delivery: basics are being dealt with, finally. On all fronts, be it the running backs, defensive lines (what have you), the staff is communicating their expectations consistently.
From the looks of it, there is a method to this madness. In lieu of a sideline rant, where a coach would pop off and appear ready to shear clean his quarterback’s head, this staff is delivering the “teach-able” moments at the appropriate time: Practice.
