TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bucs Plot New Course For Camp

ADVERTISEMENT

By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 24, 2008

TAMPA - Preparing for football season in over 100-degree heat has always been a challenge for Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden, but this year he is experimenting with ways not to burn out his players.

The Bucs released their training camp schedule Monday, and players who report July 25 will be happy with this year's changes. Most practices are still open to the public, but Tampa Bay has scheduled a portion of four afternoon practices to be held in a new climate-controlled tent at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. From 2:45 to 4 p.m. on those four days, practices will be outside and open to the public, but the indoor portion from 4 to 5 p.m. is closed to the public.

Tampa Bay's four indoor practices could increase if rain or thunderstorms force the Bucs to take shelter, or the team utilizes their two other possible indoor practice days.

"We're going to have some kind of indoor facility up there Disney. We're anxious to check it out," Gruden said during last week's minicamp. "Hopefully it's high enough where we can get some film. No matter what anyone tells me, I still believe repetition is the mother of learning. We still need to get our reps, although many of our reps might not be full speed like they have been in the past."

In addition, Tampa Bay will have its first-ever night practice on Aug. 7 from 7:30 to 9:10 p.m., which is open to the public.

The Bucs will have four preseason night games, plus regular-season evening games against Seattle (Oct. 19), at Carolina (Dec. 8) and San Diego (Dec. 21), which gave Gruden incentive to experiment with nighttime practices during training camp.

"I want to see our new punt returners and kick returners handle the ball in the lights," Gruden said. "We're going to play a Monday night game; we're going to play against Miami preseason in the lights, so we'll go out there and let our returners and receivers handle the ball.

"It's part of our evaluation. Some guys can't find the ball in the nighttime as well as they can in the daytime. I was one of those receivers."

GIANTS: Waived backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen, receiver Todd Lowber, long snapper Nick Leeson, defensive tackle Brian Soi and offensive lineman Jacobs Hobbs.

PACKERS: Two Green Bay, Wis., men face charges of burglarizing the home of Packers running back Noah Herron.

PANTHERS: Receiver Dwayne Jarrett pleaded guilty to driving while impaired.

Jarrett appeared in Mecklenburg County (N.C.) District Court. He surrendered his driver's license and was ordered to pay $420 in court costs and to perform 24 hours of community service.

Jarrett, 21, was arrested March 11 in the Charlotte suburb of Mint Hill after police say he crossed the center line and ran a red light.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT