August 4, 2006 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Morning Practice)

August 4, 2006 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Morning Practice)

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor ChicagoMarty

An early rain shower delayed the scheduled practice by about 30 minutes. Practice was moved up into the stadium field, which provided spectators with good sight lines from elevated seating and the entire team was compressed into a 100-yard field.

It was a little cooler this morning and first half of practice was conducted under cloudy skies but the sun came out for the last half.

Injury Report: SS Gibril Wilson dressed and practiced. LB Carlos Emmons dressed but did not practice. TE Jeremy Shockey was not on the field. WR Plaxico Burress did not practice. CB Curtis Deloatch played. OG/OT Lewis Kelly rode a stationary bike. WR Sinorice Moss ran up the hill. FS Will Demps did not practice.

The following is a stream of consciousness report given the helter-skelter practice routine:

There were two different kickoff return drills. The first occurred early in practice. HB Chad Morton looks fast and smooth in his cuts. He just looks so much faster at this point this year then he did in preseason last year. P/PK Travis Dorsch kicks off higher and deeper than PK Jay Feely. Interesting drill in that if the kickoff goes over the head of the kickoff returner, a coach throws a ball to the kickoff returner who then proceeds up the field so that no time is wasted.

A DE Mathias Kiwanuka spotting – he is tall and lean and moves gracefully almost nobly like an African prince. He is quick on his rush.

LB Brandon Short doing pushups in the corner of the field with an assistant. Curious sight.

Defensive Line Coach Mike Waufle conducted a snap drill with a long stick that had a ball attached and mixed up the snap counts.

Passing drills included a bunch-formation with three wide receivers split out on one side. All three ran their patterns and three quarterbacks threw passes simultaneous to each of the three wide receivers.

QB Rob Johnson threw a beautiful long ball early in the practice to WR Michael Jennings. Then he seemed to struggle a little but picked it up in the end with a beautiful connection with Chad Morton. Morton had some reps in the backfield and looked great.

QB Eli Manning had some nice throws throughout practice but threw one at the feet of the wide receiver towards the end and then fired what I would term a flutter ball (BB56 described it as a Joe Kapp pass) to WR Tim Carter who to his credit caught it.

Tim Carter and WR Amani Toomer both had a great practice making several terrific catches apiece.

QB Tim Hasselback really got everybody’s notice with several nice passes down the field.

I noted a wide receiver double reverse play practiced routinely with other basic running plays. Watch out for that one.

CB Frank Walker fans – Walker looked good in the drills sticking closely with his man. Later on he had excellent coverage on a bomb to Tyree. Unfortunately that good play was balanced by a double-move torching by Jennings on a nice pass by Hasselback.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin had the offense practice taking a safety when pressed against their own goal line. One time the punter threw the ball away. Another more interesting variation had Eli turn around and throw a pass way up over the goalposts at the camera crew in the tower.

WR Triandos Luke with another nice catch. WR Anthony Mix clanked one today that he should have caught. TE Boo Williams with terrific over the shoulder catch on a beautiful seam pass from QB Jared Lorenzen. WR Willie Ponder dropped a line drive from Lorenzen. He made up for it with a nice catch in tight coverage. WR Harry Williams with a nice catch.

Chippy play – DT Jonas Seawright and OC Grey Reugamer with some extracurricular action with Jonas ending up on his whale sized posterior. Mark one down for the old fart.

LB Nick McNeil with a shoulder shiver into Jennings after a catch. Jennings threw the ball at CB R.W. McQuarters after R.W. gave him a little facemask shot. The boys are getting a little antsy out there.

I noted that DE Justin Tuck drop into coverage from right defensive end and covered FB Greg Hanoian nicely and effortlessly. Hanoian doesn’t exactly look like a speedburner however.

Play of the day – Amani again – toasted Walker on a long pass from Hasselback. Good to see Hasselback going long.

TE Wade Fletcher with a nice block on Tuck on sweep.

Guy Whimper playing right tackle with the two’s and three’s. Na’Shan Goddard playing left tackle on same line with Whimper – not a good sign for Whimper. Worse – Offensive Line Coach Pat Flaherty yelling at Whimper after he whiffed on one pass protection.

CB Sam Madison with good coverage on Amani. DE Osi Umenyiora with tremendous quickness as he pressured the quarterback several times. Offense finally called a draw/trap play on him and Tiki burned him. Osi jumped offsides once.

Tim Carter with some excellent hang-time on one catch. He impressed throughout practice.

HB Brandon Jacobs clanked a five-yard bullet off his hands.

Another kickoff/kick return drill. Dorsch is still kicking higher and deeper than Feely. The Giants practice several kick returns with several trick returns. There is one fake reverse by McQuarters. There is also one lateral pass by Jennings to McQuarters.

LB LaVar Arrington’s wife is striking on the sidelines. Blondish curls. Orange halter top with peach pants. HopeJ is jealous of her.

Eli checked down nicely throughout. Rob Johnson threw a couple of passes away.

Gerris Wilkinson was moved around from weakside linebacker to strongside linebacker. He looked good out there as Emmons sat.

DT Barry Cofield with some inside pressure.