DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Rookie mini-camp

Various Notes and Observations from local media:

The words "Cleveland" and "browns" have been removed from the endzones and the word "Finish" has replaced them.

The new scoreboard reads"The will to succeed is nothing without the will to prepare"

The words "Communication, Trust, and Focus" have been painted all over the practice field.

By many accounts Mangini's speach was a re read of "remember the titans". Drop a pass run a mile etc. Shortly there after Robiskie dropped a punt and off he went.

Two media members noted they believe Mangini TAUGHT more football today than Romeo did in 4 years.

The surprise if you will of Day 1 was the smooth transition David Veikunne has already made to OLB and as reported his first step is serious.

Jim Brown and Paul Warfield will "mentor" the players tomorrow evening.

I'm trying to find a link for the whole article.

Quote:

---

The surprise if you will of Day 1 was the smooth transition David Veikunne has already made to OLB and as reported his first step is serious.

---

:drool: baby, :drool:

Quote:

---

his first step is serious.

---

This is May :drool: but wait until September if you want to.

Browns focus on creating good habits
Zac Jackson, Staff Writer
05.01.2009
Brian Robiskie's journey back to Berea has been well documented.

His journey around the practice fields Friday raised a few eyebrows.

After dropping a punt during the second rookie minicamp practice, Robiskie ran a mandatory lap. That's the punishment, head coach Eric Mangini said, for putting the ball on the ground or being assessed a penalty.

And though the start of minicamp marked not only the first on-field activity for the Browns this offseason but also the first time any of these players and coaches worked together on the field, the rules still apply.

Mangini said mistakes will be punished because he and his staff are always trying to get their players to form good habits. He had local high school and college officials working Friday's practice sessions, and he said his staff will track penalties through all their practices - spring, summer and fall.

He said officials will work at almost every Browns practice and the penalties - including the guilty party, the type of infraction and the penalty yardages - will be tracked as the Browns try to avoid game-changing mistakes on Sundays.

"It kind of raises the conscience and keeps track of something that can be very easy to overlook," Mangini said. "A guy who gets a penalty in practice and gets the same one a couple days later...usually that's the same guy who gets the penalty in the game and that can kill you."

TEXAS GUNS: Both quarterbacks in minicamp are native Texans. They come from very different backgrounds, though.

Richard Bartel joined the Browns' practice squad and then the active roster last December during the rash of quarterback injuries. He didn't play in a game, but he got back into football after being released by the Cowboys just before the regular season.

Bartel started his college career as a quarterback at SMU before playing pro baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization, then going back to play football at Tarleton State.

He's joined in the quarterback room this weekend by tryout player Graham Harrell, who wasn't drafted despite putting up eye-popping numbers in his college career directing Texas Tech's high-octane spread offense.

Perhaps eye-popping is an understatement. Harrell threw for 5,111 yards and 45 touchdowns last season; in three years as a starter, he threw for 15,793.

Now, he's trying to prove he has the tools to play in the NFL.

"We had a blast at Texas Tech," Harrell said. "We went out, had fun and tried to score lots of points. That's what we did. We try to play relaxed, try to play calm and throw the ball around and score lots of points, and we did it as well as anyone, I think.

"I don't know if that offense will come into the NFL, but I think it can produce NFL players. There's a few starting to come in. We have some linemen and Wes (Welker) and obviously (Michael Crabtree) got drafted real high, and he's going to be a special one. It's producing some players that can play in the league and hopefully I can get a shot as well."

Harrell said he other offers to tryout during rookie minicamps, but chose the Browns because his agent told him Browns quarterbacks coach Carl Smith "really knows how to work with guys and does a good job with quarterbacks. And he's right on. Coach Smith is as good as I've ever seen. I'm glad to be here and get to work with him."

Harrell seems to have made a strong early impression on Browns coach Eric Mangini.

"Graham has done a really nice job," Mangini said. "He picks up the information easily and throws a very accurate ball. He's done a nice job not just with throws but also with the huddle mechanics, absorbing the information and being able to run the offense.

"This is really challenging for a quarterback because every single person in that huddle is brand new."

OHIO ROOTS: Four of the Browns' 14 undrafted free agent signees are Ohio natives: DB Bryan Williams of Akron Buchtel High School and the University of Akron; TE Mike Massey of Cleveland St. Ignatius and Michigan; DL Adam Hoppel of Lisbon Beaver Local and Cincinnati; and OL Branndon Braxton of Youngstown Ursuline and Oklahoma.

Here this weekend on a tryout basis are DL David Patterson (Warrensville Heights/Ohio State) and OL Jeff Niedermier (New Washington Buckeye Central HS/Univ. of Buffalo).

LINE ‘EM UP: Mangini is bringing back a tackling drill which features one player carrying a ball running at a would-be tackler coming from the other direction. Because no contact is allowed during minicamps, it was a simulated tackling drill Friday.

Like calling penalties during practice, Mangini said he wants his tacklers to develop - and keep - good habits and wants his ball carriers to protect the ball when taking a hit. The whistle blew before contact was made Friday, but the participants on both sides were expected to show solid fundamentals.

"We'll do it pretty close to every day in training camp this summer," Mangini said. "During training camp it will sometimes be live full contact. I think it's one of the best teaching tools because its one on one. It reinforces how important tackling is to the guys."

Williams made probably the move of the day on his first time through the line Friday afternoon when he faked left and slid past defensive back KiAmeer Johnson to the right.

QUICK HITS: It's just one day, but Mangini said he liked what he saw from second-round linebacker David Veikune's work during agility drills. "He looked more like a linebacker than a guy converting from defensive end," Mangini said...Among the changes to the practice-field area from last season: A new scoreboard hanging from the Casey Coleman Field House...Mangini said Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Paul Warfield will address the rookies Saturday night. Brown and Warfield watched practice from the sideline Friday.

Home Page

BTW, Robiski is wearing #80 & Mack #55.

Quote:

---

"We'll do it pretty close to every day in training camp this summer," Mangini said. "During training camp it will sometimes be live full contact. I think it's one of the best teaching tools because its one on one. It reinforces how important tackling is to the guys."

---

THANK GOD!!!

lol, my thoughts exactly.

Thank you Woody Johnson for leaving Mangini to us!

There are too many bad habits on this team and I am glad there is finally someone who is going to take this team by the horns and pound it into they're heads that they are sloppy.

The thing that baffles me the most is how a head coach of a football team (Butch, Romeo etc...) could not see that these guys needed to be brought back down to reality and make them re-learn what they learned in pop-warner.

I just think they were too scared to get on theeir bad side. Mangini he don't give a damn and I like that. Do what U are supposed to do and there won't be a problem.

Just curious, did we ever hire a wide receiver coach?

It doesn't list one on ClevelandBrowns.com.

I dunno. I completely forgot we didn't have one. Or did we?

I dunno man theres been too much going on with this team to remember.

Listen to the press conference...

Mangini's talked more pure football than Romeo did in 4 years.

Oh i'm sure they will.

NFL players are a bunch of creampuffs these days.

Steelers players were complaining when Tomlin took over cause he worked em too hard.

You know I was absolutely un impressed with the mangini hire (and I hate to say this) but I think i'm starting to come around.

Quote:

---

That's the punishment, head coach Eric Mangini said, for putting the ball on the ground or being assessed a penalty

---

well now we know why edwards wanted a trade

I'm impressed... I am pro-Romeo, but I have to admit that Mangini seems to be pointing the Browns in the right direction. Someone made a "remember the titans" comment, and it seems to me that is EXACTLY the approach he is taking.....

Discipline!!! It's going to be huge. Man I can't wait til' this season starts....

On a side note.. I hate to even say this.. but I'm hoping our guys can stay healthy this entire year... Injuries killed us last season...

going on the injury tangent, did we bring in a new strength guy?

i remember the one guy i liked was lott and didn't he go to arizona last year?

I love that he is getting back to fundementals. Hopefully this will gets Braylons head back on straight.

I just checked....Jets under Mangini:

2008: 77 penalties, t26th
2007: 63, 31st
2006: 70, 30th

that´s impressive....Browns were close in 2006 but undiscipline took off last 2 years under Romeo and they had 100+ in both, ranking in the top 10 in those seasons...then again, he cut 10+ penalties by cutting KW

I very much like what I am reading about the mini-camps. This is the sort of football team and coach I would like to root for.

j/c

Okay I'm beginning to like Mangini... That's along way from where I was a month ago. AND I never really liked Romeo.

I haven't liked all the Quinn trade talk, I think that's what made me dislike Mangini... before that I really was just indifferent. But I am begining to see how he is planning to pull this all together.

and I likey....

Quote:

---

Why not? I'm pro romeo and pro mangini, too. Romeo had some great qualities, and some awful ones. Mangini isn't going to be perfect either. I"m sure he'll do thing I like and do things I hate.

---

Hit that nail on the head. Things aren't that black and white, and there will definitely be some things about Mangini that will make us furious. I just hope that Mangini does his best to fix what he does bad and continue what he does well (in the best way that he possibly that he can of course)

a small video taste:

Video

Some of you all won't like Mangini come game time when you see him on the sidelines doing the same thing Romeo use to do.....

From today's Plain Dealer, by Mary Kay Cabot:

BROWNS ROOKIE MINICAMP

Cleveland Browns' David Veikune, a second-round draft pick, expects to make a smooth transition from defensive end to outside linebacker

Browns rookie linebacker David Veikune was born in Alaska and has lived in Hawaii, but Ohio isn't the faraway land to him that it might seem. In fact, getting drafted by the Browns last week was a homecoming of sorts.

Veikune's mom, the former Sheila Kerr, was born and raised in Canton, and grad uated from Ohio State. Most of her sib lings still live within a mile of each other in Canton, and he has "about 30, 40, maybe 50 cousins" living there, too.

"They were so ex cited, they called me that day and I've been keeping in contact with them," said Vei kune on the first day of rookie camp Friday. "It's a dream come true. It's not only a blessing to play for the Browns but to reunite with my family."

Veikune, the Browns' 52nd overall pick out of the University of Hawaii - the second-rounder acquired in the Jets trade - has never been to Ohio, but many of his relatives have visited him over the years.

"I haven't seen a lot of them since sixth grade," he said. "But they're huge Browns fans. They're all going to come to a game."

Veikune, who will move from college defensive end to pro outside linebacker, lived in Anchorage, Alaska, until he was in second grade, then moved to Arizona, New Mexico and finally Hawaii, where he went to high school and college. The family moved a lot because of his mom's career as a pharmacist. Veikune's next big move will be from defensive end to outside linebacker in Browns coach Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme.

"This was my first day ever playing linebacker, so it was a new experience but a lot of fun," said Veikune (6-2, 257). "I have a lot to learn. It will be hard, because the plays are a lot harder, and the tempo is a lot faster. But the coaches are great, and I've learned a lot really quickly."

Mangini was impressed with what he saw from Veikune in the first two practices.

"He's fluid for someone his size and for someone who's had limited exposure to standing up," said Mangini. "In the bag drills, he went through more like a linebacker than a defensive end." Mangini may have reached a little for Veikune in the second round - some experts pegged him for the third or fourth round - but was sold on his tenacity.

"I love the guy's motor," said Mangini. "This guy's got toughness, aggressiveness and a smoothness to the way that he changes directions and run games. I think he could play both outside and inside for us moving forward."

Veikune began his career at Colorado, transferred to Fresno (Calif.) City College after a year and then moved on to Hawaii in 2006. In 2008, he had a breakout year, making 73 tackles, including 16½ for loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles, three pass breakups and 10 pressures in his 13 starts. At the NFL Combine, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 35 times, third-best among defensive linemen. He's bench-pressed 500 pounds and runs the 40 in 4.79 seconds.

Veikune's college coach, Greg McMackin, is convinced Veikune has what it takes to move to outside linebacker. McMackin should know. He was a defensive coordinator in the NFL for nine seasons under Dennis Erickson in Seattle and San Francisco.

"The Browns were very smart in taking David where they did," said McMackin. "They did more homework on him than some of the other teams, and [pick] No. 52 is not a reach for him. I have no doubt he'll be fine at that position. We played some 3-4 in passing situations, and for the past two years he's dropped back a lot. I know [coach Mangini] will do a great job teaching him the techniques."

McMackin echoed what Mangini saw on film. "He's tenacious, smart, physical and his motor runs every play," said McMackin. "Our defensive ends were more like outside linebackers - speed-rushers - with their hands on the ground. That's what he is. He's got the inner desire to get to the quarterback, and he goes full speed every play."

Veikune attributes some of his work ethic to his dad, Oma, a former bodybuilder who won Mr. Alaska in the late 1980s. As early as fifth grade, Veikune was enduring his dad's intense workout regimen - often before 7:30 a.m. when his dad left for work.

"We would always get into arguments," Veikune told the Hawaii Star Bulletin. "But I would always end up [working out]. He'd tell me if I wanted to play football, I'd have to get up and work out, so I always did. That's when you know you want to play this game."

Fortunately for him, he's got plenty of family here to help keep him motivated.


©2009 Plain Dealer

Ohio State fans might be interested to know that the Browns are giving a tryout to David Patterson, DT from a couplle years ago (2007 draft). I liked him at O-State, but no idea if his game translates to the pros. I think he's spent the last 2 seasons in the CFL with Saskatchewan.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2009/05/cleveland_browns_have_47_playe.html

Thanks Kakun..

Two things I noticed right off the bat about our two top picks,, Mack and Robo... both are Articulate young men.. and Mack is a big man.. I noticed in that one drill how he towers over guys..

And Robo,, I loved the way he looked the ball into his hands.... HANDS... nice.

I know it's early and I know it's nothing to get too excited about yet. but I like what I'm seeing thus far... I can't wait to see how this translates to the field in a real game... love the emphasis on stopping the penalties.. love it.

Mack IS a BIG man for sure! I'm certain with his smarts that he'll take any "schooling" he gets from the division nose guards and process it and
learn from it.

We've heard a million times of the limited "flash" Robo does not have or that he's "already reached his limits" as a player. I'm willing to bet this guy becomes one of the greatest "go to" guys in our history!

If we get any sort of running game we may actually have an O that can stay on the field for a while!

As far as rookie camp thoughts... regardless of what transpires in Sept. and beyond, we wouldn't stand a chance without this sort of groundwork being layed! I could not stand the thought of watching another season of stumbling, bumbling football. If this team gets beat by a better team is one thing. I'm not willing to see us beat ourselves any longer!