"Getting Up to Speed" www.buccaneers.com

[Minotaur]

Monday Notes: The Bucs will begin a busy schedule of “organized team activity†days next week…Bucs sign tryout player from weekend camp…Andre Hall gets first look

Getting Up to Speed

Joseph, Trueblood look strong on right side, and other notes

Rookies make good first impression

USF RB Andre Hall showed off his quick moves in a Buc uniform over the weekend

May 08, 2006 -

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ veteran players weren’t allowed to participate in the weekend mini-camp for rookies, but they were back at team headquarters in force on Monday. The Bucs’ 14-week offseason conditioning program is still in full swing, which means dozens of returning players were availing themselves of the weight room, the fields and their coaches’ time.

The weekend camp seemed like a more intense subset of the offseason program, since the practices were more organized and thorough, but it really was just another step in a four-month process leading up to the first day of training camp in late July.

The Bucs are allowed only one full, mandatory mini-camp during the offseason (teams with new head coaches get two), and they will save that for last. The mandatory camp of June 20-22, which will include all veterans and rookies, will comprise the last three days of the entire 14-week program.

However, May will be very busy, too.

The Bucs like to hit training camp at full speed, with the players as conversant with the offensive and defensive playbooks as possible. That means as much structured team work as is allowed by the collective bargaining agreement, most notably what are known as “organized team activity†days.

The “OTA†has become common parlance in the NFL, and many fans may even realize that their teams are allowed a total of 14 of them between March and the end of June. The Bucs have already used three of those 14 days but will get even more out of the final 11 thanks to the added presence of the rookies picked up over the previous weekend. With the exception of one weekend camp right after the draft, rookies are not allowed to return to their new teams until their colleges have held their graduations, whether they are graduating or not. Most of the Bucs’ 15 rookies will be cleared to practice by the next OTA day on May 16.

 " We all know he’s a good prospect. He had a great season for USF. He’s got a long way to go in terms of picking this offense up and being a factor in the passing game."

Here’s a look at the upcoming OTA schedule:

# Tuesday-Thursday, May 16-18

# Tuesday-Thursday, May 23-25

# Tuesday-Wednesday, June 6-7

# Tuesday-Thursday, June 13-15

The rookies will find the OTA days a bit different for several reasons. First, they are completely voluntary, though usually heavily attended in Tampa. Second, there are some restrictions as to what a team may do on the field (such as no one-on-one periods) and limits to how long it can meet in the classroom. And third, the rookies will have some eager and experienced company on the field this time around. The main purpose of the rookie camp was to get the new players up to speed so that they would be able to practice without slowing down the veterans.

Head Coach Jon Gruden has spoken in the past about the importance of the OTA days, even if they aren’t as complete as a full mini-camp.

“It is hard,†said Gruden. “Forget about learning your new offense, but how about learning the opponent’s defense and the nature of blitzes? The specialization of pro football nowadays is just incredible.â€Â

Also of interest on the upcoming schedule is Saturday, June 3, the date of the annual FanFest at Raymond James Stadium. This hugely popular event, which is free and open to the public, will once again feature the team’s full coaching staff and almost 100% of the roster, all available for autographs.

So mark your calendars. Buccaneer players already have, and they’re quite full.

**

Tryout Player Signed

On Monday, the day after the conclusion of the team’s rookie mini-camp, the Bucs signed rookie cornerback Reuben Houston, an undrafted player out of Georgia Tech.

Houston was one of 28 rookies or first-year players who participated in the weekend camp on a tryout contract. Those men were signed only through the weekend, but Houston’s new deal gives him a chance to go to training camp with the team in late July.

Houston (6-0, 190) played three seasons and part of a fourth at Georgia Tech, starting in 2003 and 2004. His career statistics include 158 tackles, seven interceptions, five sacks and 16 passes defensed.

The Bucs have found the rookie/tryout camp format to be useful for several years running now. In addition to affording the team a semi-full roster with which to practice, it also allows coaches and scouts to get a closer look at several dozen intriguing free agents. Last year, the Bucs had 20 players in camp on tryout contracts and eventually signed seven of them, bringing five to training camp. Those players include running back Derek Watson and cornerback James Patrick, two prospects who will head into another training camp with the Buccaneers this summer.

**

Hall Gets Started

The Bucs drafted 10 players over the weekend of April 29-30, but few of them got as much attention during the rookie camp as undrafted free agent Andre Hall, who signed with the team right after the draft.

That’s understandable, of course, because Hall is a local star, having followed up an outstanding prep career in St. Petersburg with two very productive seasons at the University of South Florida. USF was actually Hall’s third stop after high school, following single seasons at Georgia Military College and Garden City College, and it was there that he caught scouts’ eyes with a pair of 1,300-yard seasons.

Hall was very busy over the weekend, too, as one of only four running backs available for handoffs in the rookie camp, one of whom is a fullback. Hall shared snaps with only South Carolina’s Daccus Turman, Holy Cross’ Steve Silva and fullback Adam Gorman of Florida International, giving him repeated opportunities to show of his quick-cutting style.

Buccaneer coaches liked what they saw in Hall but know that he still has a lot to learn in order to be a viable option for the regular-season roster this fall.

“We all know he’s a good prospect,†said Gruden. “He had a great season for USF. He’s got a long way to go in terms of picking this offense up and being a factor in the passing game. There are times we’re going to have to audible, there are times we’re going to have to throw the football and there are times we have to use our backs catching the ball, so he’s got to become a much more rounded back.â€Â

[Minotaur]

I like the sound of that. Its not just kick returns anymore silly rabbit.

[Velcro]

Excellent!  Take it to em Andre!

[ChiTownBull]

def a positive....

[bulls96go]

go andre!

hope other teams are keeping track of him

arizona seems like a good fit as back up to Edge

[BULLfreak]

May the force be with you Andre