Merrill- Edwards shakes things up
 

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/14636732.htm

SURPRISES JUST PART OF CHIEFS MINICAMP

Edwards shakes things up

By ELIZABETH MERRILL

The Kansas City Star



The language was toned down to just above a G rating, the pace was fast, and as the first veteran minicamp under Herm Edwards came to a close Sunday, an unknown guy wearing a No. 79 jersey lined up with the No. 1 defense.
Say this about Kansas City’s new head football coach — he’s full of surprises.
Edwards promised changes before the Chiefs started their three-day, four-practice weekend minicamp, and changes they got. By Saturday, mild-mannered middle linebacker Kawika Mitchell was on a microphone telling Kansas City fans of a badder, better defense. Receivers and cornerbacks were debating whether a meaningless pass was inbounds or incomplete.
And Edwards made good on his plans to turn up the heat on the veterans and give rookies — even unknown, undrafted ones — a fair shot. That’s what happened Sunday afternoon when Steve Williams took reps with the No. 1 unit. Williams didn’t even have a contract a week ago and hadn’t finished the 2005 season at Northwest Missouri State because of injuries.
“That wasn’t by accident,” Edwards said. “That was one of the deals. He’s worked his tail off to the point that hey, we felt he could take reps with the first team. What I told guys around here is that everyone’s going to get an opportunity, and if you do things correctly, you’ll get a chance.
“It’s not a message. It’s just a fact. We’re asking you to do certain things, and if you can transfer them from the classroom to individually on the field … If you don’t do it, we’ll get guys who can do it. It’s that simple.”
Edwards said he wasn’t sending a message to defensive tackle Ryan Sims, whom Edwards said arrived at minicamp a little heavier. Sims, the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft, showed progress in camp last summer before injuring a foot in the season opener against the New York Jets.
“I’m not worried about him,” Edwards said. “Some big guys in the offseason, they gain a couple of extra pounds. He’s a pro. He knows where he needs to be at, and I know where he needs to be at. And he’ll get down to where he needs to play again.”
Edwards took the Kansas City job in January, replacing Dick Vermeil, his old mentor and coach. Minutes into Edwards’ first news conference, it was clear the coaches are very different. Vermeil was big on offense and long practices; Edwards is a defensive guy who likes his workouts short, fast and sweet.
With no pads, no tackling, and several veterans sitting out because of nagging injuries, the biggest things Edwards wanted to establish over the weekend were tempo and attitude. In one quick sequence Sunday, cornerback Patrick Surtain picked off a Trent Green pass, and linebacker Kendrell Bell almost came up with another interception.
Edwards said again Sunday that the offense will run the ball more in 2006 — in part because it has one of the NFL’s hottest backs in Larry Johnson, but also because it will ultimately help the defense.
“He has a lot of passion,” Mitchell said. “He acts like he’s real young. He’s still running around and stuff. It’s good to have somebody like that. I didn’t mind Dick Vermeil, either. I’ve got a lot of love for Dick. But just to have that kind of characteristic in your head coach, that’s better for us.
“We just have to believe we’re not the stepbrothers on this team. Not to say that we are, but sometimes that happens, whenever you have a great offense like we have. You just have to get that mindset out and play defense.”
One noticeable change is the vocabulary spewed about in practice. Edwards — who told his players in New York that his priorities are God first, family, then football — isn’t big on potty mouths.
The keep-it-clean mentality has seeped onto the practice field in Kansas City, even with fiery defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, who’s been known to provide a little four-letter motivation.
“They might say a bad word every once in a while, but for the most part, I don’t hear it,” Edwards said. “I just think they know my personality and they know I get excited and I get upset at times, and they know I don’t do it. The more you’re accustomed to being around guys like that, the more accustomed you are to watching what you say.”
■ CHIEFS NOTES : So much for Johnson’s untouchable image. He stuck around the longest after Saturday’s minicamp that was open to the fans, signing autographs for more than 30 minutes. … The veterans are off this week, and offseason workouts will start again in June. Edwards said the Chiefs will have 10 more practices before training camp.

Herm seems to be good for moral.

Bastard!!!! He doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself! :)

I heard Holthus on the radio say that Johnson was the last guy to leave, and that he might just be the most fan-friendly player on the team...

That's gotta be bs, he has character issues, likes to beat up helpless young women, and doesn't ****ing play for Penn State anymore!!!!

I know there are Herm haters out there but I have been a fan of his if for nothing else, for his humbleness, his energy and great motivational skills. I remember after watching his first head coach Jets press conference, I was ready to go strap a helmet on.

I just hope it nets some much needed success in the 2006 season. :)

"Edwards said he wasn’t sending a message to defensive tackle Ryan Sims, whom Edwards said arrived at minicamp a little heavier."

Go figure..........The Big Round Goo Ball needs to do something this year or hit the road. :shake: I for one am tired of his lazy ass.

Last year at the mini camp his belly size was double everyone elses then the next day Vermeil was saying how good of shape he was in.
:shrug:

What ? You didn't hear the rest of the story ?

DV said there wasn't an ounce of fat out of place, it was pefectly rounded all the way around and down to his ass.

good to see him tinkering with the offense

I actually won't mind running the ball more.

In 2003, the Steelers defense wasn't as bad as the stats were. Cowher had a different mindset as to how to play offense. Anyone remember that?

They threw the ball all over the place, Amos Zeroue was the starter, and they just overall had a different offensive approach than usual. Then, when Maddox got hurt the next season and Rothlesburgerking came in, they toned the offense down, began to run the ball more, and that helped their defense. It caused the opposing offense to not get into any rythm because they controled the clock. They had the same defense in 03 as they did in 04, and kind of in 05...but they changed the offense, to help their defense, IMO, not just Rothlesberger.

Yeah because this offense, which only finished #1 in the NFL last year is in serious need of tinkering. Especially by a Head Coach who even admitted in his initial press conference back in January that he hasn't been associated with teams who have offenses who can consistently score 30 points a game :shake:

Also the KC Star needs to stop recycling the same pro-Herm lovey dovey propaganda. Every article sounds like re-packaged kiss-Herm's-ass garbage.

Clearly, Larry Johnson was instructed by his PR firm to do this to improve his image. Larry Johnson is an ASSHOLE. Taco John told me so.

At least the Star doesn't have the market cornered on repetition. You seem to be pretty good at it.

Here's an idea - go apply. They could replace the pro-Herm lovey dovey propaganda with your whiney drivel about how bad this team sucks.