Final O.T.A. 06/26/2009

[TTP77]

Wyatt


The Titans turned “getaway day’’ on Friday into a play day.

Instead of practicing as part of their last OTA day, Titans Coach Jeff Fisher gave his players a break. He said they’d deserved it after being pleased with their progress in minicamps in April, May and June.

So instead of practicing, the players competed in games like “Powerball,” where offensive and defensive players competed against one another trying to get a football into a trash can positioned downfield. The game was designed by strength and conditioning coach Steve Watterson, and involves a whole lot of running.

The defense beat the offense in that game.

Later, the rookie linemen on both sides took part in a Tug-of-War, which was won by the offense. The offensive linemen and defensive linemen also squared off in a competition where they tried to catch punts (the offense beat the defense 3-2 in that competition).

Earlier, all the position groups went through individual drills with a different position coach – for example, the offensive linemen worked with secondary coach Marcus Robertson, and the defensive linemen worked with receivers coach Fred Graves.

“We just decided to have a little bit of fun,’’ Fisher said. “They didn’t have any idea, they expected to go out and have a full practice. We just decided to modify it.’’

Linebacker Keith Bulluck said it was a nice surprise. Friday was the last day of the team’s offseason program, and the last practice has been a sloppy one in years past. The Titans won’t be back on the field until July 31 for the start of training camp.

“It’s one of those days where guys are maybe thinking about making a flight which may be an hour after practice ends,’’ Bulluck said. “We still got some work done, even if it was just getting the blood going a little bit. It was fun.’’

When Bulluck was reminded the offense took the overall prize on the day, he said the Titans defense had bragging rights heading into a five-week break.

“It’s about time (the offense won),’’ he said. ” I guess they’re good at YMCA games. Hopefully when we come back in August they’ll dominate some real practices and all of our opponents.’’

Overall, Bulluck believes the defense has answered some questions this offseason.

“Everybody wants to talk about Albert Haynesworth leaving, but that doesn’t mean anything,’’ he said. “This defense has an identity with Albert in the lineup and without Albert in the lineup. There are a lot of things that are still consistent with this defense and you take away one person and it is not the end of all ends. Don’t worry about the Titans defense because we’re going to be fine.’’

[TTP77]

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Getaway day for the Titans amounted to fun and games.

The individual period featured players shifting positions: The running backs and tight ends worked as linebackers; the offensive line worked as defensive backs; the quarterbacks and wide receivers worked as defensive linemen; the linebackers worked as running backs; the defensive line worked as receivers; and the DBs worked as offensive linemen.

Next came "powerball." It's an ultimate Frisbee/soccer/basketball amalgamation invented and refined by strength and conditioning coach Steve Watterson that the Titans play for conditioning.

A garbage can sits at each 20-yard line, inside a circle as two teams try to score by getting the football in the can. Players can run with the ball, but can't be touched without turning it over. They can pass it to themselves or teammates, and for a basket to count all the players on the team have to be on the offensive side of the 50-yard line.

Rookie Jared Cook was a real presence in the game I watched, as was Cortland Finnegan. The defense won both games, in which each used two teams' worth of guys.

There was a rookie tug-of-war, with a relatively quick win for the offense.

And Jeff Fisher wrapped things up with an oldie but a goodie: linemen competing at catching wobbly punts thrown skyward by a machine.

Michael Roos, Leroy Harris and Fernando Velasco caught punts for the offense (which was 3 for 12), while only William Hayes and Larry Birdine succeeded for the defense, which had to run some as a result of the loss.

It was a regular football Olympics that had everybody laughing while anticipating the end of the team's official offseason program.

Now the Titans disperse until reporting for training camp July 30, though plenty of players will continue to work out at the facility when they can.[/QUOTE]

[TTP77]

By Terry McCormick

Organized team activities ended not so organized for the Tennessee Titans on Friday.

Coach Jeff Fisher and strength and conditioning coach Steve Watterson decided to dispense with the normal practice routine for the last OTA and instead allowed the players to spend time playing an assortment of games.

One game, called powerball, had trash cans set at the 20-yard lines on two different field with offense against defense with the object being to move the football downfield and get it inside the trash can. Powerball, a Watterson invention as part of off-season conditioning and competition, combines certain elements of ultimate Frisbee, soccer, basketball and lacrosse.

The day’s activities also included a tug-of-war, offensive and defensive linemen attempting to field punts launched from a Jugs machine, and began with players doing individual work at unfamiliar position groups. For example, the defensive backs ran offensive line drills and vice versa.

“What you saw was an unorganized team activity,” Fisher said. “We’re really pleased as a staff, and it’s the last day of participation. We had a long meeting this morning with them regarding things over the next four or five weeks, and what’s expected of them, and we came out and wanted to have a little bit of fun.”

What made practice even more fun was that it began 30 minutes earlier than usual and ran for only an hour, rather than the usual one hour, 45 minutes.

Still, despite the lightheartedness, the practice served a purpose on getaway day.

“He used a little Jedi mind trick with a day like today,” tight end Alge Crumpler said. “We probably did more running today than we normally do in a regular practice. It’s not structured. You just go out there and run, and guys are competing. But more than anything, guys had smiles on their faces as they leave out of here.”

Linebacker Keith Bulluck agreed, saying, “It worked out well, Kudos to Steve Watterson. We still got work in, whether it was just cardiovascular or whatever. But we still got work done.”

For the record, the defense won the games of powerball on both fields, while the offense won the punt-catching contest and the tug-of-war.

The Titans now have nearly a five-week break before training camp begins on July 31, with the Hall of Fame Game against Buffalo in Canton, Ohio, looming on Aug. 9.

“The important message to them today is that we’re gonna come back, and we’re going to have about eight days to get ready for our first preseason game,” Fisher said. “It’s imperative that they continue to work out and work out at the right times of day, especially the younger guys because we’re not going to have necessarily a lot of two-a-day practices. We’ll have walk-throughs and preparation for it, but we’ll be playing a game before you know it.”

[Yvette]

Jeff Fisher as Obi-Wan Kenobi :D

[Sect309Fan]

I am glad they had fun today. :)

However, we now have to wait a whole month before there will be anything significant to talk about. The only really interesting thing left is getting all the rookies signed.

[titansikou]

What happened yesterday?? I was looking for an OTA report, but couldn't find one. Were they closed to the press?

[TTP77]

They were off yesterday. :)

[Stltitansfan29]

Dang, I wanted to read how many balls Cj didn't catch.

[PBV]

OTA video interviews
Griffin's is pretty funny.
http://www.titansonline.com/media-center/all-videos.html