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Friday, Aug. 3, 2007: Chiefs-Vikings Practice

Cool weather set in at MSU-Mankato as the Chiefs/Vikings practice began. The temperature remained low at 71 degrees, with humidity at 75 percent. A slight breeze blew in from the south south-east at three miles per hour. The dew point was 63. The sky opened up to sprinkle on fans for approximately 10 minutes halfway through the practice session, but did not escalate into a full-blown shower or storm.

Offense

The Chiefs-Vikings practice started out in a familiar fashion. The Chiefs warmed up solo and went through different line drills such as butt kicks and high skips. After that, the team broke up by position to work on fundamentals. Quarterbacks warmed up their arms with short passes to one another and practiced taking snaps. Ball carriers ran through the motions of curling and changing speed and direction to get open for outlet passes. Receivers sprinted about 15-yards up field with their back to the ball, stopped and stuttered stepped for three counts then turned to face an assistant coach who fed them a short-range pass. The line worked with blocking pads as it has throughout the duration of camp. The linemen went one-on-one to work on blocking techniques. Long snapper Jean-Philippe Darche paired up with punter Dustin Colquitt. Darche gave multiple 15-yard snaps to Colquitt who waited for the ball from the end zone.

Quarterback Brodie Croyle led seven Chiefs against nine Vikings for nine reps with the first unit. No tackling was allowed during the drill but there was plenty of contact between the linemen. The Vikings defense locked the Chiefs run game up tight and the offensive line struggled to give its ball carriers a gap to squeeze through. Running back Michael Bennett took the ball on two short runs to the middle and one to the left and running back Kolby Smith carried the ball three times, once to the right, once to the middle and once to the left. Running back Derrick Ross touched the ball twice and he took it to the right both times; Fullback Boomer Grigsby was fed the ball once, he tried to break through the middle on a short lived run. Quarterback Damon Huard handed the ball off five times. Three of those went to running back Marcus O'Keith (two times left and one time right) and one went to Bennett and Smith each. Vikings defensive end Khreem Smith appeared to have twisted his left knee one rep before the drill ended. He rolled on the ground holding his knee and came out of the drill, but his injury did not seem serious.

The offense ran a 4-on-4 drill that has not been seen at Chiefs camp before; it was a Vikings exclusive. One quarterback and three ball carriers went up against four defenders. Black trash barrels stood in place of offensive tackles on the 18-yard line. Quarterbacks Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard and Casey Printers all took snaps from Chiefs’ Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Brent Salazar. Running back Marcus O’Keith had an athletic one-handed catch with his right hand on a 17-yard pass to the left from Printers. O’Keith jumped for the high pass and pulled it down like the amazing move was something he does everyday. Tight end Michael Allan dropped a 25-yard pass to the left side of the field. Running back Derrick Ross received a compliment from Head Coach Herm Edwards on a mid-range pass from Croyle to the middle. “Nice turn and finish,” said Edwards.

Quarterbacks Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard split reps during a 5-on-7 drill. Each gave out five passes; Croyle was 5-5 and Huard was 4-5. Huard threw an interception on a 14-yard pass across mid-field to the left sideline. The pass was intended for running back Marcus O’Keith but landed in the arms of Vikings’ cornerback Charles Gordon instead. Wide receiver Rod Gardner had a couple of striking performances during two consecutive reps. His first was a 22-yard pick up on a pass from Huard that Gardner received up the middle; he was untouched and would have had a touchdown had it been live play. Next, Gardner leaped for a high catch from Huard to the middle of the field and showcased his ability to grab the ball out of the air. Wide receiver Jeff Webb had a similar performance when he received a 25-yard pass from Croyle to the right sideline. Webb stretched his arms out to catch the ball and he leapt to keep it in bounds.

The Chiefs offense battled the Vikings defense for an 11-on-11 drill. The offense worked its passing game. Quarterback Brodie Croyle came out with the first unit on two separate occasions. Croyle took seven snaps and was 5-7 in passing. His first incomplete came on a 15-yard pass to the right side of the field that was tipped by Vikings safety Darren Sharper on its way to wide receiver Samie Parker . The second incomplete was again intended for Parker but cornerback Cedric Griffin snuck in from behind to knock the 12-yard pass down on the left side of the field. Viking defensive end Kenechi Udeze would have had a sack on Croyle as he was untouched from the left side of the line. Running back Michael Bennett received the ball from a well-executed screen pass to the right for a gain of 15-yards; he was left uncovered and could have easily made it into the end zone if the drill had been live.

Quarterback Damon Huard got in seven reps as the playmaker. Huard was 3-6 and like Croyle, had to face immense pressure from the Vikings defensive line. He would have been sacked on a corner blitz by safety Greg Blue his first time behind the line. Fullback Boomer Grigsby dropped a 5-yard outlet to the left, Huard threw the ball away when he tried to get off a pass to tight end Keith Willis to the left side of the field (he was pressured by defensive end Khreem Smith ) and a 10-yard throw to no man's land on the right sideline made up the incompletes. Grigsby later made up for his mistake when he spun out from the formation to get open for a nice 8-yard pass over the middle from Huard.

Quarterback Casey Printers got in five reps and quarterback Jeff Terrell picked up three. Printers would have been the third quarterback sacked if defensive end Kenechi Udeze would have any rights to the quarterback. Throughout the practice, there were times when Printers would immediately give the ball to outlet receivers without locating his primary receivers. After fullback Greg Hanoian struggled to hang onto the ball during earlier reps of the drill, he ended his time with a 15-yard pick up on a nice soft catch from Printers on the left of the field. Hanoian had previously fumbled an 8-yard pass from Printers to the middle and dropped an outlet pass from Huard.

The Chiefs and Vikings had another 11-on-11 session later in Blakeslee Stadium. Quarterbacks Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard split reps and quarterback Casey Printers took a handful of reps to close the drill. Croyle had a flashy pass to wide receiver Eddie Kennison who slashed from the left side of the field to the middle for a 20-yard pick up. Tight end Michael Allan was robbed of a catch when linebacker John Kerr took Allan down from behind. The 30-yard pass was from Huard to the middle and Allan couldn't hang onto the ball. Wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu dove for low 14-yard throw from Huard to the left and was composed enough to complete the play on a nice catch.

Rookies from both teams ended the practice with an 11-on-11 drill. Quarterbacks Casey Printers and Jeff Terrell led the Chiefs offense. Printers took three snaps and Terrell four. Terrell threw one interception on a 28-yard pass intended for wide receiver Brent Little. Vikings linebacker John Kerr darted in front of Little on the right side of the field for the take away. Two reps later Terrell threw a pass cross field to the right sideline to wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu for a 22-yard gain.

Defense

As the Chiefs defense marched on to the Blakeslee Stadium field they faced an overcast sky and many excited fans ready to watch football. The Chiefs defense performed well in a coverage drill. In the drill the quarterback throws the ball to wide receivers or tight ends without a rush. Cornerbacks then try to break up the play or make an interception. Cornerbacks Benny Sapp and Will Poole made outstanding plays against tight end Stephen Spach and wide receiver Chandler Williams. During this drill the corners locked up well and the Vikings weren’t able to make many catches.

The Chiefs defense had good containment on Viking quarterbacks throughout practice. During an 11-on-11 drill Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson would be forced out of the pocket on certain occasions. Jackson was having trouble finding open receivers down field. Jackson took off running on a few plays, but they weren’t designed run plays. The Chiefs defensive backs did a great job locking up wide receivers, forcing Jackson to pull the ball in and take off. The Chiefs haven’t been in many situations in practice where a quarterback ran as much as Jackson did. The defensive line showed they need more work on watching for the quarterback draw.

Possibly the two biggest defensive plays in practice came back-to-back exploiting the young Viking quarterback Drew Hensen. In the first play Hensen dropped back to pass looking for wide receiver Todd Lowber running across the middle of the field. The ball was thrown slightly behind Lowber and cornerback Will Poole had an easy interception in his hands, until he hit the ground, forcing the ball loose. On the very next play Henson threw the ball in the direction of wide receiver Chandler Williams, and Chiefs cornerback Justin Phinisee jumped up and snagged the ball. Phinisee caught the ball on the right hash mark and ran to his left, but he was whistled down shortly after. On the same play Vikings offensive lineman Dan Mozes injured his right leg and had to be carted off the field.

Special Teams
The Chiefs and Vikings special teams took to the Blakeslee Stadium to work the punting game. Taking the catch for the return for the Chiefs were wide receivers Samie Parker and Ean Randolph, along with cornerback Justin Phinisee. The Vikings punter put the ball at the 10 consistently and averaged 55-yards per kick. On a live run Randolph was chopped down at the knees by Vikings linebacker Vinny Ciurciu; Randolph gained 12 yards. Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt punted eight times from the 35-yard line. His punts had good hang time, but he couldn't match the distance of the Vikings punter. Colquitt averaged 40 yards. Each punt coverage unit got to take a few live runs during the drill which helped the units with timing coverage assignments.

Fans

Susan Rice of Kansas City, Mo., and sons Ethan, 13, and Evan, 8, as well as daughter Emily, 11, lined the chain-link fence of Blakeslee Stadium as they waited for the Chiefs to take the field for tonight’s practice with the Minnesota Vikings. While many Kansas City fans choose to wear the traditional red and gold, Emily donned a bright pink jersey bearing the name of tight end Tony Gonzales. “I got it at Dick’s Sporting Goods,” said Emily. “He’s is my favorite player. He’s fast and he’s a good football player.” Emily said she and her brothers have played backyard football many times during the summer months. “I win if I play with my big brother,” said Emily. Before moving to watch the Chiefs players walk onto the field, both mother and daughter shouted in unison, “Go Chiefs!”

Mark and Roni DeJong and their daughter, Krista, 13, and son Mitch, 10, visited the Chiefs/Vikings practice today at the last leg of their family vacation. The DeJongs are from Hospers, Iowa. “We’ve been Chiefs fans forever,” said Roni. “We’ve been to Mankato for the last four years. We like it that they practice so close to home.” The family chose to stand behind a security fence right outside the Chiefs locker room in hopes of getting some autographs. “They usually don’t give autographs on their way out, but we’re hoping,” said Roni. For this family, their dreams came true. Both Mitch and Mark got items signed by tight end Tony Gonzales and defensive end Jared Allen. Gonzales signed more than 20 items for gathered fans, and even took the time to snap a picture with an excited Krista.

Chiefs fans attending today’s practice may have been lucky enough to catch sight of Brian Stewart’s award-winning 2005 Chiefs-themed Corvette. “It’s painted with a retro 1960-61 look,” said Stewart. “I’ve had it for two years, and I started customizing it a year ago.” The car features a Chiefs mural under the hood, and comes complete with red and gold bucket seats, as well as signatures from several players, including defensive end Jared Allen. Brian came to MSU-Mankato with his son, Garyn, 9. “It’s awesome,” said Garyn of his dad’s car. “It can go real fast.”  Brian plans to travel to UW-River Falls for tomorrow’s Chiefs/Vikings practice and will display his car in the parking lot. Though it’s hard to miss, just look for the car with the license plate “KCVETTE.

Ryan Losson, 15, Ben Hiserte, 15 and Adam Keeney, 16, from St. Joseph, Mo., were at the Vikings/Chiefs practice tonight. This is Losson’s first time at the practice and Hiserte and Keeney’s second, however Losson has been coming to camp in River Falls for the past seven years. Some of Losson, Hiserte and Keeney’s favorite players include tight end Tony Gonzalez, quarterback Brodie Croyle and running back Priest Holmes. They also enjoy being able to see the players up close and get autographs.

This was the first time at the Vikings/Chiefs practice for Todd and Kirsten Weltmer and their children Connor, 7, and Kiera, 4. With the Weltmers was Mike Rice with his children Evan, 8, and Ethan, 13. Both the Weltmer and Rice families are from Shawnee, Kan., and are excited to see the players up close and get autographs. Both of the families frequent games at Arrowhead Stadium and like players including running back Larry Johnson and tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Rick and Lupe Quintana were at the Vikings/Chiefs practice today with children Ricky 10, Brianna, 13 and Estevan, 5, from Sioux City, Iowa. The Quintanas were excited to receive autographs from players including linebacker Donnie Edwards, tight end Tony Gonzalez and defensive end Jared Allen. This is the fifth time that the family has been to the practice and enjoy being able to get the family together for a vacation.

Richard Keeney, Tammy Keeney, Lauren Keeney, Denise Hiserote, Chad Hiserote, Kris Losson, Kaitlin Losson, and Bradley Losson all of St. Joseph, Mo., are excited to be at Blakeslee Stadium located in Mankato, Minn., for the second time to watch their favorite team, the Chiefs battle the Minnesota Vikings.

Ryan Adam, 6 and older brother, Nicholas, 9, from Des Moines, Iowa, are excited to be up in Mankato watching the Chiefs practice with the Vikings with their Dad.  Originally from Kansas, the trio is anxious to get some autographs from some of their favorite players such as tight end Tony Gonzalez, running back Priest Holmes and wide receiver Eddie Kennison.

Tight ends Michael Allan and Mike Pinkard signed two young boys’ Chiefs baseball caps before making their way to Blakeslee Stadium to take on the Vikings.  The boys smiled and said “thank-you."

Extra, Extra...

The stadium observed a moment of silence at 7:40 p.m. for the victims and survivors of Wednesday's I-35W bridge collapse. All assembled in the bleachers and on the field immediately hushed, and some could be seen immersed in a quick prayer.

It was cloudy and cooler than it has been at practice today, but there was no lack of enthusiasm as the Chiefs took on the Vikings at Mankato. Members of the National Guard were recognized before the practice session began. Two officers led four vertical lines of 25 recruits to center field where they took an oath to faithfully serve the United States. Fans from both sides of the stadium showed their support with claps and whistles, and some even stood, giving them a standing ovation.

Defensive end Jared Allen was the last to leave the autograph line on his way off the field. Allen signed autographs for at least 15 minutes.

Today Yahoo! Sports posted a photo of Kansas City Chiefs' mascot KC Wolf hitching a ride on the back of a golf cart driven by UWRF mascot Freddy Falcon and a friend. The AP photo was taken at the first Kid's Day on July 31 by photographer Orlin Wagner.

During one drill, quarterback Brodie Croyle threw a pass to the right that went wide. A crew member from NFL Films crouching at the sideline deflected the ball just in time to keep it from hitting his camera.

In an interview with the media after practice, Chiefs Head Coach Herm Edwards expressed his satisfaction with how his players acted on the field. "I thought the players handled themselves very well. I know that what you all were worried about; we didn't want anybody injured," said Edwards. "It looks like we came out of it pretty good." Edwards continued on to say that his night was far from over. "You kind of see pieces of things. When we look at the films - when we get back tonight, I know the coaches will look at the films. We'll be up late. I'm gonna look at them tonight. I think there were some good things. There's some things we have to improve on, obviously." When asked about specific pieces of practice he liked or disliked, Edwards deflected attention away from individual players and onto the whole team's efforts. "Individual things are good, but what I'm looking at when I see individuals and the full squad is really the technique and the fundamentals that we've been working on for the last couple of months; that they continue to use those." Quarterback Brodie Croyle made most of the plays today, and Edwards told members of the media that fellow quarterback Damon Huard will be handling the majority of the drills tomorrow. "We'll do this all again tomorrow night. I think our fans will enjoy it. The Vikings haven't been up to River Falls in a couple years. It's good work for everybody," said Edwards.

Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress held a brief press conference on the field after practice. Childress addressed questions regarding which players expected to play during the Aug. 4 Chiefs/Vikings practice. Childress stated, "there is a chance to see [running back] Chester Taylor tomorrow night, and [defensive end] Khreem Smith looks like he's hobbling around a little but I think he'll be OK." Childress also mentioned that wide receiver Troy Williamson has an infection and has to take some IV antibiotics, but is still a possibility for the Aug. 4 practice. Childress also summed up the practice and said, "We're playing basic offense and defensive, and I feel like the young guys get a chance to respond with the bright lights on them."

With several microphones in his face, Chiefs President/GM/CEO Carl Peterson talked about the night's practice with the   Vikings. "We appreciate that the Vikings are going to come across the state and be at River Falls tomorrow night for pretty much the same things." Peterson also went on to say that both Vikings and Chiefs fans are "awfully nice," and he's very appreciative of them. "Getting particular young players contact before their first pre-season game is necessary. If they don't have any real contact with another opponent all the fundamentals go to heck. This gets their feet into it and wet and I think tomorrow night will be better. This is a second chance for both teams." Peterson also talked about the Chiefs quarterbacks saying that Casey Printers, Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle did a good job. But finding a starting is a process and that it will take time.  "The best part is they got in and had some real live action and played against someone else with a different color jersey."

It didn't matter what color uniform they were wearing, Chiefs and Vikings players mingled before practice like they were all old friends. The friendly atmosphere between the teams was apparent as guard John Welbourn caught up with three Vikings personnel. Linebacker William Kershaw exchanged "how have you been" with Vikings guard Seppo Evwaraye while tight end Tony Gonzalez greeted Vikings defensive tackle Alex Guerrero. Former Viking, but now Chiefs linebacker, Napoleon Harris met up with Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson and cornerback Antoine Winfield.

2007 Staff

Students and staff covering the Chiefs this year include in front row, left to right: Dave Urbaniak (Defense), Amie Eller (Fans, Punt, Pass & Kick), Jim Thies (Sports Information Director), Jennifer Pengra (Fans, Kids Days), Shawna Carpentier (Offense). Back, left to right: Mark Kinders (Public Affairs Director), Brenda Bredahl (Public Affairs Editor), Jens Gunelson (Photographer), Lisa Stratton (Fans, Web Site Editor), Deb Toftness (Office Manager). Not pictured is Zach Nagle (Student Photographer).