The most entertaining aspect of 2015 Cowboys Training Camp is watching tight ends coach Mike Pope come up with innovative (and amusing) challenges for his position group. Through the first week of camp we’ve seen Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten and his backups stick their heads in a bucket of ice water for five seconds, then look up quickly and catch a pass fired directly at them.
Witten is now a 13 year NFL veteran, but this is only his second year to play for Coach Pope who joined the Cowboys in 2014. Witten and returning veterans on the tight end depth chart, Gavin Escobar and James Hannah, were introduced to some of Pope’s more creative drills last summer, but this year’s “ice bucket” takes the cake.
“Gosh, that one was an all-timer,” said Witten. “He does all these drills so we can make tough catches. He’s been around a long time. Some of them we kind of look at each other like, ‘Wow, are we really doing this?’ But it’s different ways to get you to concentrate and focus on catching the football.”
On days when they’re not sticking their heads in an ice bucket, you’ll find the tight ends (as well as fullbacks like Tyler Clutts and Ray Agnew) sitting on a giant orange ball, similar to the exercise ball at the local fitness center/gym. The idea is for players to balance and center themselves, then react/reach for the pass which is thrown to them by offensive assistant coach Kevin Carberry.
If it’s not a giant orange exercise ball or an ice bucket, you’ll find the tight ends standing on small inflatables, one beneath each foot. The inflatables sort of look like plastic spare tires. The players stand on the inflatable, keep their balance, then reach to catch the ball.
Honestly, it all looks a little silly when you see giant guys like Witten (6’ 6”, 263 lbs) and Gavin Escobar (6’ 6” 260 lbs) and James Hannah (6’ 4” 260 lbs) and fullback Tyler Clutts (6’ 2”, 250 lbs) balancing on orange balls or sticking their heads in ice water.
But the players trust Coach Pope and believe there must be a method to his madness. Surely there’s a method, right? Or maybe he just has a wicked sense of humor!
Pope has 33 years coaching experience in the NFL and 45 years overall in coaching. He won Super Bowl rings as a member of the New York Giants coaching staff. Under current NFL rules, there are fewer practices in which players wear full pads and ever fewer drills in which there is actual tackling. Tight ends must make contested catches “in traffic” on a football field. They’re often off-balance after being pushed by linebackers and other defensive players, so they have to be able to concentrate on the ball and make catches while falling sideways, etc.
Doubtful they’ll be sticking their heads in any ice buckets on the sideline, nor balancing on a giant orange exercise ball during a crucial third down play….but, hey, the tight ends will be ready whatever comes their way this 2015 regular season.
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