RIVER FALLS WRAP: Day 12

Aug 05, 2008, 2:44:25 PM

By Brock Ascher

Breakdown: Head coach Herm Edwards shifted his team’s focus from conditioning and strength training to a more cerebral approach this morning. Players were still hitting the sleds with all the ferocity that could be expected, but a focus on execution and correct thinking was the prescription of the day, since Coach Edwards allowed the club to shed its pads for the remainder of the week.

Looking Ahead: Players are scheduled to get tomorrow afternoon off after an AM practice. This is to get the players mentally and physically prepared to meet the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Play of the Day: QB Tyler Thigpen exercised his brain muscle this morning while working with the second team. After scanning the defense at the line, Thigpen audibled out of the called play and into an off-tackle dive. RB Jamaal Charles took the handoff and promptly broke a 30-yard run.

Weather Watch: Surely more than a few patrons at the 9:00 AM practice this morning looked at the sky and felt the breeze and asked themselves why they weren’t playing golf. It was as nice a morning in River Falls as anyone could ask for. Clouds moved in during the PM hours, but the temperature remained steady in the mid-80s. Back in Kansas City, it was cloudy with temperatures in the 90s.

Look Who’s Talking: “He’s the fastest guy I’ve ever played with in the pros or in college.”
-Chiefs QB Brodie Croyle on RB Jamaal Charles

Reader Questions: Does RB Jamaal Charles have a chance at being used a bit like the Saints use RB Reggie Bush?
-Matthew Perkins (Willow Springs, Missouri)

As far as lining up at receiver and wingback like Bush does, that would probably be a no. But as far as being a change-of-pace back and a compliment to RB Larry Johnson, that would be a yes. Charles is fast, ridiculously so, and ranks fourth all-time in the University of Texas rushing annals. So you know he can carry the ball. He’s also an excellent blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield with skill. His name also shows up on the depth chart as a kickoff returner, so it wouldn’t be out of the question to see him in that capacity, either.

A Little Bit of History Repeating:
An adept Tar Heel and Connor Barth fan reminded us that: K Connor Barth kicked against KR Devin Hester when Barth was at UNC and Hester was at the University of Miami. It was October 30, 2004, a historic game for University of North Carolina in Kenan Stadium. Barth’s directional kickoffs held Hester to no significant returns, and the true freshman won the game for UNC, beating Miami (Top 5 ranked team) when he booted a 42-yard field goal with three seconds left on the clock. The kick made the inside spread of Sports Illustrated the next week.
-A Huge Connor Barth and UNC Fan

See Barth’s heroics for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7alyMHbP30

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