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MINICAMP UPDATE
posted 04/02/99
Morning Update - Friday, April 2
The Packers' first mini-camp under new head coach Ray Rhodes concluded Friday morning with a short, one-hour, five-minute workout in the Don Hutson Center. Some players caught early-afternoon flights to their offseason homes, while others will remain in Green Bay throughout the month of April and the second mini-camp, scheduled for April 23-25.
Rhodes later explained his philosophy on mini-camps. "What you're basically doing is just evaluating and looking at people," he said. "You don't come into it expecting a lot. I didn't come into it expecting everybody to be in tip-top shape. From an execution standpoint, you know that execution is going to be so-so - you're going to get guys working, but the sharpness of the team definitely is not going to be there this first camp."
The Packers' new field leader also expressed his expectations for the coming months, saying, "Believe me, when we get this thing ready to get cranked up - this is the first mini-camp, we're feeling everybody out - we've got another mini-camp coming up and I have let them know that the intensity level will pick up in the next mini-camp. And when we go to training camp, the intensity level will pick up even more. The guys know that we will work."
Rhodes also gave another indication that the Packers' style of play under his leadership will be different from that of recent Green Bay teams, which at times were described as a "finesse team." "I'm one of those guys that is looking for physical play," Rhodes said. "And the only way that you get physical is to get physical with the pads on and a lot of hitting. I'm accustomed to a little bit more hitting than they're accustomed to. That's the only way that you can get the toughness that you want. And that means that you've got to do a little bit more hitting than some people would like to do. But we want to get a little bit more mentally tougher and physically tougher. So we've got to do some things that might wipe the smiles off their face a little bit later."
On an individual level, Rhodes was pleased with the play of several players during the mini-camp, including two running backs. In evaluating starting halfback Dorsey Levens, who missed much of last season due to a leg injury, Rhodes was optimistic, saying, "He's on pace to get back to where he was. He had the screw removed from his ankle in January, and he's still working to strengthen the ankle, but he worked well in the camp. And he's a guy that's going to work out - he's going to get in the best possible shape he can get in."
Green Bay's 12th head coach also took notice of former University of Wisconsin running back Brent Moss, who was participating in the camp on a tryout basis. "Brent did a good job in the camp," said Rhodes. "That's something that we are discussing and I'm sure that's something that will be resolved within the next day or two."
Rhodes also got his first on-field look at second-year defensive end Vonnie Holliday, the team's first-round draft choice last April. Holliday is attempting to make the switch from right defensive end, where he spent last season, to left defensive end, a post which had been occupied by the now-retired Reggie White since 1993. But Holliday is doing well in the transition, according to Rhodes, who says, "Quite naturally, it might be a little different for a day or so for him. But he's played both sides as a collegian. And when you can have a guy like Vonnie step into the position Reggie White played, it's going to help our football team. Vonnie felt very comfortable after the first practice, after the first day out there."
Rhodes and his coaching staff now immediately resume their evaluation of collegiate players in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft, to be held April 17-18. They will join the Green Bay scouting department in full-scale draft meetings beginning April 10.
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