Scott Brown
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Tomlin lauds DEs in goal-line drill
Posted August 10, 2009 8 :04 PM
New and notes from the 11th day of training camp ...
· After further review of Sunday's goal-line drill, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin couldn't say enough about defensive ends Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel.
The two were big reasons why the first-team defense stuffed the first-team offense on three running plays from the 1-yard line.
"On the first snap, Aaron Smith had great pad level and created penetration and really one guy got three," said Tomlin, who watched the drill again on film. "When you stack people up like that you're going to have a party in the backfield. On the second play I thought it was unbelievable overlapping effort from Brett Keisel, who made the play, and he was the backside defensive end."
Speaking of praise, Smith couldn't lavish enough of it on rookie defensive end Ziggy Hood.
Hood, who is making the transition from tackle in 4-3 defense to end in a 3-4, has been having a good camp. The first-round pick has done so well that Smith said he expects Hood to make an impact this season.
This is in spite of the fact that the Steelers have both starters and both top reserves from last season returning at defensive end.
"He's progressed faster than anybody I've ever seen do it before. He's still got a ways to go but as far as a rookie in camp, he's progressed much faster than I've ever seen," Smith said. "He's going to be a really good player for a really long time. He gets it. He's a smart kid and works hard."
· Add Rod Woodson to the list of those who played for Dick LeBeau and think it is borderline criminal that the Steelers defensive coordinator is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
During his induction speech last Saturday night in Canton, Ohio, Woodson said LeBeau should also be in the Hall of Fame.
"I didn't expect to hear my name in Rod Woodson's acceptance speech but what a tremendous honor and what a great compliment to me that he spoke of me in that light," said LeBeau, who is entering his 51st NFL season as a player or coach and has distinguished himself in both areas. "When you get your former players talking about you like that it makes you feel like maybe you did something right. The bottom line, Rod Woodson did 100 times more for me than I ever did for him."
· It sounds like newly signed center Alex Stepanovich will play some Thursday night in the Steelers' exhibition opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Steelers and Stepanovich — a fifth-year veteran who has started 34 NFL games — may not have a choice. There are only two other healthy centers on the roster, and Tomlin all but ruled out starter Justin Hartwig (toe) for Thursday night's game while Darnell Stapleton (knee) is sidelined with a knee injury.
It may be a bit much to ask second-year man Doug Legursky and rookie A.Q. Shipley to take all the snaps at center given their inexperience. That explains why Stepanovich, who worked out for the Steelers last Friday, spent Monday morning getting a crash course on his new team's offense.
Not much new on the injury front. Running back Willie Parker (back) and nose tackle Casey Hampton (knee) didn't practice Monday but Tomlin said each is close to returning to drills.
Running back Mewelde Moore is still out with a hamstring problem as are wide receivers Martin Nance (hamstring) and Brandon Williams.
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So, they go and get a 5 year veterean and give him a crash course on the offense and he's better than the younguns? 
Originally Posted by papillon
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