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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
5:15 p.m.: In spring football, it's not so much the on-field production that sheds light on the coming season, but the coaches' intent for a player, or how they're using the player. In that way, it's a big spring for Mike Wallace and Ryan Mundy. They're obviously important parts of the staff's overall plan.
Wallace, the speedy rookie receiver from Ole Miss, is being used as a gunner on the No. 1 punt coverage team. He's also part of the multiple-WR set on the second team offense and will certainly be given a chance to win a kickoff return job.
Mundy, who was signed to the practice squad last November, is the starting free safety with Ryan Clark out. He's also the fullback, or personal protector, on the No. 1 punt team. The coaches are also giving him reps with the second and third team defenses when they can. It's obvious these two players are being "coached up" in order to help this season.
On the field, Wallace runs mainly short routes, because, he said, he ran so few of them in college. Wallace did run one deep pattern today. Anthony Madison crept up in press coverage and Wallace ran past him, had him by a couple of steps, caught the eye of Ben Roethlisberger, but couldn't come down with the difficult catch downfield. Ryan Clark razzed Wallace as he returned, saying the rookie has to make those catches if he wants to play. It's obvious that he has everyone's attention here, and it's not just because of his Mohawk hairstyle. Wallace also sped downfield to cover a punt, but got there too early, tried to catch it, but didn't and with his back to the return man allowed a sizable return. Mundy intercepted a Roethlisberger pass over the middle that was intended for Santonio Holmes. Mundy was in zone coverage and did nothing special to make the play, other than to mop up a mistake.
* Has Ziggy Hood stepped into a viper pit on the D-line with his fancy No. 1 draft status? Of course not. The defensive line is my favorite part of the team because the vets have class and they get it from their coach. I imagine that on most teams Hood would be snubbed by a veteran unit that's heard too much about its advancing age, but most teams don't have Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and Co. They must like the kid because, if I may, they're showing him a lot of love during unit drills.
* I did get word that the Steelers had Eric Wood rated higher than Hood. How's that for love? But I figured some of the draftniks out there wanted to know.
* To continue with my amateur scouting analyses, Ramon Foster, the undrafted rookie RT out of Tennessee, sure looks like a ballplayer. I've seen a lot of stiffs over the years, and he isn't one of them. He's the third-team RT now, but my gut tells me he'll eventually move to guard, a la Keydrick Vincent. He's more mobile than Vincent and will add to the interesting depth the Steelers are grooming on the O-line.
* Foster was a strong seventh-round consideration by the team, but the Steelers opted for the muscular young TE David Johnson. That the Steelers passed on Foster gives you a window into what they think about Tony Hills and Jason Capizzi. Hills, as Bruce Arians reiterated on draft day, has good feet and is an athletic big man. The giant Capizzi is focused and realizes he has a chance to put it all together at training camp. Interesting depth indeed.
* WR Martin Nance remained sidelined, but was running routes and sprints. He told me the low hamstring down behind the knee has been bothering him.
* I asked a scout if he likes anything out there. He ripped off the names Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett and street free agent WR Brandon Williams.
* With Ziggy Hood and Kraig Urbik buried deep among their respective lines, the most intriguing rookies this year are, again, Wallace and Lewis.
* Frank "The Tank" Summers isn't getting much work. He'll have to show something before getting the chance that, say, Wallace is getting.
* For the second day in a row, undrafted rookie Steven Black made the catch of the day, this one a diving catch over the middle with Ike Taylor in pursuit.
* Silverback Harrison wasn't on the first punt team, but the rest of the interior coverage unit was Lawrence Timmons, Donovan Woods, Andre Frazier, Keyaron Fox, Carey Davis and Patrick Bailey. Not bad at all.
5:15 p.m.: In spring football, it's not so much the on-field production that sheds light on the coming season, but the coaches' intent for a player, or how they're using the player. In that way, it's a big spring for Mike Wallace and Ryan Mundy. They're obviously important parts of the staff's overall plan.
Wallace, the speedy rookie receiver from Ole Miss, is being used as a gunner on the No. 1 punt coverage team. He's also part of the multiple-WR set on the second team offense and will certainly be given a chance to win a kickoff return job.
Mundy, who was signed to the practice squad last November, is the starting free safety with Ryan Clark out. He's also the fullback, or personal protector, on the No. 1 punt team. The coaches are also giving him reps with the second and third team defenses when they can. It's obvious these two players are being "coached up" in order to help this season.
On the field, Wallace runs mainly short routes, because, he said, he ran so few of them in college. Wallace did run one deep pattern today. Anthony Madison crept up in press coverage and Wallace ran past him, had him by a couple of steps, caught the eye of Ben Roethlisberger, but couldn't come down with the difficult catch downfield. Ryan Clark razzed Wallace as he returned, saying the rookie has to make those catches if he wants to play. It's obvious that he has everyone's attention here, and it's not just because of his Mohawk hairstyle. Wallace also sped downfield to cover a punt, but got there too early, tried to catch it, but didn't and with his back to the return man allowed a sizable return. Mundy intercepted a Roethlisberger pass over the middle that was intended for Santonio Holmes. Mundy was in zone coverage and did nothing special to make the play, other than to mop up a mistake.
* Has Ziggy Hood stepped into a viper pit on the D-line with his fancy No. 1 draft status? Of course not. The defensive line is my favorite part of the team because the vets have class and they get it from their coach. I imagine that on most teams Hood would be snubbed by a veteran unit that's heard too much about its advancing age, but most teams don't have Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and Co. They must like the kid because, if I may, they're showing him a lot of love during unit drills.
* I did get word that the Steelers had Eric Wood rated higher than Hood. How's that for love? But I figured some of the draftniks out there wanted to know.
* To continue with my amateur scouting analyses, Ramon Foster, the undrafted rookie RT out of Tennessee, sure looks like a ballplayer. I've seen a lot of stiffs over the years, and he isn't one of them. He's the third-team RT now, but my gut tells me he'll eventually move to guard, a la Keydrick Vincent. He's more mobile than Vincent and will add to the interesting depth the Steelers are grooming on the O-line.
* Foster was a strong seventh-round consideration by the team, but the Steelers opted for the muscular young TE David Johnson. That the Steelers passed on Foster gives you a window into what they think about Tony Hills and Jason Capizzi. Hills, as Bruce Arians reiterated on draft day, has good feet and is an athletic big man. The giant Capizzi is focused and realizes he has a chance to put it all together at training camp. Interesting depth indeed.
* WR Martin Nance remained sidelined, but was running routes and sprints. He told me the low hamstring down behind the knee has been bothering him.
* I asked a scout if he likes anything out there. He ripped off the names Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett and street free agent WR Brandon Williams.
* With Ziggy Hood and Kraig Urbik buried deep among their respective lines, the most intriguing rookies this year are, again, Wallace and Lewis.
* Frank "The Tank" Summers isn't getting much work. He'll have to show something before getting the chance that, say, Wallace is getting.
* For the second day in a row, undrafted rookie Steven Black made the catch of the day, this one a diving catch over the middle with Ike Taylor in pursuit.
* Silverback Harrison wasn't on the first punt team, but the rest of the interior coverage unit was Lawrence Timmons, Donovan Woods, Andre Frazier, Keyaron Fox, Carey Davis and Patrick Bailey. Not bad at all.
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