There will be many firsts for new Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald in the next month or so.
Macdonald hopes Seahawks QB Geno Smith will return next week
The 36-year-old Macdonald recently checked another off the list, coaching the Seahawks in their home stadium for the first time.
The Seahawks left their training camp headquarters at the Virginia Mason Sports Center to hold their annual “Football Fest” practice Saturday at Lumen Field. It was a party atmosphere on a sun-drenched afternoon, loud music throughout practice and the blues of the Blue Angels blaring loudly.
“What a spirit, man,” said Macdonald. “Of course it’s being in the stadium, and now we have planes flying high. It’s hard to beat.”
The event served as a way for the players and coaches to practice their game day routine. But as Macdonald noted, it also added some noise to help break up the day-to-day grind of training camp.
“It’s almost as important,” Macdonald said. “I wouldn’t say the lights are on, but they are, so it’s a boost, definitely.”
Here’s a look at Saturday’s practice:
• Defense wins the day: With starting quarterback Geno Smith sidelined after injuring his knee and hip in Tuesday’s practice, backup Sam Howell continued to serve as the starting quarterback. first team and PJ Walker took the second team reps. Perhaps understandably, defense was the focus throughout the day.
During the 15-minute drive, the first-team offense went three-and-out on its first two possessions and drove into the red zone on third down before stopping for seconds. shut up. Facing fourth-and-2 from the 18-yard line, Howell couldn’t connect in the end zone to receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who was covered by veteran cornerback Artie Burns. The sophomore offense also went three-and-out on its first possession before Walker led the team on a 60-yard TD run on their second drive.
The defense also had its way during red zone drills where the offense started at the 20-yard line. The first-team offense settled for a field goal after being called back by a holding penalty, while the second-team offense went three-and-out.
• Another edition of Bobo: One touchdown pass in 15 minutes of scrimmage was capped by another catch from second-year receiver Jake Bobo. The once undrafted free agent made a twisting, acrobatic 8-yard TD snag in the front corner of the end zone, using great body control to block the pass inside the right end zone. It came after the 6-foot-4 Bobo made a spectacular diving TD play in Tuesday’s practice.
“I don’t see him throwing a lot of footballs,” Macdonald said. “It seems like he’s going down with their team. I think he complements our reception area really well, and we’re really excited for the (special) group stage.” .I think he delivers more than a regular host can deliver in that role as well. It will be fun to see how he gets into the host room and how that thing shakes out, because we have a lot of talent. a lot.”
• Security highlights: On a day dominated by defense, Seattle’s talented young team came up with two big plays. In the 15th minute of scrimmage, third-year cornerback Riq Woolen used his 6-foot-4 height to deflect over the middle on a third-down route from Howell. And after the first set of the offense, sophomore cornerback Devon Witherspoon came off the edge and deflected the first pass to Howell.
• Murphy continues to impress: Rookie defensive tackle and No. 16 overall pick Byron Murphy II, described by one draft expert as an “explosive ball of muscle,” has the potential to be a long-term disruptor in the trenches. The 6-foot, 306-pound Murphy showed some power Saturday, as he seemed to push forward on quick drills.
“We’re not crowning him, but he’s on his way,” Macdonald said. “He’s got power in there, and I think the guys can see that. I appreciate his efforts. The guy brings it every day. … He’s a smart football player. He knows what he’s doing out there. When He was lost. He plays fast, he plays hard. So I think Mr. Murphy’s future is bright.”
• Kick back methods: The Seahawks experimented with several returners as they practiced kicking under the NFL’s new rules. Among those returning were Shenault, Dee Williams, Dee Eskridge, Tre Brown, Darke Young and WSU Cougars product Eason Winston Jr. The Seahawks had two returners on the field for each game, as teams across the league are expected to do with new ones. rules that encourage direct kicking.
“It’s an evaluation phase,” Macdonald said. “When you see in the preseason, hopefully we’ll get more answers to that and opportunities to see who can do something with the ball.”
• Things get worse: As players battle for starting jobs and roster spots under the summer heat of training camp, there are times when conflicts can boil over. That happened twice on Saturday. The first time was a little scuffle between the offensive lineman and the rushers during one-on-one practice. The second came after Eskridge pulled into the top corner and was brought down hard by safety Marquise Blair. Other players quickly converged on the area for a brief skirmish before things calmed down.
“I think today is an opportunity to say, hey, we want to push the envelope, we want to be on the line, but we also want to be smart and within the context,” Macdonald said. “It’s equality. … Things will happen. It’s a training camp. Anger will burn. But hey, how do we respond to it? Cool heads will be there, and let’s get on with it.
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