With a second year under his belt, Mike Macdonald is familiar with the players and process of building a team. There was a definite cadence to the way the players went through the individual drills, position groups, and ultimately the team scrimmages.
“ The expectations are the same. Again, you’re going through it. The guys understand what we’re trying to get done,’ said Macdonald after the team’s first practice. “I’m probably communicating it better the way I’m wording stuff, and how we phrase it and message it is probably better the second time around. Yeah, the expectations are the same last year, honestly.”
EXPECTATIONS MIGHT BE THE SAME, BUT THERE IS INTENTIONALITY.
With players having a clear understanding of what the expectations are, the learning is accelerated, and there is bigger buy-in by the players, according to Macdonald
“Well, I would like to think that it started the first day we walked in the door, you know, but those relationships you do have to work on over time. You feel a lot of buy-in from the guys. It goes to the attendance. The guys were here on their own volition. It’s their defense. You can feel that. When we walk into a defensive meeting room, it’s not just me blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It’s A.D. (Aden Durde) kicking butt, C.P. (Chris Partridge), all of our coaches are getting in front of the room. Our players are getting in front of the rest of the room talking about all sorts of different things. It’s just a great spirit they have going on, so it’s a collective buy-in that I think that you’re experiencing, and they’re taking control and taking responsibility for their group. That’s exciting”
DEFENSE IS AHEAD OF THE OFFENSE
As expected, the Seahawks’ defense is ahead of the offense due to the coaching and personnel changes. Clint Kubiak is now the offensive coordinator, Sam Darnold is the quarterback, and Cooper Kupp has also been signed to upgrade the wide receiver room. While he has high expectations for the offense, Macdonald is looking to Kubiak to create a system that fits the Seahawks’ style of play and culture.
“They’re going to play our style of football, the Seahawks’ style of ball that we’re trying to create. Talk about methods and principles about how we operate, I mean, this is just a different method. This system, it’s a tried and true system. They’re coaching the heck out of it, but they believe in it, and it will come to life the way that we want to. It’s going to be unique to us, which is exciting, and that’s the process that we’re in right now, like kind of where it goes throughout camp,’ added Macdonald .”The principle that’s not negotiable is how we play and taking care of the ball and being physical up front and running off the rock and separating the defense and doing all those things, circling the defense, protecting the quarterback. That stuff, you need to be able to do that to win in this league, and they’ve shown the ability to do that”
PRACTICE TAKEAWAYS
Rookie Grey Zabel continues to impress at left guard and took all the first-team reps, as did Charles Cross at left tackle and Abe Lucas at right tackle. Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell split snaps at center, with Olu Oluwatimi having a slight advantage. The battle for the right guard position is split down the middle, with Anthony Bradford and Christian Haynes getting equal snaps with the first team.
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