Wexell: TOMLIN SENDS STEELERS ROOKIES HOME HUNGRY

[hawaiiansteeler]

TOMLIN SENDS STEELERS ROOKIES HOME HUNGRY

Jun 18, 2015
Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.net

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The final practice of the spring ended with a rookie interception, but the coach wasn't impressed.

PITTSBURGH -- Gerod Holliman might have been the only Pittsburgh Steelers rookie with a hint of a smile on his face Wednesday afternoon following the final practice of the spring.

Holliman intercepted Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone after Roethlisberger had directed the first team inside the five-yard line during a two-minute drill that marked the end of Steelers minicamp.

Holliman, the seventh-round pick who led the nation with 14 interceptions last season, had received scant reps throughout the last four weeks, but can take credit for making the first and last interceptions of the spring for the team.

Did it feel good?

"Yeah, it felt great getting a chance to go out there and play against a quarterback who's already established himself," said Holliman as he was on his way to the shower.
Holliman said "Ben tried to pump me off, but I didn't go for the fake," and thus the interception.

But the play didn't seem to register much with Coach Mike Tomlin -- at least publically. Tomlin was asked after practice whether any of the rookies had impressed him, and here's what Tomlin had to say:

"No."

to read rest of article:

http://www.scout.com/nfl/steelers/story/1556270-tomlin-sends-steelers-rookies-home-hungry

[TeeTee]

It sounds to me that they purposely sent the message to rookies of "You ain't nothing, you got tons of work to do" as they should. Maybe, this way, they get through the rookie wall quicker than they did before. Maybe this is a cognitive effort to hurry the learning curve along. I am sure that one of the "changes" they spoke of had to do with hurrying the young players along more quickly. The sooner you break them down, the sooner you can build them back up.

[86WARD]

Thought maybe he took their lunch or snack away...you know...like the ping pong table punishment.

[tube517]

Thought maybe he took their lunch or snack away...you know...like the ping pong table punishment.
I'd like to see Tomlin tell McCullers he can't play video games. :chuckle:

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2

[GBMelBlount]

But the play didn't seem to register much with Coach Mike Tomlin -- at least publically. Tomlin was asked after practice whether any of the rookies had impressed him, and here's what Tomlin had to say:
"No."
Inside the locker room, that vote of no confidence seemed to be the prevailing wind as one rookie after another mumbled his way through their personal assessments when asked about the spring.

It is good to see Tomlin serious and critical.

Things came easy to him at the beginning of his tenure and I think HE lost his hunger there for a while.

Just my two cents.

[TeeTee]

It is good to see Tomlin serious and critical.

Things came easy to him at the beginning of his tenure and I think HE lost his hunger there for a while.

Just my two cents.

I think so. And I think the team became a reflection of him, and they themselves were sloppy and less focused. Tomlin also got fat in that period. It is all relative. I think Tomlin has snapped to it now. That's what it looks like. He doesn't have Hines, Farrior, Bettis, Keisel, Aaron Smith to keep the players in line. Less leaders means more forcefulness from coaches.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Alex Kozora ‏@Alex_Kozora -

Group picture at the rookie symposium. #Steelers

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