Bell off to slow start
LATROBE – Wayne Gandy had to deal with Kendrell Bell in minicamp – without pads – when the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to put the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year at defensive end on passing downs. “It’ll take a gun to stop him,” Gandy predicted.
But Bell ran into some resistance when the Steelers practiced in full pads for the first time this season. Bell participated in line drills for the first time in his young pro career and was stopped cold, first by back-up tackle Mathias Nkwenti and then rookie free agent Jermese Jones.
For Bell, who hasn’t played defensive end since his sophomore year in high school, it was a slow start.
“I still need a lot more work with my hands,” he said. “I get off well, just the guys get their hands on me and ride me around the quarterback, so I’ve got to improve my hand movement.
“Basically, you have to get in a position where you’re rushing and you’re comfortable enough to turn around and fight with your hands while you’re still running.”
Defensive line coach John Mitchell motioned outside linebacker Joey Porter, the former rush end in the dime package, over to one-on-one drills and Porter easily past Jones to the quarterback. When Mitchell moved Nkwenti into Jones’ place, Porter waved him Nkwenti away.
“Give me Wayne,” he said of Gandy. And Porter used precise hand movement throughout a spin move to beat the Steelers’ starting left tackle. It was a lesson Bell has to learn.
“He will,” Porter said. “He has the speed and power, he just needs to refine his techniques. Heck, I’ve been rushing the passer since college. That’s what got me here. I’m not going to forget all my tricks so soon.”
Porter, though, must learn the nuances of pass coverage. He’s replacing last year’s dime backer, Earl Holmes, as the only linebacker in the 4-1-6 dime alignment.
“I like the dime backer,” Porter said. “It’s fast, but it’s not happening right now like it is on the line. You can see it unfolding in front of you and it puts you at an advantage if you know what you’re doing.”
The new alignment was designed to allow Bell to remain on the field in passing downs this season. Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis conceived the idea on his way to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl last February. He dropped the idea on Coach Bill Cowher, who agreed to take a look at it during minicamp. Cowher liked what he saw and moved the idea from the chalkboard to the playing field this summer.
“I’ve been pleased,” said Cowher. “I’ve been watching that and again that’s going to be another one where once we throw more of the packages in hopefully it won’t create confusion. But I’ve been pleased to this point.”
Cowher said he wasn’t apprehensive about moving his Rookie of the Year to a new position for at least a third of the defensive snaps this coming season.
“You get a player like that, you’ve got to get him in on third down,” Cowher said. “Joey’s had to learn more coverages but getting Kendrell on the field as a rusher, I think, will enhance the speed of the rushers and get some more speed on the field.”
SPECIAL (TEAMS) DAY
Rookie Antwaan Randle El showed off his ability to catch punt returns, and show-off he did, intentionally catching several punts with one hand. But the bulk of the special teams work Saturday dealt with the basics, and for new teams coach Kevin Spencer that meant more emotion.
“Hey, let’s go!” he bellowed after an air horn signaled the start of the extensive session. “We got punt! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Gunners! Fiala! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Earlier in the day, Spencer timed the snappers, thus beginning the anticipated duel between incumbent Mike Schneck and rookie Bobby Jones of Penn State. The early edge went to Schneck, whose snaps allowed punter Josh Miller to consistently get off the kick in less than two seconds. Jones and rookie punter Burke Dales were in the 2.5-second range.
Punt coverage was targeted in the afternoon practice. Brent Alexander lined up at fullback, with Mike Logan, Clark Haggans and rookie Chris Hope the main inside cover men. Outside flyers weren’t used.
GO RANDY
Steelers play-by-play announcer Myron Cope is preparing for big things out of Randle El, the second-round pick. Cope asked the Public Relations staff how Randle El was called by teammates and coaches in college. Cope asked if it was appropriate to call him “Randy.”
“I checked and only one person ever called him Randy,” Dave Lockett reported back to Cope. “It was Bobby Knight.”
Said Cope: “I have some other things in store for him. That kid is going to be great.”
At the ensuing practice, Randle El had the crowd cheering for a second consecutive day by pinning a sideline pass against his earhole, securing the ball and sprinting through a tiny crack between two defenders.