Jul 29, 2002 By Jim Wexell For The 3 min read

LATROBE – It’s not news anymore when rookie wide receiver Antwaan Randle El has a good showing at practice. He’s done it with regularity since the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the second round last April. Sunday, though, Randle El dropped a pass, and it was cause for bulletins throughout the tri-state area.

“It was an easy one, too,” he said. “I was ready to run because there was nobody left. They all blitzed. There was only one left. If I’d have caught that ball and made him miss, that would’ve been it, 70 yards. I was thinking about the run instead of the catch.”

Randle El played quarterback last year at Indiana, but dabbled as a receiver early and late in the season. He claims to have dropped only one pass and that came in a pre-game warm-up. Yesterday’s drop was his first in four camp practices. Otherwise, Randle El has looked like a natural.

“It looks that way but I’ve put a lot of work into it,” he said. “I got ready for the position before my senior season, then after that getting ready in December, January and February to play in the East-West Shrine and then the Senior Bowl. I think I showed a lot of people I really can play that spot. That’s all I know is putting hard work in.”

When the Steelers acquired veteran Terance Mathis in June, it was assumed that Randle El would be brought along slowly before becoming the slot receiver, but he doesn’t think it will take long to catch on.

“I pretty much got the system,” he said. “I’ve got some tweaking to do, but I think those coaching sessions and the minicamp did a lot for me. It’s easier now.”

“He’s a pretty bright kid,” said Coach Bill Cowher. “We’ve thrown a lot at him. This is now the third time he’s been through it. Hopefully he’ll become more comfortable, but, nah, I’m not surprised.”

The bigger question might be what name to call him. Kordell Stewart called him “Mini Me” and it “died as soon as it came out,” Randle El said. “That little broadcaster (Myron Cope) said he’s calling me The Creator. That’s what my name means. But I prefer just El.”

When he played college basketball, his coach, Bobby Knight, called him “Randy.”

“Coach Knight was real cool,” Randle El said. “People don’t realize, off the court, how good of a friend he was to be around. But I’d say, ‘Coach, about my name,’ and he’d say, ‘Aw shut up Randy.'”

Cowher doesn’t have a name for Randle El yet.

“I just call him 82,” Cowher said. “If he makes a few more plays it’ll be a nice problem to have.”

Heating up

Sunday marked the hottest day of the short training camp as the heat index reached 100 degrees.

“It was good work,” Cowher said. “We’re getting acclimated to it. We’ve learned the first three days, from the Gatorade people, are probably the most critical days in regards to getting your body acclimated.”

On the injury front, Cowher has yet to make a decision on tight end Mark Bruener, who remains sidelined with a foot injury.

“We’ll monitor it day to day and probably err on the side of caution.” Cowher said. “I’ll talk to (trainer) John (Norwig) tonight and see how he is tomorrow and go from there.”