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By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
08/16/2004
Rams linebacker Tommy Polley was happy last May at minicamp, but he was demoted to second string Sunday.
(Chris Lee/P-D)
MACOMB, Ill. - Who said exhibition games are meaningless?
That wasn't the case Sunday for Tony Newson and Scott Tercero, and conversely, Tommy Polley and Andy King.
In the Rams' first practice since Thursday's exhibition opener, against Chicago, Newson found himself with the starting unit at outside linebacker in the base defense. Polley was working with the second string.
On the offensive line, Tercero worked with the first unit at left guard, with King moving from starting left guard to second-team right tackle.
Newson said he was pulled aside by linebackers coach Joe Vitt about 20 minutes before Sunday's practice and told: "We're going to make a little change today."
"That was a wrench thrown at the last minute," Newson said. "So it was quite a surprise."
Newson played weakside linebacker for the rest of the Bears game after Pisa Tinoisamoa suffered a sprained ankle in the first quarter.
"It gave me a chance to kind of earn a little bit of the coach's trust," Newson said. "So I thought I did pretty good."
Apparently, so did Vitt, because on Sunday Newson was ahead of Polley at the strongside spot.
Tercero was told of his switch by offensive line coach John Matsko in meetings before practice.
"I was surprised at first, but I have more experience at guard," Tercero said. "So I feel a little bit more comfortable there."
He started at right tackle against the Bears and played very well, but guard is his natural position from his college days at the University of California.
With nearly a month remaining before the season opener, it may be premature to read too much into Sunday's depth-chart shuffling. Nonetheless, coaches don't make such changes on a whim. Even for one practice.
So are these new job assignments permanent?
"I have no idea. I really don't," Tercero said. "And I try not to read into that. Wherever they put me, I'll play as well as I can, and then we'll go from there."
Newson said, "I'm not even going to speak on that right now. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Right now the wind is twirling."
The biggest surprise would be if Newson held off Polley for the starting job.
Polley, 26, has been a starting outside linebacker for the Rams since early in his rookie season of 2001. He was second on the team in tackles in '01 (with 119), and last season (with 115). Last season, Polley shared the team interception lead (four) with three other players.
Polley was all over the field in the Aug. 7 scrimmage against Chicago but wasn't effective against the Bears in Thursday's game.
Keep in mind also that Polley is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after this season, so this is an important year for him.
Newson, 24, signed with Kansas City as an undrafted rookie in 2002 out of Utah State. He spent most of that year on the Chiefs' practice squad but played in the final four games of the regular season.
Last season, he suffered a fractured sternum on the second day of camp and was cut by the Chiefs at the end of the preseason.
Newson rejoined Vitt - his position coach in KC - by signing with the Rams on March 15. Being with a position coach he knows makes a world of difference, Newson said.
"I know his terminology," Newson said. "I know the way he's going to coach. I know what he expects of me. There's somewhat of a comfort to it. But you've still got to go out there and perform no matter who the coach is."
As for Tercero, some observers and team officials felt he'd be in the mix at left guard all along, once it became apparent that center Dave Wohlabaugh (hip) would be sidelined for some time. (That injury moved last year's left guard, Andy McCollum, back to center.)
But Kyle Turley's back injury and Orlando Pace's contract impasse forced Tercero to tackle in late spring.
Wherever he has played, Tercero has displayed toughness, quick feet and sound technique. King also is a tough-minded player, but isn't as athletic as Tercero.
Tercero "is going to do everything you ask him to, I know that," coach Mike Martz said. "He won't make mistakes. We'll let him get adapted to," left guard.
While taking nothing for granted, Tercero says the more snaps he can get with the starting unit, the better. No matter what position he's playing.
"Just playing next to Grant Williams and Andy McCollum right now - two really good players - the more experience I can get, the better my career will be," Tercero said.
Of the Post-Dispatch
08/16/2004
Rams linebacker Tommy Polley was happy last May at minicamp, but he was demoted to second string Sunday.
(Chris Lee/P-D)
MACOMB, Ill. - Who said exhibition games are meaningless?
That wasn't the case Sunday for Tony Newson and Scott Tercero, and conversely, Tommy Polley and Andy King.
In the Rams' first practice since Thursday's exhibition opener, against Chicago, Newson found himself with the starting unit at outside linebacker in the base defense. Polley was working with the second string.
On the offensive line, Tercero worked with the first unit at left guard, with King moving from starting left guard to second-team right tackle.
Newson said he was pulled aside by linebackers coach Joe Vitt about 20 minutes before Sunday's practice and told: "We're going to make a little change today."
"That was a wrench thrown at the last minute," Newson said. "So it was quite a surprise."
Newson played weakside linebacker for the rest of the Bears game after Pisa Tinoisamoa suffered a sprained ankle in the first quarter.
"It gave me a chance to kind of earn a little bit of the coach's trust," Newson said. "So I thought I did pretty good."
Apparently, so did Vitt, because on Sunday Newson was ahead of Polley at the strongside spot.
Tercero was told of his switch by offensive line coach John Matsko in meetings before practice.
"I was surprised at first, but I have more experience at guard," Tercero said. "So I feel a little bit more comfortable there."
He started at right tackle against the Bears and played very well, but guard is his natural position from his college days at the University of California.
With nearly a month remaining before the season opener, it may be premature to read too much into Sunday's depth-chart shuffling. Nonetheless, coaches don't make such changes on a whim. Even for one practice.
So are these new job assignments permanent?
"I have no idea. I really don't," Tercero said. "And I try not to read into that. Wherever they put me, I'll play as well as I can, and then we'll go from there."
Newson said, "I'm not even going to speak on that right now. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Right now the wind is twirling."
The biggest surprise would be if Newson held off Polley for the starting job.
Polley, 26, has been a starting outside linebacker for the Rams since early in his rookie season of 2001. He was second on the team in tackles in '01 (with 119), and last season (with 115). Last season, Polley shared the team interception lead (four) with three other players.
Polley was all over the field in the Aug. 7 scrimmage against Chicago but wasn't effective against the Bears in Thursday's game.
Keep in mind also that Polley is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after this season, so this is an important year for him.
Newson, 24, signed with Kansas City as an undrafted rookie in 2002 out of Utah State. He spent most of that year on the Chiefs' practice squad but played in the final four games of the regular season.
Last season, he suffered a fractured sternum on the second day of camp and was cut by the Chiefs at the end of the preseason.
Newson rejoined Vitt - his position coach in KC - by signing with the Rams on March 15. Being with a position coach he knows makes a world of difference, Newson said.
"I know his terminology," Newson said. "I know the way he's going to coach. I know what he expects of me. There's somewhat of a comfort to it. But you've still got to go out there and perform no matter who the coach is."
As for Tercero, some observers and team officials felt he'd be in the mix at left guard all along, once it became apparent that center Dave Wohlabaugh (hip) would be sidelined for some time. (That injury moved last year's left guard, Andy McCollum, back to center.)
But Kyle Turley's back injury and Orlando Pace's contract impasse forced Tercero to tackle in late spring.
Wherever he has played, Tercero has displayed toughness, quick feet and sound technique. King also is a tough-minded player, but isn't as athletic as Tercero.
Tercero "is going to do everything you ask him to, I know that," coach Mike Martz said. "He won't make mistakes. We'll let him get adapted to," left guard.
While taking nothing for granted, Tercero says the more snaps he can get with the starting unit, the better. No matter what position he's playing.
"Just playing next to Grant Williams and Andy McCollum right now - two really good players - the more experience I can get, the better my career will be," Tercero said.
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