The Redskins Blog

Someone Get A Grip On That Handlebar

When Neil Rackers was kicking for the Arizona Cardinals, he said he was voted “Best Person to Commit A Crime” because his appearance could change from week to week.

So it’s really no surprise that Rackers — now with the Redskins — showed up to the team’s Ashburn, Va., facility in recent days sporting a new handlebar mustache.

“It’s training camp,” Rackers said Wednesday in the locker room. “You’ve gotta have fun. It is what it is — there were too many greys in the middle, so I took them off and left the handlebar.”

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Training Camp Video: Defensive Linemen

(AP photo)

As a football player, Redskins’ defensive line coach Jacob Burney can be your best friend or your worst nightmare.

He’s not afraid to dish out some fierce coaching advice, but his words of encouragement are probably very rewarding.

It’s that kind of quality coaching that gives the Redskins one of the top returning defensive front-seven in the NFL.

Read more »

Balmer Seeking Perfection For Defense

The tutelage of Washington Redskins’ defensive line coach Jacob Burney has stuck with defensive end Kentwan Balmer.

Balmer said he feels Burney’s never-ending pursuit of perfection will take the Redskins’ defense to new heights in 2012.

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Tuesday Senior Bowl Notes: The Coaches

via NFL Network

There were many reasons to be excited about watching today’s NFL Network coverage of the Shanahan-led Senior Bowl South Team’s practice.

For media, this was the first time since training camp that they’ve been privy to a practice in its entirety.  For most fans, this was the first opportunity to see how Redskins coaches interact with their respective group of position players.

I just thought it was pleasant to watch a “Redskins” practice from my living room.  I’m all about the simple things in life.

Here are some screen shots taken from today’s television coverage, with a focus on the Redskins coaching staff: Read more »

Warming Up In The South Florida Sun

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Welcome to Miami Dade County, the land of hanging chads and Landshark beer.  As players take the field today, it’s a balmy 80 degrees under partly cloudy skies, with winds out of the east at 20 mph.

The NFC East, that is.

The Redskins are warming up today, looking to beat the streak.  Special teams are locked in, as Graham Gano just kicked a 63-yard field goal that would have been good from 66 or 67.  Here’s the rest of the gang:

The Redskins made a low-risk/high-reward signing this week with former first round pick, defensive end Kentwan Balmer.  Balmer is motivated to latch on with an NFL team and live up to his collegiate pedigree, so the world is his locker room.  And defensive line coach Jacob Burney is the man to make it happen, even on gameday:

Former Florida Gator, quarterback Rex Grossman, has also taken the field to warm up:

Notes From Wednesday’s Practice

Now that tight end Chris Cooley can participate in practice again, he has initiated “Tight End Tights Day.”  It’s a very literal title, and involved Logan Paulen, Fred Davis and Cooley wearing burgundy tights:

Cooley made the announcement, and it was unclear if it will be a weekly tradition, but I will keep you posted. Read more »

Jarvis Jenkins’s Weekend At Burney’s II

We already learned that defensive end Jarvis Jenkins had a dance in college called “The Bernie,” inspired by the movie “Weekend at Bernie’s.”  For a reminder, check it out below:

And apparently he’s got a pretty slick impression of defensive line coach Jacob Burney too. Read more »

Dialing Up The Blitz

Turnovers on defense are primarily created by pressure.  Whether the pressure reaches the quarterback and forces a fumble, or a hasty pass is picked off down the field, turnovers happen when the blitz is dialed.

Today, defensive line coach Jacob Burney worked specifically with linemen, safeties, and cornerbacks on how to blitz effectively, get to the quarterback, and strip the ball.  Linebackers (not shown) were working on the same drill with linebacker’s coach Lou Spanos.

First up are the big boys on the defensive line:

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Practice Spotlight: Defensive Line

AP Image

During unit drills in practice, the fans get dazzled on the near field by quarterback throwing sessions and running back drills.  It’s fun, it’s important, but it’s not the only drills worth seeing.  If you look on the far end of the back field, the big boys are putting in work on the defensive line.

Here are a couple of the drills, starting with agility training and footwork: Read more »

Thursday, February 18: Meet The Coaches – Jacob Burney, Defensive Line

You’ll notice a lot of things about new defensive line coach Jacob Burney from this interview. He seems legitimately enthused to be in Washington, for example. And proud of his son, a defensive back at the University of Colorado. But the main thing that caught my attention was his voice, which is very, very deep. If he winds up in conversation with Brian Orakpo and Chris Samuels, the whole thing will be borderline subsonic.

http://p.castfire.com/1Ll7r/video/247397/redskins_2010-02-12-103919.895.m4v

UPDATE: Courtesy of Intern Bryce, here’s the transcript for those of you who don’t watch videos. Read more »