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Lonestar
08-09-2009, 05:04 AM
Wind sprints and full pads are part of practices geared to get the team playing tougher ball.
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/09/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

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They skip and they stretch. They pop pads and they stretch. They jog and they run. They run and they run some more.

"We're running a ton more this year," said Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler. "The good thing is it's getting easier each day."

Watch the Broncos warm up early in their practices at training camp, and huff through their sprints at the end, and it becomes obvious a new strength and conditioning coordinator is among the team's many changes this season.

The new conditioning coach is Rich Tuten.

All right, so Tuten is technically in his 15th season with the Broncos. He may as well be starting over, though.

"We're doing things I've always wanted to do," Tuten said. "It's called dynamic active stretching. It's stretching while moving. This year I was asked what we should do, and we're doing what I wanted to do. This is the most physical we've been in 15 years. I think it's really going to help us. I love it. This is football."

A case can be made that it wasn't a sieve defense, red-zone interceptions or poor special teams that doomed the Broncos to the worst collapse in NFL history last year.

It was the groin tear.
The Broncos lost Scheffler, starting tailback Selvin Young, star cornerback Champ Bailey and fullback-linebacker Spencer Larsen for extended periods last season because of ripped groins.

Scheffler's replacement, Nate Jackson, suffered a season-ending hamstring tear, as did Peyton Hillis, an emerging star tailback.

"I noticed during the OTAs (organized team activities) and camp, we haven't had the pulls that we've had in the past," Bailey said.

Tuten said for all the added running and stretching he is barking the players through this summer, nothing will condition them more than new coach Josh McDaniels' preference to practice in pads.

In the 14 previous seasons under Mike Shanahan, McDaniels' predecessor, the Broncos almost always practiced in shorts, helmets and the inner lining of shoulder pads. Shanahan believed in high-tempo, precision workouts without battering bodies.

His teams developed a pattern of starting fast, but wilting late.

McDaniels' professional coaching background is rooted in the NFL's more physical eastern region, where the general philosophies usually originate with this notion:
Football is a contact sport.

"The groin and hamstring issues will take care of itself because camp is a lot more physical," Tuten said. "We're in full pads, so they're used to contact more. So when you get into the game, it's not something they haven't done that week.

"It's like if you only run or worked out once a week, you're going to be sore and beat up after that workout. But if you work out all week, one day is not going to affect you as much."

Not everything about the Broncos' new conditioning routine is painful to witness. When 300-pound-somethings high step for 20 yards, there are occasional snickers and no reminders of the Carnegie-Philharmonic Ballet.

The most striking differences, though, are padded pants during practice and wind sprints following, even when there's two workouts a day.

"Some of those older guys, I think, were used to a certain routine and regiment during camp and they're adjusting to getting back to how it was in high school and college and how they grew up playing football," Tuten said.

"It becomes a mental thing too," said Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Harris. "Run a few laps, run a few sprints and you tell yourself: 'You can always do more.' "

A pertinent mind-set considering recent history.

It seems the Broncos not only developed a penchant for weakening in December, they were pummeled in the fourth quarter — from 2006-08, they were outscored by a combined 104 points (355-251).

As the only franchise in a 32-team league that trains at altitude, performing poorly late in the race defies logic, while also partially explaining the Broncos' 13-12 home record since playing in the 2005 AFC championship game.

"It's all about the fourth quarter and the advantage of playing at altitude," offensive tackle Tyler Polumbus said of the Broncos' new conditioning routine. "It's different. Coaches are telling us, 'Put it in the bank.' Because it's amazing how many games are won in the fourth quarter."

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Consistent collapses
Under Mike Shanahan, the Broncos were known for their fast starts and late-season fades. Broncos reporter Mike Klis points to statistical evidence of how the Broncos were poorly equipped for the stretch run:

• One turnover recorded by Denver's defense the last four games last season, tied with the Giants for the NFL low

• Two fourth-quarter takeaways in the 2008 season, worst in the NFL

• 32.3 points per game allowed by the Broncos in the last four games of 2008, worst in the NFL

• Offense led the NFL last season with 1,598 fourth-quarter yards, but was tied for 11th with 108 fourth-quarter points

• Tied for 25th in the NFL with a .357 winning percentage (5-9) in the final month of the past three seasons

• In two of the past three seasons, Broncos only had to win their final home game against teams with losing records — San Francisco in 2006 and Buffalo in 2008 — to reach the playoffs. The Broncos blew 13-0 leads in both games and lost both

• First team in NFL history to blow a three-game division lead with three games to play (2008)

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13023755?source=rss

SoCalImport
08-09-2009, 05:52 AM
Wind sprints and full pads are part of practices geared to get the team playing tougher ball.
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post

"We're doing things I've always wanted to do," Tuten said. "It's called dynamic active stretching. It's stretching while moving. This year I was asked what we should do, and we're doing what I wanted to do. This is the most physical we've been in 15 years. I think it's really going to help us. I love it. This is football."
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13023755?source=rss


Am I understanding this correctly?! the "Strength and Conditioning Coach" wasn't doing what he wanted to do all that time? So Shanny was telling Tuten how to do his job?

Something fishy about that if you ask me.

Timmy!
08-09-2009, 06:21 AM
Am I understanding this correctly?! the "Strength and Conditioning Coach" wasn't doing what he wanted to do all that time? So Shanny was telling Tuten how to do his job?

Something fishy about that if you ask me.

Agreed....and it makes sense. There is a reason our team became cream puffs in the 4th quarter and late in the year. We might not have a great record this year, but I'm very much looking forward to seeing 4 quarters and 16 games of football. I won't be surprised at all when we win tough games late instead of folding like a cheap tent.

Dirk
08-09-2009, 06:41 AM
One of the things I always told friends and rival fans...the Broncos ALWAYS have at least 1 if not 2 bad quarters a game. Hopefully this is a sign of that stigma going away!

Shazam!
08-09-2009, 11:47 AM
Am I understanding this correctly?! the "Strength and Conditioning Coach" wasn't doing what he wanted to do all that time? So Shanny was telling Tuten how to do his job?

Yeah, it's not like Shanny was an egomaniac or anything.

The Club Med practices were something that hurt them as players got younger.

In the 90's they were a mix of hungry cagey vets who appreciated taking it easy.

Either way they need to get physically tougher.

Lonestar
08-09-2009, 12:00 PM
I do not think it would be a leap of faith to KNOW in your heart that mike controlled every facet of the broncos.

So while Tuten the S&C guy if he was directed to lay off the streching stuff I suspect he would have to preserve his paycheck.

Northman
08-09-2009, 12:06 PM
The Club Med practices were something that hurt them as players got younger.

.

Ding Ding Ding.

This is the very reason that guys like Bailey and Lynch loved it in Denver. But its also the very reason why this team fell apart towards the second half of the season.

dogfish
08-09-2009, 12:55 PM
now THAT is a veeeery interesting article!

i thought our approach to strenth and conditioning was inexcusable in years past-- unprofessional. . . these changes desperately needed to be made, especially the focus on stretching. . . anyone who watched the broncos last year knows how badly this needed to happen-- having that many groin injuries in one season is indefensible and not acceptable. . . you can't just shrug your shoulders, chalk it up to bad luck and go about your business. . .

Lonestar
08-09-2009, 12:57 PM
Ding Ding Ding.

This is the very reason that guys like Bailey and Lynch loved it in Denver. But its also the very reason why this team fell apart towards the second half of the season.



I believe that many older Vets that already Know how to tackle and the scheme of things found it nice to play here..

but as young as this team has become over the years they just did not get it....

Lonestar
08-09-2009, 01:01 PM
now THAT is a veeeery interesting article!

i thought our approach to strenth and conditioning was inexcusable in years past-- unprofessional. . . these changes desperately needed to be made, especially the focus on stretching. . . anyone who watched the broncos last year knows how badly this needed to happen-- having that many groin injuries in one season is indefensible and not acceptable. . . you can't just shrug your shoulders, chalk it up to bad luck and go about your business. . .



but they seemed to have done just that..

I know that every athlete is taught early in their career the warming up cooling down and stretching is perhaps the one thing you HAVE to do in order not to pull something..

the premiere players know this and have long careers because of it..

I wonder if they just slipped away from it because they got sloppy or stupid..


would have loved to be a fly on the wall in those talks with mike asking why all the injuries and tuten giving his replies..

NightTrainLayne
08-09-2009, 01:42 PM
now THAT is a veeeery interesting article!

i thought our approach to strenth and conditioning was inexcusable in years past-- unprofessional. . . these changes desperately needed to be made, especially the focus on stretching. . . anyone who watched the broncos last year knows how badly this needed to happen-- having that many groin injuries in one season is indefensible and not acceptable. . . you can't just shrug your shoulders, chalk it up to bad luck and go about your business. . .

Very interesting indeed. The more differences I see with McDaniels running things, the more I realize how out of touch Shanny had gotten.

Maybe having so much success the first 5 years here blinded him to the little things that he was ignoring.

Lonestar
08-09-2009, 01:45 PM
Very interesting indeed. The more differences I see with McDaniels running things, the more I realize how out of touch Shanny had gotten.

Maybe having so much success the first 5 years here blinded him to the little things that he was ignoring.


yet was tuten so afraid of him to push this stuff or was he just going along because perhaps he was out of touch..

NightTrainLayne
08-09-2009, 02:27 PM
yet was tuten so afraid of him to push this stuff or was he just going along because perhaps he was out of touch..

I don't know. I was worried when we kept Tuten that we'd have the same problems, but it's obvious according to this article that Tuten wanted to be a lot more agressive.

Was he "afraid"? I doubt it, or why would he be doing it now. Chances are he'd be more "afraid" of the new coach or just as afraid.

I think Shanny had his practices so regimented that Tuten just didn't have the time in the schedule to really do what he wanted. Add to it that Shanny liked to practice in shorts more often and it just starts to appear that Shanny and McDaniels have a LOT different visions of what needs to happen during practices.

Imagine this for a twist? What if Tuten was actually keeping us from getting MORE injuries than we should have this past few seasons. We were all ready to tar and feather Tuten and looks like he was hamstrung by Shanny instead.

pnbronco
08-10-2009, 09:46 AM
I just read this article and I'm blown away that the S & C Coach could not do his job. How many times did we question his ability?

I remember last year at the start of camp and M. Hollard came in so overweight and out of shape and he had gone to all the OTA's. I couldn't believe it, because in the one picture I saw of him I could see it.

I really hope things work out. The more I see the more I like.

Hobe
08-10-2009, 10:16 AM
This is good! I am looking forward to the season even more.

I don’t blame Tuten for the previous conditioning program. I’ve had to do what a boss told me to, even if I know it was not a good. You don’t throw a job you really like away just because you disagree with the path the company is taking.

OldschoolFreak
08-10-2009, 10:45 AM
Can I just point out that every comment so far on this post has been positive?

I can't remember the last time this happened. This is good news. Enough bickering, let's embrace the new day and rally around this team! I like it.

And yeah, great article. Making the team tougher should help with the 4th quarters, the end of season, the home record, and the turnovers. But also the intangibles--I can see this making the Broncos more tuned into the little things that it takes to win football games.

Lonestar
08-10-2009, 12:42 PM
This is good! I am looking forward to the season even more.

I don’t blame Tuten for the previous conditioning program. I’ve had to do what a boss told me to, even if I know it was not a good. You don’t throw a job you really like away just because you disagree with the path the company is taking.


I really can't believe he was not more vocal about it, while we all know that mike was the supreme leader, that number of pulls from groin to hamstrings it was clear to everyone on here it was conditioning (perhaps someone thought is was in the water) :laugh:.. why was not not seen or dealt with by the FO..

Lonestar
08-10-2009, 12:48 PM
Can I just point out that every comment so far on this post has been positive?

I can't remember the last time this happened. This is good news. Enough bickering, let's embrace the new day and rally around this team! I like it.

And yeah, great article. Making the team tougher should help with the 4th quarters, the end of season, the home record, and the turnovers. But also the intangibles--I can see this making the Broncos more tuned into the little things that it takes to win football games.


Josh seems to be building on little things that have seemed to been overlooked or maybe forgotten in the past couple of years.. full contact, conditioning, practicing situations, being precise in throwing movements, footwork, how the huddle is run.

Now sounds like they will be regimented in where and how the set on the bench during games..

precision seems to be Josh's middle name.. is it to much or what we have been lacking at Club Dove Valley.. I guess time will tell..

OldschoolFreak
08-10-2009, 01:14 PM
I guess time will tell..

Yeah, and I can't wait.

Agreed about the uncertainty bit. But my sense is that it can't hurt. There's no denying the team got complacent. And I say that as a big Shanny fan...Maybe it really was just time to move along.

Lonestar
08-10-2009, 01:36 PM
Yeah, and I can't wait.

Agreed about the uncertainty bit. But my sense is that it can't hurt. There's no denying the team got complacent. And I say that as a big Shanny fan...Maybe it really was just time to move along.



I was a huge mike fans until about the time he brought in Ashely after that draft I really started to question his "GM" side . and until last year perhaps maybe even after the huge change in 2006 moving to a drop back pocket style O when he did not have the horses (OLINE) to do so.. that is when I started question his sanity on the coaching side..

innovative he was and great chess master in moving pieces on the board to keep the D off balance.. but the past couple of years have been missing something perhaps is was attention to detail.. but something was not there..