Hostile
09-10-2004, 06:13 PM
Sports Update
Cards notebook: Green lauds Woods’ intensity
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
Cardinals coach Dennis Green spoke of LeVar Woods on Thursday as if he was nominating him for the NFL’s All-Pro team.
“If there’s one guy that’s all football, it’s him,” Green said. “He’s a tough, very intense player. If we had 53 guys with the attitude of LeVar, then you wouldn’t doubt that we could be a playoff team.”
Lofty praise for an undrafted, fourth-year linebacker who has started just five NFL games. But Woods has made enough of an impression on Green to be tabbed the first-string strong-side linebacker.
Woods was the backup on the weak side until rookie Karlos Dansby, No. 1 on the depth chart on the strong side, suffered a sore hamstring in camp. That resulted in Woods sliding over to the other side, where he started Arizona’s last two preseason games. “It’s not overwhelming,” Woods said. “It’s more responsibility, because I’ll still be playing special teams and starting on defense. It’s more exciting, as I know I’m going to be playing a lot.”
Woods — who in high school in Larchwood, Iowa, played with Cardinals teammate Kyle Vanden Bosch, a defensive end — feels comfortable in Arizona’s new defensive scheme because it is similar to the one he played in collegiality.
“The defense is a lot simpler, and it’s familiar to me,” said Woods, a two-year starter at the University of Iowa.
Woods must keep performing well to hold off Dansby, an athletic second-round draft choice. Clearly, though, he has the confidence of his coach.
“He’s not giving the job back yet, and I don’t know if he will,” Green said.
EMMITT’S FUTURE
The question is bound to dog running back Emmitt Smith: Does he plan to play past this season? The NFL’s career rushing yardage leader got the latest inquiry on Thursday. “I’m not going to talk about the future because it’s irrelevant,” Smith said. “We have a big game coming up (at St. Louis on Sunday), our first game of the season, and my future is now.”
Green on Thursday said that he feels Smith is motivated to make “his last year” a good one.
Asked if that meant he expects Smith to retire after 2004, Green said, “I wouldn’t imagine that he would play beyond this year, but I don’t know, maybe he will.”
RUSTY BIRDS
Green said he feels that starting receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson, both of whom dealt with injuries in camp, are “knocking the rust off.” Fitzgerald made an “amazing” one-handed running catch in practice, Green said. “One of the players said to me, ‘How’s that rust, coach?’ ” Green said. “I said, ‘It’s good.’ ”
EXTRA POINTS
Linebacker Raynoch Thompson (knee) sat out practice. Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete (ankle) and offensive tackle L.J. Shelton (back) were limited.. . .
Green, on the Cardinals’ preparation: “I think we’re ready. I thought we’d be ready by Thursday, and we’re right on time. You can sense that there’s a certain thing going on with this team. We’re practicing like we are ready. We had great tempo. We have come together as a team.”
Cards notebook: Green lauds Woods’ intensity
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
Cardinals coach Dennis Green spoke of LeVar Woods on Thursday as if he was nominating him for the NFL’s All-Pro team.
“If there’s one guy that’s all football, it’s him,” Green said. “He’s a tough, very intense player. If we had 53 guys with the attitude of LeVar, then you wouldn’t doubt that we could be a playoff team.”
Lofty praise for an undrafted, fourth-year linebacker who has started just five NFL games. But Woods has made enough of an impression on Green to be tabbed the first-string strong-side linebacker.
Woods was the backup on the weak side until rookie Karlos Dansby, No. 1 on the depth chart on the strong side, suffered a sore hamstring in camp. That resulted in Woods sliding over to the other side, where he started Arizona’s last two preseason games. “It’s not overwhelming,” Woods said. “It’s more responsibility, because I’ll still be playing special teams and starting on defense. It’s more exciting, as I know I’m going to be playing a lot.”
Woods — who in high school in Larchwood, Iowa, played with Cardinals teammate Kyle Vanden Bosch, a defensive end — feels comfortable in Arizona’s new defensive scheme because it is similar to the one he played in collegiality.
“The defense is a lot simpler, and it’s familiar to me,” said Woods, a two-year starter at the University of Iowa.
Woods must keep performing well to hold off Dansby, an athletic second-round draft choice. Clearly, though, he has the confidence of his coach.
“He’s not giving the job back yet, and I don’t know if he will,” Green said.
EMMITT’S FUTURE
The question is bound to dog running back Emmitt Smith: Does he plan to play past this season? The NFL’s career rushing yardage leader got the latest inquiry on Thursday. “I’m not going to talk about the future because it’s irrelevant,” Smith said. “We have a big game coming up (at St. Louis on Sunday), our first game of the season, and my future is now.”
Green on Thursday said that he feels Smith is motivated to make “his last year” a good one.
Asked if that meant he expects Smith to retire after 2004, Green said, “I wouldn’t imagine that he would play beyond this year, but I don’t know, maybe he will.”
RUSTY BIRDS
Green said he feels that starting receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson, both of whom dealt with injuries in camp, are “knocking the rust off.” Fitzgerald made an “amazing” one-handed running catch in practice, Green said. “One of the players said to me, ‘How’s that rust, coach?’ ” Green said. “I said, ‘It’s good.’ ”
EXTRA POINTS
Linebacker Raynoch Thompson (knee) sat out practice. Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete (ankle) and offensive tackle L.J. Shelton (back) were limited.. . .
Green, on the Cardinals’ preparation: “I think we’re ready. I thought we’d be ready by Thursday, and we’re right on time. You can sense that there’s a certain thing going on with this team. We’re practicing like we are ready. We had great tempo. We have come together as a team.”