The New York Giants held their first padded practice of training camp on Monday, and with that came a new sense of energy and intensity. The new coaching staff brought a great style to the first day, as they were extremely vocal and outspoken. It seems as if the new regimen is focused on really coaching and harping on the fundamentals, rather than letting things slide and letting the players dictate the tempo.
Many things that the younger generations of football players are treated too soft, giving them far too much leniency in their practice and progression. Old school players and mentalities tend to work in specific scenarios, as new head coach Joe Judge plans to bring that to the Giants. After all, there’s a reason Tom Coughlin won two Super Bowls, and Bill Belichick has won six.
Here’s a new factor for the New York Giants during practice:
“There are consequences on the field for making mistakes,†Judge said. “In a game, it’ll cost you five, 10, or 15 yards. In practice, there needs to be consequences so we learn how to deal with our mistakes.â€
Shannon Sharpe, co-host for “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed,†stated, “This isn’t going to end well.â€
I don’t believe that Judge cares much for his opinion, based on the success he enjoyed at Alabama and New England. The New York Giants are 12-36 over the past three years, indicating that a significant change needed to be made. Success doesn’t come from luck, but rather hard work.
“If that’s what he has in store for us, running laps for mistakes, just don’t make mistakes,†said wide receiver Sterling Shepard, the longest-tenured Giant. “That’s a simple way to get out of doing that. Yeah, the last time I did it was probably middle school. But I’m embracing the change and I’m all for it.â€
It seems that Sterling Shepard has already figured it out; if you don’t want to run laps, then don’t make any mistakes. That is how you bring the best out of players by setting benchmarks and consequences for failing to do your job. Ultimately, when you’re being paid millions to catch a football or make a block, doing it well is essential.
Judge and his coaching staff are keen on maximizing each and every player. Ranging from different talents to abilities, there are 11 positions on each unit, and looking at a player like Corey Coleman and saying, “he could be a wide receiver and kick returner,†is exactly the mentality Judge wants to have.