Putting His Foot Into It Backup Punter Learns From A Veteran While Patiently Waiting For Chance To Make An Nfl Roster
His eyes followed the football into the air the way eyes follow fireworks - in awe, in curiosity.
Seattle Seahawks hopeful Brian Moorman stood on the field at Eastern Washington University on Thursday morning waiting his turn for punting practice. His helmet hung from his right hand, his left hand rested on his hip, and his eyes fixed on punter Jeff Feagles as the 13-year NFL veteran booted balls up into the blue.
For the man who kicks in relief, the preseason is ever so precious. There’s this small window of time when the games are a gauge and reserves are rewarded with more minutes. It’s a time to learn, a time to try to prove yourself to teammates, coaches and fans.
“I look up to Jeff a lot,” Moorman said of Feagles. “He’s a great punter. He has a lot of things he can show me and there are a lot of things I can learn from him.”
Thursday, Day 12 of training camp, was Seattle’s final practice in Cheney before Saturday’s 5 p.m. preseason date with the Indianapolis Colts at Husky Stadium. The team returns to Seattle this morning and will practice at 1:30 p.m. today at Husky Stadium for about an hour.
If Moorman shines Saturday and in the rest of the preseason, he knows doors will open. Whether they will be in Seattle or San Francisco, Dallas or Denver, he doesn’t have a clue.
“I don’t know what the future has in store for me,” said Moorman, 24, out of Pittsburg State University in Kansas. “I would love to be in Seattle playing for this organization. They’re good to me, they’ve given me opportunities and I’m grateful for that, but you never know what will happen in this business.
“Hopefully I will take what I’ve learned from here and develop it, whether it’s here or somewhere else. I just hope for an opportunity somewhere.”
He’s in a good spot learning from Feagles and special teams coach Pete Rodriguez.
“He’s a very talented young man, a good athlete and he’s got a great leg,” Rodriguez said. “Now it’s a matter of, will he develop the consistency to get a job in the NFL, or does he have more work to do?”
Moorman was with the Seahawks during training camp a year ago before he was released in the first round of cuts made after the Seattle’s third preseason game against Arizona. He returned to Pittsburg, Kan., where he worked as a substitute teacher, an assistant track coach for his alma mater and trained on his own.
The Seahawks re-signed him in January and assigned him to play for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Moorman started all 10 games of the season, averaging 46.4 yards on 40 punts to finish as the league’s top punter.
Feagles believes Moorman will make it. He enjoys helping the upcoming kicker, and Moorman appreciates the support.
“I like Brian so I try to give him some tips, and he listens to me,” Feagles said. “I didn’t have anybody to help me out and I had to fight through it on my own. He definitely has the talent to play in the league, that’s for sure. It’s a matter of opportunities and he has to make the best of them.”
Moorman made his opportunities count in college.
He was a four-time football All-American for the NCAA Division II Gorillas, a three-time national champion in the 400 hurdles and a 12-time All-American in indoor and outdoor track combined. Twice - in 1997 and ‘98 - he ran in the U.S. Championships, but later decided he would focus on football.
“This has been a lifelong dream for me to play in the NFL, and just to make it to this point is a great accomplishment,” said Moorman, a history education major who married last month. “But I’m not one to quit and I’m not one to give up either. I’ve been that way in track and football and I don’t intend to change.”
Notes
Receiver Sean Dawkins is questionable to make the trip today because of an injured toe suffered in Sunday’s scrimmage… . Coach Mike Holmgren sent his team to the showers after Thursday’s morning session without a huddle. The early practice focused on late-game situations such as getting the field goal unit on the field when the team is without a timeout. It was the team’s first time running some of the plays, Holmgren said. “I expect them to practice a certain way every day and if they don’t I’ll let them know about it,” he said. “Today they were just average.”… The starters likely will play at least a couple of series, or about a quarter, in Saturday’s game with the Colts. Holmgren figures the Colts will do the same thing. “I have not talked with (coach) Jim (Mora) but usually before the game he’ll tell me and I’ll tell him,” Holmgren said. “They want to do the same thing we want to do - get a look at some of the younger guys.” … Holmgren is pleased with the play of the first team offensive line. Yet he’s not sure what to expect from the young second group, which has been struggling. Some of those questions should be answered Saturday… . The depth on the offensive line is a concern for Holmgren without Robbie Tobeck (torn ligament in his left knee) and holdout first-round draft pick Chris McIntosh. “My hope was that he would play a lot this season but it’s getting harder and harder to project that,” Holmgren said of McIntosh… . QB Brock Huard sank back-to-back passes into the garbage can in the corner of the end zone during a QB competition at the end of the afternoon practice… . The Seahawks will take Sunday off and resume practice at EWU on Monday morning.