Tubbs himself again after tough year

What should have been one of the best years of Marcus Tubbs’ young life turned out to be just the opposite.

Tubbs, Seattle’s first-round draft pick last year, reported late to training camp and he was out of shape upon arrival. That presented sizable obstacles on the football field, but nothing compared to the challenges his mind and heart faced as he dealt with his mother’s failing health. After a lengthy battle with cancer, she died last December.

“It was definitely the hardest year of my life,” Tubbs said. “When I was going through everything I tried to stay focused and understand that God does everything for a reason. I tried to go with that frame of mind every day, but sometimes when you get calls in the middle of work getting updates (on his mother’s condition) it kind of pulls you down for the rest of the day.”

Tubbs, who was also sidetracked by ankle and hamstring injuries, estimates he was at 30-40 percent of his maximum ability last year. He admits he didn’t devote enough time to studying opponents on videotape.

“I always had something else on my mind so I couldn’t just be clear on football,” he said.

Fast forward to present day and Tubbs appears determined to make up for last year’s lost season. The 6-foot-3, 324-pound defensive tackle has been a handful to block for Seattle’s offensive linemen.

He’s lighter, more active and focused on his assignments. He did various types of daily cardiovascular training at his home in DeSoto, Texas, to keep his weight down over the summer. After numerous flare-ups of his exercise-induced asthma last year, Tubbs said he hasn’t had problems at this training camp.

For the most part, Tubbs has been lining up next to Chartric Darby on the first-team defense.

“It isn’t easy coming across the country as a rookie and having to deal with a new job and trying to take care of stuff at home, too,” said guard Steve Hutchinson, who often lines up across from Tubbs in practice. “He had a rough start last year, but this year he came in, he’s got his weight down and he’s working hard every day.

“He’s a load, it’s hard to move him. It helps me and the other linemen when we have to go against him every day. We’re helping him and he’s helping us.”

Seattle is optimistic Tubbs can be a factor on the interior of a Seattle defense that was 24th against the run and 23rd versus the pass last season. Tubbs, inactive for five games because of injuries, managed just 13 tackles and one sack.

“Last year was a bad year for him, and I love the guy,” head coach Mike Holmgren said. “He is a talented man. Now he has to stay with it and prove that he is worthy of where we picked him. I believe he is, but it’s like everything else we are going to do this year – let’s not talk about it, let’s just do it.”

Tubbs has set lofty goals.

“I want people to say, ‘Man, that Marcus Tubbs, he didn’t really show up last year but this year he’s a beast and he has his mind right,’ ” Tubbs said. “I just want to give glory to my mom, make big plays and point up to the sky.”

Tubbs said his mother was a driving force in his life and he drew inspiration from the courage she displayed during her six-year bout with breast cancer.

“Sometimes it went into remission and then it would come back,” he said. “It transferred to bone cancer, then into the lungs and kidneys. To watch her when I was at home or hear about it over the phone. … you want to be there with her but you can’t because you’ve got a job. Unless you go through it, it’s hard to explain.”

In remembrance of his mother, Tubbs wears a pink bracelet that reads “Breast Cancer Awareness.”

“That won’t leave my wrist unless it breaks,” he said, “and if it breaks I’ll get another one. I look down at that whenever I’m tired and need a little push and I think that if my mom can put on a fight for six years and still see me through college and see me get drafted, then I can give it my all.”

Spencer signs

It’s been a busy few months for Chris Spencer. He was drafted by Seattle in the first round, got married on July 2 and moved into a new home in Kirkland. He signed a five-year, $7.4 million contract Wednesday morning, meaning everybody was on hand for afternoon roll call.

Seattle’s other draft picks were signed previously and there are no holdouts. Spencer, who missed the first five days of camp, watched the morning practice before participating in the hour-long afternoon session.

“Everything is changing,” said Spencer, whose wife, Katherine, is a senior on the Coastal Carolina volleyball team. “Leaving school, the house, changes after changes. It’s been great. I’m just trying to soak it all in.”

Spencer was eager to join his teammates.

“I had my bags packed and sitting at the door,” he said. “When my agent called and said we got it done, I said, ‘Sweet’ and put my bags in the truck and jetted out.”

Spencer will probably back up center Robbie Tobeck, but the University of Mississippi product will see significant time in the preseason. Reserve kicker Kevin Miller was released to open a roster spot for Spencer.

Curfew competition

At the end of a long morning practice, Holmgren staged the annual punt-reception competition featuring offensive linemen vs. defensive counterparts. The winning side earns an extra hour before curfew, but Holmgren added incentive when he said the entire team would enjoy an extra hour if offensive linemen Andy King could make a clean catch. King came through with a sliding grab, drawing howls from approving teammates.

Prior to that, guards Chris Gray, Wayne Hunter and Doug Nienhuis, and end Grant Wistrom demonstrated stone hands. Tubbs and guard Steven Gibbs made juggling catches, the latter sparking an offensive player on the sideline to crack, “We should get two (catches) for that.”

Notes

Linebacker D.D. Lewis (concussion) missed his second straight day. He might return later this week. Offensive lineman Jerry Wunsch might be sidelined longer. He was on crutches and his right foot, surgically repaired in the off-season, was in a boot. Receiver Taco Wallace was leveled by safety John Howell late in the morning session and watched the remainder of practice.