Hasselbeck hits books
Veteran Seahawks quarterback learns new coach’s ideas
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Matt Hasselbeck is going back to school during this Seattle Seahawks training camp.
With a coaching overhaul on the offensive side, the Seahawks quarterback is finding himself in the meeting and film room quite a bit in the early stages of training camp.
“We’re meeting more than we’ve ever met. We’re watching more film. We’ve watched all the film. There isn’t any film we haven’t watched,” Hasselbeck said Tuesday. “I have a notebook full of notes. It’s the biggest playbook we’ve had, the most detailed playbook we’ve had in a while.
“It’s not just the work on the field.”
After spending his entire career in Seattle with Jim Zorn as his quarterbacks coach, Hasselbeck is working on his relationship with new QB coach Bill Lazor, who stepped in after Zorn was named head coach in Washington. Coach Mike Holmgren said he didn’t know Lazor before hiring him, but had former coaches Joe Gibbs and Dan Reeves call him within two hours on the same day to recommend Lazor for the job.
“When I met Billy, and you get to talk to him for a little bit, it’s easy to see why he’s been successful,” Holmgren said.
Hasselbeck wouldn’t go into detail, but said Lazor has come up with little things for all the quarterbacks to work on. He also noted that much of the coaching staff spent the off-season going through game film of the past three seasons to gain an understanding of what has worked and what hasn’t.
Then they’ve told the players to forget all that history.
“What they’ve asked us is not worry about what we’ve done in the past. Worry about what we’re going to do this year,” Hasselbeck said.
Mountain climbers
Defensive backs coach Jim Mora took all of the Seahawks rookies on a hike up Tiger Mountain near Seattle before the start of training camp.
“They did OK,” Mora said.
Jamar Adams, a safety from Michigan, was the first player to reach the top of the cable line trail, one of the tougher trails on the mountain.
Mora was impressed with the effort of all the rookies. Even burly defensive tackle Red Bryant completed the hike.
“When you’re hauling 300 pounds up that, that is difficult,” Mora said. “They all did really well.”
Quick hits
Holmgren dropped a hint early in camp that backup quarterback Seneca Wallace could be used as a receiver or returner if QB Charlie Frye continues to develop and the situation presents itself. “Right now I’m just focusing on this right here, playing quarterback,” Wallace said. “But as the season goes on if he does need me (in other ways), he knows that I’m there for him.” … Wide receiver Courtney Taylor, in a group of young receivers battling for a spot in Seattle’s receiver rotation, was back at practice a day after leaving the morning practice with a tight hamstring. He participated in the morning session, then rested in the afternoon. … Second-year cornerback Josh Wilson jumped a Wallace pass and returned the interception for a touchdown during the afternoon practice.