Mora ready to whip Hawks into shape
RENTON, Wash. – Good thing new coach Jim Mora is in phenomenal shape. He still has a lot to do this summer.
The 47-year-old, who so easily summitted 14,411-foot Mount Rainier this month that his guide said he “was looking for more mountain,” is ushering in a new era in Seattle today. He will become the first man other than Mike Holmgren to lead the Seahawks through training camp since 1999.
“We’ve got a ton of work to do,” Mora said, chuckling. “We’ve got a long ways to go.”
The former head man in Atlanta and new coordinator Greg Knapp are ditching Holmgren’s finesse, pass-first approach. They are installing a more rugged, run-first mindset with new zone blocking schemes.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is returning from a bulging disk in his back that cost him nine games last season. Star left tackle Walter Jones and top receivers Deion Branch and Nate Burleson are trying to return from major knee surgeries.
Plus, Thursday brought news from general manager Tim Ruskell that starting left guard Mike Wahle is in danger of failing a physical and possibly getting released, eight months after shoulder surgery. That would leave the job for rookie Max Unger to win. Also, former WSU Cougar Cory Withrow may sign today and compete for the job.
“Mike hasn’t had as good of an offseason coming back from his surgery,” Ruskell said. “The physicals start tomorrow. We’ll reassess at that time and just figure out where he’s at.
“That was kind of the thinking of Unger, that he would be an important guy to bring in at this time.”
And that’s just on offense.
On defense, intense new coordinator Gus Bradley is introducing a scheme that will emphasize more size inside up front with 330-pound, free-agent signee Colin Cole to stop the run, and more attacking against offenses instead of the relative chess games played with sporadic success in recent seasons.
In the secondary, Ruskell said safety Brian Russell will compete for his starting job with Jordan Babineaux. And 30-year-old Ken Lucas returns after four years with Carolina to provide a bigger, more physical cornerback than former top picks Josh Wilson and Kelly Jennings.
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney is coming off his second shoulder surgery in as many offseasons. Ruskell said Kerney, like Jones, will be limited to begin camp but that both are progressing well.
The team must also thrust fourth overall draft pick Aaron Curry into the starting outside linebacker job owned by Julian Peterson until Seattle traded him to Detroit this offseason.
Of course, Curry must sign a contract first.
The Wake Forest star was still Seattle’s last unsigned draft pick Thursday. Ruskell said the team is “optimistic” Curry will sign in time for today’s first practice.
He says Curry’s agents, Mike Sullivan and Andy Ross, are pointing to the top rookie “quarterback deals” as a benchmark for what their client should receive.
The Seahawks believe the $28 million the Jets guaranteed to fifth overall pick Mark Sanchez does not apply, because passers historically make more than others no matter where they are picked.
Even the kicking game will be a battle. Ruskell said the team will choose between either returning veteran Olindo Mare, who was strong on field goals and kickoffs in 2008, or young Brandon Coutu by the end of camp. The Seahawks carried its seventh-round pick from last year all through 2008 as an unusual backup kicker.
Through all the change, Mora, his new coaching staff and the players are determined to show Arizona’s surprising rise through the division to its first Super Bowl last season was a one-year aberration.
“Come back in the best shape of their lives,” was how the relentless Mora described his mandate to players arriving for camp.
“(I’m) demanding the best performance they’ve ever had on a football field this year.”