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Tuskers Training Camp Heads into Overtime

September 8, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - WEDNESDAY, September 8, 2010-Overtime...it's not just for tie games when the clock hits 00:00 in the fourth quarter any more.

Florida Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden decided to send training camp into overtime this week as he pieces together the best 52-man roster possible for next week's season opener at defending champion Las Vegas on Sept. 18.

Originally, the plan was simple. Start training camp a few days early, end it on Sept. 7 and then use the next 11 days to get ready for the Locomotives. But plans changed when injuries, combined with tight battles for roster spots at several positions, forced Gruden to change his plans on Tuesday.

"From a talent standpoint, there has been no comparison between this year and last season," Gruden said. "This year's group is head and shoulders above last year's in terms of overall talent and depth. What has been difficult is that we have had a lot of players performing extremely well in training camp but not always establishing themselves as clearly better than other guys at their position.

The tight competition for roster spots include the wide receiver position, where receivers coach Ike Hilliard has been pleased with the performance of the eight remaining players on the roster after the Tuskers had already released speedster Bennie Brazell, CJ Jones and Ryne Robinson.

Current Tusker plans call for the team to keep six wide receivers, which means two more talented players will have to be released.

"It's going to be a tough call," Hilliard said Tuesday. "Collectively these guys have done everything we have asked them to do, so we're going to have to make some difficult decisions."

The competition at wide receiver mirrors similar battles at linebacker and in the defensive backfield, which prompted Gruden to caution his team not to let up this week. "It's important for everyone to understand this is not a time to ease off. If you're running first team it's a time to show you deserve that spot. If you're running on the second team, we need you to step up and challenge the man in front of you and if you're running third team, you still have an opportunity to give us a reason to keep you around."

Tight competition is not the only reason Gruden decided to extend training camp a few days. Injuries on the defensive and offensive lines have kept the coaching staff from filling out the depth chart and team continues to scour the NFL waiver wire for possible additions.

Still, bringing in huge numbers of new players is not part of Gruden's agenda. "I think it's important not to make the players feel they have to be looking over their shoulders every second by bringing in a new truck load of players every day. Most of these guys have been here since the beginning of camp and have been busting their butts every day. They know our system and deserve a chance to make our final roster. Still, if there is a player out there that can help us, we owe it to ourselves and the team to bring him in."

For now, the plan is to continue training camp through Thursday and then make the necessary cuts to get down to the 52-man roster limit. From there, the team will begin their game week preparations for the Locomotives.

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