Opening remarks…
Before we get going, (there are) two things you’re probably going to ask me about, so we might as well get them out of the way initially. With the David Garrard situation, obviously there’s still some paperwork that needs to be done, we understand that he’s put in for retirement and I would like to comment on him at the appropriate time when all the paperwork is in and all that kind of stuff. No big deal, but I feel better about that. With (Mike) Goodson, the organization has already issued a statement on Mike, so I will just leave it at that. Other than, we will talk about practice. Obviously, the defense is much further ahead than the offense, which is to be expected. We’re kind of throwing the kitchen sink at the offense and I think that’s good. I think when you just don’t put up one coverage, one front and all that because that’s not realistic of the National Football League. So, we’re letting them know right now, a lot of stuff, we’re going to throw everything at you, and hopefully by the time we get to the real games, it’s all going to look easy to them. So, that’s kind of the mentality we’re taking. I really like the way our players are taking care of each other, but they’re also competing well against each other. Sometimes, there’s that how can you compete but still be in shorts and all that, but I think our guys understand that more and more, that’s really what the NFL is all about. You have to be able to compete, you have to take care of each other, and that’s a good thing. We saw that. Today, obviously, I was not happy with how many times we turned the ball over, I believe (we had) four interceptions and a fumble. Clearly, there were a lot of good things, especially in seven-on-seven period, but when it was more the team, some of it looked like a Chinese fire drill. Quite honestly, there were some defenses that we played that really aren’t in the playbook. That’s kind of what you get early on when you have young guys, but you can do 90 percent really good things, but if you do 10 percent poor things, you’re going to get beat in this league. And those are the things we have to get better at – protecting the football over anything else – that’s what we have to get better at. We know it. Today was a disappointment as far as that’s concerned. I think we looked fast, especially on defense. We traded out a (LaRon) Landry for a (Dawan) Landry, so we understand that (joking). Dawan was with me for a couple years in Baltimore, and quite honestly, he’s taken off from where we left each other five years ago. (He is) really a smart guy and really is running that show back there. You can tell him, ‘Hey, I know you’re new to this team, but how about you alert most obvious motions, all those types of things,’ and he’s way ahead of the game. So, he’s been impressive. I like the way our defensive line, today we put in a different group where (Sheldon) Richardson was on the nose (tackle). We had (Quinton) Coples and Mo (Wilkerson) at defensive line and got (Antwan) Barnes on the field with Calvin Pace, so that’s something we can do also.

On the timing of Garrard’s retirement affects the quarterback competition…
The good thing, I think, about the timing of this specifically was the fact that it happened early enough where the reps are dispersed between two guys, where maybe it might have been dispersed differently.

On whether he wants the quarterbacks to have a sense of urgency at this point of the off-season…
Absolutely, I do because we’ve gotten beat because of that. We turned the ball over. We made mistakes. And that’s the first thing that we can correct, making those types of mistakes. Absolutely, I want there to be a sense of urgency with this football team to protect the football, above anything else protect the football, and along those lines, protect the quarterback. I think that’s critical. That’s critical of the punt returners where we have to do a better job. That’s critical of our kick returners as well and anybody who is handling the football.

On whether the Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez getting the majority of the reps is an indication that the quarterback competition is a two-man race…
Again, there’s going to be competition. Each day would vary as far as what you’re putting in. You can probably say the same thing about any other position with a third group. I think the numbers were probably dispersed fairly evenly to that as well.

On whether he would be open to adding another veteran quarterback to the competition…
I think this organization, as we’ve stated, and myself obviously included with this statement, that any player that we think could help this football team, we would be open to.

On the importance protecting the football will be in determining the starting quarterback…
I think it’s a huge issue for our football team. Obviously, that position, you have to protect the football. You’re going to have the ball in your hand every snap on offense, but it’s even more than that. We’ll evaluate the punt returner the same way (and) evaluate the kick returner the same way. So, those are areas that we know we have to improve in. We have a lot of talent. Joe McKnight has led this league in kick return (average), but Joe will probably be the first one to tell you, “I better protect it. I need to protect it to help my team.” So, as we look at it, absolutely that will be weighed into the decision (of) who’s going to play quarterback.

On whether he is concerned about Smith hiring Roc Nation to represent him…
I don’t worry about it. You have to think that this is the young man’s decision and I’m sure that he’s done a lot of work and preparation on hiring who he thinks is the best person to represent him. I don’t think there’s going to be a loss of focus or anything else. I can tell you this right now. He knows that he has to focus on the job at hand here and I’m confident that will happen. I don’t even think about who he hired that way.

On Goodson not practicing…
Again, I’m not going to comment on that. I’m not going to comment on anything on Goodson’s situation right now.

On Stephen Hill missing practice…
Stephen had some swelling in (his) knee. We had a good-looking receiving corps that wasn’t out there today. You had Stephen Hill. You had Clyde Gates. Both those guys have looked good so far, but those two weren’t out there today. Obviously, Santonio Holmes wasn’t out there (and) Jordan White. It’s similar to the issues we had last year. It’s about half of what we had last year when we only had three receivers. I think we had six out there today. I’m not sure what the exact number (was). Those are some issues sometimes when you up the competition level, guys compete and things like that, sometimes you have a tendency to maybe stretch out for a ball more than you probably should.

On whether Hill practiced on Tuesday…
I know he had been practicing all the way up to that point. I don’t know how much he practiced if at all.

On whether his surgically-repaired knee was the issue…
We’ll find out. (Jets Senior Director of Media Relations) Bruce (Speight) will get back at you. But that will show you my concern level on it. The guy’s really been doing a good job here.

On why Gates did not practice…
I think it’s a hamstring.

On whether the injuries are concerning…
I can sit back and lie to you and say, ‘Oh, absolutely no concern.’ But yes, I think sometimes you’re like, ‘What are we doing here?’ We’ve done a great job in the weight room. We’ve probably had more guys in the offseason voluntary conditioning program than any team in the league. We’ve done a great job there. Even with Sanjay (Lal), nobody is more frustrated than Sanjay. It’s like, ‘Sanjay, can we back these guys down, at least get them to team period?’ That’s kind of where we are.

On whether Santonio Holmes will participate in any OTAs…
I don’t believe so. Maybe he can do it. I’m (not the) trainer, but I think it will probably be more training camp than the mini camps.

On whether he “threw the kitchen sink” on defense at Sanchez his rookie sason…
Yes, no question because that’s what the NFL does. The NFL is going to, especially when you’re a young quarterback or three, four, five, whatever, you’re going to get everything. You’re going to get multiple coverages and all that. I don’t need to see him complete a ball into Cover Three, unless he’s playing against some Pop Warner team. You may see Cover Three, but you may see eight other coverages that look like (Cover) Three. So, I just assume, throw it at him. It is a little different than my first year when I got here, for the simple fact we were throwing it all at him, but I just wanted the defense to understand that we were way different than what had been played in the past, that we’re going to put 20 defenses in and we expect you to learn it. Where this time, the defense has been together, maybe not six starters or seven starters, but for the most part this defense has been together going on five years. Have we tweaked it? Absolutely.

On how important having Mark Brunell on the team was for Sanchez…
Everybody ripped me for having Mark Brunell here, so I guess we’re coming back to that was a good thing (joking). So, maybe it was. Obviously, (having) a guy that’s done it I think is a good thing. (Having) a guy that’s been there in your shoes and he’s done it I think is a good thing for any quarterback, I don’t think there’s any doubt. I think you lean on your position coach. I feel great about David Lee. I think you lean on your coordinator, with Marty Mornhinweg who’s coached a who’s who of quarterbacks, so I think that’s a good thing as well. But again, hopefully you have a few more good times than bad times.

On whether he was disappointed with Sanchez’ turnovers today…
Yes, it is, absolutely. It’s a good thing the defense made some plays, but no, I’d rather (have) him not turn the ball over once, obviously. It’s funny because you can look at the practice, and you guys were out there and you saw it, he did a lot of great things, and then those negative things, but at the end of the day, that’s what gets you beat. We have to do a better job of eliminating those turnovers. The quarterbacks, as I’ve said before, whether it be a running back, whoever, we have to protect the football.

On whether having a defensive lineman intercept a pass is the best scenario for your defense…
Well, but you look at who it was, it was Snacks (Damon Harrison), so I don’t think there’s anything to be ashamed of. With that particular defense, it’s interesting, to just show you how multiple we’re being, we actually had the defensive tackle spying the (running) back. So, sure enough, he saw the blitz, launched it over there and (Harrison) was right there for it. (Nick) Mangold was blocking and was like, “You have to be kidding me.” But, yes, it was disappointing. That’s one (where) you just have to throw it away. If it’s not there, weigh the positives and minuses of that and (I) prefer that he gets rid of it (and) throws the ball away, or runs with that.

On whether Sanchez should have learned to take care of the ball by now…
Again, this is OTAs. But yes, that’s going to be the pressure that we’re putting on him, that no, this is unacceptable. (You) did a lot of great things and it’s not that you try to cover up the fact you had some bad plays, no, you flat tell him, ‘We can’t have these,’ and that type of stuff, and he knows. Right now what’s happening with the offense is you’re putting in a brand new offense and there’s some different things that are going through your head. The fact that the defense is not standing still for you, they’re standing, blitzing (and) doing whatever, it’s probably not really comfortable back there, but that’s exactly why we’re running the defense the way we’re running it.

On at what point does he decide to move on from Sanchez because of all of the turnovers…
Again, I think we have a long way to go before we make a decision on him throwing an interception to a (defensive) lineman that he’s going to be replaced. In those (instances) it was more of the pocket being pushed and things like that, (Harrison) was actually in space, as you guys saw today, so it was a little different (of a) coverage there. But again, there’s going to be competition. There’s no doubt. And today was just one of the early stages in that.

On Smith’s performance…
He had his ups and downs as well. He did a lot of good things and then there were times where I’m sure he would’ve liked to have some things back. He had a couple (of mistakes). We’d blow a coverage, and nobody’s covering two in the slot (and) he actually throws it to the tight end for a big gain, but nobody was on two. I’m like, ‘If that guy’s ever on coverage, you might want to just launch it to him.’ But there are some things, and again, it’s all new to really all the guys. But he did some nice things, though, as well.

On the running backs…
Ivory is not going to shine until you put the pads on. He’s a physical-style (running) back. So, we’re really not going to see what he’s all about until we really start putting the ball under his arm and letting him run. That’s the other thing. Here (during OTAs), we’re not really running the ball. We’re purposely doing that to protect our guys and to not risk guys going to the ground and all that type of stuff without pads on, so you’ve seen a lot more passes than some of our runs. (You’ve seen) more perimeter runs than anything else. He’s a very physical (running) back and I think that’s when you’re going to see him step up. Bilal Powell, I’ve been really impressed with him. He’s come back in great shape and he’s going to compete for playing time as well. Joe McKnight has looked great as well.

On whether Kenrick Ellis practiced…
He was out there. It’s just today, when I put that one group in, he wasn’t with that team. I actually pulled him off the field to get a little more speed out there.

Source: New York Jets Media

Opening statement:
“[WR] Michael Crabtree underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon, that he tore yesterday. Surgery was successful, and we do not anticipate that it’ll be season ending for Michael.”

Was it partial, or was it full?
“It was completely torn, and completely repaired.”

How did he do it?
“He was coming in motion and just was planted and started a route. And felt like somebody kicked him in the Achilles, which sometimes people say it feels like. But, good news is he woke up from the surgery and first thing he asked [the] doc how it went. So, he talked about the success of the surgery and that didn’t anticipate that he’d be out for the year. And his comment to that was he’s got no choice but to be back. So, every day now is a healing day. And that starts today.”

Was this the same foot that he had surgery on before, for the broken foot?
“No.”

Would the best case scenario then be for him to come back in November? Is that fair?
“Where we’re at now, day one, successful surgery. He’ll start his healing. We do not anticipate that it will be season ending.”

Did you visit him? Were you there with him?
“Yes.”

Was it at Stanford?
“Yes.”

How disappointed was he that you can tell so far?
“Well, it’s a setback. But, Michael’s young. He’s strong. With everything he’ll be positive approach to healing and we’ll anticipate great things.”

Will you look outside the team?
“And then another thing right now is that you look at the young receivers on our team that will emerge, because they have to emerge. So, excited to watch them compete for that spot.”

Is this similar to what RB Kendall Hunter went through, the exact same thing?
“Same injury, yes.”

Same thing. So, is he kind of on a similar timetable of what Kendall went through?
“There was a different process with Kendall because there was more time. They took more time after the injury to do the surgery. And it’s a bit of a different approach the way I understand it talking to the doctors.”

Is it his right, or his left?
“His right.”

Will you look at other receivers?
“Again, as we always say, we don’t comment on anybody but the players that we have here on this team.”

WR Randy Moss was a part of this team last year. Is that a consideration to bring Randy back?
“Again, the same response, we’re excited for the young receivers that we have. Really feel that somebody’s going to emerge there because they have to. And competition will create that. And we’ll look forward to watching that.”

Are you encouraged that WR Ricardo Lockette and WR A.J. Jenkins spent so much time with QB Colin Kaepernick this offseason?
“Yeah, the guys they are, the players that they are, and the opportunity that they have, I think all those things will facilitate their emergence.”

Where is WR Anquan Boldin? Is he not participating in these OTAs?
“He had some prior commitments.”

For this week, or?
“For this week.”

Anybody stand out the last couple days?
“Oh yeah, there are a lot of guys standing out. Right now, we’ve got a long way to go. A long road to hoe. We understand that. And our guys are working on getting better every single day. Coming out here with a plan. What they need to get done before the day is over and their head can hit the pillow and feel good about what they accomplished. So, I like the way our team is working. I like the way they’re going about their business. It’s serious. And they’re focused on improving.”

I’ve got to ask you about driving the pace car for the Indy 500. You’ve got to be excited to do that.
“I’m really excited. I was really excited just to be considered, when they told me that they were considering me. So, to actually be doing it I’ve already had a couple dreams about it. And I know I’m going to be excited and nervous and anticipating getting there and getting some practice in for it. But, as the number one fan of The Rockford Files, to follow in the footsteps of James Garner who did it three times, and also Morgan Freeman and Colin Powell and Chuck Yeager, and so many others. It’s just a real honor and a privilege. And I’m going to do my best to do a great job at it.”

Are they going to put a mile per hour limit on you?
“I’m awaiting my coaching and instructions, and ready for practice.”

Will you keep the corvette?
“The corvette, that car goes to the winner of the race. The winner of the race is always the one who gets the pace car of the Indy 500.”

Going back to Crabtree real quick, was he doing like 11-on-11s or was he just doing warm ups and individual drills?
“He was doing a 7-on-7 drill.”

With the other players that weren’t here today, are you aware of why they were not here?
“Yes. Yes.”

Nobody else got hurt yesterday?
“No.”

Just to follow up, those guys are in the [inaudible] prior commitment category?
“Not all of them, no. [S] Darcel [McBath] was sick. And not going to go through every single guy and have you come out on these days and take attendance and then go through what everybody’s doing. But, we know where everybody’s at and know what their prior commitments were, or weren’t.”

In terms of the competition between the young wide receivers, how much will blocking play a role in who emerges since that was an area Crabtree excelled at?
“An important role. It’s half their job. If they don’t have the ball, then they’re blocking. So, it’s always a very vital, important role.”

Was his surgery today, or yesterday?
“This morning.”

How did Kaepernick look at practice today?
“Kap, sharp again today. He’s been really strong. Running the offense. Throwing the ball extremely well. He’s in great physical shape. With a total command of the offense.”

Is QB Colt McCoy adjusting quickly?
“Had a good day today. Colt was very sharp as well. Probably his best day. And him, like everybody on the team right now, they’re building the knowledge for the system and getting better and better at it each day. That’s job number one. The second thing is you’re building that callus for playing football. And so far, so good. It’s going well.”

[Inaudible]

Who did the surgery on Crabtree?
“Dr. Tim McAdams. He’s done a phenomenal job with all of our guys. Everybody who has surgery last year, everybody’s progressing really well and ahead of schedule. So, we anticipate the same things from Michael, and I think it’ll be just a positive approach that he’ll take. And the doctors have already been extremely positive about the success of the surgery. So, we’ll trust the doctors and Michael’s will to compete and return. And we think that’ll have a good result and great things will happen for us and Michael.”

Once it’s obviously determined he could come back this year, that’s why it was like let’s do it immediately (surgery), right [inaudible]?
“Every day’s a healing day. So, the doctors wanted to get it done right away.”

You have referred to guys as quick healers, athletes are a special breed that they can do that. Has he shown you through some of the other injuries he’s had that that’s his nature?
“With all these guys, that’s the way all these guys are. They’re the most in shape, the most athletic people on this planet. The best athletes play football and are in the best shape of their lives. I was listening to Dr. Sanjay Gupta this morning when I was driving into work. And he was talking about the positive effects of the mind on healing the body. So, thought that was a good time to hear that. And that’s the approach that we’ll take now.”

When are WR Kyle Williams and RB Kendall Hunter going to be able to be full participants? Do you know their timetable?
“No, I’m not going to comment on the timetable. But, they’re progressing really well.”

DT Justin Smith, too?
“Yeah, Justin Smith doing real well, as well. Benching about 350 pounds on the bench press. I’d say he’s progressing well.”

Do you have Sanjay dialed up for the occasion? Or did you just happen to have it on the radio?
“Just happened to have it on. I was listening to KNBR this morning and Sanjay Gupta.”

Source: San Francisco 49ers Media

Why you should listen: Chris talked about the Rays and the recent struggles of closer Fernando Rodney. He also talked about the rest of Major League Baseball including the surprising New York Yankees.

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Why you should listen: Andrew talked about the NBA Draft Lottery. Andrew also talked about the NBA Playoffs. In the West, Andrew talked about the Memphis Grizzlies’ lacking a playmaker to score points when they need it most. In the East, Andrew previewed the Heat-Pacers series.

The Charlie Bernstein Show comes to you live Monday through Friday 3pm – 7pm  from the Culpepper | Kurland Sports Talk 1040 Studios in Tampa.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A.J. Murray and Mott Hyde hit back-to-back homers in the top of the ninth inning to help reigning champion Georgia Tech beat Florida State 4-3 on Wednesday in pool play at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.

The seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets (34-23) led off the ninth with a pair of groundouts before Murray hit a solo shot to left against reliever Robby Coles to tie the game. Then Hyde followed with another shot to left to stun the second-seeded Seminoles (44-13).

Giovanny Alfonzo flied out to left in the bottom of the ninth to end the game for Florida State, with Coles (4-2) taking the loss.

Hyde had three hits and two RBIs for Georgia Tech, while reliever Daniel Palka (2-1) took the win with two scoreless innings of work.

Florida State will face sixth-seeded Virginia Tech on Thursday in Pool B, while Georgia Tech will face No. 3 seed Virginia.

Source: Associated Press

McCray is the second of the team’s eight draft picks to sign. Fellow cornerback Jeremy Harris signed a similar deal Monday.

Under the NFL’s rookie slotting system, McCray gets a signing bonus around $70,000. He will count about $420,000 against the team’s salary cap in 2013.

McCray was the 210th overall selection in last month’s draft. He was a two-time All-Southern Conference selection at Appalachian State, where he finished his college career with 123 tackles and 10 interceptions. He had five interceptions in 2011 and four more in 2012.

In Jacksonville, he is competing for a roster spot along with Jeremy Harris, Mike Harris, Kevin Rutland, Marcus Trufant and Trey Wilson.

Source: Associated Press

Why you should listen: Joe talks about how disappointing the bullpen has been. Maddon also lets us know what the weekend rotation could look like. He also gave us his thoughts on Yunel Escobar plus much more.

The Whitney Johnson Experience comes to you live Monday through Friday 3pm – 7pm  from the Culpepper | Kurland Sports Talk 1040 Studios in Tampa.

Former Gators running back Jeff Demps doesn’t know what his role will be with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or if it will even be possible for him to run track and play in the NFL.

But he wants to try if the team will let him. It’s just that right now, he’s a little preoccupied.

Instead of joining his teammates for the start of OTAs this week, he was on his way back from Puerto Rico, where competed in the Ponce Grand Prix and won the men’s 100 meter sprint.

He’s participated in several track meets already this year and is approaching midseason form, with the goal of competing at the IAFF World Championships in Moscow, August 10-18.

It would force him to miss not only training camp, but at minimum, the preseason opener against the Ravens and the second preseason game against the Patriots.

So far, the team appears willing to work with him to accommodate his unique predicament — he competes at the highest level in two sports.

“As far as right now, everything is just about me and track”

It was at another track meet, the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, when Demps learned through Daniel Rose that he was traded to the Buccaneers. He had run his leg of a relay event earlier that day and was resting at the team hotel. “Congratulations,” Rose told him.

Demps later spoke to general manager Mark Dominik. Both Rose and Demps recall it being a brief conversation, mostly to gauge Demps’ interest.

“It was about me focusing on track,” Demps says. “It wasn’t much about me playing or what position. It was just about what my focus was. As far as right now, everything is just about me and track.”

He’s currently in Clermont training five hours a day under renown track and field coach Dennis Mitchell, who won gold with the U.S. men’s 4×100 meter relay team at the Barcelona Olympics and took bronze in the individual event.

He knows what it takes for Demps to get where he wants to be.

As the season progresses, Demps’ times will continue to get faster, and his frame will become more chiseled so that he can be lighter on his feet.

The scale will settle at around 175 or 178 pounds, which Demps describes as his ideal weight for speed. “I’m still trying to get there now.”

When he’s at his peak, he feels like he’s “floating” through his race.

“When you’re on and you have your rhythm down, and you’re in shape, and your technique’s sound, the race just feels easy to you.”

“You get through the race, and it might not feel like you’re running fast but once you cross the finish line, your time is amazing.”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing”

Up until a year ago, his seasonal transition from football to track and back to football, which he had done for about eight years, was practically seamless.

He won s BCS National Championship with the Gators in 2009, the 2010 NCAA Outdoor 100 meter title, and the NCAA 60 meter title in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

He became the first and only Gator athlete to win a national title in two different sports.

But when an invitation arrived to come to play in the Senior Bowl, Demps had to start making some tough decisions.

A strong showing there and at the NFL Scouting Combine would ensure he’d be selected in April’s draft. He could sign an NFL contract and be set. But it was an Olympic year. He had come close to making it before.

“I think [competing in] the Olympics was always the first thing when I discussed it with him,” says Rose. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. That’s every four years. He was committed to it.”

After a disappointing showing at Trials, Demps failed to qualify. It wasn’t until fellow American Mike Rodgers suffered a stress fracture in his foot that he got an opportunity in the 4×100 meter relay.

He raced the first leg of the preliminary heat. He didn’t get to compete in the final, but earned a silver medal.

“It was a great experience for me,” says Demps on competing at the Olympics. “The group of guys I was with…they just made the experience for me a lot more fun.”

“Especially coming from college, and just being on the professional stage, not like the typical track and field straight out of college — it was amazing. I got to experience a lot of different things, meet a lot of different people from different countries. I was just exposed to a lot more.”

And he wants to continue — to travel more, to compete in individual events, and perhaps a shot at becoming the fastest man in the world.

“He was breaking all the records and had the gold shoes”

Demps never set out to become a world-class sprinter. Growing up in the citrus town of Winter Garden, about 15 miles west of Orlando, his life was all football.

He had dreams of becoming Emmitt Smith, the legendary Gator and Cowboys’ running back, not Michael Johnson. Johnson did catch Demps’ eye though. “He was breaking all the records and had the gold shoes.”

There was also Johnson’s competitiveness. Demps himself had always been a competitor, and football fueled it. His football coaches noticed it and challenged him frequently.

“Every time we’d get a new guy that our coaching staff thought was fast, they would have me race him. And I’d a ways win. So that’s kind of when I figured out that I was fast.”

From the West Orange Wildcats and South Lake Eagles in his Pop Warner days to his South Lake High School team – no one could beat him.

It was at South Lake High that Demps began entering track meets after football season. He lost one race his junior year in the 100 meters, and went undefeated in every 200 meter event he entered.

The 100 became his best event, and his favorite. He swept every 100 meter high school event he entered as s senior in 2008, including a win at the FSHAA 3A State Championship. He followed with an impressive 10.17 at the Pepsi Florida Relays, which qualified him for the Olympic Trials.

At the Trials in the men’s quarter-finals in the 100 meters, Demps lined up next to World Champion, Tyson Gay. Demps ran an astounding 10.01, finishing second to Gay. His mark broke an American junior record, the national high school record, and tied a junior world record.

In the semi-finals, he couldn’t duplicate the magic of the previous race and finished eighth. The very next day, he reported to Gainesville for the start of football training camp at UF.

“You’ve got to attack them and run through them”

When Demps concludes track season this August, he’ll need to put on weight fast, which means eating more and heavier lifting. He’ll aim for 190-195. That’s a significant, but necessary jump.

“You want to have some weight on you…you don’t want to get thrown around like a rag doll.”

The differences between his two sports aren’t just physical. There are mental adjustments to be made too.

With track, Demps tries to balance his adrenaline and not psych himself out. He knows he has one shot.

“I have this big adrenaline rush and all I can think about…is my race and how I’m going to execute it once the gun goes off.”

He has to stay calm and focus on technique.

In football, he’s in full-fledged ‘attack-mode.’

“It’s very different,” says Demps on exploding out of the backfield versus the starting blocks.

“You’ve got to have the mindset that you’re the aggressor and you’ve got to attack the defender, but at the same time, you’ve got to have patience because you’ve got to let the holes develop.”

“It’s not all about you on the play. You’ve got to wait for your line to block or you know, the tight end, or how the play is designed. You’ve got to have that patience and that ‘dog’ mentality that whoever comes in the way, you’ve got to attack them and run through them.”

“I’ve always had that football edge in me”

Rose says they have not set a time-table for when Demps will join the team, but that Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik and head coach Greg Schiano are willing to work with him. “They’re being supportive about it.”

“We’ll probably sit down and talk about it some more. With him being only an hour away [in Clermont], he can always come visit the facilities and sit and meet with them, which is nice.”

Rose is hopeful Demps’ situation with the Bucs works out better than it did with the Patriots, when he jumped off a plane with no sleep to practice for a week, took a few fourth-quarter handoffs in a preseason game, and was placed on IR shortly after.

Rose never got a clear explanation why.”They made a decision to put him on IR and you have to respect it.”

“The league looked into it and said it was fine. And that’s all I really know.”

Rose was proud of him for honoring his commitment to race at the Olympics and to the Patriots, who expressed interest in him prior to London.

“I think once he’s focused on something, he finishes what he starts.”

Although disappointing, IR proved to be a blessing in disguise, giving Demps’ body a break.

Not that he enjoys being away from football, which has been a fixture in his life since he was a young boy.

Track has simply opened up a world of new opportunities.

“I’ve always had that football edge in me. Just growing up and playing it for so long and, like I always had a chip on my shoulder when I was playing, and everybody was behind me, trying to make my family proud.”

“But, you know track and field just kind of grew on me. Once I started competing and knew that I was good at it, I just kind of fell in love with it. I just have so much passion for it.”

The suspension of Yepez, who is currently on the roster of the Venezuelan Summer League Rays, will be effective at the start of the VSL season.

Source: MLB Media