Rams News

Vermeil has `a better feel' in Year 2
06/15 06:18 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

Gone are the days when Dick Vermeil roamed the practice field like a lost soul. Such was the case at Vermeil's first Rams minicamp one year ago.
Fourteen years away from coaching will do that to you. Vermeil may never completely shake off the rust from his long layoff. But as he completes his second offseason in St. Louis, he feels better about himself as a coach, and better about his football team.
``I have a better feel for it now than I did last year,'' Vermeil said. ``I was a little too optimistic last year. Maybe too confident in my experienced coaching staff. But I'm more realistic now.''
The second time around in St. Louis, Vermeil says he's more aware and more confident.
``I believe in myself more now than I did a year ago. I was unsure of myself last year,'' he said.
These days, he's much more likely to voice an opinion in the offensive meeting room. ``To say: `I want this done. I want the ball thrown quicker. I want some crossing patterns. I want this kind of play-action on first downs,' '' Vermeil said.
Vermeil has concluded that the game hasn't changed all that much from his days as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles or the UCLA Bruins. That has given him greater peace of mind and self-assurance.
``The things it takes to win are the same things it took to go to the Super Bowl (with Philadelphia) and the Rose Bowl (with UCLA),'' Vermeil said. ``The same darn things. Your players have to be fundamentally sound and disciplined and tough. We're not tough enough yet, but I think we're developing these other things.''
This feeling was reaffirmed in a recent conversation with Bill Walsh, Vermeil's longtime friend and associate.
``Bill said he found his 1983 offensive notebook, opened it up and said, `Hell, it ain't any different,' '' Vermeil said. ``He said, `If I were to coach tomorrow, I'd line up and run this stuff.' ''
Vermeil, always an optimist, has plenty of reasons to feel good heading into a three-week break before the start of training camp:
> The defensive staff, now headed by co-coordinators Peter Giunta and John Bunting, appears to be making a smooth transition to life without veteran coach Bud Carson, who has retired.
``They're young, enthusiastic. They've accepted the responsibility,'' Vermeil said. ``There's more command from the two of them now, because, hey, they're the bosses.
> Vermeil likes what he sees in several new acquisitions, including defensive tackle Joe Phillips, middle linebacker Eric Hill and punter Rick Tuten.
> The early returns on the rookie class have been impressive.
``This young group here is a much better overall group than we had last year -- all the way from (undrafted) free agents to draft choices,'' Vermeil said.
> Participation in the team's offseason conditioning program is much improved over 1997. This season, 18 men are on track to finish with a 98 percent or better participation rate in the offseason program. Three did so last year. Thirty-eight players have made 80 percent or more of the workouts, compared with 25 a year ago. Four more players have a chance to reach the 80 percent plateau between now and the conclusion of the offseason program June 24.
There are, however, a couple of storm clouds on the horizon.
No. 1 is the pass blocking by the offensive line.
``We're still a long ways behind where I'd like to be in pass protection,'' Vermeil said. ``That's going to be a constant, never-ending problem. Hopefully, we can solve some of that in training camp.''
No. 2 is the contract stalemate with cornerback Ryan McNeil and his agent, Brian Ranson.
``I'm not going to sit here and hold my breath, I tell you that,'' Vermeil said. ``We're going on. I'm going to line up and coach the guys that are here. They want badly to help us win.''

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