SoCalBronco
06-01-2007, 03:40 AM
Adding special intensity
O'Brien expects Smith's passion to help fuel unit
http://mas.scripps.com/DRMN/2007/06/01/435002990_o.jpg
Paul Smith, signed during the offseason, is battling for playing time at fullback, but his aggressive play on special teams has Broncos coaches most excited.
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
June 1, 2007
ENGLEWOOD - Two metal plates. One screw.
That is all the proof Broncos fullback Paul Smith needs about football physics, about bodies in motion, velocity and all of that.
It's what he has just below the skin beneath his left eye, the price tag for how Smith plays special teams and at least three of the reasons why the Broncos were so intent on signing him to a three-year, $2.5 million free-agent deal in March.
"There are guys who take it to a different level," Broncos special teams coordinator Scott O'Brien said. "Some of them are talkers, but really, those kinds of guys don't have to say much because when they line it up, they show it. And it becomes contagious.
"Paul brings that to the table for us because not only does he understand the importance of it, he strives to do it well; he's just developed, for lack of a better word, a need to play it as well as he can possibly play it."
And when the Broncos sauntered into the offseason after last year's 9-7 playoff miss, one of the biggest items on the things-to-do list was to find some impact on special teams. Enter O'Brien, a respected special teams coach, and enter a player such as Smith.
"One who has no regard for his body, you mean?" O'Brien said with a laugh.
"(Coach) Mike (Shanahan) definitely mentioned that when I signed - what can I do in that area," Smith said. "They're looking for a group of core guys to come in here to make tackles, make a block, do whatever's needed, make some impact plays."
Smith, 5-foot-11, 237 pounds, has the football chops to compete for the fullback job in the Broncos offense, but special teams assistants also long have circled his name because of his ability - and willingness - to hurl himself into harm's way on kickoff coverage.
In a game Oct. 1 while with the St. Louis Rams last season, Smith barreled into the Detroit Lions' wedge - the cluster of blockers that forms just in front of the returner when the ball is caught - with so much force on the opening kickoff of the second half that not only did Smith knock 6-3, 329-pound Lions guard Frank Davis out of the game, but he suffered a fractured orbital bone under his left eye.
"During halftime, we were kind of down on how we were playing on special teams - they had a couple big returns on us - and they were looking for somebody to set the tempo," Smith said. "So I figured I would just go do it. I take pride in it. They said they needed somebody; I wanted to be the first one to go down there and do everything I could.
"When I was running down, I was going hard, and one of my (helmet) straps popped off, so when I hit into the wedge, my helmet came down and kind of got me. You really can't think about it, though, you just look for a little gap and try to hit it with everything you have."
As Smith heads into his eighth season, there have been times when those collisions have left their mark on him as well. He missed six games last season with neck and hamstring injuries to go with the eye injury.
He spent the 2004 season with the Lions on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
"But that's how you play," Smith said. "Once I start thinking about it in there, second-guessing myself, then it's time to hang up the cleats. You really can't think about anything. It's the job."
And as he did last season with St. Louis - as a surprise to some, he beat out Madison Hedgecock to be the team's starting fullback - Smith is hoping to earn plenty of time on offense during the upcoming season.
Smith never has rushed more than 18 times in any of his previous seven seasons - he did not have a carry for the Rams last season - but he is hoping to make his way as a lead blocker for Travis Henry in what is one of the more crowded position groups on the roster at the moment.
"You want to be in there, you want to be a part of the first-team offense, first-team defense, whatever it may be," Smith said. "I would like to play in the offense, but I know I can't take anything away from how important special teams is. You can have a good offense and a good defense, but good special teams can take you over the top.
"It's always been that way."
ETC.: On a day when the Broncos moved plenty of people in and out at linebacker during team camp, Eddie Moore took plenty of reps with the starting defense at strong-side linebacker. Moore, a former University of Tennessee teammate of Henry's, played for Broncos assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates with the Dolphins. . . . The Broncos will be on the field again today and will wrap up camp with practices Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5565145,00.html
O'Brien expects Smith's passion to help fuel unit
http://mas.scripps.com/DRMN/2007/06/01/435002990_o.jpg
Paul Smith, signed during the offseason, is battling for playing time at fullback, but his aggressive play on special teams has Broncos coaches most excited.
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
June 1, 2007
ENGLEWOOD - Two metal plates. One screw.
That is all the proof Broncos fullback Paul Smith needs about football physics, about bodies in motion, velocity and all of that.
It's what he has just below the skin beneath his left eye, the price tag for how Smith plays special teams and at least three of the reasons why the Broncos were so intent on signing him to a three-year, $2.5 million free-agent deal in March.
"There are guys who take it to a different level," Broncos special teams coordinator Scott O'Brien said. "Some of them are talkers, but really, those kinds of guys don't have to say much because when they line it up, they show it. And it becomes contagious.
"Paul brings that to the table for us because not only does he understand the importance of it, he strives to do it well; he's just developed, for lack of a better word, a need to play it as well as he can possibly play it."
And when the Broncos sauntered into the offseason after last year's 9-7 playoff miss, one of the biggest items on the things-to-do list was to find some impact on special teams. Enter O'Brien, a respected special teams coach, and enter a player such as Smith.
"One who has no regard for his body, you mean?" O'Brien said with a laugh.
"(Coach) Mike (Shanahan) definitely mentioned that when I signed - what can I do in that area," Smith said. "They're looking for a group of core guys to come in here to make tackles, make a block, do whatever's needed, make some impact plays."
Smith, 5-foot-11, 237 pounds, has the football chops to compete for the fullback job in the Broncos offense, but special teams assistants also long have circled his name because of his ability - and willingness - to hurl himself into harm's way on kickoff coverage.
In a game Oct. 1 while with the St. Louis Rams last season, Smith barreled into the Detroit Lions' wedge - the cluster of blockers that forms just in front of the returner when the ball is caught - with so much force on the opening kickoff of the second half that not only did Smith knock 6-3, 329-pound Lions guard Frank Davis out of the game, but he suffered a fractured orbital bone under his left eye.
"During halftime, we were kind of down on how we were playing on special teams - they had a couple big returns on us - and they were looking for somebody to set the tempo," Smith said. "So I figured I would just go do it. I take pride in it. They said they needed somebody; I wanted to be the first one to go down there and do everything I could.
"When I was running down, I was going hard, and one of my (helmet) straps popped off, so when I hit into the wedge, my helmet came down and kind of got me. You really can't think about it, though, you just look for a little gap and try to hit it with everything you have."
As Smith heads into his eighth season, there have been times when those collisions have left their mark on him as well. He missed six games last season with neck and hamstring injuries to go with the eye injury.
He spent the 2004 season with the Lions on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
"But that's how you play," Smith said. "Once I start thinking about it in there, second-guessing myself, then it's time to hang up the cleats. You really can't think about anything. It's the job."
And as he did last season with St. Louis - as a surprise to some, he beat out Madison Hedgecock to be the team's starting fullback - Smith is hoping to earn plenty of time on offense during the upcoming season.
Smith never has rushed more than 18 times in any of his previous seven seasons - he did not have a carry for the Rams last season - but he is hoping to make his way as a lead blocker for Travis Henry in what is one of the more crowded position groups on the roster at the moment.
"You want to be in there, you want to be a part of the first-team offense, first-team defense, whatever it may be," Smith said. "I would like to play in the offense, but I know I can't take anything away from how important special teams is. You can have a good offense and a good defense, but good special teams can take you over the top.
"It's always been that way."
ETC.: On a day when the Broncos moved plenty of people in and out at linebacker during team camp, Eddie Moore took plenty of reps with the starting defense at strong-side linebacker. Moore, a former University of Tennessee teammate of Henry's, played for Broncos assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates with the Dolphins. . . . The Broncos will be on the field again today and will wrap up camp with practices Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5565145,00.html