The evolution of Jay Gruden means more hitting for Redskins at training camp

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article_body => "RICHMOND -- Over a scorching hot Richmond weekend, the Redskins hit more in the last two days than they have in the last two years. <\/p>\nSaturday's practice banged, with full tackling drills and the most intense goal line competition of head coach Jay Gruden's tenure in Washington. After all that contact Saturday, some would think Sunday would be a no pads practice. It wasn't. The pace wasn't as grueling as Saturday's full contact session, but there was still plenty of hitting. <\/p>\nWatching both days, it became clear Gruden has changed his tune from previous years when it comes to live football. <\/p>\n\"I think it was important for us to get some contact,\" the coach said Sunday morning. \"We run around in shorts all day and, you know, some shoulder pads. I think it's important to get some people tackling.\"<\/p>\nIn previous training camps, the Redskins made a policy of making sure no players were tackled all the way to the ground. In Saturday's goal line work, the tackles were severe.<\/p>\nOn one snap, a run play from the one-yard line, Preston Smith violently brought down Rob Kelley with a twisting, whirlwind tackle. It was the type of play that would have sent 70,000 fans at FedEx Field into a frenzy. Only it happened in early August in Richmond. <\/p>\n\"Everybody knows that we were not very good offensively on third and one last year, short yardage. So, it was important for us to try to set the tone and get some physicality to our football team and training camp,\" Gruden said.<\/p>\n\"I thought it was a good time to do it.\"<\/p>\nThe toughest part for NFL coaches is juggling between the need for physicality and not getting players injured.<\/p>\nIn 2017, the Redskins did not have much physicality in practice and ended up with a crazy amount of injuries. In all likelihood, there is probably no correlation between intense hitting drills in August and fluke leg injuries two months later. The Redskins had plenty of that. <\/p>\nBut much like the team showed a real commitment to stopping the run on defense by drafting Daron Payne in the first round and Tim Settle in the fifth, Gruden might have shown a similar commitment by turning up the violence and insisting on better returns in the short yardage run game during training camp.<\/p>\nThe Redskins ranked 31st in the NFL in third down conversions last year. Of 204 third downs, only 66 times did they convert for a first down. That's dreadful. Running the ball better should help those numbers, immediately and significantly. <\/p>\nSpeaking of immediate and significant, in four years as Redskins head coach, Jay Gruden has never won a season opener. In each of those training camps, the Redskins went light on contact.<\/p>\nThis year, that is different. And it's not on accident. <\/p>\nMORE REDSKINS NEWS:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Training Camp Practice Report: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/redskins-training-camp-practice-report-day-9\">Day 9<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Need to Know:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/need-know-stock-rising-these-redskins-roster-long-shots\">Stock rising for these roster long shots<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n#REDSKINSTALK PODCAST<\/strong><\/p>\nDon't forget to subscribe to the #RedskinsTalk podcast, hosted by JP Finlay.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/redskins-talk\/id1151988852?mt=2\">Click here for the #RedskinsTalk on Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Iygppa4jqsc74swaa7q7vfdc3ym?t=Redskins_Talk\">here for Google Play<\/a> or press play below.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter art19-player-iframe\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/f1339a3e-06a7-41d6-bc8b-77df06fb8eae\/episodes\/198ca5c2-263b-4b50-b492-d941ee774123\/embed?theme=light-blue\" width=\"100%\" height=\"250px\" class=\"video-filter video-art19 vf-f1339a3e06a741d6bc8b77df06fb8eae vf-198ca5c2263b4b50b492d941ee774123embed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Art19 Player\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\n <\/p>\n"
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Redskins

RICHMOND -- Over a scorching hot Richmond weekend, the Redskins hit more in the last two days than they have in the last two years.

Saturday's practice banged, with full tackling drills and the most intense goal line competition of head coach Jay Gruden's tenure in Washington. After all that contact Saturday, some would think Sunday would be a no pads practice. It wasn't. The pace wasn't as grueling as Saturday's full contact session, but there was still plenty of hitting.

Watching both days, it became clear Gruden has changed his tune from previous years when it comes to live football.

"I think it was important for us to get some contact," the coach said Sunday morning. "We run around in shorts all day and, you know, some shoulder pads. I think it's important to get some people tackling."

In previous training camps, the Redskins made a policy of making sure no players were tackled all the way to the ground. In Saturday's goal line work, the tackles were severe.

On one snap, a run play from the one-yard line, Preston Smith violently brought down Rob Kelley with a twisting, whirlwind tackle. It was the type of play that would have sent 70,000 fans at FedEx Field into a frenzy. Only it happened in early August in Richmond.

"Everybody knows that we were not very good offensively on third and one last year, short yardage. So, it was important for us to try to set the tone and get some physicality to our football team and training camp," Gruden said.

"I thought it was a good time to do it."

The toughest part for NFL coaches is juggling between the need for physicality and not getting players injured.

In 2017, the Redskins did not have much physicality in practice and ended up with a crazy amount of injuries. In all likelihood, there is probably no correlation between intense hitting drills in August and fluke leg injuries two months later. The Redskins had plenty of that.

But much like the team showed a real commitment to stopping the run on defense by drafting Daron Payne in the first round and Tim Settle in the fifth, Gruden might have shown a similar commitment by turning up the violence and insisting on better returns in the short yardage run game during training camp.

The Redskins ranked 31st in the NFL in third down conversions last year. Of 204 third downs, only 66 times did they convert for a first down. That's dreadful. Running the ball better should help those numbers, immediately and significantly.

Speaking of immediate and significant, in four years as Redskins head coach, Jay Gruden has never won a season opener. In each of those training camps, the Redskins went light on contact.

This year, that is different. And it's not on accident.

MORE REDSKINS NEWS:

Training Camp Practice Report: Day 9
Need to Know: Stock rising for these roster long shots

#REDSKINSTALK PODCAST

Don't forget to subscribe to the #RedskinsTalk podcast, hosted by JP Finlay.

Click here for the #RedskinsTalk on Apple Podcasts, here for Google Play or press play below.