Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach Romeo Crennel: We have to teach Dontari Poe techniques – NFL News
Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach, Romeo Crennel, has said that there is a need to teach young defensive tackle, Dontari Poe, some techniques, but maintained that proper training of all the rookies will not take place before the team’s training camp this summer.
Crennel made these comments while talking to media representatives on first day of Chiefs’ three-day rookie minicamp on Friday, May 11, 2012.
Chiefs were already brought under the line of fire over selection of Poe, who was picked in first round of the 2012 National Football League (NFL) draft, but the coach did not speak of the criticism.
He was of the view that Poe is a good player, but the coach maintained that he and other rookies would get the actual idea of NFL life once they start training with the veterans, who are not allowed to attend the ongoing minicamp.
The veterans will keep on training separately during the offseason and a separate minicamp for their training will also be set up later, but the new and the senior players will be able to train together in the training camp this summer after which preseason
games will kick off.
According to the details present on the team’s official website, Crennel said of Poe:
“He’s playing a position where contact rules when the ball is snapped. We have to teach him the technique, but we have to get him in pads for him to be able to polish the technique.”
He added:
“We can see some of the improvement with the guy hitting the bag and trying to understand, but until he puts the pads on and you have contact, that’s when he can polish the technique the most.”
Crennel appreciated Poe’s talent, but said that he still needs to learn a lot of skills to get ready for the competition he is going to face in the professional league.
Crennel also said that the whole process would take some time and he was not expecting the rookie to be the best player right from the day one.
He said of Poe:
“He has a ways to go because he’s learning a different system. Until he can get his footwork, stance and technique with his hands down, it will come, but it takes some time.”
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