A Categorical Look at the Day in Colts Camp

EYE ON CAMP

He's a relative unknown, but that doesn’t mean Ed Johnson won’t be a factor.

As far as Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy sees it, Johnson very much may be and so could several other young players along the defensive line.

Johnson, an undrafted rookie defensive tackle from Penn State University, is one of four rookie/first-year defensive linemen Dungy said have made an impression in Colts 2007 Training Camp. The others:

End/tackle Keyunta Dawson (seventh-round selection in 2007 NFL Draft), end Jeff Charleston (free agent acquisition) and tackle Quinn Pitcock (third-rounder in 2007).

“I think it’s going to be maybe like we did (last season) with the running back situation, replacing Edgerrin (James),” Dungy said Tuesday between a pair of practices at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Dungy on Monday said starting defensive tackle Anthony “Booger” McFarland may miss extended time with a patella tendon injury.

“It may be a couple of guys (replacing McFarland), but I think we have some skills we can use from different guys,” Dungy said. “If we package it right, we’ll find some things these guys do really well.”

Johnson, who started 18 of 34 games at Penn State, started 12 games as a senior and had five sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses.

“He’s a rough-house, tough guy,” Dungy said of Johnson. “He’s a little more athletic than we thought. We knew he was a tough guy and we knew he was a big body in there, but he’s doing some good things.”

Johnson said he played end and tackle at Penn State, and also said the transition to the NFL has been made a bit easier because the Colts’ defensive scheme is similar to that in which he played at Penn State.

“I’m comfortable inside, outside,” he said. “I’ve played it all before, so it’s nothing new.”

With McFarland out, Johnson could be among defensive linemen who play extensively in the Colts’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday.

“I want to see how I look against the offensive linemen who are veterans,” Johnson said. “I expect to be good against the people who are in the same position I am. I just want to compare myself to the vets on the other side.”

Charleston was in camp last season with the Houston Texans, and Dungy said the first-year veteran “has been impressive.”

“What you take from that is, 'Here’s a guy who’s been in camp and maybe understands the NFL a little bit more so than a normal rookie,’ ” Dungy said. “But he’s a hard worker. He reminds me a lot of how (Colts four-year veteran tight end) Josh Thomas did when Josh first came in.”

CAMP SKED

The Colts will hold one practice Wednesday at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute - a full-squad session at 9:30 a.m. and another at 3:30 p.m. All practices at Rose-Hulman are free and open to the public. Rose-Hulman charges a fee for parking.

WEATHER REPORT

The temperature in Terre Haute Tuesday for Colts 2007 Training Camp reached 92 degrees, according to weather.com. The forecast for Wednesday morning is for temperatures between 79-89 degrees with a 30 percent chance of rain.

WHO’S COVERING THE COLTS

Among the media covering Colts camp Monday were Dennis Dillon of the Sporting News; the Spanish-language television station, Telemundo; and, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colts have been one of the NFL’s top offenses throughout the last decade with three obvious reasons:

Quarterback Peyton Manning.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

Wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

On Tuesday morning, those three players again showed why they have 16 Pro Bowl appearances between them.

During a 7-on-7 drill in the morning practice, Wayne – who typically lines up on the left – got behind the defense for a 40-yard touchdown pass, catching a deep pass from Manning in the back of the end zone behind safety Scott Ware.

Several plays later, the Colts ran nearly the exact play to Harrison – to the opposite side. Harrison got behind second-year cornerback T.J. Rushing and caught a perfect pass from Manning in the rear middle of the end zone.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

--- Cornerback Marlin Jackson knocked a pass away from tight end Dallas Clark, saving a touchdown in morning practice red-zone drills.

--- Running back Luke Lawton had a lane-clearing block on defensive back Melvin Bullitt, clearing the way for a touchdown for reserve running back DeDe Dorsey in morning red-zone drills.

--- Reserve wide receiver Roy Hall caught a 20-yard pass late in the morning practice.

--- Second-year running back Joseph Addai continued to have an impressive camp, cutting through the middle for a long run late in the morning practice.

--- Cornerback T.J. Rushing intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown in the afternoon practice.

--- Safety Antoine Bethea had an interception on a tipped pass in the afternoon.

--- Wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison each caught touchdown passes in the red-zone portion of the afternoon practice.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I think I’m dealing with it (training camp) much better than my previous two years, especially my rookie year. You don’t know what to expect with practice, but I think I’m doing well this year. You know what to expect. You know you’re going to be working hard all day and you’ve got to understand that you have to be on the details. You understand the repetition of it.”

--- Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden

TRIVIA QUIZ

The Colts will play the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the 2007 preseason opener for both teams. What is the Colts’ record under Head Coach Tony Dungy in preseason openers?

DUNGY SAYS

“For any rookie that comes in, that (the mental adjustment) is the biggest part of the game. Most of these guys have played in college and played well. You’re learning a new system, to play with new people. The techniques are sometimes different for our offense linemen and our defensive backs. What you’re allowed to do and that kind of thing is different in the NFL. It really is a learning process. All of them are going through it.”

--- Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy

FOR THE FANS

Practices at Rose-Hulman are free and open to the public, with Colts merchandise available in the Colts City area. Rose-Hulman charges for parking, and the practice Wednesday will be held at 9:30 a.m.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The Colts are 2-3 under Head Coach Tony Dungy in season openers. They lost, 19-17, to the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis in the 2006 preseason opener.