Bugel goes ‘old school’ for Washington

By Brian Hunsicker

Published: July 25, 2008

ASHBURN — Joe Bugel looks half the size of the offensive linemen he coaches. He’s more than twice the age of many of his charges; only two of the Washington Redskins’ linemen — Jason Fabini and Pete Kendall — were born before Bugel’s NFL coaching career began in 1975. Head coach Jim Zorn was still a year away from beginning his NFL playing career.
Bugel is gruff and old school and doesn’t hesitate to show his dissatisfaction.
Rookie Chad Rinehart found that out during Friday’s morning practice. The Redskins’ third-round pick took part in live pass-blocking drills against the defense’s front four. Lined up at left tackle, Rinehart got off-balance and fell awkwardly, tweaking his ankle in the process.
Bugel laid in to Rinehart, not-so-gently reminding him about the importance of delivering a blow to the defender — not accepting one.
“For being a little guy, he’s pretty intimidating out there. He demands a lot of respect,” Rinehart said after practice. “I’m just trying to do everything he tells me to do. He encourages me when I do well and when I do bad, I understood I needed to pick it up.
“I was pretty disappointed in myself, and he was pretty disappointed with me too.”
Rinehart limped back and joined the other linemen not involved in the drill. He was back in action after only a few minutes, making a cleaner block. Bugel’s reaction was calmer, too.
“He’s a little funky in some of his old-school stuff. He wears his shorts too high and he wears those kinds of clothes and things like that. I like to be a little more hip than that,” Zorn said with a smile. “But he’s good to be around.”
• ZEBRAS DROP BY: Many of the Redskins’ offense vs. defense drills were monitored by NFL officials. Referee Jeff Triplette oversaw the pass-rushing drills, while he and several others were on the field when the offense and defense participated in goalline and third-down drills.
“It just gets you back into the feel of the game and you get to see plays again,” Triplette said after practice. “It’s just like the players, getting re-acclimatized with the game.”
He’ll only be at Redskins training camp for a few days before moving on, though he said he’ll be working the team’s second preseason game against Buffalo. And Friday’s group isn’t the same crew he’ll lead during the regular season.
The officials were able to have some fun with the players. During the goalline drill, fullback Mike Sellers caught a short pass and fought through the tackle of safety Stuart Schweigert to score a touchdown. Sellers got to one knee and playfully tossed the ball at Schweigert’s rear end.
The head linesman, nearby, immediately dropped a flag.
“He looked at me and he started smiling. He knew he didn’t have to throw that flag,” Sellers said with mock indignation. “Gosh, it’s bad enough we got two-a-days. At least let us have a little fun.”
• MINOR INJURIES: Running back Ladell Betts was kicked in the leg during a running play and limped off the field, but he was back on the field within a few minutes.
Receivers Malcolm Kelly and Anthony Mix had minor hamstring pulls on Friday, a day after top draft pick Devin Thomas pulled his hamstring.