CHENEY – Special-teams coach Bob Casullo received some tips from an unusual source during the months that spanned the end of the 2005 season and the start of Seattle Seahawks training camp.
Head coach Mike Holmgren, who rarely shows any interest in what some refer to as “one-third of the game,” was an active participant in special-teams meetings over the past few months.
“Honestly, I welcome any input he has as the head coach,” Casullo said Thursday. “I encourage him to come to the meetings. I encourage him to (share) any input or any critique he might have.
“I think it’s important that the players know that all three phases of the game are being scrutinized by the head coach. And I can honestly say this year that, yeah, they are.”
Holmgren has been more vocal at special-teams practices, which might be a result of the inordinately high number of penalties called on the unit in 2005.
Casullo said that the offense-minded coach has also added some good strategy to the game plan.
“It’s not really X’s and O’s as much as it is perception from a football mind,” Casullo said. “He might say, ‘Well, why don’t you do this?’ And it’s like: Well, I really don’t know.
“… He is perceptive, he really is. A lot of times when you’re so focused in as the special-teams coach, you have tunnel vision. You’re missing, sometimes, the most obvious things. He has made some really good observations from last year.”
Afternoon off: A day after saying that his players were showing signs of fatigue, Holmgren rewarded the team by altering Thursday’s schedule.
The Seahawks held a 10 a.m. practice – 1 hour and 15 minutes later than usual – then canceled the afternoon session to go to Spokane and watch a screening of an upcoming movie.
“They’ve been working really hard, and we had a pretty long week,” Holmgren said. “… I wanted to give them a little cookie.”
The single practice led to a more energized session.
Things got so heated at one point that center Chris Spencer and linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski had to be separated.
With friends like these …: Quick-tongued quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was taking shots at just about everyone during an end-of-practice session with the media.
He joked that the fight between Spencer and Kacyvenski was “a good thing” because it showed that “we’ve got some toughness at center.”
That was an obvious shot at smart-aleck center Robbie Tobeck, who is expected to be sidelined for at least one more week following minor elbow surgery.
“This is the time to make fun of Robbie,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s got tennis elbow right now, so he can’t really retaliate.”
Hasselbeck also took a good-natured shot at the defensive players, who were cheering on Kacyvenski during the fracas.
“On defense, that’s one of the things you do: you yell, you fly around, you head-butt each other,” Hasselbeck said. “On offense, we actually have to think, and our plays are more than two words.”
Quick slants: Cornerback Kelly Herndon, who has been limited by a bruised quadriceps, re-joined the first team defense for Wednesday’s practice. … Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (groin) was sidelined for the second consecutive day.
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