Pete Carroll: A very ‘unusual’ start

By Liz Mathews

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll addressed the media after practice on Tuesday to discuss the game plan for the team’s first preseason game Thursday night against the San Diego Chargers.

“Well, the first thing we’re looking for is seeing us play hard,” said Carroll. “I want to see the guys run around and hit and get back to football with as many guys as we’re going to play.

“We’re going to try and play everybody that travels with us.”

Carroll said that he has a schedule in place regarding just who will hit the field and for how many plays, and that it depends on each player’s level of conditioning and individual needs.

“A very unusual start,” said Carroll. “This is an unusual first game with the different levels that guys have come to camp and the times that they’ve been here.”

With the lack of an offseason clearly impacting conditioning levels and the newly-signed free agents only able to practice with the team since last Thursday, it’s not surprising that not everyone is up to game speed.

“It’s been an unusual kind of patience that we’ve had because we haven’t had weeks and weeks and weeks of snaps and plays and formations and breaking huddle situations,” said Carroll, of the lack of OTAs, minicamps and team meetings. “So we have to just wait, to a certain degree, and try to simplify things so that the guys can play without the hindrances and the distracting mistakes and things like that. It’s been a little different.

“We have to kind of look at it a little differently than we have at other times.”

Carroll said that he will be evaluating the roster Tuesday night to determine who will benefit the most from playtime on Thursday, but announced that Tarvaris Jackson will be the starting quarterback – although his reps may be limited.

Wide receivers Mike Williams and Kris Durham are not expected to play Thursday night due to recent injuries. Williams sprained his toe on Monday afternoon and the rest is likely precautionary at this time. Per Carroll, “It’s not real serious, but it’s enough to bother him.” As for Durham, he is suffering from a first-degree hamstring injury. “That’s really disappointing because Kris would have played 50 plays in this game,” said Carroll. “He’s had a great start to camp and we’re just going to have to wait on him.”

Regarding defensive lineman Red Bryant, Carroll said that he is ready to come back to practice next week.

“He’s O.K. He’s not hurt,” said Carroll. “He just has a little wear and tear from the first time back at this level. I think also, with Red, he was unable to be in tip-top shape. He’s a little heavier and he’s lost some weight since he’s been here. He’s on a real strict program right now to get his weight in control and all. You can tell it weighed on him a little bit when he was running around. He looked good, but he needs more conditioning time.

“So that’s one of the guys that we’re giving consideration to, to make sure that he’s right when they come back.”

The Seahawks travel to San Diego on Wednesday to open the preseason on the road against the Chargers. The Thursday night game will be televised nationally on ESPN and kickoff is scheduled for 5pm PT.

News and Notes:

Both LB Aaron Curry and RB Thomas Clayton returned to practice on Tuesday.

DT Kentwan Balmer has a pinched nerve (stinger) and will not play in Thursday night’s game.

DT Ryan Sims is suffering from a swollen knee and is day to day at this time.

WR Deon Butler, CB Roy Lewis, CB Walter Thurmond, TE Cameron Morrah and DT Colin Cole did not participate in practice on Tuesday.