Practice in Pictures: July 31

First, a few shots from yesterday’s afternoon practice, the first two-a-day of the year.

TE Kris Wilson, shown stretching for a pass from QB Billy Volek, combined with TEs Antonio Gates and Randy McMichael to dominate the session.

Gates caught this pass during a team period despite heavy pressure from ILB Kevin Burnett.

Saturday morning began with a haze but the sun soon bore into the Chargers, media and fans despite mild temperatures.

A play after Gates tipped a pass to himself with his left hand and caught it on the move, WR Jeremy Williams stretched for this 40-yard reception near the right pylon.CB Antoine Cason stalks WR Legedu Naanee after a short catch during a team period.

CB Nathan Vasher eyes QB Billy Volek under center. Vasher had an interception during the second team period.

RB Marcus Mason, competing for a roster spot, flashes to the left side of the field during 11-on-11s.

QB Philip Rivers checks the defense before rocketing a spiral downfield to WR Malcom Floyd.

K Nate Kaeding, who said yesterday his groin is healthy, prepares to launch a kickoff as DE Derrick Jones hustles downfield in coverage.

Two referees attend Saturday morning's practice but maintain a low profile.

Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher

Practice in Photos: July 30

Training camp opened in full Friday morning with a 90-minute practice in 68 degrees and sunshine.

WR Legedu Naanee clutches this catch near the beginning of the first full practice.

WR Malcom Floyd, shown trying to gain yardage against SS Darrell Stuckey, joined Naanee, as did TEs Antonio Gates and Randy McMichael, RB Darren Sproles and FB Mike Tolbert.

WR Buster Davis, shown turning upfield after a catch during positional drills, also got his first reps of training camp.

A select group of season ticket holders watched practice, giving the Chargers their first non-media mass audience of the year.

Head Coach Norv Turner seemed happy to start the first two-practice day.P Mike Scifres made a lot of folks, including Eric Weddle (right), crane their necks to catch several punts that traveled longer than 55 yards.

Kris Dielman and the offensive line returned to work, with Brandon Dombrowski getting reps at left tackle.

The backfield also got fuller. C.J. Spillman and a teammate corralled Marcus Mason downfield.

Cam Thomas skies above a row of pads during warmups.

What fun would training camp be without the quarterbacks?

Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher

Practice Extras: July 28

I’m sure everyone knows by now that the Chargers and TE Antonio Gates have agreed to a contract through 2015.

That will, I’m sure, be the big story before the veterans report Friday.

Meantime, here are some tidbits from Wednesday’s practice.

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Darrell Stuckey: Rookie Diary

Stuckey prepares to catch a pass during a defensive backs drill at the start of Wednesday's practice.

Editor’s note: This is the first of several diary entries from fourth-round pick and strong safety Darrell Stuckey. Feel free to leave Darrell a comment or a question and he will review the posts.

I think one of the greatest things about the opportunity that I have to play is the environment that I’m in.

The greatest opportunity is to play in a place that wants you to be there.

And that’s exactly what I feel here.

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Practice in Photos: July 28

The last single-practice day of camp finished without a hitch Wednesday as the players prepared for the full-fledged version Friday. They will not practice on the field Thursday.

Defensive line coach Don Johnson talks to his position group, including Cam Thomas, on Wednesday.

Third-round pick Donald Butler sheds a piece of equipment before charging an imaginary ball carrier.

Shawnbrey McNeal catches a kickoff from an automated machine. McNeal and Jeremy Williams split reps on kickoff returns.Williams rises to squeeze a pass.Traye Simmons intercepted his second pass of camp, boxing out Williams to secure the football.

All three QBs again got plenty of work as Head Coach Norv Turner watched from close proximity.

Billy Volek, WR Legedu Naanee said, is like a coach on the field.

Jonathan Crompton works a handheld radio in between his own repetitions.

Naanee grips the pass from Crompton with his fingertips.

Curtis Brinkley catches a pass in stride.

Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher

Early Camp Tidbits

Greetings, football fans.

If you’re reading this blog, I assume you’re interested in the intricacies of the Chargers. If you’re here to see if I pontificate on Philip Rivers’ new haircut, I’m sorry. The goal is to provide, as much as I’m allowed, a view into the practices during training camp for those of you that can’t see it for yourself.

So here’s to the hardcore fans.

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Practice in Photos: July 27

Jeremy Williams hauls in a pass near the right sideline Tuesday during individual drills.

Philip Rivers and the quarterbacks spent the first portion of practice flinging short throws to the young WRs.

Photos from Camp: July 26

From left to right, Curtis Brinkley, Billy Latsko and Shawnbrey McNeal warm up with elastic bands.

With Darren Sproles, Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert absent, McNeal got most of the carries Monday.

McNeal worked on a reverse flip to WR Legedu Naanee after this handoff.

Naanee practiced on the field for the first time this offseason after getting cleared following a stress fracture. He felt 100 percent.

Luis Castillo, one of the most experienced vets present Monday, works against Cam Thomas during a positional drill.

WR Richard Goodman skies to control a pass during individual work.

It was hard to miss the three QBs, all of whom got reps during the first day of training camp at Chargers Park.

Chargers fans have to be happy to see Rivers command the huddle after waiting all offseason for football to commence.

Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher

Friday Leftovers: Turner’s Chat

I’m not sure why — media never turn down free food — but there were leftovers from Norv Turner’s informal chat at Qualcomm Stadium. The chicken sliders and taquitos were my favorites.

There are also a few  tidbits that I haven’t covered on the blog or the main site.

• Jan. 17 is a painful date for Chargers fans, but it’s not unspeakable. Turner has been straightforward in his assessment of the playoff loss to the Jets and talked about it again Thursday, acknowledging that media and fans will measure his team by what they accomplish in postseason play.

“I think everyone knows our team’s going to be evaluated once we get to the playoffs. Our guys understand that and that gives us a little chip on our shoulder,” Turner said.

He made a light-hearted joke about it but did say it isn’t fun to dwell on the loss: “That’s why I’m anxious about the season starting because we’ll have some other games to talk about.”

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Turner Details Running Game

Six weeks after OTAs ended, Thursday’s informal press conference with Norv Turner represented a welcome break for those of us producing stories every day without fresh quotes.

The lunchtime chat provided plenty of interesting tidbits. I’ll get to more tomorrow, but Turner had some illuminating, if not surprising, things to say about the run game.

He acknowledged the coaching staff made a concerted effort this offseason to analyze and improve the team’s ground game. They concluded the team lacked the 10 and 20-yard bursts that loosened defenses and epitomized the nervousness induced by some of San Diego’s backs in 2006 and 2007.

First-round pick Ryan Mathews, he made it clear, mostly will play on first and second downs to start his career. While Mathews already has demonstrated that he understands the importance of pass protection, and his 6-foot, 218-pound frame seems tailored for the task, he’ll get time to develop the skill that’s often the hardest for rookie running backs to master. Darren Sproles will remain the primary third-down back for the Chargers.

“You stand behind (Mathews) and look at his calves and he is a big, solid guy. (Fresno State) teaches their players to play in a very physical manner, so he’s not shy about contact,” Turner said. ”I can’t believe he won’t be an outstanding pass protector because he has the want-to and he has the physical stature to do it.

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