Cornerbacks Andre’ Goodman and Alphonso Smith stopped by the media room following Tuesday’s practice at Dove Valley.
Goodman spoke first and shared an interesting tidbit on defensive backs coach Ed Donatell’s teaching method.
The eight-year veteran has seen his share of coaches during his days with the Lions and Dolphins, but he’s never seen one illustrate a lesson plan by using film as old as Donatell does. Let’s just say some of the highlights he uses aren’t exactly HD quality.
“He is a guy who uses a lot of archives,” Goodman said. “Like he’ll go back to film that is early 90s. You’ll see Jerry Rice or Tim Brown on the film and it’s kind of surprising.”
Meanwhile, Smith — less than two months into his NFL career — is still taking it all in. The former Wake Forest standout conveyed that he is trying to learn nuances of the professional game by watching his defensive back counterparts. Smith, who played in a similar defense with the Demon Deacons, admits he still needs to improve his technique and timing before training camp.
But he believes he is getting better with repetition.
“We are doing the same things over and over and over,” Smith said. “Once you see guys like Champ (Bailey) and Andre’ and Brian (Dawkins) do things — how they carry themselves on the field, how they carry themselves in the meeting room and how they carry themselves around the facility — as a young guy you just need to watch and try to absorb what they are doing. I just keep watching them over and over because there is something you can learn every day.”
In particular, Smith mentioned Bailey as someone he tries to emulate in practice. Every now and again Smith said he is guilty of panicking during routes as he tries to adjust to NFL speed. But by studying how No. 24 carries himself on the field, Smith is beginning to settle down and just play football.
“Champ is a guy who leads by example,” he said. “Just seeing Champ, how chill and how he never panics, he’s just so calm and so composed every time. I learned that from him. I try to take that from his game and add it to mine and just try to be a smaller Champ, so to speak.”
- Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Alphonso Smith, Andre' Goodman, Champ Bailey, Ed Donatell, Passing Camp
Glad to hear that Smith is learning from Champ and is absorbing all he can. I say Champ and Goodman start this year with Smith at nickel back.
Take it all in Al, the force is strong in this one lol In the nickle son, you will be mean as!!!
Hahaha Nolan pulling out the old top loading video cassettes lol Hey if it is sinking in then its all good.
I see Phonzo at nickel also. do you guys think maybe McD brought Goodman in to replace Champ in the near future and then have Phonzo and Greatman be a probowl CB duo?
haha… “Great”man… that was clever…
I was just tellin’ mah bro how excited I am for Phonzy…
So I’ll tell ya now… I’m excited!
i dont think anyone can replace champ
Phonz is gonna be the perfect nickel corner..hes got the speed to keep up with slot receiverrs…and then Josh bell in dime packages woth phonz…..cant wait till camp…
Can’t wait till the season…
I think that McDaniels brought in some youth now so that they can learn from and absorb from the best secondary in footbal (Champ and Dawkins). I am sure,not so much to replace, but more to back up and then carry on the legacy of shutting down the long ball in Denver. Remember how much we suffered last year when we lost Champ.
Great Post. I wonder why coach Nolan is using old film? That gives me a little pause; but what do I know about teaching football.
And thanks to everyone who signed up on the Fantasy Football. Its going to be a fun year around the league.
I cant wait to see the Broncos shock the sports world.
Orange Crush!!!!
For people in my fantasy league the draft is Fri. August 28 5:30 PM and theres still more slots open for people to join su hurry up. This is how you join. I would like to invite any bronco fans to join it. What you have to do is go to yahoo fantasy sports and sign up to be a member of yahoo if you already havent. After that go to the fantasy football page and click on join a league, after that click on join custom league, then it will ask for your ID # and password, ID# is 62034 and password is orangecrush, then make your team name as your name on this site. then click save and continue and you can look at how much everything is worth. then click register and your ready to go once you do your rankings. i would ask that all bronco fans that havent signed up to sign up right away.
Oh and HomeTeam007, thanks for changin the draft to a live draft, and maybe we could change the league to 20 teams.
Nice job Alphonso, you’re a good kid! Keep up the good work and of course, GO BRONCOS!!!
alphonso smith is starting to seem like a really good draft choice. i was skeptical when they traded their 1st round choice next year to get him. but it does sound like he understands football and is a student of the game.
also, listening to smith and robert ayers, it sounds like mike nolan’s defense is going to be tough (atleast it will be better than bob slowik’s defenive nightmare). the line might not be as good as they want but they did bring in some good defensive backs. linebackers are looking good too. andra davis is looking like he is what they were missing at line backer (not to take away from DJ).
I’m really starting to like Alphonso, I wasn’t exactly skeptical but was unsure about him. He definitely couldn’t have a better secondary to learn from. I’m really excited to see what he makes of himself. If he’s anywhere as good as Darrent Williams (R.I.P Brotha) then we will be set for years to come.
And I have joined the fantasy league Bronco#80, lookin forward to the season.
I really want this Bronco team to shock the world…
That’s great that the young guys are working really hard to take some of what the veterans are dishing out. Let’s face it who wound’t want to take advice and learn from some of the greatest DBs in the game.
I don’t think that McDaniels’ plans on “replacing” Champ with anyone. We have a lot of youth so that in a couple of seasons these young guys will hopefully be a great set of DBs for us, that’s my opinion. This is great though, it sounds like the team is really molding together. I’m so excited for this season. I really do beleive that we will have a decent season this year.
Alphonso sounds like a smart kid and should be a great CB. He seems to really understand what a great opportunity he has to learn from future HOF’ers like Champ and Dawkins. As for Nolan using the old film, well if he can teach the DB’s to defend against what Jerry Rice used to do, they will be able to defend anyone don’t you think!
Im so pumped. Bring on the preseason…
I think Phonzy Smith will be a great addition to the team. I chked him youtube. the kid is a playmaker. I did hear a knock on him that he jumps into piles+does not initiate contact. I hope that’s wrong. I want our DB’s to be play the Run+Pass!!! Nobody does it better than Champ. If Phonzy can be the baller that D-Will was then we’re set. I’m still amped ’bout Jack Williams. I hope this year he makes plays in the nickel. he was a scrapper @ Kent St. Who should back up Hill+B-Dawk??? Barrett or McBath??? Barrett is bigger, but I heard McBath has great ball skills. I want an intimidator in our backcourt. Isn’t that a Broncos tradition??? Atwater, Dennis Smith, Mike Harden, Kenoy Kennedy. All these Dogs brought the Pain!!!!! B-Dawk is on the downside of his career (last year he was a Beast!!) so I”m hoping he passes the torch to Barrett or McBath. Go Broncos!!!! I’m AMPED for the season. punches n bunches
Goodman spoke first and shared an interesting tidbit on defensive backs coach Ed Donatell’s teaching method. You guys need to pay more attention to the post.Its not Nolan who is showing the old films. He’s never seen one illustrate a lesson plan by using film as old as Donatell does. LOL I to am fired up but lets get it together guys. BRONCOS FOREVER!!!
Hey guys, that’s my rookie mistake. I started here a few weeks ago and had trouble deciphering between Donatell and Nolan on the tape. There was some confusion on my part, as both had earlier stints as coaches in Denver. After re-listening to the tape, it was in fact Donatell who has been showing the defensive backs old footage.
Please accept my apology and I promise I’ll make it up to you down the road.
– Zach Eisendrath
No Zach, it’s too late. You must know buy a Raiders jersey and forever live in Purgatory!!! Ha, ha. Hey, we all make some mistakes on the blog. We’re only human, so cut us some slack, broncogodd, lol. I too, am very excited and anxious for the season to start. These withdrawals are soooo painful.
A Raiders jersey I was sent.
I wrote, “Return to sender.”
Wasted money, not well spent.
My team’s forever Denver….
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!
(Yes, I wrote the poem, lol.)
Hey. I just joined the blogging world. I have been reading the blogs all offseason and couldnt take being lazy anymore. lol. just wanted to to say hi to everyone out there in bronco land and that i wish i was there!! Also i would like to join a fantasy league but the last one posted is full again. anyone making a new one? As for the “phonz” I also think he will be nickle package but lets hope he was worth that first round pick next year. It never really made sense to me, but im not in a position to actually know alot about the ins and outs of what traspired in the back office so i will keep my fingers crossed!
Broncsssss!
hey hometeam007 and bronco#80 im glad we now have a live draft cuz i love them. im your bronco from iowa and im in the league well anyway this league is gonna be the best
Damn your league is full bronco#80.. anyone else running one that needs players?
I’ve never been in a 20 team league. It will be hard to find a loaded team this way. Can’t wait!! Really excited about our defense, I think they will impress alot of people this year. Hope for a top 10 D.
Bronco80, looks like you need to make your league have 20 max.
Hey guys, I can not change my leaugue settings to 20 teams because I didnt make the leauge, HomeTeam007 did. I have tried to tell him on my fantasy football profile to change the league to 20 teams but i dont think he has read the message yet cause he doesnt get on to often. So hold on bronco fans, as soon as he gets the message hopefully he will make it 20 teams.
PS: Im excited for are fantasy league to iowa bronco and im your bronco fan from Rio Rancho, NM
TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! TWENTY! Lol
Gj Ripp mentioned Defensive Coordinator Bob Slowik. What a Joke Slowik is. I found this article just over a year ago and wondered how we could keep some one like Slowik around. Then I found out that Slowik and Shanny went back to their college days in Florida.
http://www.dack.com/archive/bob-slowik-must-be-fired.html
Interesting note is, his Green Bay defense of 2004 broke a lot of embarrassing records. He did the same with our defense.
Shanny got fired over this guy? Just goes to show you that your friends can drag you down the toilet if you let them.
I’m glad we made the coaching change.
Ok guys, i got some good news, HomeTeam007 has changed are fantasy league from 12 to 16 teams so there is 4 slots open. If some more people want to join aftere that then i will try to convince him to change it to 20 teams, but for now we are going to have 16 teams, hurry up only 4 slots right now!
This is going to be the best fasntasy league ever!! 
Wow bob slowik sucks worse than what we saw from him. Good thing shanny is gone he got to personal with coaches and players and wouldn’t let them go even if they were the WORST ever! Thanks for that link 987654…..1. Let the entire media keep underestimating us untill we start killing teams!!! Can’t wait to see Knowshon,Ayers, and Smith ballin!!!!
bronco#80,
I am in the first fantasy league, so i won’t sign up in both, that way more people can be in. But I live in ABQ, NM. And to torainATV fan. Week 1, you and me! Any idea when our draft order will be up? Anyone else think that the best pick up all off season was B-Dawkins? That guy has heart!
oK, oK!
I just moved the number of teams up to 16 for the fantasy football. Better jump on it Samoanbonco. Please use your Bronco Country name for youe team name.
Dawkins was really emphasizing strength and conditioning when he talked to the media. It makes me alittle nervous. Is he seeing a problem in the organization or just pumping up the rookies?
Orange Crush Revival in 2010!!!!
The draft order is done by Yahoo, 30 minutes before draft.
Anyone hear what happened to University of Alabama?… ESPN sent me a text saying that the football program has been suspended for 3 years… Any clue why???
Cheating> more details to follow. The Fan 104.3 has been talking about it all day.
it wasnt cheating from what i heard it was school books given to football players without paying…lame…neways…who cares bout bama…i dont think we got one guy from the crimson tide on our team….neways…go denver…A.SMITH…starter at end of season over goodman…goodman is awsome but smith will be that much better.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/9669146/NCAA-places-Alabama-football-program-on-probation
“intentional wrongdoers.” WOW
… That’s just pathetic…
Sucks for ‘Bama players and fans though…
And thanks for gettin’ back to me on my question… I knew I could count on ya’ll!
Josh Barrett, Darcel McBath & David Bruton have Dawkins and Hill as their role models. Jack Williams & Alphonso Smith have Bailey and Goodman to help them out. Linebackers have a solid core of talent. It will be interesting to see how they do in the 3-4. Ronald Fields played NT for Nolan so that should help the others with the transiton. Great infusion of young talent with a good mixture of veterans. Nice photo!
Here’s to Phonz being the next Champ Bailey (Or at least close to it, nobody could ever replace Champ).
You cant forget Josh Bell at corner, hes learnin from Champ and Goodman as well. I think ive got are defense almost figured out.
CB1 Champ
CB2 Goodman
SS Hill
FS Dawkins
OLB Ayers
ILB DJ Williiams
ILB Andre Davis
OLB Dumervil
NT Fields
and for DE im not sure yet.
That’s funny bama got suspended for 3 years for giving books to their players!
Give ‘em free books, or cheat like some of you said you thought it was, AND YOU STILL CAN’T BEAT THE UTAH UTES!
Ute fan right here, loved seeing Mike Anderson in a Bronco Jersey! Have to say the stomping they gave bama who was ranked 1st for 6 weeks? That game was right up there for me with our first superbowl win!
Any of you nay sayers read this!:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3815656
bronco#80 I think at DE in the 3-4 like you have it we put in,
RE: Marcus Thomas
LE: Carlton Powell
I know Powell can step in at NT but I know with the way Nolan is running his defense we will be a hybrid 3-4 and still run 4-3 a lot. McDenver wants to use the same different packages he is known for creating mismatches in offense on the defensive side too. It will be exciting. Plus if Fields is what Nolan really wants in a NT (or else he wouldn’t have brought him) we need to find a way to get Powell on the field, I mean what was it in college for him, 160 plays his way for -13 yards? Get the man healthy and on the field!
I can see Askew and Clemons/Peterson spliting time at DE backups, with Baker getting spell time at NT so we can bring him up, he looked real good I thought while keeping Powell on the field!
I’m voting Powell for “DL” MVB (most valuable bronco) this year NOW! LOL
Everyone keeps saying that “no one will ever replace Champ”… Well, I sure hope you are wrong… Because I would love to have a “Super” Champ on this team…