The curtain of snow that fell on Dove Valley on Friday could not dampen Interim Head Coach Eric Studesville’s smile.
Winter weather influenced Studesville to move the day’s practice indoors, but that was just another curve ball he’s dealt with since he took over the team less than a month ago.
In a press conference before the last Friday practice of the 2010 regular season, Studesville stood at the podium fielding questions with an ear-to-ear grin on his face. He took the opportunity to reflect on a whirlwind December in which President and CEO Pat Bowlen tabbed him to lead the team.
“There are so many things that I have learned and so many experiences that I have had in the last four weeks,” Studesville said.
“Professionally, I just continue to try to get better each and every day — try to become a better football coach, relating to the players, understanding things, (being) a better technician of the game and I feel like I have improved in all of those areas in the time I have been here.”
Studesville said in addition to experiencing professional growth, he has appreciated the community support offered to his family since the day he became the running backs coach 11 months ago.
With one game left on the schedule, the coach said he has no time to get teary-eyed about the ups and downs of the season. After a comeback win against the Houston Texans last week, the team is 1-2 with Studesville at the healm.
His focus holds fast to ringing in the new year with a professional football game, and trying to post a .500 record in his short tenure.
“The opportunity to be involved in another game makes Sundays the best day of the week for me,” Studesville said. “So, when you play that last one, you know it is going to be a little bit before you get another one. But, all of a sudden, it starts going again here and our schedule is such that it gets going again pretty quickly. We will be back on the field at some point in time.”
The coach said he has kept longer hours since his promotion, and he “needs to recharge my batteries a little bit,” but only after Sunday.
There will be plenty of time to discuss his future with the club after the team takes on the San Diego Chargers at INVESCO Field at Mile High this weekend. Studesville said he and the team will schedule a time for him to interview for next year’s head coaching position next week.
“From Day One, I wanted to concentrate and focus on each game at hand,” he said. “I will worry about (interviewing) after Sunday.”
TEBOW WINS TWO TIMES
After throwing and running for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Texans last week, Tim Tebow has earned the most votes on NFL.com to win the Week 16 awards for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week.
Tebow is the only player to win both awards this season and joins Sam Bradford as one of only two players to win Pepsi Rookie of the Week twice this season. He also won the award in Week 10 after rushing and passing for a touchdown in a win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After sitting out of practice all week, Champ Bailey (ankle) is questionable for Sunday’s season finale against San Diego. David Bruton (ribs), Brian Dawkins (knee), Mario Haggan (quadricep), Darcel McBath (quadricep), Knowhson Moreno (ribs), Eddie Royal (groin) and Kyle Orton (ribs) were all limited in practice on Friday and area lso questionable for Sunday.
Eric Decker (ankle), Tim Tebow (ankle) and Demaryius Thomas (ankle) fully participated in practice all week and are probable.
For the Charges, LB Stephen Cooper (knee) and RB Mike Tolbert (neck/shouler) were placed on injured reserve. G Scott Mruzkowski (ankle) did not practice on Friday and is questionable. WR Patrick Crayton (wrist), LB Larry English (foot) and FB Jacob Hester (knee) did not practice and are doubtful.
LB Antwan Applewhite (ankle) was limited in practice and is probable, while WR Malcom Floyd (hamstring) and LB Brandon Siler (ribs) fully participated in practice and are probable.
FRIDAY FEAST
Burgers and sides from Broncos partner Red Robin awaited the players at Dove Valley as they came back from practice at an indoor bubble down the road.
The players get to choose their lunch every Friday throughout the season, and they decided to bite into some hamburgers on their last Friday practice of the year.
For Red Robin locations, please visit www.redrobin.com
-Gabe Hiatt, DenverBroncos.com
Below are photos from Friday’s practice:
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Interim Head Coach Eric Studesville, Red Robin, San Diego Chargers, Tim Tebow
TRB, this is what I got out of Bowers yesterday, he played in a 4-3 and he played DE almost evenly on the right or left side, half the time I couldn’t locate him, haha. He does not have great over the top speed in pursuit and was left behind pursuing, but he does have great quick burst speed and once he’s got you you go down, sure tackler.
Anyway, he never had any sacks and overall was not extremely impressive even so he was solid.
Well, it looks like Ronald McDonald might land in KC…
How appropriate that will be to face McD and Matt Cassel twice a year… haha
The Red and Yellow Hoodies will be much more authentic McDonalds colors….. haha
Where did you hear that? However KC would be about the only place with enough N-E blood other than Belicheck’s that may be willing to take him back.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/22623/could-mcdaniels-replace-weis
It’s on the front page of ESPN NFL…
If Weis leaves KC it makes a lot of sense, Like Adam Schefter says…
It makes me wonder if Scott Peoli and McDaniels planned all along for Josh to destroy the Broncos for a couple years while the rest of the X-Patriots rebuild KC….?
Tomorrow will be a win win. Win the game good for the team. Happen to lose, win for draft position. Just really can’t lose. I’ll cheer for the win though. Broncos win 30-24.
Even though the game is in the 1st qaurter of the RoesBowl, JJ Watt of Wisconson is looking good.
Yea I heard about it too OC… And I kept telling people…McD was sent here on a mission…on a mission to destroy and he accomplished it. No one can dismantle an organization the way he did without trying to do so lol
Bay, thx for info. I still think he is very solid as well…and glad to hear he is a sure tackler. Nothing beats that. Not man sacks but if he were to play in the 3-4 sure tackling is what we need especially agianst the run (but then agian u said he was playing in the 4-3) dunno what his ideal scheme is. Either way, him or fiarley or Quinn or whatever…cuz lord knows we could be dropping in draft if we win tommorow. Just some Dline help please…I see a team like Houston going after CB Peterson or Prince Amukamara. If we could do DLine in round one and Pouncey is around in round 2…im all for that. Especially since we got 2 second rounders.
The McD conspiracy theory will soon be rivalling that of JFK.
The hoodie he wore tells us a lot about McD. Far from being his own man and doing things his way he copied the Patriots, and the first thing he did was piss Cutler off by trying to replace him with Cassel. That was a low point but of course we all know that he went even lower. Gang members wear hoodies and since gangs are destructive we should have been warned.
I have no time for McD after what he did and would prefer not to see him employed anywhere in football. However it does seem appropriate that he may end up in Kansas and follow the Yellow Brick Road. The question is which character will he be? The Lion had no courage, the Tin Man had no heart and the Scarecrow had no brain. Well he could fill any of those roles
Thanks OC, really don’t know what to make of that, actually kind of speechless about it, that’s not a good sign for me, haha.
Watching the Rose Bowl too and the guy who really stands out is that Tank Carder “the Tank” LB from TCU, that guy has some kind of nasty disposition… He was selected to the ESPN all america this year and I can see why, maybe a little small but might be able to beef up for the pros, only a junior at 6’3″, 237lbs.
Bay-
I watched Pouncey in the Florida/Penn State game as well. Very impressive! Too bad that he is a JR and not likely to be available for the draft this year. I agree with almost everyone that we should draft DDDD this year, though. At least Tebow will be pumped that the Gators won that game and will feed his fire for the game tomorrow! Not that he really needs more fire! I was pretty blown away when I watched SoundFX when he was miked up. Can’t wait to see how he does tomorrow.
Happy New Year to all!
Go Broncos!
I didn’t get to see how Dareas DT Alabama done today,I know they won in a blowout tho! 49-7.
Can’t wait to see the National Championship game,to see how Fairley does!
My hate meter for afc west opponent has been #1 Chargers, #2 Raiders and #3 KC. I just haven’t been able to generate much hate for KC the last 5 years or so, but that will all change if McDaniels ends up there. I couldn’t stand looking at his picture when reading the ESPN article just now. KC would definately jump all the way up to #1. Happy new years for the Broncos and the Bronco bloggers!
Well it is Coach Studesville’s last game as interim HC so I wish him well for the game and for the future.
This holding pattern has been weird and the sooner we get stuck into the Chargers the better. This time tomorrow we will know the outcome of the game and win or lose the next few weeks are going to be interesting.
I will feel better once I know exactly what the future plans are to revive the Broncos fortunes and then we can get excited about trades and the draft.
Thanks to one and all for a year of very interesting commentary and analysis. In fact apart from the few bright spots during the season, particularly from Tim Tebow, our blogs have been the highlight for me.
Lmao…at hate meter imready…I guess mine will be The Raiders, The Chargers, and then The Chiefs. You are right…cant muster up enough hate for the chiefs but we might be getting there soon. Raiders no matter how crappy they are or good or anything….will forever hate em. I just tend to hate Chargers more in recent years cuz they have been competition but nothing can rival the disdain I have for the Raiders lol.
McD never won nothing as a OC. He fell in love with Brady to Moss and Teams caught on and the Giants total exposed it.
The pats offense is better now, and they won three titles with him as a waterboy.
I’m very happy the Chargers lost last week (VERY happy; almost enjoyed that more than our win); partly because I’m really not sure whether we can beat them or not. We have potential on both sides of the ball… but can our offense, right now, put up enough points against that D? Can our defense really be counted on to hold down Rivers and their O, even without Gates? We owe them for last year at Mile High, and they don’t have anything to play for besides pride any more, either… I really do want us to win tomorrow; but can I rationally say we will? …Maybe next year. San Diego 27, Denver 16.
Go Broncos!!
Boy have the talk shows been unmerciful toward the local Chargers … they think their team is an 11 out of 10, so “somebody” must be at fault for their “losing” season … I think it’s even worse than the year-long lament on this blog … anyway, the Chargers have gone out of their way to stress that this game is NOT meaningless … doesn’t matter – they’ll either show up or they won’t … this year, it’s been impossible to predictw which it will be … when they haven’t, they’ve looked terrible and lost to an inferior opponent … when they have, they’ve looked like they could beat anybody … how can a team be at the top of both the offensive and defensive statistics, and not make the playoffs?? … ’cause their special teams have been lousy?? … maybe … anyway, it makes predicting the outcome of tomorrows game almost impossible … I do think the Broncos will show up more than the Chargers will – I think the Broncos will be “nasty” tomorrow … and Tebow will make the difference … something like – Broncos 27 – Chargers 26 … hope so, anyway … anyway, the New Year is here, and the Old Year ends tomorrow, and then – THE DRAFT … good drafting, Bronco!!!!!!!
I so wanted Pouncey last year and again Pittsburgh got the guy we should of drafted two years in a row (Hood). It seemed every player Mc D passed on goes to the PRO BOWL. Okapo, Mathews, Crushing, and Pouncey. Bryant could of made it as a returner if he would of stayed healthy.
PHILLIS RIVERS will play as if it means something. He really brings his A game agaist us. I cant stand the guy but he is really good hate to say it.
Michael Lombardi says if Kubiak is fired he will be the next Broncos HC,and if Kubiak is not fired it’s a good possibility that it could be Jim Fassel!
I don’t have a problem with Kubiak and Dennison coming back,but I don’t like the idea of bringing Fassel back,big mistake if you ask me!
Seriously what does Lombardi know more than any of us about that, those are just his most educated guesses is all, just like any of us, everyone has been in the dark about the whole thing, from the firing of McD to the position Elway will hold to the GM, HC and so on. These guys are just filling air space about every team the best they can.
True……let’s hope so anyway!
I’m putting my vote out there for Singletary for defensive coordinator. The question for the HC position is do you go with experience or the possibility of youth coming in and lighting things up? That’s the question that will be answered in the coming weeks. I can’t wait for FA, to be honest. See who we can get there that can help the team.
did anyone hear about the new documentry about tebow on espn on thursday.its called” year of the qb, tim tebow in between .” looks good about him working out before the draft and what he did to change his throwing motion.
Bay, missed my chance for a prediction I guess? Have I blown my chance to top out? Still, I’ve no idea what the score will be today so it probably doesn’t make much difference.
I suspect we’ll lose on D, 38-24
I’m saving up my prediction luck for the draft now, where I’ll follow last years formula of reading what you guys think for months, compiling it and taking a flier on the outcome!!
Happy New Year all, may 2011 bring us what we all want….
Patrick Peterson pls.
Tank Carder (LB TCU) was spectacular today. Worth a look at. Past injry might be scary.nontheless. Didnt see much of Dareus, Bowers, and Greg Jones in their bowl games…idk.. Whoever picks up Blackmon will get an elite playmaking WR!
Tmorrow’s picks:
Broncos 27
Chargers 24
Sorry, all picks were in as of midnight last night, no score predictions on game day as in all season long. But yeah UK you are the current draft champion and I’ll be looking forward to hold that little contest again.
Well, this morning’s article by Klis basically takes all the suspense out of the equasion if it is accurate, and Klis always has more inside info at Dove Valley than anyone else, so I’ll pretty much take it to the bank:
In a couple more days, people walking the halls at Broncos headquarters will have a new name for Elway:
Boss.
The Broncos and owner Pat Bowlen are expected to call a news conference around midweek to announce Elway as their vice president of football operations.
“If and when we reach an agreement with John Elway, Pat is very confident that John’s intelligence, his leadership, business savvy, his knowledge of the game, and competitive fire — plus the respect that everyone in this building will have for him — will make us better right away,” said Joe Ellis, the Broncos’ chief operating officer.
Take this seriously, Broncos fans. Elway is not rejoining the organization with the idea of extending a glad hand. This is not an image-enhancing tactic, even if it is a nice byproduct for an organization that could use a shot or two of integrity after the unfortunate Josh McDaniels’ era.
Elway will have an upstairs office at the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre, and he will show up every day. There’s no need to punch a clock because high-ranking management officials never count their endless hours.
His title — vice president of football operations — will be the same one Mike Shanahan carried on top of his head coaching position. On top of everybody else. Remember all that power Shanahan held at Dove Valley from 1995-2008?
Starting with the New Year, a new decade, the Broncos will enter a new era.
Elway will be in charge.
To which Elway basically replied:
“I’m not going to get too far into that now,” Elway said Friday on his radio show on 87.7 FM The Ticket. “Hopefully, we get something done (this week). We’ll get that all settled. There is a process that has to be followed. If you understand, I don’t want to say too much about it right now.”
I think I understand perfectly, whoever’s toes he will be stepping on when his title and responsabilities are officially laid out are being respectfully given until the season is over to be asked to step down or take lesser job assignments.
One thing I really like about all this is I’ll never have to call John Mr. Elway, and it will show nothing less than utter respect anyway, because he will always be Elway or John or even Duke to all of us who watched him.
To the naysayers who will point out to the Millen fiasco about Elway being in charge, here is the take of a couple team members of John:
“I’ve been around John a long time, and there’s nothing he can’t do,” said Bubby Brister, Elway’s backup quarterback in the back-to-back Super Bowl championship seasons of 1997-98. “They couldn’t have picked a better person. He can evaluate. He knows football, he knows people. He’s been in the business world and knows that. I felt like when he got out of football, he should have gone right back in there. He could have helped Mike (Shanahan). Heck, he is the Denver Broncos. He can handle it.”
“It’s something that’s been on his to-do list forever,” former teammate Karl Mecklenberg said. “It’s not like the team came to him and said, ‘We need your help, we need you to be a figurehead.’ When he came to Mr. Bowlen before, Mr. Bowlen made sure he ran him through that whole Arena (Football League) thing. Mr. Bowlen had John run the Crush, and he learned the ropes there. It’s about time. They need something. I don’t know if a guy in the front office is necessarily the answer. But I think John will figure it out.”
And Ellis concludes:
“It is not a PR move,” Ellis said. “That would be a waste of John’s time and our time and the fans’ time. Because we need to win.
“He’ll roll up his sleeves and do his job. I’ve had enough meetings with him to know that. This isn’t about him. This is about the Denver Broncos and this community and our fans, and us getting better as quickly as we can.”
Amen to all that.
If that doesn’t get you feel all warm and fuzzy about your Broncos again, you either are too young to have experienced the Elway Factor on the field or you are just a stick in the mud.
This is the greatest Bronco news to have hit me since the last SB win, absolutely not a single doubt about it. Just imagine our Broncos with Elway in control all over again!
Sorry Tebow, you’ll have to get your highlights today, because this entire off season the spotlight will leave you to shine brightly on John.
And next season may you both shine, Elway by what he put on the field and Tebow by what he does on the field, isn’t life grand in Bronco Country once again? I mean we go from McD/Orton to Elway/Tebow!!! How completely opposite are those combos?!?!?!
Thank you Mr. Bowlen if all that is indeed true.
Oh yeah, there is a game to play today, GO BRONCOS! LOL.
And another good article at the DP from Klis today where Xanders talks about putting the emphasis back on the run in Denver, which makes me that much more agreeable with giving him a shot at GM if that’s the case:
“I think the history and the heritage here is geared for more of a running scheme,” Broncos general manager Brian Xanders said. “With some explosive passes.”
Read more: Klis: Broncos in rush to reload – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16990117#ixzz19tGtLerc
While we don’t (remotely) agree about Kyle Orton, it seems, baylinorcrush, we’re definitely of one mind on the excitement about John coming in to take the reins (so to speak) – ! Great to hear some confirmation and details about his role with the team.
News from ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown for anybody who might not be watching it (and if no – why not?!
)… Charlie Weiss will leave the Chiefs, to be OC of the Florida Gators… but McDaniels might not take that job as he appears to be on the short list for… 49ers head coach! As for Denver, honorary Stanford Cardinal captain John Elway will be having a little talk with Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh about his interest in being Broncos head coach….
Heh, JE QB … er, VP… on the job already!
thats a lot of info to take in… it looks like someone has eaten their wheaties, lol
To clarify – to gauge Harbaugh’s interest, if any – there’s not confirmation that he has any in us, though Mort did say he will leave Stanford, either for Michigan, or the NFL, whether with us, the Niners, or someone else….
Xanders is going in the right direction by saying we need to emphasize the run more,just as long as we don’t draft O,we need some D big time!
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/denver-broncos-and-cornerback-champ-bailey-both-say-they-hope-this-isnt-farewell-112762139.html
Just stuff from th article:
“I’m not going to act like it’s my last game,” Bailey insisted.
“Anybody who watches football around the league has a very high regard for the way this guy plays football,” Broncos secondary coach Ed Donatell said of Bailey. “And he will be valued by the Broncos and every other team at the end of this year.”
“Obviously, the best memory is ’05 and going to the championship game. I thought maybe we were on our way but we haven’t done anything since,” Bailey said. “It’s been disappointing the last few years but overall it’s a great place to play, love the fans and hopefully we can keep this thing going.”
Bailey said he still hopes the Broncos and his agent can work out a deal this off-season, although his best shot at a ring might be to go to an established contender because Denver needs a new coach and a roster overall after the Josh McDaniels misadventure.
Bailey knows this could be it for him in orange and blue, however.
“Yeah, it’s crossed my mind a few times but I’m still optimistic I can get something done here,” he said. “Obviously I don’t hold all the cards.”
TRB out…
Harbaugh will be the Michigan HC is the consensus right now.
Wheaties? No Steve, I ‘m just like the energizer bunny who keeps on going and going…. until about 10 pm that is, LOL. You know who the worm belongs to, right? That’s me, first up every day, first one ready to go….
I don’t like the idea of bringing in an unproven college HC anyway!
We need to start this thing off right and hire someone with experience!
I can’t believe Charlie Weis would leave an NFL team(Chiefs) as OC to go to a college team (Florida) and be an OC there,go figure….
TRB….Hopefully this deal will get done soon!
SIGN CHAMP,THE BEST CB IN THE NFL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I know this is a total rehashing of my position as everyone knows I strongly believe we need to hire a D minded coach for HC since it will be very hard to attract a good DC if we go with an O minded HC.
Think about it for a minute, I think all the bloggers who keep asking for an O minded HC who likes Tebow so he can develop him, I think they are missing the whole point.
Tebow is the kind of guy who can develop himself pretty much under anybody’s tutelage, he is that kind of special determined self made breed that is so rare to find, so we don’t need an Offensive genius to coach him, however what we do need is an Defensive genius to turn our D around since it has basically become the laughing stock of the league.
It is therefore imperative that we think D first and foremost for a change in this organization. Ok, John? Thanks, LOL.
Cool we can talk to John now….
Hey John how about signing Champ!!! lol.
To finish my point:
Option 1. We can get a great O minded HC but won’t be able to atract a top DC.
Option 2. We can get a top current DC for our HC position and we will have to settle for a lesser quality OC than if we offered him the HC position.
Pick your poison because I don’t see how we could get the best of both worlds. Of course I go option 2.
Option 2 please!