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<blockquote data-quote="IndiPack" data-source="post: 85582" data-attributes="member: 330"><p>Here's another good article on Jennings - </p><p></p><p>THU., AUG 3, 2006 - 1:06 AM</p><p>Packers: Jennings on an early go route</p><p>JASON WILDE</p><p>608-252-6176</p><p><a href="mailto:jwilde@madison.com">jwilde@madison.com</a></p><p>GREEN BAY - You know the type.</p><p></p><p>Maybe it was your college roommate, who never seemed to be studying and yet always aced the big final. Or your buddy, who showed up at the poker party having never played Texas Hold 'Em and left with your rent money. Or that co-worker in the next cubicle, who blogs and designs Web pages while you can't even figure out how to Google somebody.</p><p></p><p>Yes, we all know a few of them, those rare individuals whom, depending on your personality, you view with either awestruck admiration or annoyed jealousy because, well, they just make it look so easy.</p><p></p><p>Greg Jennings, the Green Bay Packers' rookie wide receiver, is one of those people.</p><p></p><p>"It just comes natural to him," quarterback Brett Favre said. "I guess that's the best way to put it."</p><p></p><p>Less than a week into training camp, Jennings, a second-round pick out of Western Michigan, has made the biggest impression of any player on the 89-man roster. There was no missing him on Tuesday night when he hauled in a 57- yard bomb from Favre during that night's practice, and there he was again on Wednesday afternoon, snaring a Favre pass on a crossing route and running away from the defense.</p><p></p><p>"He pretty much has the whole total package," said No.•1 receiver Donald Driver, whose locker is just down from Jennings'. "If he continues this way through the whole training camp and into the regular season, he's going to be good."</p><p></p><p>The significance of Jennings' catch on Tuesday night wasn't just that he made a fabulous over-the-shoulder grab against Jason Horton's tight coverage, but that he was on the field at all. The Packers' No. 1 offense was in 2-minute mode, and in their three-receiver set, it was Driver (an eighth-year veteran), Robert Ferguson (sixth year) and the rookie. Sixth-year vet Rod Gardner and free-agent pickup Marc Boerigter, entering his fifth year, were on the sidelines.</p><p></p><p>"It's all about opportunities, and you've got a young man who's taking full advantage of his. That's why he's in there," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think you're seeing Greg (becoming) comfortable with what he's doing." A high football IQ •</p><p></p><p>Actually, Jennings has looked comfortable since he arrived in Green Bay for the post-draft minicamp in early May. Because Western Michigan ran a similar strain of the West Coast offense, Jennings wasn't overwhelmed by McCarthy's playbook.</p><p></p><p>"That's definitely helped me out," said Jennings, who holds Western Michigan's career receiving records for catches (238), receiving yards (3,539), touchdowns (39) and all-purpose yards (5,093) and became just the 11th player in NCAA Division I history to record three 1,000-yard receiving seasons. "That's why I'm able to adapt and comprehend and be more comfortable than most guys coming in."</p><p></p><p>For example, Ferguson and departed wideout Javon Walker learned just one position as rookies and accomplished little - Ferguson played only one game and didn't have a reception his first year; Walker caught just 23 passes for 319 yards - while Jennings is playing all three receiver positions.</p><p></p><p>"I have him everywhere. Every play, he's in a different spot - X (flanker), Z (split end) and zebra (slot receiver)," wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. "So far in Greg's case, he's picked the system up very, very well. He's a smart kid, he's got good football instincts and from the very first day had a pretty good understanding of what we were wanting to do."</p><p></p><p>Don't misunderstand, though. Jennings may make it look easy, but he isn't where he is right now - in position to earn the starting job opposite Driver - because of luck. Instead, it is a combination of intelligence (both football and real-life based), work ethic, natural ability and, for good measure, a healthy grudge toward Lloyd Carr and the University of Michigan football program. Motivated by snub •</p><p></p><p>After Jennings earned second team all-state honors as a junior at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High School, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin all recruited him. Born and raised as a Wolverines fan, Jennings ****** committed to Michigan without even visiting the other schools.</p><p></p><p>But after his senior year - for reasons he still doesn't know - Carr and his staff "stopped calling" him. Eventually, about a month before signing day, Jennings started looking elsewhere, only to find that none of the other Big Ten schools were interested anymore. He ended up staying in Kalamazoo and going to Western Michigan.</p><p></p><p>"It was a blessing, going to Western, being put in a position where I was able to jump in right away," said Jennings, whose first cousin, Denver Broncos linebacker Ian Gold, went to Michigan. "I had a lot thrown at me right away, so it forced me to learn quicker. I progressed so quickly, it was almost too fast. It came too easy. But as I stayed in studying film and just kept learning different things, the game just stayed easy to me."</p><p></p><p>History says it won't be easy for Jennings to have a major impact as a rookie. Only five of the 546 wide receivers drafted from 1990 through 2005 have had 1,000-yard seasons as rookies: Joey Galloway (1995), Terry Glenn (1996), Randy Moss (1998), Anquan Boldin (2003) and Michael Clayton (2004).</p><p></p><p>"It's hard for some reason. I don't know why," Robinson said. "Maybe it's just the competition of the defensive backfields in this league that make it difficult for them, or (they struggle to) pick systems up quickly to be able to contribute early." A chance to start •</p><p></p><p>The 52nd overall pick and fourth receiver taken in April's draft after Ohio State's Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh, 25th overall), Florida's Chad Jackson (New England, 36th) and Miami's Sinorice Moss (New York Giants, 44th), Jennings might get the chance to start because Ferguson, Gardner and Boerigter have done little so far to distinguish themselves.</p><p></p><p>"If he's the best guy, if he earns that job, he earns that job," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "The guy just keeps showing up. And that's what we're looking for."</p><p></p><p>The only real question about Jennings is his size. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the scouting combine, but at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, he doesn't fit McCarthy's big- receiver prototype. Nonetheless, Jennings is confident he'll be able to handle the game physically.</p><p></p><p>"It's never been a problem for me, I don't plan on it being a problem for me," Jennings said. "I never took that many hits in college (because) when you have football awareness, you (can) avoid the big hit, for the most part.</p><p></p><p>"Coming out, I knew my football awareness and my knowledge of the game was a lot higher than a lot of players (like Holmes, Jackson and Moss) and I knew it would help me in the long run, regardless of where I ended up in the draft. Right now, that's what you see - a guy who is comfortable but at the same time can learn and am willing to learn."</p><p></p><p>And that's what Favre sees, too.</p><p></p><p>"I can see why he had success in college, and I can also see why maybe he was overlooked," Favre said. "Sometimes size and speed play such a big part in decisions of an NFL team and you overlook the most important thing: Intangibles. Can he get open? Can he catch? Can he catch in traffic? And some of those things remain to be seen, but I feel like he's kind of a natural at what he does."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="IndiPack, post: 85582, member: 330"] Here's another good article on Jennings - THU., AUG 3, 2006 - 1:06 AM Packers: Jennings on an early go route JASON WILDE 608-252-6176 [email="jwilde@madison.com"]jwilde@madison.com[/email] GREEN BAY - You know the type. Maybe it was your college roommate, who never seemed to be studying and yet always aced the big final. Or your buddy, who showed up at the poker party having never played Texas Hold 'Em and left with your rent money. Or that co-worker in the next cubicle, who blogs and designs Web pages while you can't even figure out how to Google somebody. Yes, we all know a few of them, those rare individuals whom, depending on your personality, you view with either awestruck admiration or annoyed jealousy because, well, they just make it look so easy. Greg Jennings, the Green Bay Packers' rookie wide receiver, is one of those people. "It just comes natural to him," quarterback Brett Favre said. "I guess that's the best way to put it." Less than a week into training camp, Jennings, a second-round pick out of Western Michigan, has made the biggest impression of any player on the 89-man roster. There was no missing him on Tuesday night when he hauled in a 57- yard bomb from Favre during that night's practice, and there he was again on Wednesday afternoon, snaring a Favre pass on a crossing route and running away from the defense. "He pretty much has the whole total package," said No.•1 receiver Donald Driver, whose locker is just down from Jennings'. "If he continues this way through the whole training camp and into the regular season, he's going to be good." The significance of Jennings' catch on Tuesday night wasn't just that he made a fabulous over-the-shoulder grab against Jason Horton's tight coverage, but that he was on the field at all. The Packers' No. 1 offense was in 2-minute mode, and in their three-receiver set, it was Driver (an eighth-year veteran), Robert Ferguson (sixth year) and the rookie. Sixth-year vet Rod Gardner and free-agent pickup Marc Boerigter, entering his fifth year, were on the sidelines. "It's all about opportunities, and you've got a young man who's taking full advantage of his. That's why he's in there," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think you're seeing Greg (becoming) comfortable with what he's doing." A high football IQ • Actually, Jennings has looked comfortable since he arrived in Green Bay for the post-draft minicamp in early May. Because Western Michigan ran a similar strain of the West Coast offense, Jennings wasn't overwhelmed by McCarthy's playbook. "That's definitely helped me out," said Jennings, who holds Western Michigan's career receiving records for catches (238), receiving yards (3,539), touchdowns (39) and all-purpose yards (5,093) and became just the 11th player in NCAA Division I history to record three 1,000-yard receiving seasons. "That's why I'm able to adapt and comprehend and be more comfortable than most guys coming in." For example, Ferguson and departed wideout Javon Walker learned just one position as rookies and accomplished little - Ferguson played only one game and didn't have a reception his first year; Walker caught just 23 passes for 319 yards - while Jennings is playing all three receiver positions. "I have him everywhere. Every play, he's in a different spot - X (flanker), Z (split end) and zebra (slot receiver)," wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. "So far in Greg's case, he's picked the system up very, very well. He's a smart kid, he's got good football instincts and from the very first day had a pretty good understanding of what we were wanting to do." Don't misunderstand, though. Jennings may make it look easy, but he isn't where he is right now - in position to earn the starting job opposite Driver - because of luck. Instead, it is a combination of intelligence (both football and real-life based), work ethic, natural ability and, for good measure, a healthy grudge toward Lloyd Carr and the University of Michigan football program. Motivated by snub • After Jennings earned second team all-state honors as a junior at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High School, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin all recruited him. Born and raised as a Wolverines fan, Jennings ****** committed to Michigan without even visiting the other schools. But after his senior year - for reasons he still doesn't know - Carr and his staff "stopped calling" him. Eventually, about a month before signing day, Jennings started looking elsewhere, only to find that none of the other Big Ten schools were interested anymore. He ended up staying in Kalamazoo and going to Western Michigan. "It was a blessing, going to Western, being put in a position where I was able to jump in right away," said Jennings, whose first cousin, Denver Broncos linebacker Ian Gold, went to Michigan. "I had a lot thrown at me right away, so it forced me to learn quicker. I progressed so quickly, it was almost too fast. It came too easy. But as I stayed in studying film and just kept learning different things, the game just stayed easy to me." History says it won't be easy for Jennings to have a major impact as a rookie. Only five of the 546 wide receivers drafted from 1990 through 2005 have had 1,000-yard seasons as rookies: Joey Galloway (1995), Terry Glenn (1996), Randy Moss (1998), Anquan Boldin (2003) and Michael Clayton (2004). "It's hard for some reason. I don't know why," Robinson said. "Maybe it's just the competition of the defensive backfields in this league that make it difficult for them, or (they struggle to) pick systems up quickly to be able to contribute early." A chance to start • The 52nd overall pick and fourth receiver taken in April's draft after Ohio State's Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh, 25th overall), Florida's Chad Jackson (New England, 36th) and Miami's Sinorice Moss (New York Giants, 44th), Jennings might get the chance to start because Ferguson, Gardner and Boerigter have done little so far to distinguish themselves. "If he's the best guy, if he earns that job, he earns that job," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "The guy just keeps showing up. And that's what we're looking for." The only real question about Jennings is his size. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the scouting combine, but at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, he doesn't fit McCarthy's big- receiver prototype. Nonetheless, Jennings is confident he'll be able to handle the game physically. "It's never been a problem for me, I don't plan on it being a problem for me," Jennings said. "I never took that many hits in college (because) when you have football awareness, you (can) avoid the big hit, for the most part. "Coming out, I knew my football awareness and my knowledge of the game was a lot higher than a lot of players (like Holmes, Jackson and Moss) and I knew it would help me in the long run, regardless of where I ended up in the draft. Right now, that's what you see - a guy who is comfortable but at the same time can learn and am willing to learn." And that's what Favre sees, too. "I can see why he had success in college, and I can also see why maybe he was overlooked," Favre said. "Sometimes size and speed play such a big part in decisions of an NFL team and you overlook the most important thing: Intangibles. Can he get open? Can he catch? Can he catch in traffic? And some of those things remain to be seen, but I feel like he's kind of a natural at what he does." [/QUOTE]
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