Tuesday, August 24, 1999
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Copeland eager for test results
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Defensive end John Copeland finally gets to play Saturday after missing the first two preseason games with a pulled hamstring.
And he knows exactly what that means.
“My first game as the new John,” Copeland said.
It's the first time Copeland is playing healthy with an NFL body honed by two rigorous offseasons. He didn't get a chance to use his newfound strength last year because he ripped his Achilles and missed much of the season. Now he no longer feels the Achilles injury and he's anxious to see what he can do against a good Buffalo offensive line that has a former No.1 pick in tackle John Fina.
“I'm glad it's against a team that will test me,” Copeland said.
Copeland, who wishes he had committed to the weight room and offseason workouts earlier in his career, is not surprised at the play of fourth-year defensive lineman Jevon Langford, his close friend who is pushing for starting time.
“We've been close through the years. I knew him when he really didn't care and he's grown into a fine man,” Copeland said.
“Getting married and having some kids, I think that made him focus on what he had to do. He realized he had a job to do because now he's got people to take care of.
“And this one-gap, get-up-the-field scheme really fits him,” Copeland said. “His first step is quick.”
Defensive line coach Tim Krumrie said the starters are going to be interchanged with the backups and that guys like Langford are going to be starting at times.
Coach Bruce Coslet said, “That's how the good teams do it. That's how the good defenses do it. You give those linemen a breather once in awhile.”
ROOKIE WATCH: The receiver play has been mediocre at best, although Darnay Scott has been solid and Willie Jackson has shown flashes. Free agent Quincy Jackson out of Alabama is getting some second looks, especially since veteran Stepfret Williams took a step backward Friday after dropping a pass and getting a holding penalty.
The 6-foot, 187-pound Jackson, who caught 77 passes for the Tide in two seasons, has been working on his quickness getting off the line of scrimmage before he gets jammed. He's excellent running routes and after the catch, but has to work on grabbing the ball.
He was disappointed he didn't get into Friday's game until seven minutes left, but don't look for him much sooner against Buffalo Saturday.
“He's not prepared for that yet,” said Coslet.
But at least Jackson is putting it into the coaches' heads that he can at least make the practice squad.
MOORE TO BE MOVED: The agent for strong safety Kelvin Moore said his client is to be transferred from Pontiac, Mich. to USC University Hospital late Monday or this morning on an air ambulance supplied by the Bengals.
Angelo Wright said Moore is in good spirits and that he could be discharged in six-to-eight weeks as he recovers from a broken first vertebra in his neck. Wright said Moore sounded like he would want to come back and help the team in some manner during the season.
“The Bengals have been very professional through all this,” Wright said. “They could have waited until he was ready to get on an airplane by himself.”
DRILLS FOR YEAST: Rookie wide receiver Craig Yeast returned to a few team drills for the first time Monday since spraining his ankle about three weeks ago. Coslet was impressed he healed as quickly as he did, but he also warned Yeast not to overdo it: “He's the kind of kid who'll do too much and you don't want it to keep flaring up during the season.”
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