Thursday, December 02, 1999

Akili counting on Coslet's return

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QB says having new coach next year would be setback

BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Akili Smith on the prospect of Bruce Coslet's firing: "Of course it could set me back. No doubt about that." (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Bengals rookie quarterback Akili Smith said Wednesday he's staring at “a rugged offseason, really rough.”

        A 27-practice holdout wiping out his training camp and a toe injury threatening to eliminate his entire second half of the season was daunting enough for Smith this year. But throw in the possibility of a new coach next season and Smith knows it could be even harder.

        Continuity for Smith is said to be one of the factors Bengals President Mike Brown is mulling over as he considers coach Bruce Coslet's future.

        “Of course it could set me back. No doubt about that,” Smith said. “We'd have to spend the whole offseason learning a new system if they decided to fire Bruce. I don't know what their plans are, we just have to live with it.”

        Smith was discouraged Wednesday because he had hoped to start taking snaps with the scout team this week, but his severely sprained right big toe didn't respond the way he wanted during Tuesday's drills.

        He still has trouble pushing off and continues to walk on the side instead of on the ball of his foot. He's hoping the Bengals' Dec.19 bye gives him time to return for the last two games.

        Yet Smith wouldn't say this season has been a lost cause, going out of his way to praise Coslet and offensive coordinator Ken Anderson for giving him a feel for the NFL.

        “The coaches have done a great job keeping me focused and working with me while I'm out,” Smith said. “That just goes to show you the quality of coach we have here ... I don't know what's going to happen. This is Mike Brown's team and we have to abide by the decision.”

        Coslet gets testier with each question of his job security. But he acknowledged, “continuity is good,” and not just with coaches.

        “Every time you make a change there's a tremendous amount of things that have to be re-learned and taught because there are different ways of doing it and that all takes time ... I'm not talking about (just) coaching, but about players, the daily schedule. You can change all this stuff, but it takes awhile to get used to, and it takes awhile to implement the football changes.”

       

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