By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MOBILE, Ala. - Other than kickers and punters, it's fair to say that few of the 95 Senior Bowl players were involved in the kicking game in college.

Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons, who will manage the coverage and return teams for the North all-star team, will get an invaluable inside look at how these all-star players handle the often-inglorious job of special teams.

"They've got to understand if you're not a first- or second-round draft pick, the way it works in this league, you start out playing special teams," Simmons said. "So a lot of what they do in these bowl games will be evaluated heavily by special teams coaches. Everybody watches these tapes. If they have a bad attitude, it shows up."

In his first season on staff, Simmons transformed the Bengals special teams from liability to asset. Simmons, as assistant special teams and assistant strength coach, coached in the Senior Bowl in 2000 as a member of the Carolina Panthers staff.

WELCOME, HUE: New wide receivers coach Hue Jackson, hired Friday to replace Alex Wood, greeted several of his colleagues in the lobby of the Adam's Mark hotel in downtown Mobile.

Beside coach Marvin Lewis, Jackson said he knew Bengals linebackers coach Ricky Hunley and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese.

"It's a good start to get a chance to be with some players we're possibly thinking of drafting and to see them hands on," Jackson said.

SENIOR STATUS: The Senior Bowl has evolved as the top post-season all-star game for draft-eligible college seniors. A record 556 former participants, including 81 rookies, made the opening day rosters of the 32 NFL teams.

FAMILIAR FACES: Former Bengals and New York Giants offensive line coach Jim McNally showed up Sunday as new offensive line coach of his hometown Buffalo Bills. ... Former Bengals special teams coach Al Roberts checked into the Adam's Mark hotel mid-afternoon Sunday. ... A record 900 credentials were issued for NFL-affiliated personnel (non-media) for this year's game and practices. With seven head coach changes in the NFL (only Oakland remains unfilled), dozens of out-of-work coaches travel to Mobile in search of jobs. ... Former Miami RedHawks assistant Sean Payton, quarterbacks-assistant head coach with the Cowboys, is considered one of the leading candidates for the Raiders job. ... Former Bengals cornerback Charles Fisher, a second-round draft pick who played in only one game for the Bengals (the 1999 opener) because of injury, is in Mobile working as a scout for the Seattle Seahawks. Fisher, a four-year roommate of Bengals defensive tackle John Thornton at West Virginia, continues to make his home in Greater Cincinnati.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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