Thread Tools

Display Modes

**RoyWilliams** · 08-03-2007, 09:45 AM

Rocky Mountain News - Denver and Colorado's reliable source for breaking news, sports and entertainment: Broncos & NFL

Quote:

There was the weight issue and the hamstring injury, then plummeting all the way to No. 45 in the 2006 draft, the Tennessee Titans grabbing him in the second round.

Then came an incident at practice in which he allegedly spit on a teammate during a skirmish, a move that left him suspended for the first preseason game and apologizing afterward.

While White vows to "show the world" this year how good he can be, there's no question the pressure is on as he enters Year 2.

The man he replaced in Tennessee, Travis Henry, now is with the Broncos, and all expectations are Henry will have a blockbuster season after rushing for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns in 2006.

The Titans gambled no one would pay Henry on the free-agent market, but the Broncos did, signing him to a five-year contract worth $22.5 million, including $12 million guaranteed.

That leaves White, despite his accolades at USC, in the middle of another skirmish, to settle who will carry the load for the Titans.

How much faith did the Titans have that White could do that?

During the offseason, they courted Michael Turner, re-signed former University of Colorado player Chris Brown and drafted speedy running back Chris Henry in the second round.

The question isn't White's talent, it's his dedication and commitment.

Shedding an image

Though White made his weight this year, showing up at 241 pounds when camp started a week ago, there's little question the job is his to earn, not lose.

Coach Jeff Fisher insisted there were no issues with White's weight, which had ballooned to 253 during the offseason. But assistant head coach/running backs Sherman Smith said the numbers don't always tell the story.

"A running back should be one of the best-conditioned players on the field and his condition wasn't terrible, but it's not where it needs to be," Smith said last week. "If he came in at 245 but was in good shape, then he can play with it, but he's not in top shape. He's not in good shape."

Smith expects it will take White all of camp to get there. That might not have been a problem years ago.

"Today, the game is set up where you don't come to camp to get in shape. You come to camp in shape, so, in a sense, he starts behind Brown and Henry and all the others," Smith said.

Smith said his plan is to rotate each back with the starters during practice.

Some members of the Tennessee media are pulling for the loquacious White, who has been accountable whenever controversy arrives.

So are guys such as former Titans running back Eddie George, who knows how much the team's success depends on White.

"Travis Henry took a lot of pressure off (quarterback) Vince Young last year," said George, an NFL analyst for Fox Sports Net. "He put them in situations where (the call) wasn't predictable. With LenDale, he's still kind of an enigma. You don't know what you're going to get from him as far as productivity, game in, game out. It remains to be seen how well LenDale comes around this year."

Long season

George said preseason isn't going to tell the whole story.

"The story will be told when November comes around and what kind of groove you're in and if you're healthy and how hard you're running and if you've really established yourself as the No. 1 guy," he said. "I don't know if LenDale is ready for that."

Ask White, a three-time Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado selection who helped Chatfield to the 2001 Class 5A state title, and he has no doubt he'll be the No. 1 guy when the season starts and when the Titans come to Denver for a Monday night game Nov. 19.

"Every year you've got something to prove," said White, who set USC's all-time record with 52 career rushing touchdowns. "With LaDainian Tomlinson being MVP last year, there's going to be people who look at him to see if he can repeat what he did. I'm happy I'm getting this opportunity where I can go out there every day. If you're not hungry for something, you'll fail.

"I'm hungry to be the starting tailback, to help my team win and go deep in the playoffs. I want to be the starter and be one of the great players in the NFL. I've got a lot to prove, and that's the way I want it to be."

White called last season, and even the issues this offseason, all growing pains.

"There's a difference between the NFL and college. You've got a lot more time off and it's up to you to handle your business," he said. "I can't lie to you. I took a little bit of time off, more than I should have, but I knew that I was going to get right."

He certainly has plenty of room to improve after a rookie season in which he carried 61 times for 244 yards and no touchdowns.

"I feel like this is one of the biggest years for me in my career, even with USC and high school football. I feel like this is the biggest year for me as a football player," White said. "A lot of people are looking at me to see if I can get the job done. There's a lot of people who have faith in me and know that I can play football. This is my opportunity to show the world."

With any luck, he'll have a chance to tack up a new photo, one of him scoring in a regular-season game for the Titans.

What they're saying about White

• Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck: "Travis Henry is one of my friends and I wish him the best of luck and know he's going to do great with the Broncos. But LenDale, now it's his time to shine. They drafted him in the second round and he felt he should have gone in the first. All those things he can rectify by coming into camp and working hard. I'm not sure he fully grasps (the big opportunity he has). He's young."

• Former Titans running back Eddie George, now a Fox Sports Net analyst: "Maybe LenDale's mind-set is that he's a gamer and just needs to show up to games. That may work for some guys, but for as long as I've been around the NFL and see guys work, to play that position, you've got to be in great physical condition. There is no way you can carry 30 in and 30 out each and every week just off pure talent. You've got to work, work out and prepare your body and your mind for that challenge."

• Titans tight end Bo Scaife, a Mullen High School graduate: "You've got to understand, LenDale is only 22 years old. He's still young. He just has to go out there and stay focused and do what he's been doing. The coaches know he has the talent to be a starter and he knows he has to understand this is a job and what he's here for."

• Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch: "He has all the tools to be one of the best. It's really on him to take the next step. We saw his upside and still see it in flashes. His big thing will be consistency."

• Titans assistant head coach/running backs Sherman Smith: "I know he's working hard and he's probably working harder than he's ever worked, but he's got to work harder. . . . You can tell he still hasn't gotten it. You can tell that because you can see the spurts. It's on and it's off. It's on and it's off. It's got to be on all the time and it's not. I think the problem with him is he's had success doing it this way but he didn't have success at this level. It's different now. It's a different league and he's becoming convinced of it. I think he's going to be more convinced of it once we get through the preseason."

White's words

• On the lowest point last season: "Being 0-5. I never lost five games in a row in my life."

• On playing a regular-season game in Denver (Nov. 19): "I know my grandma will get to come out and see that. She loves the Broncos, but her baby plays for the Titans. It will be good to get her out and let her enjoy life because she's struggling with stuff."

• On keeping up with Travis Henry, who is expected to have a big year for the Broncos:

"I know what kind of hard worker he is and with that line, he should have an exceptional year. But I feel like our team has just as good an offensive line. We have great football players and they're going to open up the holes; I've just got to run through them."

• On not scoring a touchdown last season: "Travis had an exceptional year. You've got to put things in perspective. He did what he was supposed to do and there really weren't a lot of opportunities for me."

• On how the backfield battle this year will finish: "I don't knock anybody. We have some great, talented football players here, but I feel like I'm the starter and I'm going to do everything I can to be the starter."