Russini in Richmond: Putting on the Pads in Day 3

News4's Dianna Russini is in Richmond throughout Redskins Training Camp, and sending regular reports. Here's today's news from camp.

Hey Guys!

Day 3 of Training Camp here in Richmond and the shoulder pads are on! After months of running plays wearing shorts, the team finally is playing real football.

The best part, nobody is playing politely. The intensity, the tempo, the competition, everything has picked up. Right off the bat, you could feel the difference out on the field.

Robert Griffin III says they talked about it in the locker room, when the pads are on, that's when you find out the real football players. They can be very revealing.

It is the truth too, many players don't feel like "its real" until the pads are on. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall said he was actually a little nervous putting them on because he knows its time to start hitting. After the first couple pops, he says he was settled.

Rookie LB Trent Murphy told me he was a frustrated with some of his play (he also admits he's a perfectionist) but getting the first hit felt like cleaning off the dust.

Brian Orakpo calls it just another day in the office for him. He says when you are in the trenches all the time you always feel like you are in pads. DeSean Jackson also loves the idea of getting back to real football he calls it.

  • The best play in camp so far was DeAngelo Hall's pick 6. Robert Griffin III's throw to DJax on the right side cleanly intercepted by Hall.

After practice he told me he showed DJax a picture of a lion this morning with the quote "If you want to be lion you have to train with the lions" (You can look at my twitter @nbcDianna, DeAngelo tweeted me the picture.)

  • Ryan Clark wore his white game pants to practice. He was the only one. He told me that he's in game mode. He also tried to get the rest of the defense to do it but nobody would listen to him. He laughed and said his leadership needs to improve.
  • Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay is the most active person on the field. He never stops running around, talking, cheering, getting in player's faces. He's only 28 year old. He also always wears a long sleeve shirt...even in the heat. I'm interviewing him later and that will air Sunday night at 11:30pm.
  • Jay Gruden's wife was on the sidelines today, we will talk to her later today too about this experience as a first time, first tim head coach's wife
     
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