Kerney takes new leadership role

FLOWERY BRANCH - A heat index of 100 degrees Tuesday only made Patrick Kerney bark louder at his teammates.

``Jog it off! Jog it off!'' the Atlanta Falcons' Pro Bowl defensive end yelled at anyone he perceived to be loafing. ``All the way off!''

Everyone from established veterans to wide-eyed rookies felt Kerney's wrath on the second day of the Atlanta Falcons' training camp. Ed Hartwell, the new $26 million middle linebacker, broke into a light run as Kerney bellowed.

Rookie linebacker Michael Boley got an earful as he left the field with the second-team defense. Many observers agreed that Kerney, a six-year veteran, spoke louder and more often than he had at any practice in his career.

When the session ended and head coach Jim Mora issued instructions for the rest of the day, Kerney addressed the entire team.

``He wanted to break the team down at the end so that he could say something,'' Mora said. ``Patrick has high expectations for himself and for this football team. You love it when your best players are also your hardest workers and the guys that are not afraid to grab someone by the shoulder pads and pull them along. I saw that with Patrick today, and that's part of the culture that we want to have.''

Kerney offered no apologies. He knows that Mora and general manager Rich McKay were determined to improve the speed of Atlanta's defense during the offseason, and Kerney likes the acquisitions of veterans like Hartwell and Ike Reese and draft picks like Boley, Jonathan Babineaux, Jordan Beck, Chauncey Davis and Darrell Shropshire.

Just because he likes those moves, however, doesn't mean Kerney will let players like Boley slide.

``You've got a guy coming out of college who runs a 4.4, but he doesn't know how to run a 4.4 in the fourth quarter, he's worthless to you,'' Kerney said. ``We draft fast guys, but it's with the mindset that they'll be just as fast in the fourth quarter. Well, you don't get like that by Mother Nature. That's something you've got to work for, and you've got to pay the price for.''

Such comments were rarely heard from players in Kerney's first five years with the Falcons, all under former head coach Dan Reeves. Kerney always speaks fondly of Reeves, who made him a first-round draft pick in 1999, but no one disputes that practice and preparation grew stale in the previous regime.

Entering his second year with Mora at the helm, Kerney feels empowered. Mora made peer-to-peer accountability a locker room mantra when he took charge 18 months ago.

Those words took on deeper meaning as the Falcons won the NFC South last year and advanced to the conference title game.

``I love it,'' Mora said of Kerney's leadership. ``He cut to the chase. Pro football is a brutal environment. These guys depend on each other so much. It's a complete team sport, especially defense.''

Other than four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking, no player has a longer tenure in Atlanta than Kerney. His first three teams went a combined 16-32 before owner Arthur Blank bought the team, took personnel decisions away from Reeves and insisted that Michael Vick become the starting quarterback.

The Falcons earned a wildcard playoff berth in 2002, but the bottom fell out the following year when Vick broke his ankle in preseason. Blank fired Reeves before the season ended and lured McKay to become general manager.

Mora arrived Jan. 8, 2004 and vowed to rebuild a defense that became a laughingstock in the final year of Reeves and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. In 1997-98, during his first two years as the secondary coach in San Francisco, Mora watched leaders like Steve Young and Jerry Rice take charge of the locker room and challenge anyone who slacked off.

``It doesn't have to always be up to the coaching staff to get guys going,'' Mora said. ``I think sometimes it can be more powerful than a coach (is saying) to push through the tough times. When it's coming through from your peers, it's a little more biting.''

Kerney's work ethic has allowed him to endure fatigue and break down slower offensive tackles when the fourth quarter begins. Though he rarely speaks fondly of former position coach Bill Kollar, Kerney acknowledges that his old boss taught him several hard lessons as a rookie.

``It was another summer like this, where it was like a 110-degree heat index, and he used me over and over and over again with the first, second and third team,'' Kerney said. ``I had to do individual drills twice as much as anybody. From that, I do have a lot of confidence. I do believe I won't break, and I believe I'm as tough as just about anybody.''

NOTES: Though he reported no substantial progress in contract talks with Neil Schwartz, McKay was hopeful he could sign Roddy White and get him in camp soon. ... Mora said that reserve defensive tackle Brandon Mitchell would visit a back specialist after leaving practice Monday afternoon. Mitchell, who spent the last three years in Seattle, is projected to battle Babineaux and Antwan Lake for playing time behind Rod Coleman and Chad Lavalais. ... Several veterans who had lower-body injuries last year were held out of the morning session. That list included Brooking, Alge Crumpler, Warrick Dunn, Keion Carpenter and Steve Herndon. Mora planned to take the same approach with Justin Griffith and Jason Webster in the night session.