Out of bounds

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published August 15, 2005

Jon Gruden is going back to school - well, sort of. Much like many college coaches do, Gruden and his assistants are awarding helmet stickers to players for big plays in preseason games.

The stickers feature a skull and two swords similar to the team's helmet emblem, and have the words "Opponent Killer" inscribed on them.

Unlike Florida State, where the Seminoles have their tomahawk stickers, these don't have a clever nickname nor can they be worn in games. But it's just something to break up the monotony of training camp while recognizing impressive play.

"It's something we're using to have some fun with the guys," Gruden said. "We're not allowed to reward players with money because it's against the collective bargaining agreement and the salary cap and things of that nature. So, the best I can do is a sticker on a helmet."

League rules prohibit teams from altering the uniform in any fashion, so the stickers will be worn only during practices. Some players got a kick out of them Sunday, like Earnest Graham, who earned his share of stickers for his 62-yard, two-touchdown performance Friday against the Titans in the preseason opener. But the former Florida running back wasn't so sure he deserved his stickers.

"I want to take them off myself because I had a fumble and that kind of (outweighs) everything for me," he said. "But I guess I made a few plays and they gave me some stickers. It was a cool thing to get. Even though you're going to do it anyway, it gives you a little incentive to go out there and make a big play."

QUOTABLE

"If we have seven guys out in Minnesota, we'll have to adjust. So, we're adjusting." - Gruden talking about the season opener and the number of injuries on the offensive line

FRESH FACE

BRYANT MCNEAL

POSITION: Defensive end

HT./WT.: 6-5, 255.

COLLEGE: Clemson.

BACK IN THE DAY: McNeal has been around the NFL since 2003, when he was a fourth-round pick of the Broncos. But he hasn't seen much of the field. Last season, he joined the Bucs in December but never appeared in a game. Ditto the year before in Denver, where he was inactive for the first seven games before being placed on injured reserve. At Clemson, he was a starter in his junior and senior seasons, earning second team All-ACC honors as a senior. That year, he had a career-high 64 tackles and a team-leading eight sacks.

TO MAKE THE TEAM: He needs to keep making plays like he did against the Titans in the preseason opener. He is listed on the second team at right end behind Simeon Rice and will be on the opening day roster if he can retain that spot.

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: He comes from a bit of a big family. Make that very big. He has six brothers and five sisters. The family hails from Swansea, S.C., a town of just more than 500 in the central part of the state. He was an all-area selection in basketball as a senior at Swansea High, when he averaged a double double.

QUOTE: "That felt good. This is my third year and that was my first one. It felt real, real good," Bryant said after recording a sack against Tennessee on Friday

[Last modified August 15, 2005, 02:30:20]