New back attempts to get up to speed

Bucs hope Bennett's quickness extends from legs to learning a hefty playbook.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Published October 18, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Brendan Fitterer | Times] New running back Michael Bennett, right, likely will see Earnest Graham, left, and B.J. Askew, center, get the bulk of playing time this week as he works to grasp the offense.

TAMPA - Michael Bennett hopped into his rental car Wednesday morning eager to begin work with his new team. But upon leaving the hotel at Tampa International Airport, he took a wrong turn.

"I'm definitely excited. Hopefully I can settle down a little bit because I'm still on pins and needles, a little bit nervous, don't know where to go," Bennett said. "I got lost this morning. Again, once I find my way around and know everybody, I'll be all right."

If the new running back can navigate his way through the Bucs playbook, his career could also make a welcome U-turn.

Bennett, 29, came from Kansas City on Tuesday in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick in '08 and '09, based on performance criteria.

Injuries to Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman in consecutive weeks have helped erode the Bucs' ground game, and running backs have mustered only 39 yards rushing the past two games.

In Kansas City, Bennett was buried on the depth chart behind Larry Johnson and rookie Kolby Smith. Veteran Priest Holmes returned to practice Wednesday after spending six weeks on the physically unable to perform list.

Though surprised by the trade, the 5-foot-9, 207-pound Bennett embraced it.

A 2001 first-round pick of the Vikings, he rushed for a career-high 1,296 yards and five touchdowns in 2002. Injuries plagued him the next two seasons until he signed a three-year deal with New Orleans in 2006. But he was dealt to the Chiefs after the Saints drafted Reggie Bush.

Bennett believes his career has been derailed by a few cases of bad timing.

"It's just kind of being, you could say, in the right place but at the wrong time or vice versa," he said. "Again, I mean, it's just opportunity, and I think this is a great opportunity for me to come in and play more than I was playing in Kansas City. I'm around a veteran team, a lot of great leadership on and off the field, so I'm definitely thrilled to be here."

Coach Jon Gruden was so excited to add Bennett's speed that he announced to his team Wednesday morning that Bennett had run a 10.3-second 100. Bennett quickly corrected him: "That was in high school. I ran 9.98 in college."

How fast the Bucs can incorporate Bennett into their game plan against the Lions is uncertain. Gruden's offense, with the voluminous terminology and multitude of shifts and formations, is hard for most to grasp.

"I mean, it's like me trying to learn Chinese in 48 hours," Bennett said. "It's not going to happen. But that's why we have the coaches and the veteran players, the guys who have been here before, to kind of help me along with the progress."

Running backs coach Art Valero said the Lions are aware of the complexity of Gruden's offense because coach Rod Marinelli and defensive coordinator Joe Barry both worked under him in Tampa Bay.

"I know that Joe B. and Rod know the complexities of this offense and somebody off the street can't come in and say, 'Let's rock and roll,'" Valero said. "It's serious chess, and I haven't even moved my pawn."

For that reason, the Bucs will rely mostly on Earnest Graham, who produced just 29 rushing yards on 13 carries in his first NFL regular-season start last weekend against the Titans.

"If Earnest does get tired or does come out of the game early like we've seen the last couple games here, you might need to have a little bigger package for the guy," Gruden said. "So we've got to prepare him for the big picture and the short term also this Sunday.

"The threat of speed is sometimes as important as anything. There's no doubt he can get the corner and be a force on the perimeter, and he has been a guy who's comfortable in a pass-protection and route-running role, and now it's just a matter of rewiring his circuit to be comfortable with how we call plays."

Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@tampabay.com.

[Last modified October 17, 2007, 23:53:56]