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Webster enjoying his time with the starters

By ROGER MILLS and DARRELL FRY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 6, 2001

TAMPA -- With Jamie Duncan on the sideline nursing a pulled right hamstring, second-year middle linebacker Nate Webster got his first taste of first-team play when the Bucs opened their scrimmage Saturday at Pepin/Rood Stadium.

[Times photo: Michael Rondou] Ryan Leaf reacts unhappily after an incompletion on Saturday.

While his time with the first unit may be short -- Duncan's injury doesn't appear serious -- Webster said he is savoring any opportunity to play with the starters.

"I feel good," Webster said Saturday. "I just know that I'm out there with some gangsters and I can't be a prankster. I have to be a gangster, too."

Playing alongside weakside linebacker Shelton Quarles and strongside linebacker Al Singleton, Webster was in on several tackles before the reserves entered the game.

A fiery personality on and off the field, the former Miami Hurricane said he doesn't have time to worry about supplanting Duncan as a starter.

"You have to play your game," Webster said. "You can't get into all of that thinking. You want to compete for a job, but you got to play your game. It's 16 games plus four preseason games so you have to have the same routine and that's all you can do."

HOT CORNERS: With Donnie Abraham, Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly already in the mix, the Bucs are not in desperate need of additional corners, but appear to have them.

Second-year player Anthony Midget and rookie Dwight Smith had a strong first week of practice and have caught the eyes of the coaching staff.

In Saturday's intrasqaud game, Smith and Midget had interceptions and Smith narrowly missed another.

"Dwight had a good day and he's actually had a good week," coach Tony Dungy said. "He's got a nose for the ball and I think as he's learning our zone concepts, he's going to be a guy that makes plays and we're happy with his progress."

Smith, who was disappointed he couldn't keep his hands on the ball for a second interception, said: "I'm getting better every day. The coaching here is great. They are being patient and helping me with the system.

"And the older guys are keeping me grounded."

Midget, a former standout at Virginia Tech who spent last year on the practice squad, also has turned heads.

"He's doing a good job, finding the ball and it's something we like to see," Dungy said. "We liked him coming out of the draft. When (Atlanta) let him go we were happy to get him on our practice squad, because he's a guy who played in a national championship game and had a lot of experience playing big-time football. That was the thing we saw in college. He just had a knack of making plays."

GOOD WORK ON THE LINE: One thing offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen was pleased with was the play of the two starting offensive lineman, second-year right guard Cosey Coleman and first-year left tackle Kenyatta Walker.

"I think the positives are the offensive line," Christensen said. "I think we're more athletic and further ahead than at this point since I've been in Tampa. I like Cosey and I think our left tackle is coming on. Both of those guys are having extremely good camps.

"I think we've expected it from Cosey because we had a chance to look at him (last year). But I think the jump (Kenyatta) made from minicamp to now, considering that some guys take a step back when you put the pads on, he really stepped up his play and stayed up with the pace of this thing and that's a good sign."

READY OR NOT: With the preseason opener one week away, are the Bucs ready?

"No, we're not ready yet," Dungy said, "but we have another week where we can go back and cover some things. We'll have three good practices against Miami, and I'm sure by Monday night we'll be ready."

JOHNSON CRASH COURSE: Although he has returned to practice, quarterback Brad Johnson will have catching up to do.

"We'll have to get Brad going and accelerate him a little bit and (increase) his reps a bit more than we probably normally would at this point," Christensen said. "So, we've got some work ahead of us."

Johnson hasn't participated in scrimmage drills since cutting his left knee July 24.

"We'll give a little more work next week than he was scheduled for and that should catch him back up," Dungy said.

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