Alstott will sit out game at Miami

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By RICK STROUD

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 8, 2000

TAMPA -- Fullback Mike Alstott, still nursing a sore left hamstring, will miss his second preseason game Thursday night when the Bucs visit the Miami Dolphins.

Alstott, who missed nearly all of training camp two years ago recovering from a sprained hip, is still able to do weight and cardiovascular training and should return to practice next week.

"Our biggest fight with him is going to be keeping him out," coach Tony Dungy said. (Trainer) Todd (Toriscelli) wants to keep him out, let it get completely healed. Mike would rather to continue to go in practice. If he was in the regular season, he would be going but there's really no point."

Two other starters -- left tackle Jason Odom (back) and safety Damien Robinson (hamstring) -- also will not play against the Dolphins.

Tight end Patrick Hape (foot), who was held out of practice Monday, and rookie tight end James Whalen (hamstring) are questionable against Miami. Rookie running back Aaron Stecker was added to the injury report after Monday afternoon's practice with a right quad strain and is questionable.

Receiver Keyshawn Johnson (knee sprain) and linebacker Jeff Gooch (left foot infection) are probable.

QUARTERBACK SHUFFLE: Quarterback Shaun King will start Thursday night's game and is expected to play at least the first half. The Bucs would like to get King at least 25 to 30 snaps.

Dungy expressed doubt the Bucs would be able to play all four quarterbacks. "I doubt it because we'll probably try to play Shaun a little bit more and play our first group a little bit longer," Dungy said. "If we have the ball 36 or 37 minutes again, maybe we will. With what you can perceive in a regular game with 30 or 31 minutes and Shaun's playing more, I don't know that we'll get to play all four."

Dungy refused to say which quarterback might be held out, but it is expected to be fourth-year veteran Scott Milanovich or rookie Joe Hamilton.

FIGHTING WORDS: The Bucs and Dolphins have been scrimmaging in the newspapers since their joint practice at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando nine days ago.

Dolphins rookie tackle Todd Wade began the war of words when he was quoted in a Miami Herald story last week saying he had "no respect" for Bucs tackle Warren Sapp, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.

Wade was admonished for his comments the next day by his Dolphins teammates. But on Monday, Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin still was searching for some bulletin board material.

Dungy said he does not expect there to be any after-the-whistle incidents Thursday.

"I doubt it very seriously, that it will have any impact on the game," Dungy said. "I guess it's more entertainment value than having anything to do with what happens on the field. Who plays the best usually wins. Generally speaking, guys who are playing don't have time to talk. I guess with some of our guys, that's not always the case. We have a few guys that play and talk at the same time."

HUSTLE AWARD: Rookie running back Aaron Stecker saved a touchdown and maybe the game Friday night when he sprinted more than 60 yards to tackle Redskins linebacker Eddie Mason at the Tampa Bay 13-yard line following his 77-yard interception return.

Stecker did not have significant rushing (four carries for 2 yards) or receiving stats (three catches, 12 yards) in the game, but the play did not go unnoticed by the coaching staff.

"He plays 100 percent. I was not surprised he played that play all the way out. I wasn't surprised at that effort," Dungy said.

"That's what you try to get across to your team. You play for four quarters, play every play until the whistle blows. That ended up saving us four points in a game that you win by one point. That's obviously a big play. You don't know at the time when you see a ball tipped and you're on the other side of the field that it was going to happen. But you play until the whistle blows, and Aaron does that and that's the habit you like to see in guys."

GAME GOALS: The Bucs' focus in the preseason opener against the Redskins was the passing game. Against Miami, it will be getting the running game on track after averaging 1.9 yards per carry against the Redskins.

"I'd like to get our running game going a little better than it was in that game (Friday)," Dungy said. "See if we can get our backs into the secondary a little bit better. (Receivers coach) Charlie (Williams) wants to get our downfield blocking a little better. Defensively, I'd like to see us play the running game a little bit better than we did in our first game. We'd like to keep the turnovers going and eliminate them on offense. We've got to eliminate the penalties on special teams."

As for the kicking game, Dungy said place-kicker Martin Gramatica, who missed field goal tries of 46 and 28 yards wide left Friday, has straightened out his problems.

"He was left last week and this week we've done a little extra, more so than we normally do, of trying to get him in those situations where we're on the sideline and he comes in and kicks," Dungy said. "Then back out for five minutes and come in and kick. So far, early in the week, he's been back to his old self."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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