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Rookie Jameel Cook has earned respect of Bucs coaches as several veterans nurse injuries.
By ROGER MILLS
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 24, 2001
TAMPA -- There was a point during Bucs training camp when rookie fullback Jameel Cook had the sympathy of the players and coaching staff.
Given an unpredictable turn of events, he would have been allowed to complain about the two-a-day grind. With Pro Bowl fullback Mike Alstott nursing a left hamstring strain, Charles Kirby out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon and four-year veteran Rabih Abdullah limited by a moderate hamstring strain, Cook was the only fullback on the roster.
He played with the third team.
Then the second.
Then the first. If the offense was on the field, so was Cook. He didn't get much chance to rest, but he never complained.
"I didn't, I couldn't," Cook said. "When you set your mind like that, that's when you're going to break down. I went in thinking I had to do this for the team. Not once did coach (Tony Dungy) come to me and say, "Hey, you have to suck it up and do it for the team." He didn't have to say it. It was on me. I had to practice. I had to do what I had to do."
And he did it well. So well, in fact, that the sixth-round pick out of the University of Illinois appears to have carved himself not just a spot on an already competitive roster, but may have played himself onto the field when the season gets underway.
"It's been a dream come true," he said. "I dreamt about it being hard and I dreamt about it being a grind, and it is. But this is what I always wanted and it's panning out right now. There have been a couple injuries and I'm praying for them to get back, but right now I have to take advantage of my situation and just go out and play ball.
"I've been through a lot of situations like this through my high school and college career. I've always had to work hard to gain any success, wherever I've been."
Through the first four weeks of the preseason, Cooke has sent a few messages about what he can do.
At the forefront is his physical conditioning. At 5 feet 10, 237 pounds, the former running back converted to fullback has shown he can pack quite a hit at the line of scrimmage.
"He has a lot of energy, no doubt," teammate Warrick Dunn said. "While he knew it was bad for other guys to get hurt, it benefited him because he got a lot of experience. He had a chance to go with the first, second and third teams. He showed he can push himself."
Naturally, Cook said, the valuable experience did come with a price.
"Every day I was tired," he said. "Every day. I wanted it so bad. But I got to the point where it was like, "Whatever.' I just had to grind it out (and) keep going."
There has been some relief. Abdullah has returned to practice, and the Bucs signed Leroy McFadden to ease some of the fullback duties for Cook.
"He's definitely accepted the challenge and is coming to work everyday, doing what he has to do," running backs coach Tony Nathan said. "We've thrown a lot at him and a lot of that is starting to run together on him."
The Bucs also learned that Cook can contribute in a number of ways. Against Cleveland on Saturday, Cook had a crucial five-yard reception on third and two that kept a Bucs drive alive.
"There's no limit to what I can do," Cook said. "In Cleveland they called my number and I made the catch. That type of thing instills confidence in the team and the coaches that they can depend on me. I want to be dependable to the team."
But the most important thing the Bucs have learned about Cook thus far is he is willing to learn the nuances of blocking and accept that as his purpose on the team.
"I told him that from day one, "Your role here is going to be a battering ram,' " Nathan said. "More so than anything else. But I'm just trying to get his feet wet so that if we have to go that way, it won't be a total shock to him. I told him don't get too comfortable with the ball in your hand, unless he plans to catch it."
Cook said he's fine with the team's decision.
"I've came to grips with that," Cook said. "When I got drafted they told me they wanted me to come in and block. All the other things are just bonuses. I know I can do it, and now they know further on down the line I can do it. But now I'm focussed on my blocking and I want to continue to get better at that."
Said coach Tony Dungy: "I think it's been good for him. We obviously went in seeing if he could do the job and he's gotten more opportunities than he would have and it's good that he's taken advantage of it. He's doing fine. He's a tough guy. He'll block well enough, he'll catch the football. I think he'll be fine for us."