Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy enters his third training camp with a new attitude coming off his second straight biceps injury. McCoy's 2011 season ended when he tore his left biceps against the Saints, forcing him to miss final ten games of his sophomore season in the NFL. In 2010, he missed his final three games after tearing the biceps in his right arm. But the big Oklahoma defensive tackle says he's motivated and determined to play a full campaign, and he'll go even harder in 2012. Via Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune:
"They are going to make me play harder because people get hurt when you slow down,'' McCoy said. "People going full speed usually don't get hurt, so to prevent injuries, I'm going to go harder.''
McCoy said he's not going to change the way he plays the game, but he did indicate that new coach Greg Schiano has implemented drills to improve his tackling -- hopefully something that will help him avoid a recurring injury:
"Coach Schiano has us doing (that) tackling circuit before every practice and I've never done anything like that, so it's teaching me how to tackle,'' McCoy said. "I was just playing football before, but him putting us through that tackling circuit, it's really helping us get better."
He has the potential to be the solid anchor in the center of Schiano's defense for years to come, and it's good to see that there will be no carry-over effects from last season's injury.
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