Fall Camp: Day 7 Wrap-Ups

Stephen Tsai profiles offensive line coach Gordy Shaw.

Gordy Shaw, who was hired as offensive line coach in January, offers an encouraging toned-down style that is in contrast to the stereotypical line coach's demeanor.

"I never liked being de-humanized when I was a player by a coach," Shaw said. "I had some coaches who coached that way. But that's not me."

Shaw's method has had positive results in spring training and the first week of training camp.

"He's the kind of guy who, as long as you do what he wants and don't mess up too much, he'll be your best friend," offensive tackle Brett Leonard said. "If you mess up, he'll get on you, but right after that, he'll take you back."

Shaw's sensitivity to his linemen's history — there have been four line coaches in the previous four years — has helped the transition.

Tsai also writes about the running backs practicing their blocking, the problem caused by Alex Dunnachie's punts soaring too high, Billy Ray Stutzmann's return from injury, and Alema Tachibana's addition to the training camp roster.

Jason Kaneshiro talks to running backs Alex Green and Chizzy Dimude.

"I saw his highlight tape on YouTube," Green said of his first glimpses of Chizzy Dimude. "He was good, so I've got to step it up."

The duo finally met when they arrived for summer school last month and have bonded in fall camp while absorbing the nuances of playing running back in the run-and-shoot.

"The running, I feel like it's natural. You see the hole, you hit the hole," said Dimude, who juked through the defense for a couple of big gains during yesterday's practice.

"Blocking-wise I've got to get used to everything, get used to the schemes."

Kaneshiro also has notes about Stutzmann, Tachibana and receiver Ryan Henry.