Titans wrap up first week with no visitors

“Before we had veteran teams,” Bulluck said Friday. “This year is more of a learning training camp. You see a lot more learning going on, a lot more coaching going on than in years past. It’s not different. It was a good first week…. Maybe we’re like…a week behind the schedule.”

Breaking up the monotony of training camp with the help of another team to scrimmage with has been a staple of coach Jeff Fisher’s schedule the previous five years starting with a trip to Macomb, Ill., to work against the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

Then, he became the gracious host.

He invited Indianapolis for a visit in 2001. When the NFL switched up divisions, working against an AFC South opponent like the Colts became impossible. So Fisher and then-Miami coach Dave Wannstedt agreed to bring the Dolphins up to Nashville in 2002 and 2003. Fisher landed Atlanta and Michael Vick for a visit in 2004.

But Atlanta is in Tokyo for the first exhibition against Indianapolis, and the Buffalo Bills already had committed to a scrimmage against Green Bay. Fisher could find no other clubs able to squeeze a visit into their schedules.

So Fisher scheduled a night practice and rookie scrimmage for The Coliseum on Friday night. The gates opened at 7 p.m. CDT with no charge for fans able to get autographs from the entire team before starting practice with some scrimmage work between the rookies.

Fisher still sounds like he wishes his Titans could have found someone else to practice with this weekend.

“There’s no substitute for working against another club. It brings your legs back, and it eliminates all the soreness. There’s a lull at the end of this first week. But, we’re going to do our best,” Fisher said.

Linebacker Rocky Boiman said he would like to see another team, but he admitted it’s probably a good idea for the Titans to concentrate on themselves with so much youth.

“I know from experience you kind of forget everything you learn, and you kind of go in a deer-in-the-headlights thing when you go against another team,” Boiman said.

Rookie offensive lineman David Stewart, the Titans’ second pick in the fourth round out of Mississippi State, said he’s busy trying to learn his own plays and prepare for their exhibition opener against Tampa Bay on Aug. 12.

“I’ve got to worry about still competing just as hard. I guess it’s all a mental thing,” he said.

With parking and admission free, Bulluck estimated between 10,000 and 20,000 fans would help christen the rookies in their first experience at The Coliseum. Boiman said it’s always special when the Titans go to the stadium, even on nights when fans aren’t allowed to watch.

“No matter how bad you’re feeling or whatever it is…you want to look good when you play in the stadium because that’s where it all happens,” Boiman said.

However, because of the heat, the crowd was smaller and closer to 7,000. They got to watch the offense work with quarterback Steve McNair, and running back Chris Brown made a long run. Newly acquired running back Travis Henry sat out the session to rest a sore ankle, along with right guard Benji Olson and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Fisher was happy with the two-hour session.

“Guys came alive out there after a hot morning, and we got a lot accomplished,” Fisher said.

Meanwhile, Friday was the day of hazing for the rookies. Most of them found their clothes dumped in the team’s cold tub. Several other rookies had their heads shaved into unusual styles.

NOTES: … Two of the best tackles Friday night came from a pair of former Southeastern Conference quarterbacks. Shane Boyd of Kentucky tackled kickoff returner Courtney Roby, and converted safety Marcus Randall wrapped up Roby on another kickoff. That’s not all the special teams work Boyd did Friday. He practiced catching punts in the morning, and Fisher called him “a natural.”