BY PAUL SCHWARTZ
ALBANY – It was nice and cool last night but things heated up on the field, with the Giants engaging in their most spirited and heated practice of training camp. Actually, things became over-heated and Tom Coughlin had to momentarily stop the proceedings and admonish his team to calm down.
The main combatants were linebacker Bryan Kehl and fullback Madison Hedgecock, who twice squared off in separate and escalating scuffles. After the second altercation, the action picked up when defensive end Dave Tollefson cleanly shoved rookie tackle William Beatty to the ground and Beatty tumbled over Cliff Louis, a first-year offensive lineman. Beatty got up, Louis didn’t and had to be helped off the field with what looked to be a potentially serious injury to his left ankle. That’s when Coughlin temporarily halted practice.
Offensive lineman Kevin Boothe was forced out with a pectoral injury.
As far as the football action, there were several highlights:
WR Domenik Hixon laid out for a 50-yard reception; WR Steve Smith finally caught one deep, beating CB Terrell Thomas for an over-the-shoulder grab; rookie S Sha’reff Rashad intercepted David Carr and CB Corey Webster picked off Eli Manning; WR Derek Hagan continued to excel with a leaping catch and rookie WR Ramses Barden skied for a one-handed catch over rookie CB Stoney Woodson.
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The art of snapping continues to elude the Giants wannabe centers. Starter Shaun O’Hara (triceps) sat out both practices and the performances of his understudies were not promising. Adam Koets, who has struggled with the quarterback-center exchange, bounced a shotgun snap in the evening. Tutan Reyes on a shotgun snap sailed the ball over the reach of Carr. A few plays later, Kevin Boothe out of the shotgun snapped one high and wide and all the 6-foot-3 Carr could do was barely get a hand on the ball.
One of the problems is none of the backups has much experience playing center.
“You have a little bit of patience from that standpoint,” offensive line coach Pat Flaherty said. “I’m not nervous about it but we’re going to accelerate and get the thing going.”
After agreeing to terms Wednesday on a six-year, $97.5 million contract extension Eli Manning still has not signed the new contract. A snag? “Nothing to report,” general manager Jerry Reese said. “There are a lot of details in this kind of deal. There’s no timetable. I’m not concerned at all.”
WR David Tyree (groin), WR Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) and O’Hara (triceps) did not work. … A leaping interception by S Kenny Phillips off a Manning pass intended for Domenik Hixon highlighted the morning practice. Later, Kehl picked off Carr.