My life was forever changed the second I received that phone call from the Detroit Lions in April of 2007.  I remember the feeling like it was yesterday, or really the lack of feeling when the phone rang.  As the phone was being passed around from the owners, to the front office and finally the coaches, I could not believe I was just drafted into the NFL.  At a time filled with such uncertainty, I felt a calmness to be returning home and an excitement for things to come.

Let me go back now, before the phone call and paint the picture of my day and how I spent it.  I had been training down in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., since December when I signed with my agent Drew Rosenhaus.  Over that time period I became close friends with his clients, as would be expected when you spend hours upon hours together training for the same thing.  So anyway, Drew's company, Rosenhaus Sports Representation, worked out a deal at the Shore Club hotel on South Beach in Miami.  They reserved three bungalows for the day of the draft, one of which was for myself and the other two for Greg Olsen and Lawrence Timmons.  We all had our families with us, along with a couple of close friends.  This allowed Drew the freedom to roam from each room as each of us were about to get drafted. It ended up working out perfectly.

So as the morning began I woke up and walked to breakfast with my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, and my family.  Of course any event that involves my family, either my mom or my sister will be running late, which was the case on this day as well.  By the time we finished breakfast the draft was about to begin, but I knew I was not going to go that high so I was not worried about it.  I knew there was a chance of me possibly going in the late first round, but more than likely the top to middle of the second round.  So when I arrived back to the bungalow I changed into my swimsuit and headed out to the ocean for a swim.  I relaxed out there for a while, away for the TVs and the hoopla in the other bungalows, as both those guys were projected to go in the first round.

After some time had passed I headed back to the bungalow to change into my suit, as eleeve provided me with a draft day suit to wear.  I remember beginning to really watch intently when Baltimore was on the clock, because I knew there was a chance they might take a QB.  At this point, Drew knew what teams were interested in me and did an amazing job of knowing where I could end up.  He thought Detroit was going to pick me with the second pick in the second round, but then they traded out of that spot.

For the next hour or so, until they got back on the clock at 43, I had no idea where I would end up and time literally seemed to stand still.  When the Eagles were on the clock my phone rang and it was my cousin. I was going to kill him for it, but moments later Detroit called and brought me to the beginning of this blog. 

After that phone call I did a couple interviews and proceeded to celebrate with my family and friends for a bit longer. The next morning I was on a flight to Detroit with my parents and have been here since.  

Hope you enjoyed how my draft day was spent, it was a special moment in my life.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Combine Memories
Written By Drew Stanton
March 3, 2010

Being around the young men that just went through the combine has brought back so many memories. 

The combine has become a place where prospects try to highlight their strengths, but teams are more focused on their weaknesses unless they put up eye popping numbers.  For instance, Bruce Campbell running a 4.7 at 315 pounds is downright scary, as is the player who benched 225 a record 45 times.  I think the general public looks at these numbers and is mesmerized, but the reality is that the most important thing is how they play on the field. 

A prime example is Joe Haden. He might be a 4.5 guy, but he plays much faster than that.  His stock might drop a little bit, but I guarantee is won’t drop that far.  His play speaks for itself. 

The 40-yard dash is basically a standardized test to help differentiate players. Just as the Wonderlic test is supposedly the measure of intelligence.  Unless you are a wide receiver, I do not know of any other position that will run a distance of 40 yards straight ahead on a consistent basis.  The other tests are similar in the fact that they do not directly correlate to football skills.

Don't even get me started on Tim Tebow jumping 38.5 inches in his vertical test, and I'm not a Tebow hater.  He is a great kid and will do whatever he can to try and make it in this league.  But why, when I turned on SportsCenter, did I have to hear about Tim Tebow’s vertical?  I know he invented the fake QB dive jump pass, and maybe that is why, because his vertical is 8.5 inches higher than mine and has little to do with quarterback play.

So now that you know I jumped 30 inches, I should also let you know I ran a 4.71 officially. Unless a QB runs a 4.6 or lower there is really no difference between a 4.7 and 4.9 in the grand scheme of things.  Bench pressing is also a worthless test for QBs to do at the combine, but my year Brady Quinn did it something like 22 times.  Again, falling back on my opinion, players do things they know they can excel at.  By looking at Brady, you can tell weight lifting is definitely one of his strengths. The most important thing for a quarterback to do is to throw, that is what we get paid to do.  And unless you are the consensus number one pick with nothing to prove, you are probably hiding a weakness.  Sure, you have no timing with the receivers, but it is more about doing the session.  The combine tries to see how you will respond to adverse situations, giving teams a better idea of what to expect in the future.

The combine is more for meetings and doctor evaluations, again, teams trying to get you out of your comfort zone.  All of your testing takes place on your final day of four in Indianapolis, so it’s almost an afterthought. The meetings are extremely important, as NFL teams have the chance to get you in a room one-on-one. 

Anyway, that is my two cents on the Combine.  Next week I head back to Michigan with my family, I'm hopeful the weather will start to get warmer upon my arrival.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Greetings from South Florida, our home away from home for the past month or so.

My family and I are scheduled to come back in the beginning of March when off-season training starts. My wife, two dogs and I have enjoyed our time down here tremendously, it’s been a very nice change of pace from the frigged weather up North. Yes, we know we are “snowbirds,” but we figured we better come down while we have the opportunity. On the way down we stopped in Greenville, SC, to see my wife's sister and brother in law, plus introduce ourselves to their newborn daughter, Anna Leigh Arends. I’m soooo excited to be an uncle and spoil her to death.

So anyway, the stop helped break up a long 22 hour drive. As soon as we got down here I began working out with Pete Bomorrito (of Bomorritto Performance Systems), he is the guy who trained me for the combine. I have been the utility arm that throws to the running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, so it has helped keep my arm in shape as well.  A good friend of mine, who trained with me for the combine, Greg Olsen, lives right down the street and we have been working out together. After workouts we try to squeeze in video games before our wives start to get annoyed of us playing, and sometimes we play for hours.

It is definitely one of the perks of playing in the NFL. The off-season consists of whatever you want it to in January and February. The four of us hang out a lot and our dogs loving playing together as well. So my day usually consists of workouts from 8 until noon, then I get home and relax for a while. We have been walking our two boxers almost every day, which is great exercise for everyone involved. We usually then go out to eat at some restaurant around us, there are plenty of great ones, and follow it up with a bottle of wine every so often. 

Sorry it has taken so long for an update, but as you can see there is not much to talk about right now. My next blog will consist of what I have been doing at workouts and what I have planned to get better in the off-season. Thanks for reading....

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

I Want to Stay in Detroit
Written By Drew Stanton
January 5, 2010

You can usually tell when you are being set up or pigeonholed into saying something that the media is looking for.  I got that feeling today and should have followed my instincts. Let me clarify something once and for all, I WANT TO BE IN DETROIT in whatever capacity I can be!!! 

I never said that I did not want to be in Detroit if I was to be the third string quarterback, I merely stated that third-string quarterbacks do not have long careers. I for one, would love to have a long career.  I recognize the importance of showing this franchise that my worth can exist as a backup.  I know what my role has the potential to be as the Detroit Lions move forward and that is what I am focused on. 

The other issue that was misrepresented was my health last week.  I had a high ankle sprain and was not moving around well in the beginning of the week and that is when I was told that Daunte would be starting.  I only took a few reps Wednesday, but by the end of the week I was feeling better and was listed as the number two QB for the game.  I was not looking to start anything in the media with my quotes.  I have always been and always will be a team guy. I understand the importance of it.  Coach Schwartz made a decision that he thought was in the best interest of the team, end of story.  I would never undermine him. 

I'm ready to put this behind me and I look forward to next year.  Thank you for reading this fall, check back for regular updates in the off-season. 

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Building on the Positives
Written By Drew Stanton
December 30, 2009

To say that was not the way I imagined my first start going isn't worth wasting my time to elaborate on.  I’m trying to focus and build on the positives of last week from here on and correct the mistakes that occurred.  It was great getting a full week of preparation to get comfortable and familiar with the game plan, a luxury I had yet to experience at this level. 

I felt confident in what we were trying to do on offense and it showed in our first drive. We were able to mix run and pass well, but would have loved to come away with a touchdown instead of a field goal. After that, as an offense we never really got back into a rhythm.  Anytime you turn the ball over four times at my position, you’re not going to win. Our defense was playing extremely well and we did not respond on offense, and that falls completely on my shoulders. That it was sat the worst with me on Sunday’s flight home. I felt as if I had let my teammates down. And that is about as bad of a feeling as you can have.  But I have had a rule about anything that happens in the game and will stick to it for as long as I play. Once I walk out of the film room and make corrections, right, wrong or indifferent, I leave my emotions in that room and move on to next week.

That’s was I have done at this point. The film is a teaching tape for me now. This really is a game of inches, because if I get that throw down to Mo or the ball more out in front of Calvin then we are looking at two more scores. The last throw was just all together bad, but I know what I was thinking and saw on film.  It's those split-second decisions that make the difference in games, and the teams that make them are the teams that are victorious. 

I'm looking forward to the last game of the season being at home and will hopefully get an opportunity to end the season on a high note for the Detroit Lions. Happy New Year! 

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

I've never lost a game and felt satisfied. I'm not a believer in, "if you tried your best it's good enough." That might be all right in high school, but I've yet to accept that. I hate losing.  In looking back there are always plays that could have gone a different way that would have altered the outcome. Those are the plays that stick with you and eat away at you until the next week arrives.

Those plays are the ones you learn from and make later on. Just as you remember the bad, the good plays are indescribable. When I got into that end zone to tie the game I had an emotion run through my body I cannot explain.  Unfortunately, I followed it up with a horrible attempt to jump into the stands.  I can explain why it looked so bad, though. It was because the person I was jumping toward was looking and I stopped for a second. Not to mention my "ups" are limited as is. 

Anyway, I had a lot of fun playing in a meaningful game and it was great to hear the fans chanting my name. It's always nice to know you're appreciated.

So as always it will be another interesting week in Detroit at the quarterback position.  Matthew’s shoulder has had two weeks to rest, so we will see how much he can do. After all, he is the starter. 

Stay tuned as I will try to update what's going on this week.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Time to Execute
Written By Drew Stanton
November 11, 2009

Any time you travel cross-country you never can know how your body is going to react the next day. And there are different philosophies as a head coach as it pertains to the best method for adapting and preparing. I think Coach Schwartz did the logical process by leaving Saturday (as usual for us), but leaving with enough time to do our walk-through in Seattle allowed us to get acclimated.

I think that paid off for us and was evident with the way we came out to start on Sunday. We looked crisp and were firing on all cylinders in the first quarter, but the talent is too good in this league to feel comfortable with any lead and when you have a team down you must keep pressing onward. We unfortunately were not able to do that and the result speaks for itself.

I feel somewhat uncomfortable talking about the game, as I was not out there playing, but I will try my best. I thought as an offense we executed the gameplan how we wanted and knew what to expect.  Seattle relies on the “12th man" to gain an advantage, and it is as good as any crowd in the NFL.  We took them out quick, first goal achieved.  We knew they wanted to try and be physical, second goal achieved by us to go out and punch them in the mouth (figuratively, not literally). 

But the biggest determining factor in the NFL is turnover ratio, and that unfortunately got away from us in the end.  I will say this in Matt's defense and leave it at this, he was going to the right places on ALL of his interceptions.  And sure it’s easy to sit back and say he needs to make throws, but from personal experience I can say things are moving fast and the littlest of things can affect your timing.  Not being able to step into your throw or a receiver comes out of his break at a different angle and you become subject to a major error. 

So now we move on and look forward to Minnesota coming off their bye.

They should have Winfield back in the lineup this week, which changes the dynamics of that defense.  He is as good of a tackling corner as there is in the NFL so we must be aware of where he is on the field.  Not to mention their front 7 is arguably the best in football.  That being said, we have played them tough to the end every time the past three seasons I have been here. 

We know what we need to do to win, it’s a matter of going out and executing it on Sunday.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Football in our Blood
Written By Drew Stanton
November 5, 2009

The bye week came at a good time for the team, but selfishly a poor time for me.  I mean that somewhat jokingly, and I must write that because sarcasm does not travel clearly in "blog" language.  If we had a game that week, I would have had my first career start due to the injuries to Daunte and Matt.  Well as we know that was not the case, so I will continue to wait for that day to come. 

Honestly, it was the best thing for our team to have a bye.  It is at that point in the season where guys have little knick-knack injuries, and with the bye they can heal up for the long haul.  Not to mention we have a couple days to relax and take our mind off of football, at least for a little while.

For most of us, it is in our blood so we cannot go without it for too long.  I was lucky enough to get out of Michigan for the weekend, but found myself in the hotel room constantly watching games on Saturday and Sunday.  When I wasn't in the room, I had to stop and look at the TV for updates of my teams. 

Unfortunately, Saturday was not a good day for me.  All the teams I was rooting for LOST.  Which brings me to the topic that I will finish with... my beloved Spartans.  Who, for the past two weeks, have been screwed by the officials.  They have had two crucial calls go against them at pivotal points in the game, only to lead to their demise.  First, the game against Iowa was not a helmet-to-helmet collision.  Those calls are not supposed to go against you at home with the game on the line.  Secondly, the Minnesota call was an absolute joke.  It goes back to my belief that referees rely too heavily on instant replay to do their job.  It is a security blanket for them, so they do not to blow the whistle and risk making the wrong call. 

The Spartans future is bright though, throw the out their record and look to see what has actually happened.  There are one or two plays in some of their losses that had they gone the Spartans way would have changed the outcome.  I know that is not the case and that is how you are measured ultimately, by your record, but it needs to start somewhere.  They have a lot of good pieces to the puzzle in order to win a Big Ten championship, and as long as recruiting continues the way it has they will be just fine. 

GO STATE!!!!

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Good and Bad
Written By Drew Stanton
October 19, 2009

Lambeau is on the short list of venues that will forever be recognizable in sports, very similar to Wrigley Field or Joe Louis Arena.  There is an indescribable feeling when you step foot on those grounds, and those who have know what I mean.  I remember my first time going there, last year, the last game of the year.  It was miserably cold, but the faithful showed up in full support of a team that was 5-10.  Needless to say it left a lasting impression on me.

Enough about Lambeau Field and its greatness though, the reality is we are 1-5 heading into the bye.  The bye comes at a good time for us, as we are banged up at various positions and can utilize a week off.  The bye is always a chance to evaluate where you are as a team, and the corrections that need to be made.  So our week will consist of doing those things and then getting a head start on St. Louis.

Back to Sunday, it was nice to play, but not so nice walking away without any points.  I saw Daunte pull up when he scrambled, and my immediate reaction was to get loose, because it looked like his hamstring.  In that situation, you do not have time to stop and think, just merely react and that is what I did.  I had a couple warm-up throws as Daunte handed the ball off one more time and then I went in. 

We did not have success my first drive, and I almost got Bryant killed in the process.  After apologizing and warming up more, all I wanted to do was go back out there and move the ball on offense. 

In the end, I felt like I did some good things, but throwing two interceptions is something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  The game definitely seems to be slowing down for me in comparison to last year.  Because in reality, that was the last time I worked with the first unit in a game situation. 

Looking back, I think that is attributed to a couple of things, first, just simply playing and getting more reps this year than I ever have.  Second, is my comfort level with the offense.  I wasn't at the line of scrimmage second guessing myself. 

Who knows how many opportunities I will get in this league, but I will always be prepared and do my best.  At the end of the day, those are the things that matter to me. I have yet to see the film, as I am about to head into the facility right now.  So I will withhold further judgment until after I see the film.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Staying Ready

Written By Drew Stanton
October 13, 2009

Last week was the most action I have seen in a long time during the week of preparation.  I felt like if called upon, I could have gone in and had success.  Part of my responsibility to this team, whether I am second or third string, is to be ready if called upon.  That takes a lot of focus and professionalism to prepare as a starter, when in all likelihood you will not get in.  But I look forward to the time my number is called and I get a chance to go in and help the team in a victory. That is what keeps me motivated every week.

Another part of my job description is to run the other team’s offense and try to emulate the other quarterback.  This past week was obviously Ben Roethlisberger, which meant I had to move around a lot and try to create throws downfield.  He is known for holding the ball and making big plays to his explosive wide receivers.  Doing all that work and not having any swelling in my knee assured me that I was now 100%.  I am very happy to know that my knee has the strength in it to endure any playing time I might get this year.  Unfortunately, that was not the case for Matthew, although he seems like he will be good to go this week. 

It seems there is never a dull week in the life of a Detroit Lions football player, and we have yet another couple interesting storylines as we head to Green Bay for a divisional game.  I am very happy with the fact that we are not playing there the last game of the year and I will actually be able to feel my fingers this year.  Also, we brought back one of the best teammates I have ever had and quite possibly the most underrated wide receiver I have ever met, my boy John Standeford.  And yes, I am very bias and I know it. 

One final thought...

GO STATE!!!!!  I am so glad that we beat Michigan again this year, but know that beating Illinois meant more.  Historically, there might have been a trap the Spartans would have fallen into after a huge win, but Dantonio and company did not allow it to happen.  That makes me very proud of the direction the program is headed.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Sure, winning in the preseason feels good, especially the way we were able to this year, but I would trade all of those wins for the feeling I had getting into my car Sunday afternoon.  It was great leaving the burden of the 0-19 record we had accumulated over the past three seasons right on the field after the game.  And though I had not played in a lot of those games, it did weigh on my mind.

I remember when I first arrived in Detroit, Rod Marinelli talked about how hard it was to win a single game in the NFL and how you needed to claw and fight for every one.  Last year, it almost felt like everyone thought it was just going to happen.  That eventually we would just somehow win a game and the streak would be over.  Well, history tells us that was not the case, and though our team is completely different than it was last year, the new players inherited the problems of the past. 

Instead of accepting that, the Detroit Lions of 2009 went out and changed it.  Sure, we started out 0-2, but we have improved and limited our mistakes as the weeks go on, and that is encouraging.  Ford Field was as loud as I have heard it ever, and that was without a sellout crowd.  Home field advantage truly exists in this league and we were able to feed off the crowd throughout the entire game.

On a personal note, my knee felt good throughout the entire week.  It responded well to the stress I put on it and never swelled up on me.  Wednesday felt like I had been away from the game for a long time, but I was just excited to be out practicing with the team again.  I look forward to contributing to this team winning football games in any way, shape or form.  At this point, my knee is 100% and it has only been a month out of surgery, which is very encouraging.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

I'm sorry for not having an entry in a while, I tried to do a video blog when I was down in Birmingham, post-surgery.  Unfortunately, I could not figure out how to send it off to the website and delayed it too much to put up.  If you all would like to see it, I could try to see if I still have it and re-post it, just let me know.

Anyway, it will be three weeks tomorrow that Kristin and I were in Birmingham, AL for my surgery. The recovery has been speedy and can be attributed to a couple of key factors, or really people.  First, having the best sports surgeon in the world you expect greatness, and that is exactly what I got.  It is no wonder why athletes fly in from all over the United States to get worked on by Dr. Andrews.  Secondly, having a loving wife take care of my ice machine, wraps and anything else that needed attending helped significantly.  I know at times she did not want to change my ice at 2 a.m., but it went a long way in the end.  Lastly, our training staff with the Lions has helped push me in rehab without having any negative effects afterwards.  

So with all that being said, and the clearance from Dr. Anderson (our team doctor), I have been allowed to return to the practice field on a limited basis.  Anytime you are away from the field it feels like an eternity, but it makes you appreciate it even more when you get to go back out there.

My plan is to go back out and focus on the basics, but most importantly be smart about it.  I'm going to try to do the simple things first and see how my knee responds.  After that, it is all based on swelling, which is why I have been working so hard to regain the little amount of strength I lost in it.  I feel good about it and will continue to rehab for a while longer.  Getting to the facility early has not been fun, but getting my knee healthy as fast as possible is what motivates me at 5:30 to get up.  

So tomorrow morning when you roll over and check the clock at 5:45, think of me driving to work and sleep a little longer for me...

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

There are people who try to devalue the importance of winning in the pre-season, who say "it doesn't really count."  I know people look at what happened to us last year in Detroit and try to use that for reasoning. 

My viewpoint is simple: Any game worth playing is worth winning. 

We took a successful step in the right direction with our win last week for a few reasons.  Any Detroit fan has become aware of how situation-orientated our practices are here in Detroit, so it comes as no surprise how we responded at certain points throughout the game.  Prime examples are the on-side kick which we successfully executed, then our defense stopping Atlanta's four-minute offense.  Last, it was the offense's turn to utilize what we have done in practice multiple times. 

In reality, that was an easier situation than we are used to with Coach Schwartz.  In order to win in the NFL you have to be sound in all three aspects, offense, defense and special teams.  And as I stated above, all three contributed in necessary situations for us to come out victorious.  That is more encouraging than anything else, and a real reason for optimism. 

Now, this week, we must go out and duplicate some things and improve in other areas. 

Personally, it was great to get back out on the field and play in a live game.  For a quarterback, contact is something that you are not used to in practice, but must be prepared for during a game.  I felt like I was able to go out and successfully move the ball on offense, which is my job in a nutshell.  Sometimes it required me to use my legs, other times my arm.  My mindset has been and always will be to do whatever it takes to win.  Plus, having playmakers around me along with a Pro Bowl offensive lineman helps too, even if he is a Michigan Man.  Distributing the ball to the right place is what I need to do, and I felt like I did that for the most part Saturday. 

Obviously, it was not perfect, but someday it will be, and that’s why I continue to work as hard as I do every single day.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

At this point I find myself getting into the groove of camp.  The schedule has become memorized, as the muscle soreness has began to subside.  I have once again become accustomed to early mornings that end with late nights, which is nothing different from any other August; but this year I would not have it any other way. 

This year is my year to prove myself, and I take that approach every day I step foot on the practice field.  I go out with the mindset of completing every pass and learning every single day.  There are times I might not be the one taking the actual repetition, but I am getting that rep mentally.  Playing this position is all about having answers, and if I don't have the answer, I am going to find someone who does. 

And perhaps the best part about this season is I actually have multiple people I feel comfortable going to for those answers.  Going to work my first two years is something I did not necessarily look forward to, as I have stated before, but now I cannot wait for the next practice to arrive.  It might have to do with the fact that I am actually getting reps this year and can feel myself improving, which adds to my excitement.

Or simply because football is once again fun. 

At this level it is truly a chess match, and I feel as if we have all the tools on our team to win every match we are in.  Now, do not misconstrue that with me saying we are going 16-0, because as I have said before I do not make predictions like that.  But I honestly believe we have many more pieces around here than in my two years past, so the reason for optimism is there and real.  It all starts with Coach Schwartz, who has learned from some of the best, and it is very apparent in his preparation.  It never seems as if the day is dragging on too long or I am going to fall a sleep in a meaningless meeting.  He values our time, which is tremendous, and gets us off our feet when needed. 

I cannot wait for Saturday to arrive and to play against another opponent besides our own defense.  Look for more comments to come shortly following the game, and as always, thanks for reading.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Picking up where I left off, our honeymoon consisted of three destinations.  First, we stopped on the island of Oahu and stayed in Honolulu for three nights.  We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which is a great property right on the beach.  Dominic Raiola, our starting center, is from Hawaii and happened to be back home with his family.  Being locals, he and his wife showed us amazing parts of the island we would not have seen.  I even tried that stand-up paddle while I was there, and it was frickin’ hard.  Especially when the waves started coming in on top of you.  

After that we jumped islands over to Maui and stayed at the Ritz in Kapalua.  That was such a gorgeous island, and a much different feel than Honolulu, but both islands were awesome in their own way.  While on Maui we took a helicopter ride over the island, went snorkeling, saw a sunset cruise, went to a luau, and went on a zip line.  Not to mention we took the road to Hana, which was an adventure all in itself.  We did so many great things there and the weather was awesome every single day.  Not to forget the stunning views right at the Ritz, it has to be one of the nicest hotels I have ever seen. 

From Maui we decided to break the trip up and stop in a place I have been dying to go to for some time, Napa.  And boy did it live up to my expectations.  A winemaker by the name of Ryan Waugh planned out our entire trip.  He has two different labels of wine that I highly recommend, Waugh Cellars and Six Degrees.  So anyway, he was kind enough to help set up everything, and he knew the ins and outs of the valley.  We ended up going to 10 different wineries, all of which had different things to offer.  My wine cellar is now at full capacity, so that means one of two things.  Either start drinking or make more room. I like both options.  

Though the trip was amazing, after two weeks on the road I was ready to get home to see my dogs and sleep in my own bed.  Unfortuantely, that was only for two nights.

That Wednesday we headed up to Northern Michigan to a wedding for my old teammate at MSU and long-time friend, Gordon Niebylski.  I was the best man in an amazing wedding held at Bay Harbor.  But having little time, coming up with a best man speech was not as easy as I had anticipated.  The weather report said rain all week, but it held off for the ceremony and turned out to be a great day by the end.  The reception was great, as any time you get our whole group together we tend to have fun.  

Following that we went to Grand Rapids for the night and stayed with my parents before the High 5ive golf outing.

The golf outing ended up going smoothly.  There were a couple hiccups along the way, but that seems to always be the case.  And with such an action-packed summer I did not have as much involvement in the set-up process.  My mother and father did a lot of work on behalf of my foundation and did a fantastic job with it.  Danielle from Cystic Fibrosis was the one tutoring us along the way, as we partner with CF to raise money.  After going through the event, we learned so much.  If you have any interest in getting involved next year or know of sponsor interest, check out www.high5ivefoundation.org.

Well that about finishes my story of the past month.  Now I have become strictly focused on football for the time being.  I have been going into the facility to work out, watch film, and get ready for next week.  I look forward to the season and all of the unknowns that lie ahead.  I will share those thoughts and ideas with you guys next week, so for now have a good weekend.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

The summer has come and gone for me in the blink of an eye.  I know I said the spring went fast, but this past month does not even compare.  

Imagine, getting done with mini-camp on Thursday, getting married on Saturday, leaving on your honeymoon Monday, getting back two weeks later and heading up to Bay Harbor on Wednesday to be the best man in a wedding, and finishing up with your own charity golf outing in Marshall.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, exhausting. Now that those things are all in the rearview mirror, I have a week and a half until my life is officially over for a month.  So let me take the time to review some of the highlights with you.

First, mini-camp.  It was great to finish on a high note, though it seems like forever ago.  I think the team is coming together nicely, and everyone seems to be working their butt off.  The mixture we have at quarterback is great, and like I have said before, I love going to work.  As far as what I think the future holds, look for that blog to be coming sometime early next week, before we report for camp.  After the mini-camp, we all know what came next, my WEDDING.  

The wedding turned out to be absolutely perfect.  Before I get started you can check the pictures taken by our awesome photographer at kristentaylorphotography.com, or the crazy video footage that was taken at epicmotion.com. Ryan was super cool and I would definitely recommend both companies.  

So anyway, we were married on June 27th at the Birmingham United Methodist Church (the church we have attended for about a year).  I will forever remember the feeling I had as those doors opened and I saw my beautiful bride on her father’s arm.  It absolutely took my breath away, and I had to look down at our ring bearer, Jackson Wilcox, and he had a look on his face like "pull it together."  I did and when I looked up there she was right in front of me.  The ceremony ran smoothly, except a couple botched lines on my behalf.  We had the minister from the church I attended in college there to assist Dr. Harnish.  She read some words her husband had written who could not be in attendance, as they are a husband and wife team of ministers in Grand Rapids now.  Our reception was held at Meadowbrook Hall at Oakland University.  The reception was great, but seemed much like my summer as it was over in the blink of an eye. Sparty showed up, which always makes the party better, and we had shutterbooth there as well. Shutterbooth is a company that takes those pictures like you used to at carnivals, the ones that are four in row.  We have some hilarious ones, some of which are rather inappropriate.  

After the reception I went immediately home and went to bed. ;)

Our honeymoon was awesome, and to not make this blog go on forever, please look for notes on the honeymoon, my time in Bay Harbor and my golf outing to be coming by week’s end.  Thanks for reading, taking an interest in my life, and of course always supporting me.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

This spring has absolutely flown by.  I have not had a free weekend to just sit at home and relax yet, but I am truly looking forward to that over the next couple of weekends before the big day.

My life has been consumed with mostly football, and any free time has then gone to my wedding plans and now the charity golf outing that I will partner on with Cystic Fibrosis.  

Football has been as good as I could have hoped considering the situation I find myself in.  I think it has to do with the fact that I enjoy just going to work now on a daily basis.  My first two years I could not have said that and meant it, but now I really do.  The offense is great, my coaches actually coach and teach, and I feel as if I am constantly learning.  

We are on the back side of the mountain as far as the off-season program is concerned, but still have four more OTA's and a mini-camp to look forward to.  Our offense has been installed for the most part at this point, and now it is just a matter of fine tuning things and running plays from different looks.  

Coach Linehan told me I would be getting plenty of reps this spring and he has definitely been a man of his word.  Before the draft I was getting one period a day with the first team and the remainder of the practice with the two's since they released my boy Drew Henson. I really hope he catches on somewhere because he was just starting to get comfortable playing football again.

That is one of the hardest things about this job, is finding good people, becoming friends, and then parting ways.  

Anyway, practice has been good, like I said earlier.  I have been studying a lot trying to improve and if I make a mistake to really learn from it and not do it again.  I feel like I have done that for the most part and have really started to get a good comfort level with all the receivers.  At first, you are trying to get a feel for all the guys you are throwing to, like which comes out of the break quick or who is going to win a one-on-one for you.  Once that starts happening you get more confidence in throwing to those guys and know who is going to make a play for you when you need it.  

With Matthew's arrival I was a little nervous to see if I would be treated differently by the coaches, but that is the farthest from what happened.  They have not changed one bit towards me and still are very encouraging.  That gives me hope that I still have a future here in Detroit, but like I have said before it is a crazy business.  As long as I continue to do what I have been doing, which is stay positive and worry only about things I have control over, then I know things will work out in the end.  

Thanks for reading, and those who might actually care to hear about my wedding plans look for that to come shortly.  Also, if you have any interest in getting involved with my golf outing in Marshall, Michigan on July 20th, look for a blog to come very soon about that as well.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com
Follow him on Twitter as drewstanton.

Now that we are a couple weeks into our off-season program I have football information to write about again.

I could have written about my Spartans, but I didn't want to jinx them. They made a helluva run at it, but UNC has, like, seven lottery picks.

Anyways, back to football.

The faces have definitely changed around the building, that is obvious, so now it appears after a month the acclimation phase has passed. All the players know one another for the most part, now it is getting to know the new coaches.  

Just being in meetings with Coach Linehan has been a breath of fresh air.  He is so detailed it's great, and we are actually going over information that will remain constant for the entire season. Scott Loeffler was similiar, but did not have the control to install material like an offensive coordinator does. My new QB coach, Jeff Horton, has been good, too. He came from St. Louis with Linehan and before that was the QB coach in Wisconsin for six years. The funny thing about Linehan is he knows all of my college coaches from MSU, as he coached under John L. at Idaho.

My body feels great, my mind is clear and focused, and I am really looking forward to mini-camp next weekend.

Check for my updates on that and other stuff as we continue to get ready for next season.  

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Now that we are a couple weeks into our off-season program I have football information to write about again.

I could have written about my Spartans, but I didn't want to jinx them. They made a helluva run at it, but UNC has, like, seven lottery picks.

Anyways, back to football.

The faces have definitely changed around the building, that is obvious, so now it appears after a month the acclimation phase has passed. All the players know one another for the most part, now it is getting to know the new coaches.  

Just being in meetings with Coach Linehan has been a breath of fresh air.  He is so detailed it's great, and we are actually going over information that will remain constant for the entire season. Scott Loeffler was similiar, but did not have the control to install material like an offensive coordinator does. My new QB coach, Jeff Horton, has been good, too. He came from St. Louis with Linehan and before that was the QB coach in Wisconsin for six years. The funny thing about Linehan is he knows all of my college coaches from MSU, as he coached under John L. at Idaho.

My body feels great, my mind is clear and focused, and I am really looking forward to mini-camp next weekend.

Check for my updates on that and other stuff as we continue to get ready for next season.  

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Corey Smith is the type of person you always root for, the guy you want to see always succeed. The guy who does everything that is asked of him and tries to give even more.

I have had the luxury of being Corey’s teammate for the past two seasons in Detroit, and though more people know him better than I do, still I feel I got to know the person he truly is.  He is a quiet guy who keeps to himself and just continues to bust his butt and make it in this profession.  He would run down and make a tackle on special teams just to follow it up with a tackle on defense. 

I am down in the Bahamas right now, and caught wind of what happened Sunday morning right when I arrived.  I have yet to walk by a television and not wait for an update, hoping that he will be rescued.  When I saw that the Coast Guard had called off the search, my heart jumped up into my throat. 

At times like this, it is hard to make sense of why things like this happen, especially to
people like Corey.  Add that with no closure for all of their families, and it makes it even harder. 

Corey is as fine a person as I have met in this crazy profession, and actually became close to him by frequently sitting in the cold tub.  He would beat his body up every practice and be the first in the cold tub. 

I will not give up hope of a miracle, and continue to pray for him to turn up.  His will and desire alone will keep him alive much longer than people give him credit for.  Those three men remain in my prayers, and I hope yours, as well.  This is yet another example to show how precious life truly is.

I’m just wishing that those days in the cold tub will allow him to persevere this time through.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Well, the Super Bowl is finally upon us.  The last football game of the season for all the marbles, and once Monday hits, the quest begins for everyone again.

Yes, that means the Lions too.

Each Super Bowl is obviously special, but for some reason this one seems to lack the usual "hype."  Because hype is usually the leading headline of this event that allows the two-week layoff to build up.  Sure, Arizona is a feel good story, Anquan got into an argument with Coach Haley, Big Ben and Hines are questionable, and Ben wants to improve on his last performance at Ford Field, but once that ball is kicked off for the first time, how is it any different from any other game?  Exactly, it is not, except the commercials are stupid expensive and fun to watch. 

Well enough of the introduction, let me get down to the way I see things.  Let me start on my favorite side of the ball, offense.  At this point everyone is aware of Larry Fitzgerald and everything spectacular he can do on a football field.  Couple that with the freshness at tailback in Edgerrin James and the experience of Kurt Warner and I think you find this to be a no-brainer.  Well, I would say that is the case with one more X factor, that being Anquan Boldin.  He’s not healthy, and that throws a wrench into the entire thing and makes it much, much harder to pick. 

For the Steelers, Ben is playing with a chip on his shoulder, Hines Ward is as consistent as they come at his position, Willie Parker can fly and at anytime, Heath Miller or Santonio Holmes can absolutely go off.  So, yes, the Cardinals offense is more glitzy and glamorous, but we are talking about one game, not a season.  I think with a healthy Anquan, the Cardinals are better on offense, but that is not the case. 

I think the Steelers get the nod here.

Now, in an interesting turn of events I will try to tackle the issue of special teams. Well, sort of.  I think this one could go either way, because both teams possess great kickers, average punters and game-breaking return men.  Coverage teams will be a huge part in this aspect of the game.

I am a firm believer in the philosophy that winning a football game entails first playing good defense, because you cannot lose if they do not score, and second, running the football.  That being said, the Steelers are as solid on defense as anyone this year.  They are constantly around the ball and at times appear to be playing with 12 or 13 guys.  They have a lot of different looks that can cause problems for quarterbacks and clog running lanes for tailbacks.  I think a huge surprise has been the development of the Cardinals’ defense in the playoffs.  They have shown up big in every game.  I think on a consistent basis the Steelers have proven to be better. 

I know what you’re thinking at this point, he is contradicting his statement from above on his one game theory.  Yes and no, because there are much different schools of thought depending on which side of the ball we are talking about. 

So those are my views on the game, but it could be completely different in the end. As they say, "that's why they play the game."  All in all, I hope it is an enjoyable game to watch, with some great commercials. 

My prediction for the final score is Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 21. You heard it here first, remember that! 

Thanks for continuing to read and I will write next about the talks I had with my new head coach and offensive coordinator.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

For those of us players not preparing for the Super Bowl, it seems that we are all doing whatever makes us happy. 

For some, it is a vacation to a warm destination. Others, including me, continue to dwell where we play or are from, for various reasons.  My main two reasons are that I am getting married in June, and I have been anxiously waiting to see who our offensive coordinator and quarterback coach are going to be.

First, getting married is something I have been looking forward to since the day we got engaged.  Unfortunately, once you really get down to the nitty-gritty, it can become frustrating at times.  Luckily, my beautiful bride-to-be has been unbelievable in coordinating things and the majority of stuff has gone smoothly.  Registering at stores, on the other hand, can be extremely overwhelming.

Cake tasting, though, not overrated at all. 

During the off-season I really get a chance to relax and focus on the things I deem important outside of football.  Obviously, the wedding is important, but spending more time with my fiancée has been great. 

Being an athlete I can only go so long without wanting to do physical activity, that is just how I am wired.  But it is important to try and find that balance of when the season ends and when you get back to training very hard.  I think this year I have a good understanding and have everything mapped out for an off-season program.  I have started doing yoga 5 times a week and enjoy it tremendously.  I have been doing yoga off-and-on for about three years now, but have become very dedicated to my practice this year.  It is amazing all the benefits I receive from doing it, and I try to do it as much as possible when we report back.  Plus it helps having your fiancée be a yoga instructor.  A new yoga studio has open in downtown Plymouth called The Yoga Room, and I have been going there a lot and will continue to do so.

I really do not have much to report about Coach Schwartz.  He called me yesterday and left a message from the Senior Bowl.  I do not know how much you can take from a voicemail, but I was very excited after getting the message.  I called him back, but his phone went to voicemail right away, which meant he was probably on the plane back to Detroit.  I then went in today to introduce myself in person, but he was in an interview with someone who I would love to get here in Detroit, but will remain nameless at this point.  His secretary informed me that it would probably last the rest of the day, so I will attempt again tomorrow. 

I will give you updates as I get them, but my first impression of Coach Schwartz is a great one.  And people around the building seem to share my sentiments. 

Look for my Super Bowl predictions coming very soon, as I give my opinions on each team on both sides of the ball.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Over the course of the next couple weeks or so I will be reviewing and summarizing some of the topics as they pertained to my life this past fall as a part of the Detroit Lions.

Also, continue to look for entries throughout the remainder of the off-season as I will be writing throughout everything that transpires.

The first subject that needs to be brought up again is obviously how we made history.  Everywhere you turned and looked during December, heck, even most of November, all you heard about the Detroit Lions was that they were going to be the first 0-16 team ever.  Sure, as a player you hear things courtesy of the media, but you never believe that you will be a part of it.  I mean, to go four months without a single victory...no way!

There was never really a point where you saw the locker room break apart or guys stop trying.  So you would think you get lucky and win at least one game if everyone is still on board.  And if that happens, no one remembers 1-15. But as we all stood in that locker room at Lambeau, I think the majority of people just had reality punch them in the face.

Though in our minds it is not true (and I still firmly believe) that we were not even the worst football team this year.  But at that moment, to the general public, we are now considered the worst football team EVER!  Hell, maybe even the worst team of any sport ever. We all have to live with that for the rest of our lives.  It is truly disappointing, because if you look back we were in position to win at least four or five games.  I know, I know, it didn’t happen, but we are not as bad of a team as everyone thinks.  I can continue to say it, but until we go out and prove it, these are just hollow words. 

But whoever comes in has a core group of guys to continue to build around.  I won't consider myself in that group, yet, because I haven’t had a chance.  Just start with offense and work your way across the ball. 

Gosder got a lot better and more comfortable as the season progressed, Kevin Smith proved he is going to be a great back in this league and Calvin is as good as it gets, enough said. 

Defensively, I think Cliff Avril is going to be a monster of a defensive end, and Ernie’s athletic ability is ridiculous.  Daniel Bullocks is a helluva safety that will come up and smack someone in the mouth. 

These are the guys that we will build around, and for the “worst team ever” it should be a good starting point.  I look forward to the challenge that is ahead and cannot wait to get started. 

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

A couple of weeks ago, Coach Marinelli put a team picture up in a meeting that was taken from earlier this year.  He went on to explain how he did not want to see this hanging in the Hall of Fame as the first 0-16 team in history. 

Well, history is looking us right in the face and we only have one more game to alter that.  There have been 1-15 teams before, and they become after thoughts quickly, but 0-16 would live on forever.  Heck, look at Miami now, they were 1-15 last year, got the right people in place and have won 10 games in 2008. 

This year has been extremely difficult on everyone involved, but especially Coach Marinelli, I think that is rather apparent.  I have been thoroughly impressed with the dignity and class with which Rod has carried himself in every situation.  He is a tremendous person who cares about his players, and I still believe in his philosophies and how he coaches. 

Coach Marinelli deserves more respect from reporters than he received from Rob Parker yesterday.  His failed attempt at humor after belittling Coach Marinelli and his son-in-law showed the ugliness of his profession, and the fact he believes there are no boundaries.  His job is to report the news and ask questions that could provide insight.  People could see last night on national television after Parker’s third attempt (as Rod has done all year) that he was not going to budge or throw anyone under the bus, regardless of whether that person is his son-in-law or not. 

The rollercoaster season only has one more loop to make before the ride ends, but everyone in the organization must do everything within its power to make sure we get Jason Hanson his first win ever in Green Bay. 

I want to wish everyone a happy holidays and a great new year!

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

In a rollercoaster ride of a season, things continue to get more and more interesting as the season comes closer to the end.

There is never a dull moment right now within the organization. There is so much speculation on which direction the franchise is headed, that if you allow it to, it could drive you crazy. Everyone’s future around here is in question and some serious changes need to be made in order to regain a once very strong fan base.

The fans still exist, do not get me wrong, but they cannot even watch their NFL hometown team without attending the games due to a local TV blackout.

That is a crying shame.

Now, Daunte has hurt his shoulder, my head is clear, and Dan has been cleared to play. This should make for another interesting week of practice, because Dan was our starter before he broke his thumb against Chicago. But Daunte has started ever since then. Add the fact that Drew Henson is also on the roster, so there is another direction to head.

Right now, nothing has been communicated to me as far as who is starting or a depth chart. I guess all of these issues will work themselves out as we go through the week. The thing that I am most excited about is the fact that my head is clear. I have had no problems since last Wednesday, which is a great sign that things are behind me. I was sitting in the meeting and got a little dizzy trying to watch film. Working out has not been a problem for a week and a half, but something was triggered in that meeting. Now, I have been watching film and doing everything without any issues. I have been cleared to participate fully, but we will see what that means when tomorrow comes.

Look for an update when I find out more information.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

All in all, my Thanksgiving was great considering all that was going on.

We just suffered our biggest loss on a nationally televised Thanksgiving Day game to fall to 0-12, along with sitting out due to my concussion. I could have sat around and felt sorry for myself and the situation I found myself in.

I took the alternative approach.

I decided to leave my troubles at the door when I arrived home and enjoy the company of my family, my fiancée’s family and our friends. Because after all, the true meaning of this holiday, the one in which we eat until we cannot breathe, is about being thankful for everything in our lives. I am so truly blessed and I think that is lost in the shuffle at times due to the struggles with the Lions.

So as I walked in the door, I could smell the turkey my fiancée woke up at 6 to start preparing, and the other sweet odors that were a result of my sister, mother and fiancée’s hard work that started the day before. I immediately cheered up and sat down to a feast in which I ate until I felt the button on my pants almost burst. I proceeded to relax the remainder of the weekend, taking it easy and resting my mind and body as much as possible.

Today I worked out for the first time since last Tuesday. My mind was clear and my body felt good. I was really excited about having no residual effects from the concussion. I have no idea what the plans are for me this week as far as reps are concerned, but I expressed the fact that I did not want to be limited in practice.

Like I said, today was a good day, but tomorrow could be the true test.

The big thing is to make sure I have multiple days with no problems and then I can be sure that I am recovered.

So please look for updates this week and thank you for reading, and when times may become tough, think about all the positives in your lives and how things could be worse.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Yesterday provided a very interesting string of events. 

In a game that looked as if we were going to run away with it, suddenly we were on a slippery slope that we were not able to overcome.  After Ronde Barber took an interception to the house to make the score 35-17, the coaches told me to get loose all of a sudden.  I grabbed a ball and asked Mike Furrey to begin throwing with me.  No one came up to me and told me anything, so I went to my QB coach and asked him if I was going in.  He said, "Just get loose."  So I assumed I was not going in right then, so I went back to throwing.  Not more than five warm-up throws later, they yelled for me to go in and I went running onto the field. 

It was great to hear the cheers I received as my name was announced when I took the field. 

I loosened up as the drive went on and began to get more comfortable.  On third down we had a pass called.  I identified the coverage as I usually try to do and then felt pressure, so I tried to escape.  Understanding that was not going to work I tried to not take a sack.  Well, as I released the ball someone grabbed my legs.  I attempted to throw it, leaving my body exposed, and took a hit from a looping defensive end.  My head hit the turf hard and it was almost as if I had whiplash. 

I thought it was nothing major, perhaps it would subside quickly.  There were two offsetting fouls on the play, resulting in replaying the down.  I threw a go route to Calvin that was incomplete and still didn't feel great.  Then I see on the monitor that we got the ball back, and before I had time to think I went back out there.  I felt off, like my timing was off or delayed.  We went three plays and out, resulting in a field goal.  I went to the sidelines and tried to shake it. 

It was then that my QB coach went and got the trainer.  They did some tests and that was the end of my day.  I never lost consciousness, and my memory was fine as I knew the score and the approximate time of day.  It was like I said earlier, just a little delayed.  When I showed a lot of sensitivity to light as well, the trainers took me inside.  Head injuries are very serious, and so I went through all of the necessary tests conducted by the doctors before they allowed me to leave. 

I feel fine now, except a little bit of a sore neck, which is understandable.  The trainers and I have outlined a plan of attack for the week and I will try to work out and get my heart rate up tomorrow and see how it feels. 

So, my second action in the NFL was not as good as I would have hoped, but I definitely felt more relaxed and understood things better before the bump in the head.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Last Sunday was as special a day for me personally as I might have ever experienced on a football field.

I was able to accomplish something only two others have done in the past 10 years by throwing a touchdown pass on my first career attempt. Any idea who the other two are?

Lions fans should know one for sure, because it happened against us in Week 1. Michael Bishop, the famous Kansas State quarterback, is the other besides Matt Ryan and myself.

Unfortunately, we still ended up losing the game, but at the time the touchdown put us in the lead. I need to first retrace my steps and explain how everything went down throughout the course of the week.

I found out on Friday that I was going to do the goal-line package for sure and that they were going to name a starter come Saturday morning. After Friday’s practice, with Daunte getting all the reps, I saw the writing on the wall but knew I had to be ready for goal-line.

I found it odd that they wanted me to go in on the most crucial part of the field, but regardless was excited for the opportunity. So after two plays and a touchdown, I was obviously hoping to get down there again so I could go back in. I ended up going back in, but not because we were on the goal-line.

It was the very beginning of the fourth quarter and we were losing by a few touchdowns. Scot Loeffler (my quarterback coach) came up and told me I was going in. It was a great feeling to be out there again, and getting a chance to operate our offense.

My first drive didn’t go as planned as I was sacked twice, on second and third down. You have to remember, I have never taken live snaps against a first-team defense in the NFL. Let me tell you, it is FAST! I know Jacksonville is known for their defense and it is as advertised.

After settling in a little bit we were able to get some things going offensively. To me, playing quarterback in the NFL is like playing a chess match for everyone to see. Because as a quarterback, we receive the play call, go up to the line of scrimmage knowing what is called. Then identify what the defense is doing, first by examining the front, to the linebackers, finishing with the defensive backfield. Then at the
snap of the ball everything changes and I need to be aware of all the things that are going on.

I absolutely loved every second I was on the field playing. I could have cared less about the score, I was going in there and trying to playing within the framework of the offense and put up points. I was thrilled to add another touchdown in the fourth quarter, but like I said the end result is what truly counts and it was not in our favor.

I took a lot away from last Sunday and I hope it is the beginning of a great career here for me in Detroit. The fans who were there were awesome and I loved the support I received.

Now I will go back and continue to work hard and make the most of my opportunities as they come. Thanks for reading and the continued support for me and the Detroit Lions.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Let me start by saying I hope I don’t embarrass myself with this blog, hahaha. 

And then I need to reiterate the fact that sarcasm and emotion are not visible in the written word. 

The great thing about the media is they provide a connection to our fans and allow people to have a closer look at what goes on when only a few are able to watch.  The problem arises when phrases or sentences are picked apart to fit certain stories or create more tension within a storyline because they are pulled out of context. 

I think this was the case when Jim Colletto was talking to the media about me, and now I feel compelled to try and set the record straight. 

Jim called me into his office and said the media has kept hounding him about me playing, and he simply told the reporters I needed more reps after missing ALL of last season and some of the preseason.  He did, however, tell me he used the word “embarrass” twice, which he told me about.  He knew how they were going to misconstrue his words and wanted to give me a heads up. 

I was not upset with him for making the comments, just a little bewildered why he would use such a derogative term such as EMBARRASS.  But as I told the media, he decided to use those words and he said what he said.  They continued to poke and prod me for more information, but like the Daunte Cullpepper situation, I don’t know anything else. 

So I tried to keep it as vanilla as possible, so they couldn’t get those certain quotes they were dying to hear come out of my mouth. 

For the record: There is NO animosity between me and Jim on my behalf, and after being around him the past couple of days I don’t feel it coming from him, either.  I just think that at this point in time everyone is frustrated, and perhaps not using the best adjectives to describe things. 

Thanks for the continued to support of Detroit fans, I do not say this with any falseness, but these are the greatest fans in the world.  To endure what this town is going through and continue to support these teams is tremendous.

Look for some more blogs in the near future as I will expand on Daunte’s arrival and what is occurring in practice.  Thanks again and GO STATE!!!!

It is crazy that in one week's time we lost our starting quarterback for the year and traded away one of our star receivers, but I would not say I'm surprised by either move.

I understand the need to build for the future and find answers for the current predicament we find ourselves in.

The first topic that unfolded on Monday had a direct effect on me in many ways. There were ramblings of Jon going on IR (injured reserve) at the end of last week, but I thought it was just hearsay, and he would be alright in a week or two. The past season and a half I have been around Kit I have not seen a more tough individual endure so many hits and continually get up to keep fighting. He is by far the toughest football player I have been around and I have seen many tough guys in my 15 years of playing football.

I sent Jon a text to thank him for everything he had done for me, which was a lot, but did not want to overstep my boundary. I know he is upset with the situation, so I have tried to respect his privacy. He was a great leader who taught me many things over the past two seasons and has assisted me greatly in my development on and off the field. I do not know what he has in store for the future, but whatever he does I know he will be successful.

As far as the events that went down on Tuesday, I think that was a direct sign that the Lions know Calvin is their franchise receiver and they are looking to build at other positions. We are fortunate to be so deep at receiver, so losing Roy hurts but it is not devastating as Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald are great talents.

Plain and simple, Roy did not want to be here any longer and was going to demand an insane amount of money if there was a chance of him staying.

I think that trade worked out great for everyone involved. We ended up picking up essentially a first- and third-round pick, Roy got to go back to Texas, and the Cowboys got a great talent at wide receiver.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

I often say that football is what I do, but not who I am.

I believe that to a certain extent, but right now football is who I am, and losing takes its toll on everyone involved. To say it's been a struggle is the understatement of the year.

I think everyone within the organization still believes things can be turned around and the attitude is as good as could be expected, but everyone within the franchise is frustrated.

I know how this town loves its sports, and has been waiting for anything to cheer about that involves the Lions. Throughout the town there was such a strong buzz that things were headed in the right direction only about a month ago, I believe that fire can be restored with a couple wins in the near future.

Right now, the most important thing for us to do is find a way to win a football game. I think winning one begins the spark needed to get things rolling again, and nothing would set that tone like winning at a place we have not since 1997. Playing there in college I can attest to how loud it can be at the Metrodome, but it definitely cranks up a notch with the Vikings on Sundays.

The Vikings are as good of a front seven that exists in football, and they have veterans in the back end to make up for some of the inexperience back there. The young guys have tons of ability, so this week will be a huge test for our offense. The Vikings' record does not represent how good of team they truly are, so we need to play error-free to have chance.

Our quarterback situation right now is interesting, to say the least. I got to practice with the "ones" on Tuesday for the first time in my career. Dan and I split reps, but it was so much fun being a part of the actual game plan for the first time.

Right now, everything depends on how Jon is feeling, because he is obviously our starter. I know how tough Jon is and his desire to play, so I would be shocked to not see him out there some Sunday. Dan looks like his injury is not going to limit him, either, so I'm thrilled I had an opportunity to take some reps.

I felt comfortable out there today and I am feeling like my mechanics are finally at a point where I am not thinking about anything in my drop but my reads.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.drewstanton.com

Matt Millen, My Thumb and Our Bye
Written By Drew Stanton
September 24, 2008

I’m sure everyone has found out by now that Matt Millen has been fired, even those who know nothing about football are aware and all are happy.

Matt Millen was nothing but a first-class man from the day I met him. They made the move last night, but waited until this morning to announce it. I went in there today to work out and watch some film, and actually found out on 95.5 FM when I was listening on the way in.

His office was all boxed up and I passed him in the hallway. I thanked him for drafting me and believing in me. I remember he would constantly stop me in the hall and ask how I was doing and numerous times told me how excited he was for me to get out onto the field. He seemed in good spirits this morning, all things considered, and I wish him nothing but the best.

So, back to why I went in today in the first place, which was to work out. Coach Loeffler likes to use film analysis to break down my drops and throwing mechanics. This really has helped me understand my drop better and actually see what is occurring and try to correct it afterwards. I have had a lot of success, as I feel I am a visual learner. We videotaped yesterday, so today we went in and broke it down frame-by-frame to see areas I need to improve. He uses four different angles of footage throughout my drop to analyze each aspect and areas that need improvement.

Right away we found something that needed to be changed, that could dramatically increase the velocity on my ball. I thought I just felt off because I could not grip the ball with all my strength, but after making this adjustment the ball was coming out today as good as it ever has. Something so small can make all the difference in the world in being more efficient in your drop.

I really like working with Scot because he presents information in a way that I can digest it and make it my own. I was really excited about correcting that and knowing that my thumb is all back to normal. We strictly filmed throws to my right, as throwing to the left is a completely different body positioning.

Of course, that is what I will be filming tomorrow. We will film all of the same throws from those different angles to my left and then break the film down the next day.

My bye week is different from the majority of the other players, who escape to nice destinations or their other homes. I plan on staying here in town and relaxing, plus getting organized around my house with all the down time. I will continue to go into the facility every day and get my thumb stronger along with running, lifting and throwing, but of course much later than usual. I am really looking forward to a Saturday filled with nothing but me sitting on the couch watching college football from sunup ’til sundown. Seeing the Spartans improve to 4-1 and hoping for a Badger victory. Then waking up Sunday, going to church and doing the same thing all over again.

After that, we are in it for the long haul, and my mind will be fresh for 13 more grueling weeks.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

The High 5ive Foundation
Written By Drew Stanton
September 10, 2008

I am so fortunate to be in the position that I am, and I never take that for granted.

Something that is near and dear to my heart is getting involved in the community. My parents instilled in me at a young age to be thankful for what you have, and if you are in a position to enrich others' lives in any way, shape or form, it is worth doing.

This opportunity is extra special to me from the standpoint that I was part of this community years ago and now can give back. I do not look at donating my time to charities as an obligation; rather, as an opportunity to have a positive impact on as a many peoples' lives as possible.

That is why I have started my own, High 5ive... The Drew Stanton Foundation. This foundation is centered around assisting Special Olympics and Children’s Miracle Network, specifically in the state of Michigan, and also nationwide. If you noticed on the main page of my website there is a link to the site for High 5ive, and I hope to have more information up there very soon so please check it out.

Being from the community makes it easier to get the foundation started, but as I am finding out it is not very simple. There are different businesses that have already stepped forward (Lexus of Ann Arbor, Function Beverages) and will assist me in getting things going, and I have made some contacts with other great companies that I hope to build a relationship with. This is not a foundation that will just have my name stamped on it, this is near and dear to my heart and I will put all my effort into it in order for it to be a success.

My hopes are, through various fundraisers, the foundation can reach goals that are being formed right now. I know what my vision of this foundation is, now I am in the process of clearly defining it in words. I am hoping that these events are unique and will serve its ultimate purpose, which is to help raise awareness about these organizations and money to help them function more efficiently.

I ask that anyone who has an interest in getting involved please look over the website, check for updates and leave your information. Getting involved has many different meanings; it can be as easy as donating time and effort or as generous as giving money to support.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

MSU Thoughts
Written by Drew Stanton
Sept. 6, 2008

I am writing this entry in response to a fan who asked about my thoughts on Michigan State.

I am a little hesitant to write this because I find it hard to have an accurate take on what the general public thinks is occurring versus reality. I think that my judgment at this point must lie somewhere in between.

Many times throughout the course of a football game things do not go as planned, that is obvious. But how players react to those situations, either good or bad, have a dramatic effect on not only that play, but perhaps the outcome of the game. These things are generally only realized by the people “in-house” that knew the play call or how it was actually supposed to be constructed, completely going over the head of the average fan. Having an understanding for this game, I can generally recognize some things that perhaps the average fan might not.

For instance, if a certain protection is called and the wide receiver does not run the right hot route versus a blitz, it could cause a serious problem. The quarterback is thinking the wideout is quickening up his route and tries to get the ball out. Well, if the quarterback does his job in throwing a slant, but the receiver continues on the scheduled route and it is an interception, who is at fault? To those of us watching on television, the quarterback looks like a freaking idiot, but in actuality, it was the receiver who messed it up. And that is the beauty of playing the position of quarterback.

Anyway, that is quite a tangent just to show that my opinion about my alma mater might not be anywhere close to accurate. So, let me start with the California game. (Ed. Note: California 38, Michigan State 31, Aug. 30.)

I thought Michigan State played extremely hard and never quit, which has become a trademark under coach Mark Dantonio. After being in the NFL and having the luxury of playing in preseason games, you understand it takes a while to work out the kinks, especially with guys that have never been out there before. Add the fact they are traveling all the way across America to play a good football team and I think MSU will be just fine.

College football has become so competitive that it is a handful of plays that determines the outcome of a game, and it is all predicated on who makes those plays. Unfortunately, California made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch. But, Michigan State is young at a lot of positions and will continue to only get better as time goes on.

Also, being brutally honest, the Spartans are thinner at some positions than you would hope for in the Big Ten, especially with the grueling schedule ahead. I experienced that firsthand during my time there, because injuries are bound to happen throughout the course of the season. That’s all I want to elaborate on that topic, because I do not find it good to sit back and personally evaluate college football players and isolate certain positions.

However, on a positive note, I am extremely excited about the recruiting that is going on up there. They are bringing in talent that has the ability to contribute right away, which is crucial for depth in that league. I expect them to win the games they are supposed to this year because of their leadership that has been established throughout that program. This is something that needs to become a staple of this program like it was at one point in time. That leaves dogfights for the Big Ten’s best, which in those situations anything can happen against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State.

My biggest hope for the current seniors is that they get to experience something I never did, and that is to beat the “blue bellies” of Michigan. It has been a damn shame that the drought has been that long in East Lansing, but this year we have as good of a shot as any to go into Ann Arbor and win.

The future is bright in East Lansing, and these seniors will continue to build upon the foundation that the seniors of last year began under Coach D.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

A Step Forward
Written by Drew Stanton
Sept. 4, 2008

Wednesday was a great day for me.

After much arguing with the trainers and team physician about the amount of time I thought I needed in the cast versus their professional, much more substantial, opinion, they finally budged.

Well, sort of.

My understanding is that the higher-ups with the Lions decided that because I was put on the active roster, I needed to be ready to play, even if I couldn't throw a football. So, the cast was cut off and reconfigured so I could hand the ball off if need be in an emergency situation for the next couple of weeks.

YEAH!

What a great feeling that was, to know that I would not have to fully put that stupid thing on. My thumb feels much better and I really have no pain. It is a little stiff, but that could be attributed to the immobilization of my thumb.

And because there is no preseason left for me to play in, I will stay in the cast/splint without throwing for two more weeks. I was out at practice Wednesday trying to get as involved as possible. Being injured makes things more difficult to get accomplished, but having a coach that is adaptive in his thinking has allowed me to continue my growth as a player.

With that being said, I really would not have been getting many reps at
this point in time anyway. The first team quarterback, Jon Kitna, is the
only one who gets reps during offensive periods. I do miss out on some "scout" team periods for the offense versus our one defense, but I will work in with Dan Orlovsky once I get back.

Before I got hurt, Dan was really cool about sharing reps. I think that could be attributed to the fact that when he was in my position he did not have QBs who were willing to share time.

We are now on the schedule that we will be on for the rest of the year.
On Wednesday I arrive at the facility around 7 a.m. and eat some breakfast. Our first QB meeting goes from 7:30 until 8:20, and then off to a team meeting for 10 minutes. Any updates or announcements are made here. We then meet with the wide receivers, running backs and tight ends until about 10:30 to either install plays or watch film, this is where we install our first and second down plays. We get a half hour to get ready for practice and have a walk-through before practice for a half hour.

Practice runs from 11:36-1:36 p.m. We get time to shower and eat some food quickly and back in the meeting room to watch the practice film.
After that we are dismissed, but most guys stay to watch extra film or lift/run.

That is basically our day in a nutshell on a Wednesday, and that is pretty much mimicked on Thursday for our third down package and Friday our red zone and coming-out package, although Friday's practice is more for polish. Saturday is just a morning walk-through and Sunday we obviously play. Monday is lifting, film and possibly a light practice. Tuesday is off, but most guys head in to do some type of work.

That is our schedule for the week all the way up until the end of January.

Thanks for all your questions and comments, feel free to continue to ask questions or bring up topics you are interested in me blogging on.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

My Thumb Injury
Written by Drew Stanton
August 25, 2008

It is not until a person has lost something that they realize how important it truly was in their life.

Well, that is why this blog is taking me so long to write, because I will be pecking at the keyboard for the next half hour or hour trying to get this down. But honestly, having my thumb in a cast makes everyday things seem difficult. Besides the obvious of not being able to throw a football, I didn’t realize how important my right hand was. Like trying to eat dinner, get my cell phone out of my pocket, and, of course, the worst, wiping my butt. I know that is gross, but honestly, it sucks. Also, trying to take notes in meetings is next to impossible. Lucky for me, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, I will only have this cast on for about a month.

The injury came about last Thursday. It was the final period of the day and I was running the two-minute drill. It was literally going to be my last throw of the day and we had a walkthrough the following day before the game (Saturday, home to Cleveland). I dropped back to throw, as I normally do, and was waiting for my wide receiver to break in on the route he was running. I stepped up in the pocket to avoid the rush and get the ball off. Well, one of our offensive linemen (who will remain nameless) was sliding back off of one block to help another guy in protection. I didn’t feel him, because I was just getting ready to throw the ball. I released the ball and my thumb went directly into his back. I tried to stop the motion but it was too late and my thumb went straight back. I was so focused on trying to complete the pass that I didn’t sense the guy coming over. I immediately knew something was wrong. I had hit a helmet before with my hand or thumb, but never to this extent. I went directly off the field and had it X-rayed in our training room within five minutes. There was no fracture, which was positive, but I had to go see our team doctor.

It turned out that our team doctor and a hand specialist were at the same hospital doing surgery that day, so I went directly there.

The result was me in a cast for a month, or so they tell me. I had it wrapped by the hand specialist and he said I strained my radial collateral ligament, which wouldn’t have been a big deal if it wasn’t on my throwing hand. Actually, he said I was fortunate, because usually you can get a “Gamekeeper’s Thumb” (Ed. Note: An injury to the ulnar collateral ligament, aka “Skier’s Thumb”) as it is called, which could be career threatening. He told me they would reevaluate it in a couple of weeks and go from there.

So now I just have to hope I am a fast healer, because there is nothing I can really do for it. I was disappointed to not be able to play these final two preseason games, because I was getting more and more comfortable, but I will continue to get better in other ways over the course of the next few weeks. I will not be put on IR, which I am extremely happy about, and now I will just try and get healthy as soon as possible.

Thanks to all the fans who read these blogs, I love the opportunity to share stories with you that you wouldn’t hear anywhere else. If there are any questions ask away…

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

My First NFL Snaps
Written by Drew Stanton
August 10, 2008

To say I was extremely anxious to play in my first NFL game would be a serious understatement.

Even to go through warm-ups for our exhibition game against the Giants in Detroit was something I had been looking forward to. After being sidelined for a year, the little things that you take for granted no longer seem miniscule.

My adrenaline was rising as soon as I went out to the field and I knew I was going to be taking my first snaps in the NFL that night. I knew I had to wait my turn, but I went through each snap every time as if I was the quarterback in there running the show.

I got the call from upstairs to begin warming up in the middle of the third quarter, and I just tried to collect my thoughts and relax. I had stiffened up a little bit because I was on the sidelines watching for a while. But as soon as I stepped across that white line onto the playing field and heard the crowd as I went out to the huddle, I felt like I could do anything.

To some, preseason games are viewed as meaningless tune-ups. But for me, I view it as a test and a time to let loose. All of the hours invested in practice, meetings and the film room culminate in about 15-20 opportunities to try to make a play.

Walking out onto Ford Field for my first time in an actual game and hearing the roar of that crowd is a feeling I will never forget. It brought such a level of comfort and support from the home fans. I felt honored to wear the Honolulu blue and silver and it signaled to me that I had truly come full circle.

For me, that first memory as a Detroit Lion is extra special because I grew up a Lions fan. I feel connected to these fans, because I was once a young child sitting in the Silverdome rooting for my team to win. It is moments like these that make you truly appreciate how blessed and fortunate you are to be where you are.

As the game went on I started to settle in more and more. The speed of the game is definitely faster, and I was in with the third-stringers. Ball placement for quarterbacks in the NFL is crucial and I found that out on a third down pass I threw to a back. If I put the ball out front, he gets the first down, and because I did not, we ended up short.

Also, because this game is so much faster, I have to be smarter when I take off and run. I even slid for the first time in my career, but that is something I will have to get used to in order to maintain my health.

To cap off the game with a drive resulting in the winning field goal in a 13-10 victory was truly icing on the cake. All in all, it was a day filled with some monumental highlights, and after watching the film I was very happy with the start. There are obviously so many things I need to work on after evaluating the film, but now I at least have a starting point.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

A Typical Day at Training Camp
Written by Drew Stanton
July 28, 2008

Here’s my typical day in a nutshell at Lions’ training camp in Allen Park, Michigan:

5:30 a.m.  Wake-up call. Pick up phone and drop it ’cuz that is too early.

7:00 a.m.  Actual time my roommate, Calvin Johnson, and I get up.  I let him get up and brush his teeth first.  I’m out the door and make sure to grab my BRAINIAC drink made by Function that I drink on the drive over.  Turn on some music to get me going in the morning, right now it is Matt Nathanson’s CD.

7:15 a.m.  Arrive at facility, grab some breakfast, get taped and stretch out a little before practice.  Also, make sure to look over practice notes for the morning. 

8:10 a.m. Go out to walkthroughs and practice in full pads.  Practice is about two hours in the morning, with a couple more periods than the afternoon session.  I have been getting the second set of the second team in every drill.  Our four main drills we do every day are team run, blitz, 7-on-7 and team.

10:45 a.m. Off the practice field on my way to the weight room for a lift.  Every other day I also bike for 20 minutes just to keep up my conditioning a little bit.  After the lift I go to the training room to ice my arm and get in the cold tub for my legs. Grab a quick shower and then some lunch.  Also drink another Function beverage, but this time it’s the ALTERNATIVE ENERGY to keep me going for the rest of the day.  I have been trying to avoid naps so I can keep a consistent sleep pattern.

12:30 p.m. Rest for a little bit, check my e-mails and talk on the phone.  Then I go watch practice from the morning by myself.  Watch every single play and go over my reads and checks on my own, taking notes and making corrections.  Then I will go find a card game in the locker room during down time.  Dan Orlovsky and I finally beat Dom Raiola and Jon Kitna in Spades in a best-of-three.  They hold the belt in the locker room right now as the Spades champs.

2:30 p.m.  Meetings start.  We meet as a 7-on-7 group, which means quarterbacks, wideouts, backs and tight ends.  We will watch the morning practice and make corrections where necessary.

3:45 p.m. Released from meetings to get ready for afternoon practice.  We are in just helmets in the afternoon and practice is shortened a little bit. 

6:00 p.m. Practice is done and we ice down before we go eat dinner.  The food selection is great, and from what I hear we are one of the few teams that have this nice of a dining hall.  Special teams meets from 7:30-8:15, so we are playing cards again at this time, whether it is Spades or Tunk.  I’m trying to get in line with Roy Williams to take his belt of Tunk champion right now.

8:15 p.m. Team meeting.  Coach Marinelli addresses the team on some issue or has a guest speaker come in and talk.

8:30 p.m. Full offensive meeting.  We talk about the running plays getting installed in the morning and go over any corrections from that day.

8:45 p.m.  7-on-7 group film study and install.  We will watch the afternoon practice and then go over the install of the passing game for the next morning.

10 p.m.  I leave the facility for the hotel.  Make any necessary phone calls and then straight to the room.  No snack for me, I try not to eat so late, but sometimes I cannot pass up a brownie and some ice cold milk.  I talk with Calvin for a little bit and then lights out by 10:30.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

Mark Dantonio and the Future of MSU Football
Written by Drew Stanton
July 21, 2008

People have been asking me my take on the new coach at Michigan State and how I think the team will do this year, so here are my thoughts.
Let me start with Mark Dantonio, because he is the man who will help determine the second part of the equation (my take on the 2008 Spartans, which will follow real soon as its own separate topic). I also need to preface this with the fact that I am not trying to offend anyone, but this is how I perceive/know things to be.
My first experience with Coach Dantonio came in high school. He told me he had just left Michigan State for Ohio State to become their new defensive coordinator. He went on to say they were already set on their quarterback (Justin Zwick), but he wished me good luck. After I told him that I was going to MSU, he wished me nothing but the best and told me I was going to a great place. That left a lasting image in my mind about how classy an individual he was. My next experience did not come until he was named head coach back at Michigan State.
I called and congratulated Coach D on getting the head job and told him if there was ever anything I could do to help the program, do not hesitate to call and ask. He was appreciative of the call, and you could tell by the tone of his voice he was proud to be there and excited about the opportunity. Since then I have had a couple encounters with Coach D and have been very impressed every time. I truly think he has the right balance needed for a coach at Michigan State. And believe me, after being there for five years, I think I know what was needed around there.
Here are the reasons why I think he will win and be successful in a short period of time:
First, he understands how to recruit Big Ten athletes. Heck, he even stole some great talent out of Detroit during his time at both Ohio State and Cincinnati.
Second, his teams play great defense. I know this because I had to face them for three years. You cannot survive a Big Ten schedule without a great defense.
Third, he has a great supporting cast of coaches. I was blown away this year by the new defensive coordinator, Pat Narduzzi, and the job his defensive staff did, not forgetting Coach Treadwell (who was at MSU my freshman year and has returned as offensive coordinator) on the offensive side of the ball. They understand the brand of football that needs to be played in order to win games in the Big Ten.
Lastly, I think Coach D has an agenda and he is sticking to it. The new facilities are amazing, which also plays a role in the grand scheme of things.
That sums up my thoughts on Coach Dantonio, but I must clear up one thing before I go any further. I am by no means bashing Coach Smith, his staff, or the players he recruited, rather shining light on the areas I see Coach Dantonio being strong in. I could have a whole separate blog, and I probably will, on how fine a man Coach Smith is. But that is what I think of Coach Dantonio and the staff he has assembled. I have been around all of them, and I feel very comfortable with the direction in which the program is headed. Look no further than the recruiting trail he is blazing right up to East Lansing.
Thanks for reading and look for my next blog real soon about the guys actually taking snaps this season.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

Back in the Game
Written by Drew Stanton
July 18, 2008

I would be lying if I said I was not upset about tearing my ACL in the Alamo Bowl against Nebraska in 2003. After all, I hurt it on punt coverage when a guy hit me with a cheap shot in the back. The day after that game I was supposed to begin my quest to be the starting quarterback at Michigan State for the next three years. I was unable to go through Spring ball at Michigan State, and at one point thought I was not going to be able to play again.

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and just continued to work hard.
Looking back, I think that playing special teams helped get me to where I am today. By showing my team that I was willing to sacrifice myself any way possible for the team to win, I showed my commitment to the team. Playing quarterback is much more than looking pretty or having a rocket arm, it’s about getting the most out of the guys around you. I felt like that situation allowed that to happen.

There is kind of this public misconception that exists about knee injuries, and I am here to try and help you understand what I mean. People hear of a torn ACL and assume that everyone is on the same recovery plan. Well, in actuality it is quite the opposite. I had my ACL repaired, but also had work done on both my menisci. And there are limited options on how to mend menisci, unfortunately. My ACL has been doing great ever since my first surgery, but my lateral meniscus is what had been still giving me problems all the way up until last year. Knee injuries take time to recover, and time was something I did not have right after my injury in 2003. I was trying to be the starter at Michigan State and my window of opportunity was only so big, so I needed to strike while the iron was hot.

My injury this past year was not by someone running into me, or landing on it funny. It happened on a straight dropback, I went to hitch up in the pocket and heard a noise. It continued to swell over the next day and I had to do something about it. They ended up scoping me knee. In the end, they removed three pieces of scar tissue floating around and repaired my lateral meniscus again. I spent the entire season on Injured Reserve (IR), watching the Lions play.

But now I see that taking that year off was a blessing in disguise. As hard as it was not to be playing football, the time away gave my knee that much more rest and now it feels so much better.

Lots of fans want to know what players on IR do during the season. I traveled to every game and was in on all the meetings, I just couldn’t practice. I worked out with my strength coach, who helped keep my spirits up. I tried to stay involved with the offense as much as possible, but the best way to learn is to get out there and actually do it.
Once you’re on the IR, you’re kind of a forgotten man. The coaches have to worry about the guys who are playing. As a player you understand that, at the end of the day the NFL is a business. I wasn’t surprised. They have to worry about the 53 or 54 guys who can win games for them. But Coach Marinelli did go out of his way to stop me in the hall every time he saw me to see how things were going. It spoke volumes to me about the type of man he was, and I respect him a lot for that. It went a long way in making me feel included.

This season I don’t expect my knee to have any effect on my game. I went through OTAs and the knee felt really good. There was a little stiffness, but that was just the knee getting acclimated to the stress I put on it. I just needed to work through it and eventually it loosened up.
That’s it for now. Check back for regular updates, I look forward to reading your questions and comments.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com

The QB Competition
Written by Drew Stanton
July 16, 2008

Jon Kitna was the starter for the Lions last year and he has been instrumental in my growth. He is constantly teaching me things and he goes out of his way to offer me information. He’s been playing at this level for 14 years now, and that doesn’t just happen by mistake. I’m very fortunate to have him here because you hear horror stories about veterans who are worried about their job security, they sometimes tell the younger guys the wrong things to do or make the situation very uncomfortable for rookies.

There are three quarterbacks going to training camp with the Lions and I’m trying to see where I fit in. Through OTAs I took primarily third-team reps; I was kind of at a disadvantage after sitting out last year with my injury (Ed. Note: He was on IR with a knee injury) because I didn’t get to run the offense. I have a much better grasp now and I feel confident going into training camp.

Now it’s just a matter of performing in the preseason, trying to be prepared when the dust settles to play some football, regardless of where I am on the depth chart. As a backup you always have to be prepared because you’re one snap from going in there. I have to be prepared as well as I can because I don’t know what to expect after missing my rookie season. I try to focus on things I have control over, and my main focus is to be ready when opportunities present themselves.

Going back to working environments like I was talking about earlier, I feel very fortunate to have Jon and Dan helping me. We all do stuff together that is non-football related. Most of the time it is golf, and I get my butt kicked, but it’s all in good fun. At this level I think there is that respect level that exists, especially at the quarterback position. It is not as if you are sitting there hoping guys throw an interception so they look bad, because the ultimate goal is for the team to be a success. I’m competing against myself out there, I know what I am capable of and I just need to go out and produce on the field.

There’s a real comfortable feeling on this team, I like the direction we’re headed under coach Rod Marinelli. He’s awesome, everything is very blunt with the team and he’s so passionate about the way to play the game. From what I have seen, it seems like we have the right mixture here in our locker room. I’ve only been in the league one year, but it seems hard to find the right chemistry. Coach Marinelli is able to motivate the veterans all the way down the line to the rookies. His speeches are meticulous and he is so prepared for every meeting.

I learned as much as I could last year on the sidelines, now I feel like the best way to learn is to go out and do it, especially as a young guy in this league. I know I’m going to make some mistakes at this position, that stuff happens. I just need to make sure to not repeat those mistakes. With Coach Martz’s unique system gone, our new offense has changed. Coach Martz was big on not letting the defense dictate what the offense was going to do.

With the talent level so high on defense, not checking is a hard way to operate week-in and week-out in the NFL. Now we are trying to put ourselves in the best situation. You have to run away from certain looks, get out of certain plays, depending on the coverage. For instance, a very vanilla example is trying to run the ball against cover two and throw it versus cover three or anytime they try to load guys up in the box (near the line of scrimmage). I think you will see a lot of that out of us this year, especially when you have weapons like Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams on the outside.
Having those guys to throw to is not too bad at all.

I think the big thing for me this year will just be getting acclimated to being in the NFL, on the field and off. There’s no school to go to, no homework, all the things you have to do in college. You have the freedom to sit down and watch as much film as you want to, grab a guy and go out on the field anytime to run some plays. I’m going to train as if I’m going to be the starter every week, because you’re always one or two snaps from being in the game. As a backup you have to prepare like you are the guy, like I did when I was a freshman at Michigan State.

As a quarterback, the media really puts you under a microscope. It’s been that way all my life, playing at Michigan State, and even in high school because it was one of the best football programs in Michigan. During OTAs there were reports in the newspapers that I had thrown some floaters. I’ve never met a person that’s thrown a spiral every single time, and from what I know about football they don’t keep track of how many spirals you throw, they keep track of completions.
I don’t read the newspapers because I already know what happened in practice. I don’t need to see the media’s perception. They don’t know if the guy was getting blitzed, if he was checking off. Unless you’re the one out there playing, it’s hard to say exactly what was going on and what was going through their head.
That’s it for now. Check back for regular updates, I look forward to reading your questions and comments.

Drew Stanton is a quarterback with the Detroit Lions. His blog runs regularly at www.playerpress.com