Former Football: Green Impresses Throughout Preseason

Ricky Henne Managing Editor, Chargers.com @ChargersRHenne Facebook   http://www.chargers.com/news/article-1/Green-Impresses-Throughout-Preseason/136f2a8b-fcf4-4134-80ea-1a5c93385e7b?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

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Tight end Ladarius Green has had an impressive preseason, leading the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.

There aren’t many positives when a team winds up on the short end of a 41-6 decision.

Head coach Mike McCoy said as much in his post-game press conference.

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Still, in every game there are positives as well as negatives, and for the Chargers, one of those positives was the continued emergence of Ladarius Green. The second-year tight end finished with a team high five receptions for 49 yards.

“He’s really done a nice job ever since the OTA’s,” said McCoy. “He’s a talented young player that’s got some potential for us.  He’s got a great guy to learn from.  So you see the way (Antonio) Gates practices every day and the way he does things, so I think he’s following his lead.  Seeing the way he runs routes, he talks to him a lot of times and you see the communication.  He got off to a good start tonight which is great to see.”

Overall, Green has put together an impressive preseason.  He finishes the exhibition season with 13 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Chargers in all three categories.  Still, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder refuses to get caught up in his success, choosing instead to keep his head down and work hard.  In fact, he admits he still gets nerves prior to every kickoff.

“I still get nervous on the field,” he admitted. “I’m not as comfortable as I should be.  But I’m getting better. I get nervous in a butterflies kind of way.  I get a little bit of anxiety before each game.  I’m trying to do my best and I want to do my best to help this team….I’m trying to impress Gates.  I’m trying to impress the coaches.  I’m trying to show what I can do.”

Like McCoy said, Green has learned a lot from Gates, a surefire future Hall-of-Famer who’s put together a legendary career.  Along with John Phillips, Green says he gets to witness and learn firsthand from two top-notch players at the position.

“Just looking at coverages, they help me out on the field telling me what I can do better,” he said. “I rely on them a lot and I want to (do well) because of them.”

Now that the preseason is over, Green aims to have the same impact in the regular season as he did in the preseason.  And while he’s earned the praise of his coaches and teammates, he’s still focusing on improving every aspect of his game.

“It’s a great feeling (to get that praise),” he said. “But I know I did a lot of things wrong as well so I’ve just got to look at film and try to do better.”