'Missile' ready to make a splash
Ismail hoping to drop bad habits, help Saints offense
Posted: Saturday August 01, 1998 03:27 PM
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Ismail has 118 receptions for 1,856 yards and 12 touchdowns through five seasons in the NFL Otto Greule/Allsport |
LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (AP) -- The New Orleans Saints have
never been known as much of a passing team. And for the past few years Qadry Ismail has
not been known as much of a receiver.
Ismail now hopes both reputations are about to change.
"I'm in a really good spot with this team," Ismail said. "I have the
ability to grow with them and they have the place for me to grow. I think
we'll be real good for each other."
Ismail at least slowed the free-fall of his career by signing a four-year,
$6 million contract with the Saints. The Saints believe his speed can give
their passing game some zip and his reputation as a player who drops the
ball is behind him.
A second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in
1993, Ismail's productivity has fallen each of the past three seasons, from
45 catches with Minnesota in 1994 to 32 in 1995 and 22 in 1996. He became
known as the man who dropped passes.
"Yeah, that's what everyone talked about, but I don't think I'm a dropper,"
Ismail said. "There were times when I wasn't focused and dropped the ball,
but I'm not a dropper. I led the team in third down conversions when I was
under all kinds of pressure and everyone knew they were going to throw it
to me. And I had some game-winning catches. That's not a dropper."
Ismail went from the Vikings to the Packers and spent most of the 1997
season with the Miami
Dolphins. He was active for three games in Miami, but didn't catch a
single pass. "It was a bad year for me in a lot of ways, but it was good
in another way," Ismail said. "I decided that I could either sit there and
moan and complain, or I could use the time to learn all I could and work on
getting back. I decided to learn." The education continued when the
Saints signed him. "When he came here he went to work on all kinds of
catching drills, eye-hand coordination work, hours of doing things that
would make him better," said Saints offensive coordinator Danny Abramowicz.
"So far I'd agree, he's not a dropper. He's let go of a few during
practice, but no more than anyone else."
Ismail's troubles aren't caused by his hands, Abramowicz said. They're
caused by his head.
"He loses focus sometimes," Abramowicz said. "That's where most guys get
into trouble -- mental mistakes. I tell them all the time, 'We can't keep
you if you keep making mistakes.'"
Ismail still has a very big ace up his sleeve, wide receiver coach Harold
Jackson said -- speed.
It's always been Ismail's hallmark, but even after five years in the NFL,
Jackson believes Ismail is not making the most of it.
"He's fast, so fast, but I talk to him all the time about how to use that
speed," Jackson said. "A defensive back hates it when you get on him too
quick, when you're on him before he can get ready. That's what Qadry needs
to do, get off the ball and drive those defensive backs wild."
Ismail, 27, has started nine games in his five-year career but has never
ranked higher than No. 3 on a depth chart. He has 118 career receptions for
1,856 yards with 12 touchdowns.
The Saints have 11 wide receivers in training camp, including Andre Hastings,
a starter last year, ex-Colt Sean Dawkins and
seventh-round draft pick Andy McCullough.
Excluding Hastings, who had 48 catches last year, and Eric Guliford,
who had 27, the other veteran wide receivers -- Keith Poole, Brett Bech, Gunnard Twyner
-- combined for 13 receptions in 1997.
Although Ismail didn't catch a pass last year, he returned eight kickoffs
for a 20.8-yard average. That ability is the other ace he brings to New
Orleans, especially since Guliford tore an Achilles tendon in April and
will miss at least part of the season.
"I think he's going to be able to solve some problems on kick-returns,"
said special teams coach Bobby April. "You always love a guy who has that
kind of speed and likes being back there."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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