Buccaneer veterans will find a few more breaks in the practice schedule at this year's camp
In the NFL, the term "two-a-days" has become essentially synonymous with "training camp." However, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the summer of 2009, that will be only half true.
Tampa Bay's 2009 training camp will still be an intense test of physical and mental will for its players, a crucible in which the team will be hardened and formed. There will still be rivers of sweat and up-tempo workouts and seemingly endless days, and it will still be three of the toughest weeks of the year for Buccaneer players.
But it won't be strictly two-a-days throughout.
In the most obvious break from the way the team conducted camp under previous leadership, Raheem Morris's Buccaneers will alternate between days of two practices and one. Only once during the 19 days of camp will the Bucs have follow one day of two practices with another, and those 48 hours will be followed by the players' first day off.
In all, the Buccaneers' coaching staff has scheduled 24 practices for the days of August 1-19. All but one of those practices will be held at One Buccaneer Place, the team's state-of-the-art headquarters, and all will be free and open to the public.
The Bucs' day-by-day practice schedule for their 2009 training camp is below. To get advance complimentary tickets to any one of those practices via e-mail, click here to sign up for the One Buc Club.
The typical two-day stretch during training camp will consist of one day with practices at 10:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. followed by a second day with just one workout at 2:20 p.m. With the exception of a trio of special teams-only practices and a walk-through the day before the preseason opener at Tennessee, each practice will run approximately two hours.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2009 Training Camp Schedule
| **Day** | **Date** | **First Practice** | **Second Practice** |
| Saturday | August 1 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 6:45 - 8:45 p.m. (RJS) |
| Sunday | August 2 | 2:20 - 4:20 p.m. | None |
| Monday | August 3 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 4:55 - 6:50 p.m. |
| Tuesday | August 4 | 2:35 - 3:45 p.m. (ST) | None |
| Wednesday | August 5 | 10:15 a.m. — 12:25 p.m. | 4:55 - 6:50 p.m. |
| Thursday | August 6 | 2:30 - 4:20 p.m. | None |
| Friday | August 7 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 4:45 - 5:55 p.m. (ST) |
| Saturday | August 8 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 4:55 — 6:50 p.m. |
| Sunday | August 9 | None | None |
| Monday | August 10 | 2:30 - 4:20 p.m. | None |
| Tuesday | August 11 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 4:55 - 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | August 12 | 2:30 - 4:20 p.m. | None |
| Thursday | August 13 | 10:20 - 11:30 a.m. (ST) | 4:55 - 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | August 14 | 8:55 - 9:50 a.m. (WT) | None |
| Saturday | August 15 | **Tampa Bay at Tennessee - 8:00 p.m. ET** | |
| Sunday | August 16 | None | None |
| Monday | August 17 | 2:45 - 4:35 p.m. | None |
| Tuesday | August 18 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. | 4:55 - 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | August 19 | 2:30 - 4:20 p.m. | None |
Key (RJS) — This practice on the evening of August 1 will take place at Raymond James Stadium. All other training camp practices, weather permitting, will take place at One Buccaneer Place. ST - Special teams-only practice. Fans should be aware that some players do not attend these practices. WT - Walk-through. These are very brief and are run at half-speed.
While apparently providing a little more rest for the players, the new schedule is also blessed with quite a bit of flexibility. With daily thunderstorms always a possibility in Florida during August, the team is prepared to adjust quickly. The workouts on single-practice days could be moved up by several hours if there is a strong possibility of rain, and a missed workout on a two-a-day afternoon could be made up on the following one-practice day. Also, the team's second practice will now start several hours later than in the past, potentially missing the common late-afternoon showers entirely.
Morris, the Buccaneers' first-year head coach, made just such an adjustment during the team's mandatory mini-camp two weeks ago. After lightning cost the team one of its practices on a planned two-a-day Tuesday, the Wednesday schedule was adjusted to hold both practices earlier in the day, before another storm was expected to arrive.
Of course, such weather concerns are also why it is important to note that all training camp practices are subject to change without notice. Of course, Buccaneers.com will endeavor to provide notices for any and all schedule changes as quickly as possible, and as the only source with direct access inside team headquarters, will be among the first to know. As always Buccaneers.com will launch a special Training Camp section just prior to the start of camp, and that section will include a full practice schedule as well as highlights of the anticipated practice times for each day and quick notices when there are changes.
