Football players feed off emotion, even in practice, and on days when the Tampa sun is particularly brutal, the well of motivation can start to run dry. Coaches like Bob Bostad, who runs the offensive line, know that their own shouts of encouragement (and, when necessary, criticism) can help get the most out of each rep. In some drills, such as when the players hit the sleds, the desired result is sudden and powerful action; coaches want to make sure that every rep meets those criteria.

As chaotic as a football game sometimes appears to be, there are actually hundreds of precise details that go into learning the sport, and they vary from position to position. The footwork for a cornerback, for instance, is critical and exact, but it's not the same thing that a quarterback has to learn to make a five-step drop. During individual position drills, coaches like Earnest Byner, who is in charge of the running backs, watch very closely as their players go through exercises that focus on the minute details of the game.

Turnovers are of utmost importance in football, and Greg Schiano's Buccaneers run through a variety of drills at every practice that focus on causing (for the defense) and preventing (for the offense) giveaways. In some drills, players have to run through gauntlets designed to test their ability to protect the football, and to make things more difficult, the coaches often jump in to serve as extra defenders. Wide Receivers Coach John Garrett (left) may even get the head coach's help from time to time in this endeavor.

In some ways, Darrelle Revis is like an additional coach on the field and in the meeting room for the Buccaneers' young defensive backs. Rookie Johnthan Banks has already said he is trying to pattern everything he does after what Revis tells him. Still, there is always more that can be learned, and even an all-time great like Revis can benefit from some direct coaching. Jeff Hafley, who coaches defensive backs and mostly focuses on the safeties, found a good teaching moment with Revis during a recent practice.

Schiano insists on a fast-paced practice atmosphere, with players hustling from one drill to the next and even from one rep to the next. Each practice includes a period that has the players rotating through a variety of stations, each one focusing on one very specific thing. A rep during this period often consists of one quick action, like wrapping up on a tackle or attempting to strip the football from the ballcarrier. These reps come rapid fire, with players moving through a line and taking their turn immediately after the one in front of them is done. Coaches like Assistant Defensive Coordinator Bob Fraser use a whistle or their voices to make sure the pace remains where it should be.

Sure, football coaches yell, and they aren't always subtle or sparing when they are displeased with a particular action. Like the teachers that they are, however, coaches also know the value of positive reinforcement, and that is particularly true for the younger players. Rookies like first-year cornerback Branden Smith are in a stressful situation, trying to learn a new playbook, satisfy the demands of their coaches and prove that they belong on the regular-season roster. When they make a good play or show the proper technique, tutors like Secondary-Cornerbacks Coach Tony Oden make sure to let them know they have succeeded, hoping for the same result in the next rep.

The edges of an NFL practice field are often strewn with pads, cones, barrels, sleds, bags and other pieces of equipment, which hustling team personnel move around according to the predetermined practice schedule. Perhaps the most iconic piece of football practice equipment is the blocking sled, which come in singular and multiple forms. A five-man sled is obviously meant to emulate an offensive line for the sake of the defensive linemen, and players will hit it in tandem and try to move it. Here, Pass Rush Specialist Bryan Cox becomes part of the equipment, standing on the base to make it harder to move and to get a perfect vantage point on his players' efforts.

Every position has its own coach, and those men are calling the shots during individual periods. When the various units get together for full-team drills, that's when it's time for the actual pages in the Bucs' offensive and defensive playbooks to come out. Team periods are scripted beforehand as the coaches work on steadily "installing" all the plays they hope to use during the season. For the defense, Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan has the plan for his side to follow when its their turn to learn the playbook.

Special Teams Coordinator Dave Wannstedt is the only coach, other than Schiano, who routinely works with players in both red and white jerseys during practice. Every field session includes several periods that are designated solely for work in the kicking and return game, and during those times Wannstedt is in charge, though he gets a lot of help from the position coaches. Wannstedt's task is to get running backs, safeties, tight ends, linebackers, etc., working together on different techniques than they get during their individual position drills.

Hey, sometimes the best thing a coach can do for one of his players is squeeze a bottle of water over his head. Schiano and his staff obviously know the importance of staying hydrated and keeping as cool as possible during steamy Florida mornings. Players have constant access to water and Gatorade and team trainers ready to help out with the delivery of liquids at all times. Every now and then, though, Coach Schiano takes matters into his own hands.