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Organized team activities (OTAs) in Thousand Oaks has been nothing along the lines of slow and boring for one newcomer on the Los Angeles Rams.
As Kobie Turner has noticed, the tempo is a lot higher and faster than what he got accustomed to at Winston-Salem, North Carolina with Wake Forest, especially pre-shoulder pads. Regardless if the new interior defensive tackle is performing a “punch” drill on the sleds or competing in 11-on-11 team drills, nothing is done through slow motion from what he’s seen. And his newest coaches demand the energy levels to stay up.
Turner, however, has embraced the full speed approach before he officially puts the shoulder pads and helmet on for the Rams — plus is loving the fiery energy from his newest coaches from Sean McVay to Raheem Morris.
“Just all over the coaching staff, there’s this contagious energy. I love it,” Turner told Heavy in a one-on-one interview following the Rams’ Wednesday, May 31 practice near Cal Lutheran. “The game of football is a fun game and it’s a business up here, for sure. But they bring the energy to these meetings and practices. And that makes me a better player. I’m able to play with that energy and understand more so the passion of football.”
Were the Demon Deacons Near Similar in Tempo?
Turner rose from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) star at Richmond to third round selection — showing he can adjust to the speed and rigors of Power 5 conference football with the Demon Deacons.
But during his Wake Forest practices, Turner noticed the intensity volume crank up once the full football armor came on. The practices in shorts and helmet were more on the chill and laid back side. Are the Rams the same from what he got used to?
“It’s different. There’s more intensity without having pads on,” Turner admits. “So like, when we’re going full on practices with pads on, it’s a little bit different [at WF]. But you can already feel the intensity and you can already feel the competition and the edge everybody brings to even these practices [in Thousand Oaks] before everyone throws on pads. I’m excited to see what it’s going to be.”
Already, he’s loving the “Dawg Work” motto that became popularized by Rams defensive line coach Eric Henderson.
“I’m embracing it a lot,” Turner said. “And I’m soaking it all up because he has so much to teach me about the game. NFL football is different from college football and I’m here to get my PHD in NFL football to truly understand the game that’s going to help me play a lot faster. Being able to learn from him and get that experience and that wealth of knowledge that he already has is already effecting my game.”
Turner Feels Different Vibe With the 2023 Rams
The 2022 Rams went from reigning Super Bowl champions to taking a historic fall. Following a 5-win season, the belief from analysts and fans are skepticism inside the practice facility or that team doing a slow build back to winning.
Turner, however, doesn’t feel that notion at all in being around the Rams.
“For sure. We’re not striving to win eight or nine games,” Turner said. “The mindset is to go all the way. Whatever it takes in putting in whatever we need to be the best team we can be, at the end of the day it’s all going to work itself out.”
What is the ceiling Turner feels out of this Rams group?
“We’re not looking to win a certain amount of games. We’re looking to go all the way,” Turner said.