Why Harbaugh has the Giants practicing in the afternoon
The Giants head to Miami on Wednesday for a new experience this training camp. And not just because it’s their first and only joint practice.
The Giants will practice Thursday morning with the Dolphins. It’s a change of pace from John Harbaugh having practice in the afternoon, which is different from previous coach Brian Daboll having training camp in the morning.
So why has Harbaugh started practices at 1:30 p.m.? Partly to prepare for games being played in the afternoon or evening.
“You don't play in the morning. That's one thing,” Harbaugh said Tuesday. “And then what we found was over time was there's a certain preparation that you really have to get your body ready to both perform at the highest level and to, we believe, protect yourself. And it's just hard to do that in the morning.”
The Giants focus on strength, conditioning and mobility from 7:30-8:30 a.m. After that, they have meetings and a tempo practice that’s more like a jog-through to refine technique. Before practice begins, the Giants do a 15-to-30 minute preparation period to get ready for it.
It also helps the team isn’t practicing in a warmer climate like Miami or Houston where the afternoon heat can be oppressive. But this is another way the Giants are adjusting to Harbaugh’s plan for a better payoff next season.
“The idea is to have them ready for what they're going to have to do,” Harbaugh said. “Whatever the level of practice is so they would perform at the highest level that we think they physically can and so we can keep them safer.”
The Giants did practice Wednesday morning to prepare themselves for practicing at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Yet for the most part, they’ve adjusted to their afternoon practice schedule.
“I prefer to practice in the morning, but however he wants it,” linebacker Abdul Carter said. “In the morning, noontime, it doesn't matter. We’re going to work.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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