EAGAN, MINN. -- As he finalized his first offseason program as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach, Kevin O'Connell took a seemingly innocuous step. He decided against planning a third day of minicamp, instead informing players that on-field work would end a day early in mid-June.
Believe it or not, this bit of scheduling was notable and offered an early glimpse into how a rookie head coach will operate behind the scenes with his first training camp practice looming this week. O'Connell rejected the late-spring charade that typically plays out around the NFL, wherein coaches schedule a full minicamp and then cancel the final day as a "reward," a move designed to generate positive vibes as players head into their summer break.