Daily Archives: August 6, 2021

GONZALES The Ascension Parish Council and its committees will go back to virtual meetings starting at 6:00 tonight, as the surge of the COVID cases continues to disrupt life in the area.

The announcement comes one day after the Jambalaya Festival Association announced it would have to cancel its annual festival in Gonzales for a second year in a row, and two days after Parish President Clint Cointment said he has mild symptoms from the COVID-19 illness.

For a second straight year, the novel coronavirus has canceled a Gonzales tradition: the Jambalaya Festival.

All meetings will be broadcast live on Ascension21, the parish public access channel available on EATEL and Cox cable, and streamed live on the internet, parish officials said Thursday.

"Until further notice, all meetings of the Ascension Parish Council and all Committee meetings will be by video teleconference only," the officials added in a statement Thursday. "This move is being made in an attempt to counter the recent surge in the number of coronavirus infections and COVID-19 cases."

The Council had virtual meetings for months in 2020 and early 2021 during earlier phases of the pandemic. But it switched back to in-person meetings in the spring when cases plummeted.

A few of those virtual meetings generated controversy because of poor internet connections that limited public comment. In January, a Planning Commission meeting over the controversial approval of the Windermere Crossing subdivision off Cannon Road suffered from some of those connection problems that limited comments, residents have said.

Ascension President Clint Cointment has been diagnosed with COVID-19 despite having being vaccinated, parish officials said Tuesday.

It's not clear when or where Cointment was infected, but he was fully vaccinated, his aides said. Parish officials have said they have notified all close contacts and Cointment has used his infection as an opportunity to urge others to be vaccinated.

Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today.

But Ascension continues to be one of the highest-risk locations in the state for the spread of the coronavirus, state health data show.

In the latest data released Wednesday, Ascension had the seventh highest weekly test positivity rate at 21.6%. State health experts generally consider 10% test positivity as a worrying level of viral spread.

GONZALESEven in the face of an uproar from residents over flooding, the Ascension Parish Planning Commission approved plans to construct se

State health officials say 90% of new cases are among those who are unvaccinated. Ascension's percentage of fully vaccinated residents is nearly 37%, slightly behind the statewide average and about 4 percentage points behind the regional average.

Parish officials said residents who wish to speak at Thursday's council meeting, which had been planned to be in Donaldsonville, and at future meetings can send an email up to 24 hours before the meeting or call a number during the meeting.

Narrow roads and traffic congestion continued to draw the focus of the Ascension Parish Planning Commission this month as the panel approved t

Officials said comments should be emailed to comments@apgov.us. The emails sent up to 24 hours before the meeting will be read aloud during the meeting.

During the meeting, residents should call (225) 621-8636 and enter participant code 939496.

Comments are limited to agenda items only. All meeting agendas and supporting documents are published on the parish website: http://www.ascensionparish.net/new-agendas-and-minutes/

More:

Another COVID disruption: Ascension Parish meetings go virtual again after president infected - The Advocate

CANTON, Ohio

Peyton Manning will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday, the capstone of a spectacular career in which he directed both the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos to Super Bowl victories.

In the audience will be legions of fans, along with friends and former teammates. Some grew up with him in New Orleans, and lined up with him on the sports fields at Isidore Newman School, which is pre-K through 12th grade.

The Los Angeles Times gathered five of his former Newman teammates for a video conference to reminisce about the gangly, plodding, pranking kid who rounded into one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

On the call were Manning friends Baldwin Montgomery, Justin Reyna, Thad Teaford, Mike Keck and Nate Stibbs.

I really value those friendships, and a number of others who I grew up playing Little League baseball with or went to school with at Newman, Manning said. Im proud that Ive been able to maintain those friendships for such a long time. They give me a hard time because they basically had an annual trip to see me play once a year either to Knoxville, for a Tennessee game, Indianapolis for a Colts game, or in Denver.

When I retired they accused me of kind of ruining our annual trip, that I was selfish about retiring and screwing everything up. I took the heat for that.

Getting together wasnt easy during the pandemic, but Manning did gather his friends to take in a college game at Tennessee.

Watched the game, sat in the stands, and had a good get-together. Have to be a little more creative and finding what to do on our annual trip. Football made it easy.

Among the memories:

Even when he was a kid, Mannings memory was something to behold. He could recall the smallest of details, and not just sports-related ones. Sometimes it was music.

Back in those Little League days, sometimes youd be going to play some game an hour or two away, Reyna said. Peyton was with us one time, and my parents put some Motown on the radio. Were probably 11 or 12. Hes sitting back there naming the songs and who sings them. My parents were looking around like, Who knows these songs as a 10-, 11- or 12-year-old?

Manning still has that curiosity about his old classmates.

He loves nostalgia, the childhood memories, Montgomery said. Every five years you have your high school reunion, and nobodys more interested in what our classmates are up to or getting an email chain going: Where are you? Whos going to be there? How is so-and-so doing? Theres this keen interest in looking back.

Peyton Manning helped bring another Super Bowl trophy to Denver.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Not surprisingly, football factoids were of particular interest. There, he was a walking Wikipedia.

He knew every single player his dad played with, Teaford said. He knew every single play. He would listen to the radio broadcast and he would tell you exactly what the next play was going to be, who the receiver was that caught every touchdown, where they were from, what their brothers name was. He could tell you stories about people hed never even met.

The light switch didnt just go off when he started playing quarterback at Newman or got to Tennessee or got to Indianapolis. The light switch was on from the second he was born.

Did you ever watch Homeland or The Wire, where crime solvers would construct a wall of photographs or thoughts tenuously connected by pieces of string, a crazy visual aid untangling some type of convoluted conspiracy?

Basically, that was Mannings bedroom.

Back in 1993, we didnt have computers in class, nobody had iPhones, Stibbs said. So whenever he had an idea, he would write it down on a little yellow sticky note.

Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning launches a pass during a game against Kentucky on Nov. 22, 1997.

(Ed Reinke / Associated Press)

Youd go to his room at his house and hed have 250 sticky notes all over his wall, just on little ideas that flashed into his mind that he didnt want to forget about. So he kept a note and a pen in his pocket and hed write it down. I always thought that was pretty incredible at that age to have that attention to detail.

It could have been a homework assignment, something that popped into his mind. Something about watching game film or practice or preparation. It was all over the board.

Sometimes, Peyton was too smart for his own good or at least he thought he was.

He was on a bitty basketball team when he was in grade school, and a teammates dad was the coach. The guy was a lawyer who lived in the Mannings neighborhood, and though he didnt know a lot about coaching, he was focused on the kids having fun.

That didnt sit well with young Peyton, not after the team lost a game.

The coach tried to give the team a pep talk in the wake of defeat, sort of: Well, we didnt play our best, but well get em next time.

Peyton stood and countered with: No, the reason we lost is you dont know what youre doing as a coach.

Manning still cringes at the memory.

I was dead wrong, he said.

Whats more, young Peyton was in trouble with his own father, Archie.

My dad couldnt hear what I was saying, Manning said. He just saw me pointing my finger at the coach, and he could tell that I was out of line. Made me go over to the coachs house that night and apologize. I remember I was crying. I was bawling and my dad was saying, Im not going to let you play next week.

The coach was very nice, accepted my apology and said, No, I want you to play. It was a good learning lesson for me of whats right and whats wrong, being coachable and keeping your mouth shut. That was the most valuable lesson in that. My dad straightened me out real quick.

When it came to high school coaches in Louisiana, Billy Fitzgerald was larger than life. He was the head coach of two sports at Newman High for a combined 60 years, with his teams winning five state titles in basketball and two in baseball.

The 6-foot-5 Coach Fitz was a commanding presence whose decisions from the sideline or dugout were seldom questioned.

Then along came Manning.

Peyton, left, and Eli Manning visit Newman School in New Orleans, their alma mater, in 2015.

(Jonathan Bachman / Associated Press)

Peyton was a pretty intense, competitive personality as well, Keck said. I always thought to myself, man, when coach Fitz is upset you just kind of nod your head and, How soon can we move on and get out of here? Peyton, he would butt heads with him. He would go after him, they would get into it with each other. They were very competitive.

Those who played basketball probably noticed the most tension between those two. It was all healthy. It was all in the pursuit of excellence. But I remember they would get into it, and I was like, man, hes the guy who makes me run wind sprints. Im not going to fight with that guy. I just tried to get out of there as quickly as I could. I didnt have the guts to have words and decide I had something to say back to him.

Then there was the time Manning and his Newman baseball teammates were on the road for a tournament and stayed in a motel the night before their semifinal game. Fitzgerald reminded them to grab towels because theyd be showering before their five-hour bus ride home.

When Manning got off the bus to get a towel, Stibbs asked him to grab him one too. Prankster Peyton returned with a towel for himself and a tiny washcloth for his pal.

Flanked by coach Tony Dungy, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning celebrates his first Super Bowl victory.

(Chris OMeara / Associated Press)

That was fine and funny until Newman blew a big lead and lost a game it shouldnt have lost. Fitzgerald was fuming. The disappointed team, sheepish and silent, hit the showers, and Peytons friend brought his washcloth, figuring hed quietly exchange it for the full-sized towel of some unlucky freshman.

The towel swap happened, but the guy who wound up with the terrycloth postage stamp was the hotheaded coach Fitz, who emerged from the showers naked, soaked and steaming mad. He demanded to know who had left him with a washcloth.

I remember looking over at Peyton sitting in the corner, and he was just hunkered down, Stibbs said. He wouldnt look at anybody. And I remember thinking, You almost got us killed because of your little prank. We still tell that story every time we get together once a year. Its etched into all of our memories.

Mannings defense can be summed up in three words: not my fault.

That was on Stibbs, he said. I was simply pulling a prank on my friend. It should not have gotten to the head coach. So thats all on Stibbs. Im not taking the heat for that one.

Manning was no stranger to mischief.

When we werent water-ballooning cars at Thads house as teenagers, we did a lot of prank calling, Montgomery said. This was prior to Caller ID when you could actually get away with calling someone and acting as if you were someone else.

It was always better to prank call a parent, because they were nave and gullible and easier to go through with it, versus a peer who was going to recognize your voice.

Some of the most memorable gags involved Manning posing as a reporter for a publication that specialized in rating high school football players for fans and college recruiters.

He had this idea that we would call some players dads of one of our rival teams and act as if we were of Blue Chip magazine inquiring about their son, Montgomery said. So Peyton would get on the phone and call someones dad, an acquaintance, and act as if he was someone inquiring about their son.

Hey, I hear your sons a rising senior and a football player, can you tell me a little bit about him? These dads just took it hook, line and sinker. Everybody wants their son to be the next great athlete. So [the dad would say], Oh, yeah, he plays both ways, linebacker, running back. Runs well. Works out in the weight room.

We would just pry and ask the most ridiculous questions and get into, What does he power clean? Does he wear a neck roll? Does he wear a Breathe Right? Just see how far we could go with it. We got some good laughs out of it.

It worked until it didnt. Manning was nabbed when he left a voice message for someone and that person recognized the voice.

He got in trouble, Montgomery said. I think Archie received a phone call, and he had to apologize to these dads for those prank calls.

Manning is the son of an NFL star quarterback. His genetics certainly helped. But he didnt stroll into high school as a phenomenal athlete. He was slow and skinny, and it was his relentless work ethic that molded him into the player he became.

People make assumptions that because Peyton had all the success he had that he was born fast, born able to jump high, strong, Teaford said.

But we used to do a speed camp with the track coach when we were in the eighth grade. There was a heavyset guy who would run with us, and Peyton was running with him. In eighth grade he was probably close to a [6-second-flat 40-yard dash].

When we went into the weight room, he practically couldnt lift the bar. Its a testament to who he is. Its not where he started, its where he got to in the end that matters. I bet by his senior year he was probably running a 4.9[-second] 40 and I know he used to talk all the time about how much stronger he got at Tennessee. Its pretty amazing. Its not like he was born with that talent.

Manning routinely would gather his receivers for impromptu workouts, and it was always with a purpose, not just to toss around the ball. Keck, who was a tight end, remembers the quarterback directing him to run five-yard out routes over and over.

I didnt understand that the five-and-out was critically important for spreading out the defense, Keck said. All I knew was it was the most boring play ever. Youre going to catch it and go out of bounds or get killed. Youre going to get four, maybe five yards if you catch it.

I would do it 18, maybe 20 times and I was like, This is so boring. Can we do different routes? Can we do a post or a long touchdown catch? But he understood the strategic nature of the timing of that route with each receiver. He was probably working on making sure that as soon as I swung my head around the ball was right there. Meanwhile, Im just complaining. My feet hurt. I dont want to catch another five-and-out. Its just not that fun.

Retired NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning, left, and brother Eli have enjoyed post-football time on the golf course.

(Eric Risberg / Associated Press)

The lesson?

He got to this point where he decided he was going to be the best, and he just put his head down, Keck said. He out-prepares anybody.

Manning will be up on that stage in Canton, but his high school teammates and friends in the audience will feel as if theyre standing right beside him.

Its been a long journey for all of us, Stibbs said. Weve been going to the games when he was in Knoxville in college every year. For the 18 years that he was with the Colts. In Denver, we would go to games every year. It almost feels like were going in with him. Weve been part of that whole experience, that whole journey where its consumed our lives too.

Said Montgomery: Selfishly, I dont think we ever wanted him to retire. Its such a part of the last 20-plus years, whether it was going to Denver or Indy or some other NFL town to go watch him play, and how proud we were to be a part of it, and our families a part of it, whether its our spouses or kids.

We knew five years after retirement he was going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and here it is. Its crazy to kind of put that cherry on top.

Hes exceeded expectations every step along the way.

Read this article:

Stories behind ascension of Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning - Los Angeles Times

COVID-19 shots available at Health Unit

The staff at the Ascension Parish Health Unit reminds residents they can get the COVID-19 vaccine at the health unit.

The Moderna vaccine is available at the Ascension Parish Health Unit, 1024 S. East Ascension Complex Blvd., in Gonzales. Appointments are available by calling (225) 450-1425.

According to its news release, vaccines are an essential part of helping to safely bring Louisiana back, and the Ascension Parish Government is working hard, together with its partners the Louisiana Department of Health and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to help do so, according to a news release.

For information, visithttps://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine/.

Experience the best of the River Road African American Museum from the comfort of your own home.

With our virtual exhibitions, the museum continues to uncover and share compelling stories about the rural communities of south Louisiana through the collection, preservation and interpretation of art, artifacts and historic buildings.

Check out the museums newest virtual exhibits from its app or visit rrmobile.aamuseum.yourcultureconnect.com/experiences.

Have you lost your job or had your income reduced due to COVID-19? Are you confused about your rights under the new federal coronavirus relief bill? Do you have questions about other workers rights issues like unpaid wage claims? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then join Southeast Louisiana Legal Services attorney Marissa Delgado for a virtual discussion at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, at for a Know Your Rights legal workshop focusing on unemployment compensation and workers rights.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services fights for fairness in the justice system. For information on services provided by Legal Services, visit slls.org.

Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today.

Advance registration is required. To register, call (225) 673-8699. After registering, you will receive an email with information on how to join the live discussion.

The Ascension Council on Aging will be hosting MIPPA Education Events for Ascension Parish senior residents. MIPPA is the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

The events are scheduled at both senior centers as follows:

For information, call Leslie at Gonzales Senior Center, (225) 621-5750, or Jamie at Donaldsonville Senior Center, (225) 473-3789.

River Region Art Association's "Red Hot Night", which was set for Saturday, has been canceled. In wake of rising COVID-19 cases, the association opted to cancel the annual art show.

For information about the association, call (225) 644-8496 and leave a message and gallery volunteers will call you back. The Depot Gallery, 320 E. Ascension St., Suite C, in Gonzales is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Editor's Note: The River Region Art Association Red Hot Night art show story was changed to announced that the event has been canceled.

Read this article:

Around Ascension for Aug. 4, 2021 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

Ascension Parish public schools last week announced the appointment of six new district and school leaders.

Robyn Simmons is the new supervisor of child welfare and attendance; Brent Ramagost is the new supervisor of information systems and technology; Nicole Elmore Joseph is the new principal of Early College Option; Daniel Keragan McCready is the new assistant principal of Dutchtown High; Kim Uzee is the new associate principal of East Ascension High School; and Mary Reenie Laginess is the new assistant principal of East Ascension High School.

It is always an honor to recognize new leadership within this district a district that always excels in its employees, said Ascension public schools Assistant Superintendent A. Denise Graves. Ascension means to rise to the top, and that is what we continue to do under the leadership of these outstanding new administrators.

Born in New Orleans, Simmons began her career with Ascension public schools in 2010 as an English teacher at Donaldsonville High School. At DHS, she served as a career teacher, mentor teacher and master teacher before moving to Dutchtown High in 2013. She began teaching English at Dutchtown High and also served as a mentor teacher for the instructional leadership team and then an assistant principal. In 2019, Simmons became the principal of Early College Option. She remained in this position before being named supervisor of child welfare and attendance.

I am so excited about this next chapter, said Simmons. It is an opportunity to ensure that we continue to have students in Ascension ascend and succeed.

Simmons earned a bachelors degree in mass communication and a masters degree in English from Jackson State University. She also earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University.

A graduate of Donaldsonville High School, Ramagost is a longtime member of Ascension public schools. In 2002, he began his 19-year professional career with the district as a computer technician. Most recently, he served as the districts network administrator, a position he has held since 2018.

I am grateful to continue in this leadership role, said Ramagost. The IT department has always been such an honor to work with, and I am excited to lead that team.

Ramagost earned a bachelors degree in computer information systems from Nicholls State University in 2001. He lives in Gonzales with his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Cadence.

A native of Brusly, Joseph began her teaching career 19 years ago at Sherwood Middle School in Baton Rouge. She served as an administrative intern in East Baton Rouge Parish, then an assistant principal at Capitol Middle, an assistant principal at Capitol Elementary and principal of Melrose Elementary before moving to Ascension Parish. She began at Donaldsonville High School as a mentor teacher in 2013.

After a year, she became the assistant principal of DHS, a position she held for two years before becoming the associate principal in 2016.

I could not be here without the support of the Ascension Parish School Board, said Joseph. I could not have excelled the way I did without knowing they would support me 100%.

Joseph earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and social science education from Grambling State University and a master's degree in educational leadership from Southern University. She currently resides in Addis, with her husband, Christopher, and their three children Avery, Johnovan, and Elle, plus three bonus kids: Christopher, Christiauna and Keshawn.

Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today.

Originally from West Monroe, McCready began his career at Ascension in 2011 as a social studies teacher and physical education coach at East Ascension High School. He also served as the schools assistant athletic director, a strength coach for all sports and a football offensive coordinator.

McCready transferred to Dutchtown High in 2017 to fill four positions for the school: physical education teacher, assistant athletic director, strength coach and offensive coordinator. While serving at DTHS, he became a department head and Professional Learning Community leader.

McCready is active in the district outside of his given roles. He is a member of the Instructional Leadership Team and a teacher observer. He also works with the administration to implement the Griffin Guardian mentorship program on Dutchtown Highs campus. McCready has also been awarded the Strength of America Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association during his time with the district.

I am honored and extremely humbled for this opportunity to continue serving our students, parents, and stakeholders in this new leadership position, said McCready.

McCready earned a bachelor's degree in education from Henderson State University, graduating summa cum laude, and a master's degree in science from LSU. His wife, April, also works for the district as a teacher at Spanish Lake Primary. The pair have two daughters: Payton, a seventh grader at Dutchtown Middle, and Audrey, a third grader at Spanish Lake.

Uzee began her career with Ascension public schools as an English teacher for East Ascension High in 1999. In 2005, she became one of the districts first four high school teacher coaches. After two years in that role, Uzee returned to teaching at East Ascension until she took the position of assistant principal for the school in 2014.

My whole career has been at East Ascension; it is my home, said Uzee. It is my commitment to you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that every student succeeds.

Uzee earned a bachelor's degree in English and an alternative certification from LSU. She also earned a master's degree from Southeastern Louisiana University.

She is married to Travis Uzee and has a son, Connor Cook, and two stepdaughters, Caroline and Marguerite Uzee.

Originally from Niceville, Florida, Laginess began her work at Ascension public schools in 2013. She served as a special-education teacher in both the resource and LEAP connect settings, as well as the tennis coach and assistant swim coach at St. Amant High.

In 2018, she transitioned to Lowery Middle School to serve as the special education lead teacher. One year later, she moved to fill the same position at East Ascension High School. Most recently, she served the district as a special education coordinator at LeBlanc Special Services Center, where she continued her work with East Ascension High, as well as helped Central Middle and Gonzales Middle schools.

I am humbled by the opportunity to serve East Ascension High School and their community in this new role as assistant principal, said Laginess. East Ascension High School is a school like no other; rich in tradition, culture and pride.

Laginess earned both a bachelors degree and a masters degree from Auburn University and an education specialist degree from LSU. She is working on her doctoral degree at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Visit link:

Ascension schools hires 6 new district and school leaders - The Advocate

Two men have been arrested after a shooting a gun in Gonzales early Tuesday before leading officers on a car chase, the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office reported.

Officers responded around 4 a.m. to reports of someone shooting a gun on Norwood Drive, APSO said.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they heard several more shots being fired from a car that fled towards La. 931.

Police chased after the vehicle, which crashed at the intersection of Norwood Road and La. 931, after which the drive and a passenger took off running.

APSO later found and identified as suspects Humberto Gonzales and Kody Hughes, both 30.

Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today.

Gonzales admitted to driving the car and shooting the handgun for reasons he did not make clear to officers, APSO said.

Police recovered two guns. Both men were booked into Ascension Parish jail.

Gonzales was booked on counts of illegal use of a firearm, resisting an officer, failing to stop at stop signs, and reckless operation of a motor vehicle. Hughes was booked on illegal use of a firearm and resisting an officer.

Both men are in custody in lieu of $25,000 bonds.

View post:

2 men arrested in connection with Gonzales shooting, car chase, Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office says - The Advocate

Are you looking for ways to help your students with the new school year?

On Saturday, Aug. 14, Ascension Parish Library in Gonzales will be conducting two workshops focusing on free online library resources that are perfect for homework help and curriculum planning, a news release said. These workshops for parents, caretakers and educators will provide step-by-step introductions to numerous resources that teach math, English, science, history and test preparation.

Attendees will be introduced to free resources available through the library such as World Book, True Flix, TumbleBooks and Hoopla. These resources cover everything from matching and counting, literacy, history, science and even fiction stories that support early math concepts. They include e-books, audiobooks, interactive games, videos and activities that go along with lessons.

Learn about resources such as Learning Express, Universal Class, Access Science, Science Flix, and Homework Louisiana. These resources offer everything from science projects, scholarly articles, quizzes, practice ACT tests, college and career preparation, and live tutors.

Registration is required. Call (225) 647-3955 to register. Masks are recommended. Specify which session you would like to attend. Attendance at both sessions is welcome. Parents and students are encouraged to bring a laptop or other electronic device to better explore the free resources.

Originally posted here:

Ascension library offers back-to-school resource workshop - The Advocate

by Joshua Kellem | Chiefs Correspondent | Sat, Jul 31st 10:41pm EDT

Mecole Hardman continued his ascension through the first week of training camp, according to The Athletic's Nate Taylor. The beat writer wrote: Through the first week of camp, Hardman has continued his ascension, which began with impressive repetitions during the Chiefs offseason program and mandatory minicamp. Known for his rare speed, Hardman has produced more consistent repetitions while polishing his route-running ability in the middle of the field. (The Athletic )

Fantasy Impact:

Taylor added: Hardman has run routes from each of the Chiefs main three receiver positions. In previous camps, almost all of Hardmans highlights were of him running by defenders in the Chiefs secondary before catching a long pass from Mahomes. The first three practices have featured Hardman executing shorter routes, the types where he has to be precise in both his release and his cuts to give Mahomes a clear throwing window. That said, Sammy Watkins' departure vacates a 13.9% target share (5.5 targets per game). Patrick Mahomes averaged the seventh-most pass plays per game last season as well. There's aplenty of opportunity for Hardman. In his first two seasons with the Chiefs, the third-year WR totaled 67 receptions on 103 targets for 1,098 yards and 10 touchdowns. He rushed for an additional three and returned two in that timeframe as well.

Category: Rumors | More Mecole Hardman: News, Rankings, Projections, Stats

Read this article:

Mecole Hardman continuing his ascension in training camp, per beat writer - FantasyPros