Isaiah Likely has been adapting to life as a member of the New York Giants, but he had a head start over most when it came to the intensity of the team's new head coach.
After it was announced that John Harbaugh would be taking over as head coach of the Giants this offseason, it appeared to be a seamless fit for Likely to follow his former coach from the Baltimore Ravens. That came to fruition, which meant he didn't need to adjust too much to the mentality when training camp finally arrived.
Kicking off training camp with 10 practices during the first 11 days, there was probably a period of adjustment for Giants players who got used to how things ran under the former regime.
For Likely, he couldn't fathom not being on the field as much as the team
was to begin camp.
"I'll say, really, that first two weeks we had in Greenbrier, out of 11 days, 10 practices, I feel like that's normal to me. Like, I'm just -- if I wake up, I'm putting on cleats. That's just the mantra I have," Likely told reporters Wednesday. "So, hearing how Giants training camp was in the past, that was kind of mind-boggling to me, but I feel like the guys embraced it. We had a good time in Greenbrier, and then when we got here, I feel like now everybody's on the same mantra as, if we're in the building, it's all ball."
Every team has a different methodology for handling the rigors and physicality of training camp. It's no surprise that Harbaugh was going to embrace that while setting the tone for his new team.
Likely should play a significant role within the Giants' offense. He signed a three-year deal worth $40 million to be the team's top tight end, and his ability as a pass-catcher should make him a viable target for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Giants are hoping to usher in a new era with Harbaugh at the lead so it will be interesting to see if this change in mentality has a positive impact in Year 1.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Isaiah Likely blown away by New York Giants' past training camp schedule
