Rams pick Wisconsin site for training camp

5/20/2008 2:14 PM

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) -After holding summer training camp at home for three years, the St. Louis Rams are heading to Wisconsin.

The Rams announced on Tuesday that they've chosen Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, a suburb of Milwaukee. The Rams considered returning to Western Illinois University and looked at Wisconsin-Whitewater.

After holding camp at Western Illinois for nine years, the team trained at Rams Park in suburban St. Louis. Coach Scott Linehan felt a change would be a good thing for the Rams, whose 3-13 showing in an injury-filled 2007 was the worst since they moved to St. Louis in 1995.

``Concordia University Wisconsin provided great fields and facilities that are critical to making an off-site training camp work,'' Linehan said in a statement.

Concordia was the favorite because it offers two Fieldturf practice fields similar to the team's game-day surface.

The Rams report to camp July 24 with practice starting the next day. Training camp ends Aug. 14.

Linehan has expressed optimism that the team can make significant improvement, in large part because the roster will be healthy after series of injuries last season that began with the loss of All-Pro tackle Orlando Pace in the second quarter of Game 1. Several other linemen, quarterback Marc Bulger and running back Steven Jackson also missed several games with injuries.

In the offseason, Linehan rebuilt his coaching staff. New player development director Billy Devaney presided over his first draft, choosing Virginia defensive end Chris Long with the No. 2 overall pick.