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Six with Russ

Six questions with Patriots offensive lineman Russ Hochstein:

How are things going with the offseason program at this point?
“I think the offseason is going rather well, most guys have been here working hard. We have another week left before we’re officially done. The plan is to wrap it up [July 7], and take maybe a little week off, a little vacation.”

Any big plans for you?
“Most of it is downtime. We might take a couple day trips, but for the most part we’ll be around here, just hanging out, and I’ll probably lift and run [to stay fit].”

How does the testing work at the end of the offseason program?
“The first week we’re here, we are tested on a variety of different things. The last week, we’re tested again to see where we’re at. There are multiple tests [one of which is a bench press].”

It appears you’ve been spending a lot of time with Logan Mankins …
“We’ve become good friends. He’s kind of a country guy and where I grew up, I’m a small-town guy myself. We have a lot of things in common. Personally and playing side by side, it’s been good to get to know him.”

What one thing stood out to you about learning the center position in 2005?
“Probably the amount of preparation. It’s as much mental as it is physical. You can see a lot of things that players to either side of you can’t. I believe mentally it’s probably more challenging than the other positions I’ve played.”

How are you different from the time you entered the league with Tampa Bay to right now?
“When you come into the league, I was just like any rookie, worried about getting through each day. You just keep your mouth shut and try to do your job. To some extent, that never changes. You just want to do the best you can at a highly competitive level, and I work very hard at that. It’s not an easy job. It takes a lot of time and commitment.”