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Teachers at heart

When the Patriots hold passing camp, minicamp or training camp workouts, it is not uncommon to see college coaches watching from the practice fields. What can college coaches take from the experience?

"Probably more than anything, it's reinforcement," Boston College defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani said Friday morning. "What we do, at our level, is teach. And then you see those guys, on that level, and they're still teaching, finding ways to motivate guys who are making millions of dollars. That's one of the things you notice about the Patriots' staff -- they're teachers."

Spaziani, who was a guest at the Patriots' minicamp last week, said he'll often relay his experience at Patriots practices with his players, and at times will institute a similar drill that the Patriots run into the Eagles' practices.

"Overall, you leave with an appreciation for how the practice is organized and how the team works at the practice," he said.