Hawks ordered to get serious

KIRKLAND — Mike Holmgren decided it was time to get cracking Wednesday.

As in get the pads cracking, and kick practice up a notch with some hard work in team drills.

Get up to the line. Pick up the blitz. Make the completion. Get off the field on defense. Play disciplined and don't get penalized.

The Seahawks coach was in command, making sure he got his point across — with choice words and body language — that the team must play a lot better in the exhibition game Saturday at home against Minnesota, and that there cannot be a repeat of the effort in the 48-13 defeat last Saturday at Green Bay.

It all made for major intensity on the field and the most intrigue of any training-camp practice this summer.

"The things that have bothered me, not just off the one game but so far in camp that we have to do well, we had better practice those more," Holmgren said. "[Wednesday] was a good example of that, and you'll see a little bit more of that sort of thing until we play the first [regular-season] game."

Beginning Monday, the Seahawks' practice schedule will go from two-a-day to one full practice per day.

As for the exhibition game at hand, Holmgren's plan is to have his starting units play into the second half. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who didn't play last week, will play this week for sure, though no decision has been made on how much he will take part in the fourth and last exhibition game Aug. 30.

"Typically, Game 3 is the starters on everybody's team playing a little bit longer, and in Game 4 they don't," Holmgren said. "We want to see the continuity and how that group is ready to go. It's a little bit of an indicator of what you might expect in the opener."

Tubbs to see action

Defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs will appear in a game for the first time since early last season, when knee surgery forced him into a long rehabilitation period.

Sean Locklear, the team's No. 1 right tackle, will move to left tackle for Saturday, with Ray Willis opening at right tackle.

Rookie defensive tackle Brandon Mebane might see time with the No. 1 defense.

"He's one of those guys that we have to see more of, just to really know him a little bit more," Holmgren said of Mebane.

Said running back Shaun Alexander, who had just three carries for 3 yards last week: "This has always been the game where we all play the most. It's just a game that marks where we are."

Mahalo nui loa

That's Hawaiian for "Thank you very much," and the Seahawks are thanking Hawaiian Airlines for partnering with the team as its official airline.

Owner Paul Allen sold the Seahawks' team plane last month, leaving the Seahawks in need of a new charter service for road trips.

They will use a 767 that features up to three first-run movies per flight, enough space to provide each player his own row of seats and team logos affixed to the plane.

The Seahawks will use the plane on their eight regular-season road trips.

NOTES

• TE Ben Joppru and LB Will Herring worked on long snapping after the afternoon practice Wednesday.

Derek Rackley is still the team's No. 1 long snapper.

• CB Josh Wilson did not participate in the afternoon practice.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com