The Seattle Seahawks concluded their last public day of training camp on Aug. 12 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center under the heat of a hot August afternoon.

Following the 23-23 tie against Pete Carroll’s Raiders, the Seahawks are still largely unknown. New quarterback, new offense coordinator, no DK Metcalf. But one thing is for certain: the Seahawks are building an identity around toughness and the chemistry that the team currently has.

The Seahawks also added to their linebacker room on Aug. 11, signing Federal Way High School and University of Washington alum Alphonzo Tuputala as an undrafted rookie.

He is the first student from Federal Way Public Schools to sign with an NFL franchise since Charlie Taumoepeau was at training camp with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and eventually the Detroit Lions in 2021.

In terms of the final open practice of the preseason, both sides of the ball are close to being fully ready for the season, which begins on Sept. 7 at home against the San Francisco 49ers.

Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak talked about how ready and prepared the offense is for that first challenge.

“We are getting better as a group. I can’t say enough good things about our coaching staff and how much they are pushing these guys,” Kubiak said.

Kubiak brings a zone running scheme, which means the offensive line blocks more of an area rather than a specific player on defense. The running back room is highly talented with the likes of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. But even second year player George Holani and rookie Jacardia Wright are making headwaves of their own.

“They are physical and detailed. Some of those young backs did a great job and ran behind a very physical offensive line,” Kubiak said.

The running backs are actually running behind a fullback, a typically under-utilized position in modern NFL offenses. The Seahawks are transitioning Robbie Ouzts to be a primary fullback from tight end where he played at University of Alabama.

“You just see a very physically gifted guy, 270 plus pounds and moves very well and has soft hands. As a fullback you have to be extremely intelligent and in our running back room we have a lot of smart guys,” Kubiak said.

Kubiak’s main adversary is second year Seahawks Defense Coordinator Aaron Durde during practices. But adversary is too harsh of a word, as all the coaching staff get along very well and that chemistry rubs off onto the roster.

“To be honest the whole team a year onwards is really gaining that connection. It’s an ongoing growth and you just keep having to put into it and be willing to make time to make those things (chemistry) important. Mike does a really good job of that, if we can stay on that path and keep it going. The sky is the limit,” Durde said.

On offense, the Seahawks are starting to see what their wide receiving corps will look like. It is looking like fifth-round pick Tory Horton will get a lot of first team reps in the coming days. A shortened senior season due to injury saw Horton’s draft stock slide, but the talent is on full display at training camp.

Kubiak called the starting block of the offense the quarterback, and the Seahawks got a new one in Sam Darnold.

“You gotta have a leader and one that can run the show. We have one of those. Drew [Lock] has done a phenomenal job too. We are happy to have Sam and we are just going to keep getting him better,” Kubiak said.

Practices have been chippy and if we learned anything from Coach Mike Macdonald’s first season, he likes his players playing with an edge.

J.R. Singleton had a tackle for loss and really lit a fire on both sides of the ball, giving a glimpse of the competitive atmosphere being concocted at the VMAC.

“The thing that stands out (about Macdonald’s coaching style), the expectations are very clear and the practices are extremely physical. We come out here for two plus hours and our guys are going hard, and you don’t hear any complaining about how hard practice is. That is the expectation. The guys know that and they embrace it. That comes from the head coach,” Kubiak said.

The defensive back group is one of the strongest position groups the Seahawks have this year. Tariq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love and others really bring the energy and passion to this Seahawks team. The standard is set by everybody in the locker room.

“The standard on the defense alone is established by all of us. We talk about it a lot, we try to live it. I think the coaches and the players do a good job right now of calling if we don’t do it,” Durde said.

The defense will look to continue to roll as the Seahawks take on Kansas City on Aug. 15 at home in week two of the preseason.

Seattle Seahawks Running Back Zach Charbonnet tosses a ball to a Seahawks coach. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing

Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Sam Darnold looks left in a drill at training camp. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing.

Alphonzo Tuputala, an alum of Federal Way High School and University of Washington, works on a drill during his first day at Seahawks training camp. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing