Drew Vanderlin was hoping to get another shot with the Green Bay Packers.

"Once training camp ended for them there was kind of that long gap between from contact to contact," Vanderlin said Thursday.

The Green Bay Southwest and Michigan Tech grad was given a tryout with the Packers during rookie orientation camp, but was let go before mini-camp.

"It goes through your mind like 'okay maybe this won't happen' so you do start looking for towards the future," said Vanderlin, who took a job as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at UW-Stevens Point.  "In my mind I always knew it was still an option.  So I wanted to stay in shape just in case a call did come and I am happy it did."

The call came from Director of Pro Personnel Eliot Wolf, and Vanderlin joined the Packers practice squad Wednesday.

"It's unreal," Vanderlin said of putting the Green Bay uniform on once again.  "I was talking with B.J. (Raji) the other day telling him I've been a Packers fan my whole life and watching him for the past three years.  Now to be out there with him and learning from those guys Jewel (Worthy), C.J. (Wilson), and (Ryan) Pickett, it's a great experience."

Vanderlin knows from his previous experience with the team that nothing is guaranteed.

"It's just a day-by-day thing," said Vanderlin of his most recent opportunity.  "You can't take anything for granted.  You could be here one day and gone tomorrow, and I understand that.  That's how I attack each day and each practice because you never know what's going to happen."

And don't think the former Green Bay Southwest Trojan didn't notice his team recently won a conference title for the first time since 1975.

"When I found out they won conference I was pretty happy," Vanderlin admits.  "And to get this call on top of it, it's definitely been a good week for Southwest.  That's for sure."