Times-Advocate from Escondido, California • 25

TIMES-ADVOCATE, ESCONDIDO, FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1981 C-3 to Chargers' questions Coryell seeks answers PETE SHAW JOHN JEFFERSON RAY PRESTON MIDDLE LINEBACKER (2) Bob Horn doesnt get much credit, but for the last five years he has quietly gotten the job done. He has started 49 consecutive games for the Chargers. Horn has been hobbled by a bad back and there is some talk as to whether hell be ready for the start of the season. Horn knows he has to get back on the practice field because third-year man Cliff Thrift is applying the pressure. The Chargers also brought in free agent Whip Walton, who played with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (4) On the surface, the starting jobs here would appear to be a lock for Ray Preston on the left and Woodrow Lowe on the right. That may only be half right, however. Lowe has proven to be one of the top performers in the NFL, but there is some question about Preston. Many in the Chargers camp feel this is the year Linden King emerges as a starter: No matter what happens, though, Lowe, Preston, King and veteran Jim Laslavic seem to be assured of spots on the roster. Trying to unseat one of those men is Carl McGee, who played six games for the Chargers last season, 11th round draft pick Carlos Bradley from Wake Forest and free agents Steve Whitman of Alabama and Dean Wilson of Stanford.

CORNERBACK (4 or 5) Mike Williams on the right side and Willie Buchanon on the left are two of the most respected veterans in the game. There doesnt appear to be any question that they are the starters. The backup jobs could be a real dogfight. New defensive coordinator Jack Pardee likes to use comerbacks instead of safties as the extra back on obvious passing downs. That could open a fifth spot on the 45-man roster.

Hal Stringert has played six years for the Chargers on courage alone. That may not be enough this season. Free agent Nate Wright, a veteran of 12 NFL seasons and three Super Bowls, third round draft pick Irvin Phillips from Arkansas Tech and rookie free agents Wyatt Henderson from Fresno State and Ervin Cobbs from Long Beach State are all trying to take Stringerts job away. SAFTIES (4) Glen Edwards started 14 games at free safety last season while Pete Shaw and Mike Fuller split the duties on the strong side. Edwards appears to have the No.

1 job at free locked up again, but Shaw should push Fuller out at strong. Shaw was starting until he was felled by a knee injury against Miami. If hes well, hell resume his role as a starter. What that does is leave Fullers status up in the air. He is being pressed by Frank Duncan, who played 15 games last year, and Bob Gregor, who spent the season on the injured reserve list.

KICKERS (2) Rolf Benirschke is the placekicker there is no question about that. Mike Wood would like to be the placekicker, but could end up being the punter. Wood, backup quarterback Ed Luther and free agents Richard Peot and Jeff Gossett are all pushing incumbent Rick Partridge for the punting job. By JOHN MAFFEI T-A Sports Editor SAN DIEGO Last week San Diego Chargers head coach Don Coryell fielded one of the dumbest questions hell ever be asked. After just two days of practice, Coryell was asked, Are your starting lineups set.

After a moment of thought, the coach answered, Why do you think were having training camp? The Chargers have been picked by the oddsmakers to win the Super Bowl, but Cpryell knows there are a lot of questions that need to be answered and a lot of games that deed to be won before the team can fight for footballs ultimate prize. Training camp is where the questions are answered and the foundation for the winning of the games is laid. Tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., the Chargers scrimmage the Los Angeles Rams at Fullerton State. Some of the questions and decisions facing Coryell and his staff will be answered then. Othe decisions will come later and be much harder.

Following is a breakdown by position of Chargers roster as it stands now. The numbers in parenthesis are the probable number of people that will be carried at that position. The NFL maximum is 45. OFFENSE QUARTERBACK (3) There is no problem here. Dan Fouts is No.

1 and second-year man Ed Luther is No. 2. The only decision facing Coryell is who will be No. 3. Veteran James Harris, who didnt play a down last year, is the frontrunner.

The only other QB in camp is former Vista High School star Rob Preston, who failed a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs last year. RUNNING BACK (5 or 6) Only five or possibly six men of the 10 men currently on the roster will be around when the season opens. What that means is that the Chargers coaches have some tough decisions to make. Chuck Muncie has looked great in drills and is going to be a starter. His runningmate, however, is very much up in the air.

At the end of last season, Muncie and Mike Thomas were the starters. But, Clarence Williams is a good back who is much admired by Coryell. LaRue Harrington, who showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie last year before going down with an injury, is in the hunt as are journeymen Hank Bauer and Booker Russell. Bauer isnt as talented as the rest, but he may be too valuable a team player to let go. To complicate matters, the Chargers made James Brooks of Auburn their No.

1 pick. Brooks could be the teams much needed speed back. He figures to make the roster because he can return kicks. Also on the roster at this point are rookies Bennie Lev-erett from Bethune-Cookman, Douglas Banks from East Carolina and No. 4 draft pick Amos Lawrence from North Carolina.

Lawrence is one of training camps biggest questions. He may be talented enough to make the squad, but he has yet to report. Time is running out. WIDE RECEIVER (4) When talk concerning this position comes up, the question most asked of Coryell and the Chargers staff is When? as in When will John Jefferson report to camp? Jefferson, the Chargers brilliant, TACKLE (4) Billy Shields is the starter at left tackle, but the question is who will start on the right side? Russ Washington will draw the assignment if his injured left knee responds. Washington, a five-time participant in the Pro Bowl, has trimmed down to 270 pounds, but still has his knee heavily wrapped and is limited to one workout a day.

Assuming Washington recaputres his starting job, there will be a scramble for the remaining two roster spots. Since the Chargers offensive linemen are all interchangeable, Audick, Williams, Loewen and Rush must be considered as backups. The Chargers tried to protect themselves, however, by drafting a pair of tackles. Drew Gissinger from Syracuse was taken in the sixth round while Iowas Matt Petrzelka was added on the 11th. Both have good size and bulk.

DEFENSE END (3 or 4) Unlike last year when Fred Dean stayed away from camp, the entire Chargers defense is in camp. The quick, strong Dean will hold down the right defensive end spot while the very strong, very large Leroy Jones is on the left. While there is no question who the starters are, there is some spirited competition for the backup slots. John Lee, who has been a capable replacement for five years, is in jeop- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS ardy of losing his job to either veteran Don Reese or rookie Keith Ferguson. Reese is a former first round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins and as late as 1979 was voted the New Orleans Saints top defensive lineman.

The Chargers claimed him on waivers from the Saints. Ferguson is a fifth round draft pick from Ohio State. He was a linebacker in college, but the Chargers project his as a defensive end. So far, hes made the coaches look good. TACKLES (3 or 4) Like defensive end, there is no question here Gary Johnson and Louie Kelcher are the starters.

Both are as good as they come at their position. The problem the Chargers coaches have is finding suitable depth. Charles DeJumett has put in five seasons with the Chargers and has shown tremendous improvement. He is a valuable man because he can swing between tackle and end. But DeJumett had off-season knee surgery which was compounded by bone spurs on the ankle.

It is very probable he wont be ready to play until October and the Chargers may have to make a decision to put him on the injured reserve list or play a man short for four or five games. There is a strong possibility that Lee, Reese and Ferguson will swing between end and tackle as the backups until DeJumett is ready to play. haying trouble tackling Famous All-Pro receiver is not training with the team as he sits out a contract dispute with management. Charlie Joiner gave the club a brief scare when he reported a few hours late to training camp. There was some concern that the veteran of 13 NFL seasons would retire.

One of the best position battles in camp could be for the backup spots to Jefferson and Joiner. Ronnie Smith, who makes brilliant catches look easy, but often doesnt make the easy ones, is battling veterans Billy Brooks, John Floyd and Dwight Scales. Brooks is the ex-Cincinnati Ben-gals All-Pro who is coming off knee surgery. Floyd is a man who has put in three seasons as a backup man. Scales, who has played with the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants, has looked good in early workouts.

Jack Steptoe, who played briefly with the San Francisco 49ers, and rookies Kasper Blake, Stacy Charles, Bobby Duckworth and Billy Mullins are all longshots to make the team. Blake and Charles, however, can return kicks and that is in their favor. TIGHT END (3) Kellen Winslow is No. 1 not only on the Chargers roster, but perhaps in the NFL. What Coryell hopes to find in training camp is a pair of backup men for Winslow.

Gregg McCrary has been with the Chargers for the last Vh sea sons and appears to be the No. 2 tight end. That leaves the No. 3 job up for grabs between draftees Eric Sievers and Pete Holohan. Sievers came on the fourth round from Maryland while Holohan was an 11th rounder from Notre Dame.

Both men are 6-foot-4, 230-pounds, both can catch and both can block. It will be interesting to see whom the coaches keep. CENTER (2) The only question here is whether its going to be Don Macek and Bob Rush or Bob Rush and Don Macek. Theyre the only two centers on the roster and they figure to split the playing time in training camp and the exhibition season in the battle for the starting job. GUARD (4) Ed White was the biggest question at guard.

There was some talk that the 13 year veteran was going to retire. He answered by reporting to camp in fine shape. White and Doug Wilkerson, who are both former All-Pros are the returning starters. Dan Audick and Chuck Loeweri were the backup men last season, but will get a serious challenge from Jeff Williams. Williams, who started 38 of the last 39 games with the Washington Redskins, came to the Chargers in exchange for Wilbur Young.

Brad Hendrix, who was in the Chargers camp last year as a free agent, but spent the season on the injured reserve list with a back injury is the only other guard on the roster. Chargers are Amos, Chargers 'completely apart' 'Ground Coryell' without JJ? SAN DIEGO (AP) Jolted by John Jeffersons threat to sit out the season over a contractual dispute, the San Diego Chargers may be sticking closer to the ground this season. Coach Don Coryell said yesterday that without J.J., were going to have to depend a lot more on our running game. Jefferson, the National Football Leagues first wide receiver to gain 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, has asked that his series of one-year contracts, which runs until 1985, be restructured. The Chargers, 11-5 last year, are preparing for the possibility of a prolonged holdout by Jefferson, said Coryell.

i Weve already gone into that. Weve gone over our different formations and talked about changing some of them because, obviously, we build our offense around people, he said. With Jefferson missing and veteran wide receiver Charlie Joiner talking retirement, the NFLs wildest passing attack would be tamed considerably. But Coryell, a master of offense has been steadily stockpiling a stable i of high-powered ground gainers. Suddenly, San Diego seems to have' a backfield to reckon with, headed by Chuck Muncie, who came to thq Chargers from New Orleans in a trade after four games a year preseason training and is currently in Chapel Hill.

He said he was leaving all negotiations to Phil-lips. Lawrence, who had four yards rushing seasons at North Carolina, was the Chargers fourth-round draft choice. Unless the rights to Lawrence are traded to another team, Phillips said he cannot negotiate with other teams that have shown an interest in him. His options are he can agree to the Chargers offer or go back in the draft next year, Phillips said. San Diego spokesman Bill Johnston said negotiations have broken off.

There is nothing going on at this time, Johnston said in a telephone interview from San Diego. No conversation or anything. We dont know what he (Lawrence) intends to do. Johnston refused to discuss the Chargers offer to Lawrence. Johnston said the Chargers were very impressed by Lawrence at their mini-camp right after the draft in May, but that their attitude changed during his absence from camp.

The coaches viewpoint now is theyre not counting on him, Johnston said. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A contract dispute with the San Diego Chargers means former North Carolina tailback Amos Lawrence may not play in the National Football League this season, his agent says. I have discussed the possibility with him and it will be his option, Alex Phillips told the Raleigh Times in a telephone interview yesterday. I wont want to keep Amos out of football, but I want to see that he gets a fair wage deal.

Phillips said the Chargers and Lawrence are far from making a contract agreement. Completely apart, he said. I think I made a good recommendation to the Chargers for Lawrences services, but they think otherwise. The difference is almost ridiculous. San Diegos offer is less than what I got for a free agent signed by another team.

San Diego wants Amos to sign a three-year pact and not pay anything for it. Im not trying to break the club or create any ill feelings be-' tween the Chargers and Amos, Phillips said. But I dont think the player should be put in a position where he has to accept any type of contract. Lawrence has missed nearly two weeks of the Charger Associated Press Photo Amos Lawrence.