AP: Rookie lineman isn't butt of any jokes with Chargers
Robin Miller
Rookie lineman isn't butt of any jokes with Chargers
By Kevin Kernan
STAFF WRITER
August 15, 1996
When it comes to anatomy, if you're an NFL center, it's helpful to
be built a certain way. The Chargers like what they see in rookie
Bryan Stoltenberg -- even though the rap against him is he's too short.
"I want to make sure this comes out right," said Chargers director of
player personnel Billy Devaney. "He's got a nice butt. I mean that in a
football way. He's got a low center of gravity. That's a definite
advantage for him. He's a hell of a prospect."
The Chargers want to see how Stoltenberg sizes up against the
competition.
The prospect will get plenty of work over the next two weeks with
Courtney Hall recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Stoltenberg, a sixth-round pick, and third-year center Greg Engel will
play against the Cardinals on Saturday and the Rams next week.
"Ever since I started, my height has been the rap against me," said
Stoltenberg, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 293 but appears to be closer
to 6-foot. "I don't think it's a problem. I'd rather be just where I'm at
to get leverage on the defender."
Said offensive line coach Jack Henry: "Hey, I coached in Pittsburgh;
I'm used to those short, squatty guys."
"Bryan has held up pretty good," coach Bobby Ross said of
Stoltenberg's work against the Cardinals in two practices yesterday.
"Since Day 1, this has been a learning process," said Stoltenberg,
who started every game in four years at Colorado and did not allow a
sack in his last 22 games. "The hardest thing has been getting used to
the speed from college to the NFL."
Thin receivers
The injury news is getting worse at wide receiver. Jimmy Oliver was
limping and had his right leg heavily wrapped. He fell on his knee
yesterday in the morning practice and has an inflamed bursa sac. "I
don't know if I'll be able to play Saturday," Oliver said of the
Chargers' fourth preseason game.
Worse for the Chargers, Andre Coleman turned his left ankle at the
end of the afternoon practice when he was tackled by safety Matt
Darby. Brandon Harrison also sprained an ankle in the morning
session. Charlie Jones, meanwhile, got poked in the eye, but Ross
said he was OK. 'OMar Ellison tested his sore knee, running patterns.
Bryan Still worked even though he pulled a stomach muscle Tuesday.
Mauck sounds off
Carl Mauck never has been one to hold back, and yesterday on his
return to to San Diego with the Cardinals, the offensive line coach
blasted a local radio station.
"Contrary to what (XTRA-AM) 690 thinks," began Mauck, who left
the Chargers to go to the Cardinals after last season, "I didn't get fired
over here. Whoever is putting that out is full of it. That's not right. It
was a personal move and that's all there was to it. People try to make
more out of it than there was."
Mauck said one of his daughters recently was in the area. "She goes
to band camp and some clown over here puts it on the air that me
and Bobby Ross didn't get along. That's bull. Why don't you ask
Bobby Ross that question? I got along great with him. Somebody on
690 did it. Of course, nobody will take credit for it, but I'm going to
remember that, because it's not right."
Mauck added that he has had problems in the past with XTRA's Lee
Hamilton. "I'm tougher than Hacksaw," he said. "My nickname is
real; his is phony."
Mauck's nickname is Big Boy.
Nuts 'n' Bolts
Saturday's game against the Cardinals will be televised live at 7 p.m.
by Channel 10. The game will benefit the San Diego Hall of
Champions. Tickets still are available . . . Cardinals offensive tackle
Lomas Brown suffered a groin pull in the morning workout . . . The
teams work today at 3:30 at UCSD . . . The first cuts were the
easiest. The Chargers released eight free agents: K Danny Kight, P
Brian Greenfield, S Robert McWilliams, S Tyron Wright, CB
Tyrone Shorter, LB Phillip Benton, G Brandon Evans and DE
Tyrone Malone.