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Seau trades his X for an O All-Pro linebacker to get a shot at tight end in exhibition
Posted: Tuesday August 31, 1999 10:48 PM
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Chargers found a way to juice up a meaningless exhibition game by letting Junior Seau make his debut at tight end. "You'll know when he's going in when I turn my back and I turn blue," rookie coach Mike Riley said Tuesday after saying his All-Pro linebacker will become the NFL's latest two-way player when the Chargers play host to AFC West rival Kansas City on Friday night. Although Seau has been dabbling at tight end since minicamps, Riley said a few weeks ago that he didn't have the guts yet to put him in. Seau told tight ends coach Paul Chryst that he wanted some action before the season starts, and that means now, since the Chargers are idle the first week of the NFL schedule and open Sept. 19 at Cincinnati. "I just want to get the nerves out," Seau said. "I want to feel the anticipation of playing both and having the mental outlook of what will be going on and how I will prepare differently, if there will be any difference. It's mainly just getting in sync within and being comfortable with what I've got to do." With it being an exhibition game, "a dress rehearsal is all it is," Seau said. "We're going to hope to get out of it healthy and hopefully score some points." The last thing the Chargers want is to lose their live-wire leader to injury, and are constantly reminded of the season-ending knee injury that New York Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn suffered on a kickoff return last exhibition season. But they also know how hard it is to say "no" to their best player, who originally got the idea as a way to help San Diego's pitiful offense. The Chargers have beefed up in the wake of a 5-11 season by adding quarterbacks Jim Harbaugh and Erik Kramer, but the offense hasn't looked impressive in four exhibition losses. "Believe me, we haven't practiced it for four months for nothing," Seau said. "If it was going to be thrown on the shelf, it would have been done three months ago. It's definitely part of the package and we hope to make it work." Technically, Seau will play H-back, the hybrid tight end-fullback position, and will be in for 8-10 plays. Asked what situations Seau will be used in, Riley said: "Safe ones." By that, he meant the Chargers won't send Seau long on their first offensive play. He'll be used once the Chargers cross midfield, both as a receiver and blocker. "Send him over the middle," running back Natrone Means joked in the locker room. Means, though, seemed to side with defensive coordinator Joe Pascale, who doesn't want the offensive reps to be too much of a load for Seau. "We need him on defense more than we do on offense," Means said. "But, give the man a shot. That's all he's asking." Linebacker Lew Bush, who like Seau was adamant that the team sign a veteran quarterback in the wake of Ryan Leaf's many rookie meltdowns, is excited by the experiment. "Whatever it takes to put points up, I'm with it," Bush said. "Junior's an exceptional athlete. Let him go out and make something happen. Even if it's just a decoy or whatever, run him up the field, a safety will go get a good lick on him and, touchdown Jeff Graham." Seau knows the Kansas City defense will be eager to come after him. "I'm a rookie out there. They know that and I'm going to have to take my bumps and bruises like everyone else. Believe me, I'm not going to run away from them." Seau pumps his fists after big tackles, but claims he doesn't have a celebration planned in case he scores. "I'm just going to run to the Gatorade bottle and get ready for defense," he said.
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