Football ‘97: Seattle Seahawks

FAST FACTS

Head coach

Dennis Erickson (3rd season, 15-17 at Seattle; 128-57-1 overall in 15 years). Last season: 7-9, tied for fourth in AFC West).

Assistants

Gregg Smith, assistant head coach, offensive line; Bob Bratkowski, offensive coordinator, wide receivers; Greg McMackin, defensive coordinator; Dave Arnold, special teams; Tommy Brasher, defensive line; Dave Brown, secondary; Keith Gilbertson, tight ends; Ned James defensive assistant; Howard Mudd, offensive line; Mike Murphy, linebackers; Rich Olson, quarterbacks; Willy Robinson, defensive backs; Clarence Shelmon, running backs.

Head trainer

Jim Whitesel

Cheerleaders

Sea Gals, 32; director of choreography: Sherri Thompson

Top ex-Seahawks around the NFL

Terry Wooden, Kansas City; Rick Mirer, Chicago; Andy Heck, Chicago; Robert Blackmon, Indianapolis; Dave Krieg, Tennessee; Michael Bates, John Kasay, Carolina.

QUESTION MARKS, EXCLAMATION POINTS

Question marks

Can QB John Friesz stay healthy behind suspect line? Can Friesz keep job with Warren Moon peeking over his shoulder?

Can Walter Jones and Shawn Springs shine in first seasons?

Can defense come together quickly with as many as five new starters?

Can Paul Allen and Bob Whitsitt block? If not, then the offensive line must perform to keep Friesz upright and running game in stride.

Can Howard ‘House’ Ballard stay healthy?

Can Brian Blades adjust to a lesser role? Can Mike Pritchard prove he’s a No. 2 receiver?

Can Seattle get by with only one true deep threat in Joey Galloway?

Exclamation points

Rick Mirer is gone!

Friesz and Moon represent significant upgrade at quarterback. And don’t forget Jon Kitna, whose stock is rising as fast as Paul Allen’s Microsoft shares.

Easy schedule should help Seattle avoid its usual sputtering start. Playoffs are a realistic goal.

Defensive line could be lethal, particularly if end Phillip Daniels can build on fine training camp.

Safeties Darryl Williams and Bennie Blades believe contact is a birthright.

WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT

What’s in

New owner Paul Allen is sixth-wealthiest human in the world. Seattle figures to be active in free agency.

$10 tickets. Alas, they’re all sold out.

A new attitude on defense.

Aggressive coverage by cornerbacks and surge up front by tackles Cortez Kennedy, Sam Adams and Dan Saleaumua.

Optimism and expectations.

Possibly post-game concerts.

What’s out

Ex-owner Ken Behring is gone!

Four defensive starters - Terry Wooden, Robert Blackmon, Carlton Gray, Michael McCrary - have departed.

Some of the Kingdome’s empty seats. Season ticket sales up to 43,000, ahead of last year’s 37,000.

TALE OF THE TAPE

The fastest

Overall: Wide receiver Joey Galloway, who has made Kingdome a no-speed-limit zone.

Offensive lineman: Walter Jones, who runs 40 yards in the 4.7- to 4.8-second range.

Defensive lineman: Tie between Sam Adams, who has the quickest first step in the AFC, says teammate Cortez Kennedy, and Michael Sinclair, whose motor never stops.

Running back: Chris Warren.

The strongest

Overall: Frank Beede.

Pound for pound: Tie: Joey Galloway and Reggie Brown.

The toughest

Bennie Blades, a train wreck waiting to happen.

Best blocker

Offensive line: Pete Kendall.

Running backs: Mack Strong.

Toughest to block

Sam Adams, by a skosh over Cortez Kennedy.

Best cover man

Rookie cornerback Shawn Springs.

Most impressive stat

Offensive lineman Howard Ballard hasn’t missed a regular-season or post-season start since 1988.

Least impressive stat

Tie: Friesz is 12-24 as a starter, worst among active quarterbacks; and Seahawks failed to get a first down on 73 of 198 possessions in ‘96.

By contrast, the Broncos only had 57 first-downless tries in 189 attempts.

Academic All-Star

Rookie defensive back Eric Stokes has a sociology degree from Nebraska and turned down a six-figure job offer from a pharmaceutical company in Michigan to play for the Seahawks.

OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

Pos. No. Player Ht., Wt. Year

LT 71 Walter Jones 6-5, 300, 1st

74 James Atkins 6-6, 306, 4th

LG 66 Pete Kendall 6-5, 292, 2nd

63 Frank Beede 6-4, 296, 2nd

C 52 Kevin Mawae 6-4, 305, 4th

60 Greg Bloedorn 6-6, 278, 1st

RG 77 Derrick Graham 6-4, 315, 8th

63 Frank Beede 6-4, 296, 2nd

RT 75 Howard Ballard 6-6, 325, 10th

79 Grant Williams 6-7, 323, 2nd

WR 84 Joey Galloway 5-11, 188, 3rd

82 James McKnight 6-1, 198, 3rd

QB 17 John Friesz 6-4, 219, 8th

1 Warren Moon, 6-3, 213, 14th

RB 42 Chris Warren 6-2, 226, 8th

25 Lamar Smith 5-11, 218, 4th

TE 86 Christian Fauria 6-4, 245, 3rd

46 Deems May 6-4, 263, 6th

WR 85 Mike Pritchard 5-10, 193, 7th

82 Ronnie Harris 5-11, 179, 4th

WR 89 Brian Blades 5-11, 190, 10th

82 James McKnight 6-1, 198 3rd

PK 2 Todd Peterson 5-10, 171, 3rd

14 Rick Tuten 6-2, 291, 9th

Holder 14 Rick Tuten 6-2, 221, 9th

17 John Friesz 6-4, 219, 8th

KO ret. 31 Steve Broussard 5-7, 201, 8th

81 Ronnie Harris 5-11, 179, 4th

Punt ret. 81 Ronnie Harris 5-11, 179, 4th

84 Joey Galloway 5-11, 188, 3rd

DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

Pos. No. Player Ht., Wt. Year

LCB 26 Shawn Springs 6-0, 195, 1st

22 Fred Thomas 5-9, 172, 2nd

SS 36 Bennie Blades 6-1, 221, 10th

20 Jay Bellamy 5-11, 199, 4th

FS 33 Darryl Williams 6-0, 202, 6th

26 Tim Hauck 5-10, 187, 8th

RCB 27 Willie Williams 5-9, 180, 5th

23 Dexter Seigler 5-9, 178, 2nd

LLB 55 Winston Moss 6-3, 245, 11th

59 Joe Cain 6-1, 242, 9th

MLB 95 Dean Wells 6-3, 248, 5th

54 Michael Barber 6-1, 246, 3rd

RLB 94 Chad Brown 6-2, 240, 5th

56 James Logan 6-2, 225, 3rd

LDE 70 Michael Sinclair 6-4, 267, 7th

99 Matt LaBounty 6-4, 275, 5th

LT 98 Sam Adams 6-3, 297, 4th

97 Dan Saleaumua 6-0, 315, 11th

RT 96 Cortez Kennedy 6-3, 306, 8th

97 Dan Saleaumua 6-0, 315, 11th

RE 93 Phillip Daniels 6-5, 263, 2nd

91 Martin Harrison 6-5, 265, 7th

P 14 Rick Tuten 6-2, 221, 9th

2 Todd Peterson 5-10, 171, 3rd

Snapper 52 Kevin Mawae 6-4, 305, 4th

63 Frank Beede 6-4, 296, 2nd

1997 SCHEDULE (All times Pacific. All home games in CAPS.)

Date Opponent Time Comment

Aug. 31 NEW YORK JETS 1 p.m. Seattle’s first season-opening win since

1994

Sept. 7 DENVER 1 p.m. Shucks: Quarterback John Elway’s injured

right bicep is expected to be healthy

Sept. 14 at Indianapolis 1 p.m. Will there be a duplication of Seattle’s

preseason branding of Colts?

Sept. 21 SAN DIEGO 1 p.m. Flashback to early 1990s: quarterbacks

John Friesz vs. Stan Humphries.

Sept. 28 at Kansas City 1 p.m. Elvis and a handful of receivers

test Seattle’s secondary.

Oct. 5 HOUSTON 1 p.m. This one can’t live up to 1996 and

Michael McCrary blocking field goal.

Oct. 12 Bye

Oct. 19 at St. Louis 10 a.m. Quarterback Tony Banks had Dave Krieg-like

21 fumbles last season.

Oct. 26 OAKLAND 1 p.m. Quarterback Jeff George visits for

first time since his 1996 flirtation

with Seahawks.

Nov. 2 at Denver 1 p.m. Running back Terrell Davis challenges

Seattle’s rushing defense.

Nov. 9 at San Diego 1 p.m. Can anybody - perhaps rookie cornerback

Shawn Springs? - cover Tony Martin?

Nov. 16 at New Orleans 10 a.m. Mike Ditka and quarterback Heath Shuler:

Odd Couple, Part II.

Nov. 23 KANSAS CITY 1 p.m. Running back Greg Hill replaces Marcus Allen

as the Chiefs’ marquee back.

Nov. 30 ATLANTA 1 p.m. The team that talent forgot:

Name five Falcons?

Dec. 7 at Baltimore 10 a.m. Vinny Testaverde trying to duplicate his

1996 statistics.

Dec. 14 at Oakland 5 p.m. Gino Torretta’s not around to bail out

Seattle this time.

Dec. 21 SAN FRANCISCO 1 p.m. This one could determine playoff spots

for both teams.

GAME DAY

Stadium

Kingdome (capacity: 66,400).

From I-5 southbound: Take Fourth Avenue South exit, take right at stop light and right onto Royal Brougham Way. Right on First Avenue South and right under Alaskan Way viaduct to parking lot.

From I-5 northbound: Take Exit 163, turn right at First Avenue South to Royal Brougham Way. Same as above.

I-90 westbound: Follow Kingdome signs to Fourth Avenue South exit.

Parking

Parking areas are located to the north and the south of the Kingdome.

Tickets

Single-game: 1-206-628-0888 (Ticketmaster). Ticketmaster has local outlets at Payless drug stores.

Multiple-game/season tickets: 1-888-NFL-HAWK.

Tickets remaining: Single-game, $33-$38; season tickets, $264-$304.

Television

All games on KHQ, except Atlanta is on FOX and San Francisco is on ESPN.

Radio

KXLY (AM 920), in Spokane. Pre-game show begins 2 hours before kickoff. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos