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Maurer makes a charge By DON HUNT For the third time in his football career, Marty Maurer finds himself at a new position. A quarterback in high school and a tight end in college, Maurer has been lining up at fullback for the San Diego Chargers in his quest to make the National Football League team as a free agent. "I'm still playing some tight end and H-back, but they're short-handed at fullback, and they've had me playing that spot since the first week of practice," Maurer said by phone Thursday from his dorm room on the University of California at San Diego campus, where the team is practicing. "It's a new challenge and something different, but I like it and I think I'm doing well." Maurer, who starred at Cascade Christian High School and Oregon State University, where he helped the Beavers to their best season ever last fall, expects to get a lot of work Saturday when the Chargers meet the San Franciso 49ers in their exhibition opener at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. He's expected to see action at both fullback and tight end and will participate on all four of the Chargers' special teams - kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return. "The veterans are only going to get 10 or 15 snaps - I could see the field for at least three quarters," Maurer says. "I'm going to be busy, but it's a great opportunity to show the coaches what I can do." Maurer pulled a quadriceps muscle last week and missed five days of practice, but he returned Sunday and has been going through daily doubles this week. "I caught a screen pass, cut off a block, took off running and my leg locked up," Maurer says. "I developed a big knot in my leg and it took a few days to work it out. But it's fine now." Maurer is in a battle with another rookie free agent, Terry Witherspoon of Clemson, for the backup fullback spot. And with Witherspoon currently sidelined for a couple weeks with torn cartilage in his knee, Maurer's chances of making the opening-day roster appear good. But the Medford native isn't making any predictions. "It's pretty early to be making any bold statements - there's a lot of football left to play," Maurer said. "But I'm confident at what I'm doing and it's not like they brought me in here to stand around because I've been getting a ton of reps. "I really don't know what to think of my chances and I'm not going to wear myself out mentally trying to predict who's going to be here tomorrow and who isn't. But it seems logical they would keep at least one backup (fullback)." With starting fullback Fred McCrary sitting out Wednesday's practice with a minor injury, Maurer worked with the first team offense the entire day. He spent most of his time blocking but caught a couple of flair passes from new Chargers quarterback Doug Flutie. "He makes all the reads and puts the ball exactly where it's supposed to be," Maurer says. "If a defender is on your inside, he'll throw it to the outside, and vice versa." Maurer says the Charger workouts haven't been any more physically taxing than the ones he went through at Oregon State. But they're more of a challenge because of the superior talent of the players. "We practiced hard at Oregon State," he says, "but I never had to block anyone like Junior Seau. "It's violent. Those linebackers come flying at you fast. You can either be the hitter or the hittee." While an NFL training camp is an eye-opener for any rookie, Maurer feels extra comfortable with the Chargers. That's because he played for head coach Mike Riley, tight ends coach Paul Crist and special teams coach Bruce Read when all three coached at Oregon State during his freshman and sophomore seasons in Corvallis. "The thing I feel most comfortable about is that I know these guys will give me a fair shake," Maurer says. "If I make it, great, and if I don't, then it's because I wasn't good enough." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.