Going Deep Defenses Will Be Keying On Galloway, But Can He Be Caught?

For an encore, second-year Seattle Seahawks receiver Joey Galloway said he might put up worse numbers than last season and be a better player.

Huh?

Galloway’s logic sounds fundamentally flawed. Upon further review, however, less might indeed be more in Galloway’s case.

“It’s going to be harder from the standpoint that defenses will try to throw more at me,” said Galloway, whose rookie season produced 1,039 yards receiving, 154 rushing, 360 on punt returns, and at least one touchdown in all three disciplines. Jerry Rice was the only other NFL player to score the touchdown trifecta.

About the time defensive backs stopped yakking at Galloway last year, secondary coverages began paying more attention to the first-round draft pick out of Ohio State.

“They do give you flak until they realize you can play, but that’s the way it is at training camp for rookies, too,” Galloway said. “No one gives you respect. You have to earn it. That’s fine with me, because I think I went out and earned it last year.”

Which brings us to this year.

“The main thing they did (toward the end of last year) was keep the safety aware of where I was and keep the corner (with me). That way it’s hard for me to beat them deep,” Galloway said. “But I know what to expect. I’m not feeling my way through.

“Regardless of my numbers, I plan on being a better, more rounded player. I’ll be able to move into more positions when they need me to and those were things I couldn’t do last year. I’ve been excited since the end of last season because I feel like I have the upper hand.”

He also has the upper speed and upper strength. A chiseled 188-pounds, the 5-foot-11 Galloway has run 4.18-second 40-yard dashes and he bench presses more than 400 pounds. The word that best describes that combination: Rare.

Galloway’s 86-yard touchdown reverse against Jacksonville and 89-yard TD return vs. the Giants are highlight-film staples. His nine combined touchdowns averaged 48 yards, proving that a touchdown is only a gallop away for Galloway.

There has been scuttle around training camp that the Seahawks may try to lessen Galloway’s burden and remove him from punt returns.

If true, they’ll have to drag him away kicking in screaming - him, being special teams coach Dave Arnold.

“They’ve told me I can have him at least one more year,” Arnold said. “I’m going to milk it for as long as I can have him back there.”

Arnold said several return men have been used in preseason as insurance policies should Galloway be injured.

“Last year, he returned every punt in preseason primarily to get used to doing it at this level,” said Arnold, whose punt return unit met his goal of averaging 10 yards per return.

Arnold marvels at Galloway’s speed, strength and toughness.

“You look at the things he did on punt returns or the (86-yard) reverse against Jacksonville,” Arnold said. “Goodness gracious, that (reverse) was a 1-yard gain for most people.

“I can remember when Brat (offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski) and Dennis (Erickson, coach) watched him at Ohio State and couldn’t believe what they were seeing.”

Galloway likes what he sees in quarterbacks Rick Mirer and John Friesz during training camp.

“The biggest change I notice is both of them are throwing the deep ball better,” Galloway said. “That was something we needed to work on and we’ve definitely gotten better.”

Also better is the receiving corps, with dependable Brian Blades, healthy Ricky Proehl and newcomer Mike Pritchard.

“We had two guys (Blades and Galloway) with a 1,000 yards receiving last year and we didn’t really have the kind of passing year we want around here,” Galloway said. “We’re deep, talented and explosive.”

And ready for an encore.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo