Struggling Seahawks Look To Kitna For A Spark Of Life With Moon, Friesz Below Par With Injuries, World League Hero But Rookie Starts At Qb

Surely, when the rookie quarterback out of Central Washington University and Lincoln High School showed up at Seattle Seahawks headquarters last year, few would have been expected to take serious notice.

Probably just a “camp arm,” most must have assumed, a kid to ceaselessly fire passes as lines and lines of receivers worked on perfecting their routes.

Coach Dennis Erickson knew there was more to this undrafted free agent than that, telling startled reporters that the unknown from the NAIA ranks “has a future in this league.”

And pretty soon, the veterans saw it, too, in John Kitna.

“The first year we had him in here and he was just on the practice squad. I can remember receivers saying to me, ‘Man, this guy’s got something,”’ offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said.

Kitna showed he had that “something” in the World League, leading the Barcelona Dragons to a championship. And he showed he had even more during this preseason, racking up an almost incomprehensible quarterback rating of 125.3 (42 completions in 51 attempts with five touchdowns and one interception).

Now, the Tacoma native gets a chance to show what he can do on center stage, taking over as starting quarterback of the struggling Seahawks.

With Warren Moon nursing injured ribs and John Friesz clearly not back to form after missing almost all season with a broken thumb, Kitna will get his first start Sunday in Oakland against the Raiders.

Perhaps as important in this progression of events as the injuries is the fact the 6-8 Seahawks are out of playoff contention, out of options and clearly seeking any glimpse of brightness for the future.

Which makes the timing perfect for Kitna’s debut.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” he said. “Still, everybody’s a little down and bummed out about the season after such high expectations. Hopefully, we can get a couple wins and get something positive.”

Erickson was tipped off to Kitna by his nephew, who was a teammate on the Central Washington team.

Kitna spent a season on the practice squad, then was shipped to Barcelona for seasoning.

“From Central Washington to the Oakland Raiders, that will be kinda interesting for him,” Erickson said Monday. “He’s a gamer; it’ll be interesting to see how he plays.”

Kitna was surprisingly calm.

“It’s still football,” he said. “I’ll adjust.”

And, yes, he understands that part of his job will be to serve as a catalyst for a slumping team - not to mention generating a few amps of interest from an increasingly disinterested public.

“Hopefully, these last couple weeks I can be a spark,” he said. “But I also know that I’ve got players around me I’ve got to get the ball to; it’s not about me, it’s about getting those guys the ball and making first downs and getting some points on the board.”

Also in a bit of a surprise, neither Erickson nor Bratkowski expects to have to pare down the playbook.

“We’re going to look at what he feels most comfortable with and tailor the game plan to that,” Bratkowski said. “All year long, he’s stayed right on top of everything we were doing. And for a long stretch (during Friesz’s recuperation) he was getting all the back-up reps (in practice).”

Asked if he were worried about tossing a kid in against the Raiders, being protected by an injurydepleted, patchwork offensive line, Erickson said he’d be more worried about Moon or Friesz playing.

”(Kitna) gives you a little more mobility back there,” Erickson said. “He’s got something about him that’s interesting. He’s a smart guy who understands what we’re doing. .. He really has a great football mind and makes things happen.

“We won’t know how he’ll do until he plays, but this is an opportunity to see where he’s at.”

Hawks hurting

Erickson’s mood was not only somber because of the four-game losing streak, but also because of the severity of the neck injury to defensive captain Winston Moss.

The 11-year veteran fractured a neck vertebra on the first defensive play of Sunday’s game at Baltimore.

“They’re deciding what to do, whether it’s surgery or to put a halo on his neck for 10 or 11 weeks,” Erickson said. “It’s pretty serious. I’m concerned about him as a person and his future.”

Linebacker Chad Brown, who suffered a concussion when he collided with Moss on that play, probably can play Sunday.

Guard Pete Kendall also injured a knee in the game’s final seconds and will undergo an MRI test.

Linebacker Joe Cain (ankle and knee injuries) will surely be out, Erickson said, while cornerback Shawn Springs (broken thumb) and tackle Howard Ballard (broken forearm) are extremely doubtful.