Center Spot A Gray Area

Chris Gray knows what Floyd Wedderburn and Todd Weiner are going through. And injured center Robbie Tobeck, too.

Gray has come full circle with the injury bug - losing starting jobs with Miami because of broken ankles in 1995 and 1996, and becoming the Seattle Seahawks’ starter the last two seasons following injuries to Kevin Glover.

Gray was expected to start at guard this season until Tobeck went down with a knee injury in May. Gray now finds himself settling in as Seattle’s starting center, nestled between an experienced left side in guard Pete Kendall and tackle Walter Jones and a youthful right flank in Wedderburn and Weiner.

“There is a lot of pressure on the young guys, not just them but even me, to come in and play,” said Gray, an eight-year veteran who has played for three NFL teams. “Learning a new system can be difficult. It takes some time to understand the blocking schemes.”

Gray has had his share of long hours studying the playbook the last few years. When he came to the Seahawks before the ‘98 season, he was neither a center nor a long-snapper. Now he’s both.

He moved from guard to center when backup centers Frank Beede and Greg Bloedorn were injured in 1998.

“It’s a pretty nice fit at center,” Gray said, “but I’m still learning things. There’s a lot of thinking that goes on, recognizing the four-man side, the defense and making most of the (line) calls.”

His emergence as a deep-snapper on field goals and PATs started with an innocent comment. Special teams coach Pete Rodriguez was searching for a deep-snapper. Gray mentioned to placekicker Todd Peterson that he’d done some snapping for Miami.

“I was just joking around,” Gray said.

But Peterson mentioned it to Rodriguez, who dragged Gray out to the practice field.

“I go out there and make three unbelievable snaps in a row and Pete’s like, `Where have you been?’ From then on, he’s had me out there,” Gray said. “I struggled the first year-and-a-half, but I’ve picked it up pretty good.”

The offensive line doesn’t have the luxury of 18 months to master blocking schemes. The season opener looms Sept. 3 at Miami.

“We lost, what, 30-something years of NFL experience (the last two years with the departures of Howard Ballard, Brian Habib and Glover). It’s just a new season. Every year, older guys leave and things change,” Gray said. “Every line is different. It all depends on how the new guys learn things and how quickly we get used to each other.

“The longer we play together, the better things get.”

Huard’s turn

Brock Huard should see ample repetitions during Sunday’s scrimmage at Eastern Washington University’s Woodward Stadium and during the four preseason games. He and veteran Glenn Foley are vying for the backup quarterback spot behind Jon Kitna.

Huard, who left the University of Washington after his junior year, was Seattle’s No. 3 quarterback last season and didn’t play a regular-season down. Foley helped Seattle to a victory over Chicago when Kitna was sidelined with a foot injury.

Huard has displayed a strong arm at training camp, but he also has appeared hesitant at times in the pocket.

“He’s having a good camp; he’s doing the right things,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “If I had one criticism of Brock, in his effort to be perfect, he’s too careful.”

Notes

Glenn Foley missed practice with back spasms. … Another practice, another thundering hit by safety Maurice Kelly. One day after flattening Sean Dawkins, Kelly lowered the boom on Mack Strong. The 27-year-old Kelly played with four CFL teams between 1993-99. He’s listed at 176 pounds, but actually weighs 209… . Strong has nudged ahead of ‘99 starter Reggie Brown in the chase for starting fullback. “Mack right now is playing and Reggie isn’t,” Holmgren said. “That position is open.”