THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 1, 1996 TAG: 9609010232
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 97 lines
If Gus Frerotte beats the Philadelphia Eagles today and goes on to four productive months as a starting quarterback, one meaningless play in a meaningless preseason game could well symbolize his rise to power with the Washington Redskins.
It happened in the first quarter of Washington's 27-19 loss to the New England Patriots. Frerotte, four days after being named starting quarterback by coach Norv Turner, unloaded a deep pass an instant before his knee was plowed over by defensive end Willie McGinest.
The picture was ugly. Frerotte's leg was pinned under the beefy McGinest's chest and shoulders, a fracture or torn ligament waiting to happen. Sixty-two yards downfield, however, the picture was brilliant. Frerotte's pass floated into the hands of Leslie Shepherd, who strolled into the end zone.
Players and coaches waited to see how Frerotte would handle the near-catastrophe. Rookie tackle Shar Pourdanesh, who'd been beaten on the play, was especially anxious. After holding for the extra point, Frerotte called Pourdanesh aside.
``He kind of slapped me on the back and said, `C'mon Shar, you can do it,' '' Pourdanesh recalled. ``He wasn't mad. He certainly wasn't happy. He was just. ... just. ... Gus.''
Whatever that means. No one's really sure, though they feel confident that they and the NFL will begin to find out now that the Pittsburgh-area native is Washington's unquestioned No. 1 quarterback.
``Now the real work begins,'' Frerotte said as he began preparation for today's 1 p.m. kickoff against an Eagles team Washington hasn't beaten in seven straight games. ``Now, it's about going out and saying that I'm the leader of this team and this is what I think has to be done.
``Lots of people look up to the quarterback. Every guy on offense and defense looks to see how the quarterback's playing. They want to see you stand in the pocket and take some shots.''
So Frerotte gave them what they wanted..
``You could tell in the New England game that his uncertainty no longer was there,'' tackle Ed Simmons said. ``There was no more of this, `Am I the guy?' in his attitude. Now he knows he can just go out and play football.
``The interview's over.''
Is it? Frerotte's margin of victory over Shuler was slender. Turner says he won't pull Frerotte easily, that he'll let him make his share of mistakes and treat him no differently than he'd treat any other firmly entrenched starting quarterback.
But clearly, much is at stake today, both for Frerotte and the Redskins. Washington plays five of its first eight games at home. A fast start is likely going to be necessary to offset a brutal late-season stretch in which the Redskins play at Philadelphia, home against San Francisco, and at Dallas in 11 days.
``I want to go in there and make no mental mistakes,'' Frerotte said. ``I think it's important for the team to see right away that I can play extremely well.''
It's important for the fans as well. Shuler wasn't the only quarterback booed in the team's only home preseason game, a 28-7 loss to Cincinnati. For the first time in his pro career, Frerotte heard his share, too.
The difference between the two men is that Frerotte doesn't care. Or at least that's what he professes.
``Playing college football in Tulsa, Okla., I had many fair-weather fans,'' he said. ``You can't worry about what other people think. You have your family and your friends, who love you no matter what.''
Having beaten out Shuler for the job, Frerotte now counts him among those he must lead if the Redskins are to be successful. Frerotte says he and the former No. 1 pick worked hard at maintaining a friendship that started when they entered the league the same year. Even during the height of the competition, Frerotte says he did everything he could to bolster Shuler's spirits - and vice-versa.
``It has been embarrassing. There have been times I've been taken out and I'm standing next to Heath as he's getting to go in and people are booing,'' Frerotte said. ``I didn't know what to say to him. Finally, I just told him to out there and play his game. I told him I've been booed before. The public's always going to like some people and not like some others. They're just fans. You can't worry about them.''
Shuler and Frerotte roomed next to each other at training camp. Frerotte says there was nothing but good feelings between them.
``If I slept longer than I should, Heath would knock on my door to tell me it was time to go to a meeting. If he slept longer, I woke him up.''
It is testimony to how much Shuler improved during the offseason that the competition between the two quarterbacks was so close. Examine their playing styles and what they've accomplished, and Frerotte wins, hands down.
Of Washington's 22 longest pass plays of 1995, 20 of them happened after Frerotte threw the football. Had not Leslie Shepherd made a spectacular diving catch for 44 yards against Dallas on Dec. 3, Frerotte would have had the team's top 14 pass plays all to himself.
Henry Ellard's five best games last season came with Frerotte at quarterback. In fact, of the top 11 games turned in by Washington receivers, nine of them were engineered by Frerotte.
Frerotte, who played in 13 games, completed 166 passes last season, 103 of them to receivers, or 62 percent. Shuler, who played in seven, completed 66 passes, 29 to receivers, or 44 percent.
``People say I'm an attack passer,'' Frerotte says. ``I like to push it downfield. Heath likes the high percentage passes. I like to take chances. I think we both learned this offseason that you need a little bit of both if you're going to go a long way.''
For Frerotte, the trip begins today. by CNB