HOW THE RAMS STACK UP : ANALYSIS : Knox Starting With Little Steps

IRVINE — How much does it take to wash away the stains of 10 consecutive losses at the end of a season? More than a little, if the NFL’s Anaheim-based representative is any measure.

The Rams decided they had to change coaches, coaching staffs and just about everything else that wasn’t bolted down in blue and gold, praying it’s enough to avoid another 13-defeat retreat.

The results of all the changes are just beginning to filter in, as Chuck Knox reintroduces himself and his disciplined, little-steps-before-big approach to the team he used to coach 14 years ago.

The Rams, a little more than two years removed from their NFC title-game appearance, are starting over. Everywhere. Anywhere.

At quarterback, Jim Everett is starting over, trying to recapture the sizzle of his late-’80s stardom; at tailback, Knox is starting from scratch, searching for someone who can carry the offense; on the offensive line, the team is starting over, with Jackie Slater, 38, and Tom Newberry the only holdovers from the Rams’ dominance of a few years ago; on defense, everything is starting over, built around the talents of No. 1 draft pick Sean Gilbert.

“We cannot dwell or talk about what happened here in the past,” Knox says. “We cannot dwell or talk about what we’ve done.

“What we have to do is talk about what we want to do from this day forward, and how we’re going to do it.

“I’m a big believer in positive reinforcement as opposed to negative criticism. This is the way. And there are some times, too, when you’ve got to take your gloves off, say wait a minute now, time to shape it up a little.”

Wednesday, rookies and young players reported to the UC Irvine campus for work. On Tuesday, they will scrimmage the San Diego Chargers. On Wednesday, the veterans check in and check out the new atmosphere.

“Sure, there’s a certain amount of uncertainty,” says linebacker Frank Stams, “but I don’t think it’s anything that the players can’t handle. I don’t think it’s anything like that.

“I think the players have all the faith in the world in the coaching staff--we know if we follow them, we will win.”

Knox, master of the methodical path to success, could not have asked for a better statement: Follow his staff, and win.

“You have to establish a lot of things, besides a fundamental base, besides getting a system installed,” Knox says. “You also have to establish an attitude: You do the job you were hired on to do. You come every day, practice as hard as you can practice, work as hard you can work and play as hard as you can play.”

ON OFFENSE

Quarterback

* The Starter: Jim Everett.

* The Backup: Mike Pagel.

* The Contenders: T.J. Rubley, Matt Veatch.

* Status: Fallen and trying to get up.

* Analysis: Two seasons removed from his 1989 brilliance, Everett is starting over with a new offensive system tailored to keep him comfortable, a new position coach in Ted Tollner assigned to keep him on track, and a new head coach who calls him the “most talented” quarterback he has ever had. Everett is 29, and if he has another season anywhere near last season’s 11-touchdown, 20-interception disaster, it will be three consecutive down seasons heading into his 30s.

Tailback

* The Projected Starter: Cleveland Gary.

* The Backups: Robert Delpino, Derek Loville.

* The Contenders: Joe Campbell, David Lang, Marcus Dupree.

* Status: Lots of talent, lots of questions.

* Analysis: There’s no bigger potential trouble spot than here. Coach Chuck Knox plots his offense on the premise that his tailback can run the ball 25 times per game and gain 90 yards. Gary has the talent and body for it, but he fumbled 12 times two years ago and carried only 68 times last season because of minor injuries. Delpino was the team’s best player, stepping in for Gary to rush for 688 yards and receive for 617 (and score 10 TDs), but he wore down and probably will be rested more this year. Look for Loville, Lang and Campbell, smaller, slashing backs, to see action in a tailback-by-committee scenario.

Fullback

* The Projected Starter: Delpino.

* The Backup: Ernie Thompson.

* The Contenders: Tim Lester.

* Status: Wait and see.

* Analysis: Buford McGee might have been over 30, highly paid and not exactly a true fit for the new offense, but when he was cut and signed with Green Bay, he left the Rams fairly thin at fullback. Delpino saw too much time as the featured back to be entirely happy as a blocker-pass catcher, so he may not be the full-time fullback. The Rams like Thompson, and he could inherit the starting job with solid blocking, but he’s only a second-year player who saw almost no game action in ’91.

Wide Receivers

* The Starters: Henry Ellard, Flipper Anderson.

* The Backups: Aaron Cox, Jeff Chadwick.

* The Contenders: Todd Kinchen, Vernon Turner, Brian Thomas, Hendricks Johnson, Jonathan Pinckney.

* Status: Deeper.

* Analysis: Knox saw the team’s vulnerability at this position behind the Ellard-Anderson firepower and brought in Chadwick through Plan B and Kinchen in the third round of the draft. Both should see plenty of time on passing downs and will be given every chance to turn into the clutch middle-of-the-field receivers the team needs.

Tight End

* The Starter: Damone Johnson.

* The Backups: Pat Carter, Jim Price.

* The Contenders: Frank Hartley, Darian McKinney.

* Status: Dependable, expendable.

* Analysis: Price was developing into a key receiver before breaking his leg late in the season, but Knox values blocking by his tight ends, which probably means Johnson and Carter again will get the bulk of action.

Tackles

* The Starters: Jackie Slater, Gerald Perry.

* The Backups: Robert Jenkins, Neal Fort, Shawn Harper.

* The Contenders: Darryl Ashmore, Randy Schneider.

* Status: Fragile--Handle with care.

* Analysis: This is almost certainly Slater’s last season, and after 17 years, opposing defensive ends still struggle against him. Perry showed flashes of skill last season, but his knee gave him problems. At this spot more than most, the Rams’ backups are key players. If Harper, picked in the fourth round of the draft, can play immediately, he and Jenkins could be a solid backup duo. One or both of them probably will spend much of ’92 in the lineup.

Guards

* The Starters: Tom Newberry, Joe Milinichik.

* The Backups: Jeff Pahukoa, Harper.

* The Contenders: Bern Brostek, Jenkins, John Fisher.

* Status: Most solid starting position on line.

* Analysis: Last season, the old Rams’ staff experimented with Newberry at center, moving him from the left guard position, where he was one of the league’s best. The move backfired--Everett wasn’t comfortable with Newberry on snaps, and Brostek never jelled at left guard, specifically on pass protection. Although Newberry wanted to stay at center, Knox immediately moved him back, which should stabilize the whole line. Milinichik was the starting right guard, and played well before missing the last 11 games of the season because of a shoulder injury.

Center

* The Starter: Brostek.

* The Backups: Blair Bush, Doug Smith, Newberry.

* The Contender: Kelvin Harris.

* Status: Bern’s big adventure.

* Analysis: Three years after being drafted, Brostek finally gets a chance in the NFL at his natural position. The previous Ram staff wasn’t confident enough in Brostek’s leadership abilities to play him at center, but if he can handle the role, the offense will have a 300-plus-pound, run-blocking monster in the middle. At center, Brostek should be happier--and won’t have to deal with the kind of stunt-pickup blocking that troubled him last year at left guard. This is probably the goodby, after 14 seasons, to Doug Smith.

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ON DEFENSE

Ends

* The Starters: Robert Young, Bill Hawkins.

* The Backups: Karl Wilson, Gerald Robinson, Jim Skow.

* The Contenders: Vance Hammond, John Sims.

* Status: Heavier, steadier.

* Analysis: Nothing to brag about, but the Rams are beginning to develop some outside force on the line. Young was the team’s best rookie last season and was forced to play tackle because the team was desperate. This year, he’ll be free to use his long arms and quick moves to rush the passer from the outside. The rest of the batch isn’t exactly Pro Bowl quality but is solid enough not to get blown off the line all game long.

Tackles

* The Projected Starters: Sean Gilbert, Mike Piel.

* The Backups: Marc Boutte, Alvin Wright, David Rocker.

* The Contender: Derrick Carr.

* Status: After ‘91, a bonanza.

* Analysis: Last season’s staff used to sit around and dream about what it would be like to have a fast, strong, 315-pounder bombing away in the middle of their wretched line. After his performance in the May mini-camp, Gilbert showed the new staff he probably is the real deal and instantly becomes the team’s most important player. Eventually, the team would like a Gilbert-Boutte tandem in the middle.

Middle Linebacker

* The Starter: Larry Kelm.

* The Backups: Glenell Sanders, Fred Strickland.

* The Contender: Tom Homco.

* Status: Quo.

* Analysis: Once again, these are the players burdened most by the change in defensive philosophy. Last year, they were expected to be field generals for a blitzing scheme. This year, they are hole-pluggers calling plays for a defense that might bend but shouldn’t break. Kelm, as always, has the upper hand because he is the best leader and is always around the ball.

Outside Linebackers

* The Starters: Kevin Greene, Frank Stams.

* The Backups: Roman Phifer, Paul Butcher, Terry Crews.

* The Contenders: Brian Townsend, A.J. Jenkins.

* Status: Same faces, new roles.

* Analysis: The key again is to find Greene a spot in a four-man front system. Last year’s staff tried him at right defensive end, where he disappeared under the burden of battling 300-pound tackles. It probably was Greene’s most natural spot in a 4-3, but without him pressuring quarterbacks, the talent-deficient defense was dead. In order to get him a cleaner lane to quarterbacks, this year’s staff has put him at linebacker again. But can he handle the coverage duties?

Cornerbacks

* The Starters: Todd Lyght, Darryl Henley.

* The Backups: Steve Israel, Robert Bailey.

* The Contenders: Charles Franks, Jessie Chavis.

* Status: Money to earn, talent to burn

* Analysis: The Rams have four very fast, very athletic cornerbacks, and if Israel works his way into the lineup, he and Lyght are prototype ballhawks--tall enough to jump with the Jerry Rices, fast enough to run with the Andre Risons and confident enough to know that they will get beat once in a while in this receiver-rich division.

Safeties

* The Starters: Pat Terrell, Michael Stewart.

* The Backups: Anthony Newman, Chris Crooms.

* The Contenders: Ricky Jones, Everett Nicholas, Eric Buckley.

* Status: System tailored for them.

* Analysis: These were the guys who were supposed to flourish in last season’s attack scheme, but the flourish never showed. This year, instead of forcing things, the still-talented safeties will be asked to sit back and react--and pound footballs loose from receivers. Terrell, especially, seems suited for this role. Stewart, a pure aggressor, may not be.

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ON SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

* The Starter: Tony Zendejas.

* Status: Irreplaceable.

* Analysis: The guy didn’t miss a field-goal attempt last season, which is an NFL record and puts him within one of tying Kevin Butler’s league record of 21 consecutive field goals. If the team was any good, he’d have been an All-Pro.

Punter

* The Contenders: Don Bracken, Barry Helton.

* Status: May the best journeyman win.

* Analysis: Face it, anything these guys do will have to be better than what Dale Hatcher did last season. Bracken is a pro, he punted respectably in absolutely horrendous weather for years, and he has his old Green Bay position coach in the fold with the Rams.

Returners

* The Contenders: Israel, Kinchen, Turner, Delpino, Ricky Jones, Loville.

* Status: Plenty.

* Analysis: After years of neglect, the Rams decided to gather some people who could scare opponents every time the ball is kicked. Israel, especially, has the kind of game-breaking speed and confidence that can destroy a coverage team.