Rams News

Fullback slot looks good after year off

08/11/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

MACOMB, Ill. -- After spending the 1997 season out of football, James Stewart will do almost anything to get back in the National Football League.
Even play fullback.
``I've never played fullback before, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get myself on a ballclub,'' said Stewart, who signed a Rams contract Tuesday morning, then hit the practice fields immediately for two-a-days at Western Illinois University.
``It feels great to be back in the league. I sat out for a year, so I'm really excited about getting back.''
How long Stewart stays in the league depends on how quickly he adjusts to the fullback position. At the University of Miami (Fla.), Stewart played halfback in the Hurricanes' one-back sets. He totaled 1,328 rushing yards -- and a 5.3 average -- in two seasons before turning pro after his junior season.
A fifth-round draft choice by the Minnesota Vikings in 1995, Stewart played in four games as a rookie, missed the entire '96 season with a fractured fibula in his left leg, and was released by the Vikings late in training camp in '97.
He had tryouts with the Rams and the Chargers this exhibition season, coming directly from his workout in San Diego to Macomb to sign with the Rams.
``He's a big, fast running back that was immature when he went into the league and didn't do as well as he had the ability to do at Minnesota,'' coach Dick Vermeil said. ``But we wanted to see if he could hit anybody as an `H-back' and block.''
Without AWOL Craig ``Ironhead'' Heyward, the Rams are thin at fullback, with only Derrick Harris and rookie Raymond Priester on the roster. Even though Stewart has never played the fullback position, he looks the part at 6 feet 2, 246 pounds.
Stewart concedes, ``I'm an average blocker.''
But he will get plenty of work on his blocking skills in the coming days. He spent most of Tuesday watching practice, ``trying to learn the system,'' as he said.
Stewart is wearing jersey No. 36, once worn by Rams Pro Bowler Jerome Bettis.
``That's what everyone's been teasing me about,'' Stewart said.
Rams after dark: Vermeil was ebullient about the team's effort in a Tuesday night practice at Hanson Field attended by about 800 fans. ``I feel so much better about us right now -- it's a credit to the players and it's a credit to the coaching staff,'' Vermeil said.
On a down note, special teams coach Frank Gansz had his ``boom box'' loudspeaker system conk out before the largest crowd to watch the Rams this preseason.
``Maybe he just took it off because of some of his language,'' Vermeil joked. (There were a lot of children in the crowd.)
Ram-blings: Running back David Thompson returned to practice after missing almost two weeks with a thigh injury. That means all nine running backs and fullbacks in camp are practicing. . . . Tight end Mitch Jacoby missed the evening practice because of the flu.

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