Rams News

Moore beats out Hill,
Holcombe as starter at running back

08/30/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

The Rams will pick up where they left off at running back.
Jerald Moore, who moved into the starting lineup last year following the release of Lawrence Phillips, will open the '98 season as the Rams' starting running back. Coach Dick Vermeil made the announcement Sunday afternoon.
``I've seen him do it in our colors,'' Vermeil said. ``He knows the scheme extremely well. He's a very smart guy.''
As long as Moore stays healthy and produces, he will get the bulk of the carries. This doesn't figure to be a running back-by-committee system.
``If he goes in and runs well and plays well, I'm not going to fool around with it,'' Vermeil said. `` `Hey, you're the R-back. Until you get exhausted, you're the R-back.' ''
(In the Rams' playbook, the starting tailback or halfback is known as the ``R-back.'')
Moore, 23, wins the job over Greg Hill and rookie Robert Holcombe. In the preseason, Holcombe led the Rams in rushing with 19 carries for 100 yards. Hill was next, with 89 yards on 23 carries, followed by Moore with 43 yards on 13 carries. Hill also led the team in touchdowns (three).
``Greg Hill is not quite as knowledgeable in the offensive schemes and all the pass protections and everything else,'' Vermeil said. ``I really think he is a starting back. He can carry the ball 25 times and do a good job. And that may happen in the future.''
And Holcombe? ``I think he's a little ways away,'' Vermeil said. ``But he's making progress. Making good progress.''
Last season, Moore wasn't even on the team's active list for the first six games and didn't get his first carry until the ninth game of the season. But he started the final five games after Phillips was cut, including a 113-yard effort against Carolina on Dec. 20, and a 92-yard game against Washington on Nov. 30.
``He can't run as fast as Greg Hill,'' Vermeil said. ``But he might make more people miss within a certain distance. There aren't many long runs made in this league. A long run is 15 yards. Jerald Moore can make a lot of 15-yard runs.''
Moore finished with 380 yards rushing last season on 104 carries, for an average of 3.7 yards. Just a few weeks ago in training camp, he was in Vermeil's doghouse for missing practice time -- too much practice time in Vermeil's book -- with a bruised shoulder.
``It's hard to develop a really good feel for a guy that's hurt all the time, plus he's had that history,'' Vermeil said. ``Hopefully, that's behind him. I've got confidence in him. As long as he's really secure with the ball, I expect him to play well. But there's competition there. There's depth there.''
Phifer's injury: Roman Phifer's hamstring injury will keep him out at least three weeks, and maybe longer, according to Vermeil. Phifer said he felt his left hamstring pop when scrambling to sack Kansas City's Rich Gannon midway through the second quarter of Friday's preseason finale.
Vermeil second-guessed himself for leaving Phifer in the game long enough to get injured.
``But he'd already missed two ballgames, and I felt he needed playing time to get himself going,'' Vermeil said.

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