Frank Seurer Tries to Work His Way Up Seahawk Depth Chart

Having played behind million-dollar quarterback Steve Young for the past two United States Football League seasons, Frank Seurer knows about the breaks of the game.

He knows, too, that he’s the bottom man on the quarterback depth chart at the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp here, behind record-setting Dave Krieg and Jim Zorn, the National Football League veteran who started for 7 1/2 seasons before Krieg supplanted him.

“I feel they signed me for a reason, to be a part of the team,” Seurer said. “If I don’t make it, that’s pro football.”

The Seahawks haven’t carried three quarterbacks on the active roster since 1982. But Seurer said the opportunity to come to camp was worth buying out the remaining year on his contract with the Los Angeles Express, which ended its third spring season recently and will not resume until the fall of 1986, if at all.

Also ahead of Seurer are veteran free agent Jeff Komlo, 10th-round draft choice John Conner of the University of Arizona and free agent Gale Gilbert of California.

Komlo played for five seasons with Detroit, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, and spent all of 1984 on the Buccaneers’ injured reserve list.

Krieg last year steered the Seahawks into the playoffs for the second year in a row and himself into his first Pro Bowl by throwing for 3,671 yards and 32 touchdowns, both team records.

“I feel there is a lot of competition, and a lot of different possibilities that could happen,” Seurer said. “There are a lot of ifs.”

Seurer said he would like the opportunity to play in back-to-back professional seasons.

“This situation is a plus,” he said.

Seattle gained the rights to Seurer in a supplemental draft of USFL players. The University of Kansas graduate, who ended his college career as the Big Eight Conference’s all-time leading passer, said working out the details of his buyout and then signing with the Seahawks put him five days behind the other quarterbacks.

“I’m hanging in there,” Seurer said. “It’s a gradual climb. The first day was hideous--it was bad news. I was not throwing the ball well and I was trying to rush myself. It was suicidal.

“Each day gets better and better. I need to get the timing down on routes, but it’s coming slow and sure.”

The 6-foot 2-inch, 195-pound quarterback said the advantages of reporting straight from the recent USFL season are that he’s in shape and in the right frame of mind.

“In my position, it is helping me,” he said. “Physically it’s not demanding because I played half the year.

“My arm strength feels good, but I’m disappointed with my accuracy and timing. But it will all come and I’ll be set.”

Seurer played in 13 games with the Express, completing 120 of 242 passes for 1,479 yards, 7 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. His two-year totals were 19 games, 184 of 274 attempts for 2,137 yards and 10 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions.

At Kansas, he threw for 6,410 yards, including a school and conference record 2,789 yards as a senior in 1983.

Seurer said he signed with Seattle because of the uncertainty of the USFL’s future.

“Now, I’m the low man on the totem pole; I’m still learning. But I’m getting my share of reps, so hopefully I’ll catch up with them.

“It was definitely worth it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s a great opportunity.”

‘I’m hanging in there. It’s a gradual climb. The first day was hideous--it was bad news. I was not throwing the ball well and I was trying to rush myself. It was suicidal. Each day gets better and better. I need to get the timing down on routes, but it’s coming slow and sure.’