CHARGERS’ INEXPERIENCED QUARTERBACK : BRUCE MATHISON : The New No. 2 Hasn’t Started a Game Since High School Days--Nine Years Ago

If the moment had been filmed for later analysis by the coaching staff, Laura Mathison probably would have been accused of moving at half-speed as she stumbled around the kitchen preparing breakfast for her husband Sunday morning.

The grogginess was understandable, since Mrs. Mathison’s spouse, Bruce, had kept the two of them awake most of the night as he replayed the Chargers’ 12-7 win over Cleveland in his mind.

“I guess I drove my wife crazy, twitching and jumping around the bed,” Mathison said. “Every nap, every dream these days, I’m doing something with a football.”

It’s hard to over-dramatize what a radical departure this represents in the life of Bruce Mathison.

They don’t keep records on such esoteric matters, but it just may be that Mathison is the most inexperienced No. 2 quarterback in the history of the National Football League.

Mathison, entering his third season with the Chargers, was the No. 3 man behind Dan Fouts and Ed Luther in 1983 and 1984. As such, he never started a game.

Before that, Mathison was strictly a reserve during his collegiate career at Nebraska.

It’s hard to fathom, since we’re talking about a guy who could wind up playing a significant role for a big league team, but the last time he started a game was in September, 1976. Mathison was then a senior at Superior High School in Superior, Wis.

That’s nine years ago, fans. Two presidents have left office since then. Fouts was a struggling young quarterback, about to blossom under the tutelage of Bill Walsh. Nine years is an epoch in pro football time.

Inexperienced is hardly the word for Mathison, who played only two games as a high school senior before breaking his leg in a game at Fargo, N.D.

If he had it to do over, he never would have accepted the scholarship to Nebraska, which Coach Tom Osborne extended almost as afterthought to a fishing trip in the summer of 1977. He decided to take in the Wisconsin high school all-star game, and liked what he saw of the tall quarterback.

Mathison (6-foot 3-inches, 203) became a Cornhusker at an inopportune time. Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners had been causing headaches for Big 8 rivals with their triple option offense, and Nebraska decided to copy what it couldn’t stop.

Recruited on the basis of his passing ability, Mathison became a forgotten man in Lincoln as Nebraska turned the offense over to a speedy triple threat operative named Turner Gill.

“I think I could have played if they hadn’t changed the offense,” Mathison said. “I thought of transferring to a Big 10 school, but I didn’t want to sit out a year. I did learn how to run the ball at Nebraska.”

Knowing that, Don Coryell can smile a lot easier when he does his next car commercial.

A running quarterback is the last thing the Chargers want.

OK, so Mathison has a few things to learn. Actually, he’s picked up more football knowledge in the past six months than he had in a lifetime. Once the Chargers lost Luther to the United States Football League last winter, assistant coach Al Saunders began imparting gospel to the heir apparent.

They went over every package of plays in the Air Coryell scheme. On paper, Mathison knew his assignments pretty well. He was ready for a live trial, at last.

And so it was Saturday evening that Mathison found himself in the heat of combat for the first time since he was just another high school kid.

“I was nervous and edgy,” Mathison said Monday as he attempted to recapitulate what happened to him 36 hours earlier. “No, nervous isn’t the word. I wanted to accomplish a lot in a hurry.

“I had forgotten that emotions play such a big factor in a game. I had really forgotten how worked up you get emotionally. I was just glad the defense wasn’t blitzing and we weren’t using all the motion in our offense.”

Coryell, who had no meaningful yardstick other than the practice field to apply to Mathison, seemed guardedly optimistic about the prognosis.

“We had all wanted him to look just like Danny Fouts, but, heck, this was his first game in nine years,” Coryell said. “He did a representative job.

“He got the ball off well a couple of times, and we’re anxious to see how he does (this Saturday against Dallas) with a game under his belt and a week to think about it.”

Mathison has done little but think about his first taste of pro football.

“I know it wasn’t stylish or classic, but we moved the ball,” he said. “This week my goal is to get it into the end zone.”

Mathison gave himself points for not getting flustered after throwing an interception that aborted a third-quarter drive.

“There were times when I felt comfortable and sure of myself,” Mathison said. “There were other moments I felt confused.

“I know the accuracy of my passes would have been better if I had not been nervous. Some of the balls I threw were high, and some were off to the side.”

Mathison is one of three quarterbacks battling for the backup job. He has an edge over Mark Herrmann and Paul Berner merely by virtue of having been here the last two seasons. But he knows he must perform well in the exhibition season to keep his edge and eliminate the competition.

“This is one of the biggest months of my life,” he said. “I’m very alert to everything that is said in meetings. And I study every defense at practice. When I was behind Dan and Ed, I didn’t always pay attention to every single play in practice.”

Mathison, a quarterback since the fifth grade, learned a lesson Saturday night that could come only from participation in a game. Aside from being physically challenging, this job can give a guy a headache.

“I was mentally fatigued after the game,” he said. “That was a different feeling for me. Practice isn’t that way. I also felt a little depressed because I didn’t have the solid, complete game I would have liked.

“The thing I want to do differently this week is to be patient and allow things to happen. I don’t want to force anything to happen. Just be patient.”

A perfectly reasonable sentiment for a guy who has rarely seen a grass stain on his uniform during all the years of waiting.

Charger Notes The juggling in the offensive line continues. Veteran Ed White, who played tackle the last two years, will return to guard this week. Jerry Doerger, recently obtained from the USFL, will move from guard to tackle. Jim Lachey, who has played guard and tackle in training camp, will be at tackle against Dallas. . . . The punting duties will be split by veteran Maury Buford and rookie Ralf Mojsiejenko. Buford didn’t kick against Cleveland. . . . Five players were cut Monday, including linebacker Kevin Will, receiver Derek Graham and defensive backs Larry Crawford, Jeff Davis and Bill Kay.