Coryell Stays Loose, Even With Shaky Job Status

David Letterman isn’t going to book him as a guest on the basis of one joke, but at least Don Coryell is making an effort to appear less grim.

As the season dwindles toward a close, the opportunities for a coach and team lessen each week. Coryell’s delicate position has been and will continue as the subject of speculation until owner Alex Spanos makes a decision after the holidays.

Coryell was asked Wednesday for a comment on this week’s opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Like the Chargers, they are burdened with a 6-7 record. The Steelers must win their last three games if they hope to win a third straight division title.

“They’re in a desperate situation, wouldn’t you say?” someone said to Coryell.

The coach, given only a small opening, did his best Lou Holtz improvisation.

“Who’s desperate--them or us?” Coryell said with a hearty laugh. “We gotta win ‘em all, too.”

So, he’s never going to make it as a raconteur. Coryell’s best hope is that his offense won’t slumber for a half, as it has done the past two games. The Chargers may not be able to spot the Steelers a 30-minute lead and get away with it.

The Chargers, who remain the most productive passing team in the NFL with an average of 298 yards per game, are up against a defense that is giving up only 169.5 passing yards a game.

The Chargers aren’t likely to resort to anything so drastic as having Dan Fouts roll out, as Miami’s Dan Marino did so successfully in Monday night’s win over the Chicago Bears.

Fouts will probably try to keep the Steelers off balance by distributing the ball to the deepest lineup of receivers in the league. No fewer than seven players have caught 20 or more balls, ranging from Lionel James’ 72 to Gary Anderson’s 21.

Among the cast is tight end Pete Holohan, who has managed to make 34 catches, including a career-high seven in last Sunday’s win over Buffalo.

Holohan, who has perhaps the softest hands on the team, is capable of 50-60 catches a season, even though he shares a position with two other gifted players, Kellen Winslow and Eric Sievers.

Holohan knows he’s never going to win the job outright, even though on other teams he probably would be a starter.

A bigger frustration is the physical problems that have beset him the last two seasons. He suffered an ankle injury midway through 1984 that eventually required surgery and still bothers him. This season he’s had an ailing shoulder and a strained knee.

As receivers coach Al Saunders pointed out, all the injuries were to weight-bearing joints, which makes recovery more complicated.

“Pete loves football and plays with a higher tolerance for pain than most other guys,” Saunders said. “The strength of his game has always been his ability to catch the ball, but he’s also got an infectious personality that picks up the spirits of other players.”

Holohan admits he has wondered what he might accomplish if he ever had a semi-healthy season.

“But I know you’ve got play with some nicks in this game,” he said. “Whether I’m healthy or not, I’m never going to outrun anybody, and fortunately my timing and catching of the ball aren’t affected that much when I’m out. It would be fun to see how things would turn out if I was well all year.”

Holohan serves as the Chargers’ No. 3 quarterback. Although it’s unlikely he’ll ever be pressed into duty under live conditions, he works out once a week in 7-on-7 drills emulating the other side’s quarterback.

“He’s got a strong arm,” Saunders said, restraining a laugh. “Let’s just say quarterback is not his best position. I think he would prefer to see Dan or Mark Herrmann in there.”

Holohan has still another backup duty, as holder for placekicker Bob Thomas, and also for left-footed Ralf Mojsiejenko if he ever attempts a field goal. Training to hold for a right and left-footed kicker requires dexterity found in few players.

“I take 15 or 20 snaps a day,” Holohan said. “Spinning the laces so they’re facing forward for Mojo is the hardest part. It’s backward from the way I catch the ball and spin it for Bob.”

Holohan has no special tricks for catching a pass or a snap from center. He doesn’t have the acute vision to read Pete Rozelle’s signature on the ball, or gauge how hard the ball is thrown.

“I try to catch as many balls as I can every day,” he said. “And I try to pick up the ball before the defensive player. If I do that, I can usually make the catch.”

Charger Notes The Chargers placed offensive tackle Sam Claphan on injured reserve and signed Ken Dalliafor, who was with the team last summer. It’s also expected they will activate offensive lineman Jerry Doerger for this week’s game. Doerger has been out with a broken hand, but probably will be activated if he makes it through the week healthy. “We don’t want our offensive line to have a lot of contact this week,” Coryell said, “but we have to get our defense ready to stop Pittsburgh’s running game. So we will have to gamble and have some reasonably hard practices.”