In With New (Coach), Out With Old (Losses)? : Saunders Hopes Chargers, Who Will Start Flick, Aren’t Resigned to Defeat

Transition is part of the natural order of things in pro sports, according to Al Saunders, who this week became the seventh head coach in the 26-year history of the Chargers.

He hopes the changes will continue today as the Chargers oppose the Kansas City Chiefs. The change he desires is a reversal in the team’s play in the first half of the season, which produced a 1-7 record and led to the resignation of Don Coryell Wednesday.

“We have appealed to the pride of the players,” Saunders said. “We owe the fans of San Diego and each other on the team a debt--and that is to play as hard and coach as hard as we can.”

For the third consecutive week, the Chargers will have a new starting quarterback. Tom Flick replaces Mark Herrmann, who suffered a concussion last Sunday after taking over for Dan Fouts, who himself had received a concussion the previous week.

Flick, who threw a touchdown pass for the team’s only score in a dismal 23-7 loss to Philadelphia last week, is a poised and confident player who hasn’t started a game since his senior year of college.

He will be backed up by Bruce Mathison, who was signed this week as insurance in the event of further injuries. Tight end Pete Holohan is next in line of succession.

The list of changes only begins here.

Practice was moved from afternoon to morning. There will be scheduled breaks in which players drop to one knee and listen to Saunders, who will bring his own brand of discipline.

“Discipline is doing something you don’t necessarily want to do when you have to do it,” he said. “It’s getting out of your stance extremely fast on third down in a pass situation when you have to block Howie Long. It’s playing in inclement weather when it’s uncomfortable to do that.”

For the fans, it may take some time and discipline to adjust to changes that Saunders envisions.

At the most fundamental level, Saunders is going to reshape the team’s philosophy, making it more conservative and defense-oriented. Over time, there will be less emphasis on the flashy offense that has been a hallmark for years. Of course, these deeper changes may not be immediately apparent.

Already, though, there have been changes in the coaching staff. Responsibility for special teams has been divided, with Ed White coordinating substitutions.

Earnel Durden shifts from coaching running backs to receivers, tight ends and passing game coach. Hank Bauer, formerly in charge of special teams, takes over Durden’s duties.

Durden and Bauer move upstairs on game day to aid offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, who calls the plays. Defensive coordinator Ron Lynn will continue to call the defensive plays.

Saunders, meanwhile, will wear a tie and a headset as he moves from Zampese’s side in the press box down to the sidelines.

Two weeks ago in a 42-41 loss at Kansas City, the Chargers staged their best passing show since the season-opening 50-28 victory over Miami. The Chargers passed more effectively, in part, because the Chiefs used a lot of zone coverages, which seem easier for players like Fouts and Charlie Joiner to attack at this stage in their careers.

It would not be surprising if the Chiefs play more man-to-man coverages today, according to Saunders.

The Chiefs (5-3), like San Diego, went to a new starter at quarterback last week when Coach John Mackovic replaced Todd Blackledge with Bill Kenney.

“Our offense hadn’t been very productive,” Mackovic said. “We were actually in a little tailspin. We were playing decently but weren’t making plays and weren’t moving the ball and getting it in a position where we could score some points.”

Kenney passed for 230 yards in a 27-20 victory over Tampa Bay that which gave the Chiefs a 5-3 record and their best start in four years.

The outlook for the Charger offense is more than a little iffy today. Injuries have slowed receivers Wes Chandler and Trumaine Johnson, along with tight end Eric Sievers and linemen Don Macek and Jim Leonard.

“The only thing I can hope,” Saunders said, “is that we will play an intense football game for 60 minutes, a game we can all be proud of.”