Ram Notebook : Hatcher Returns, Ready to Get His Kicks In Against the Eagles

Dale Hatcher, vowing never again to high-step through old tires or zig-zag past stationary cones, returned to Rams Park Wednesday as the team’s starting punter, 3 months later than expected.

He’s expected to make his first kick of the 1988 season this Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

Hatcher, you may remember, twisted his left knee during a simple run drill on the first day of training camp in July, aggravating an old high school injury. It required arthroscopic knee surgery and forced the Rams to sign veteran punter Rich Camarillo, who was released Tuesday.

Hatcher, almost as embarrassed as he was injured, returned to camp sounding the credo: No more agility drills.

“I won’t be doing that anymore,” Hatcher said. “You’ll notice now, I just run straight. It’s hard to explain when you’re a punter: How did you get hurt? I didn’t even get hit.”

Hatcher was more worried he wouldn’t get his job back. Camarillo, in 9 games, averaged 39 yards a punt.

“Rich is a good punter,” Hatcher said. “When he first came here, it worried me. I knew he was good. He wouldn’t have played in New England as long as he did if he wasn’t. I hope he gets picked up somewhere. I’m sure he will.”

Hatcher made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 1985 with a 43.2 average. After slipping to 38.6 in 1986, he rebounded last season with a 41.3 average.

Hatcher said he didn’t know he was being activated this week until Wednesday morning.

“I saw that Rich’s locker was cleaned out,” he said. “I figured it was true then.”

Hatcher said he was told recently that he might not return at all this season.

“(Special teams coach Artie) Gigantino told me 3 weeks ago that I might be punting next week, or the next week, or maybe not the rest of the year,” he said. “That really got me frustrated.”

Some day, Donald Evans may want to open his own weight-control clinic. Remember Evans, the Rams’ first pick in 1987? After failing to make good at defensive end, the Rams asked him to lose 35 pounds and become a fullback. Evans did, but then the Rams released him before this year’s opener.

This is not the end of the story. Evans was picked up by the Eagles, who converted Evans back to defensive end. Which meant Evans had to start eating again.

He was playing on special teams until Week 7, when he broke his jaw against the New York Giants on Oct. 13. Evans had his jaw wired shut. He has been on a liquid diet since.

At this rate, Evans might return as a wide receiver.

Eagle vs. the Eagles: The Rams are running a version of the 46 defense Buddy Ryan made famous as defensive coach with the Chicago Bears in the early 1980s. Ryan is now coaching in Philadelphia and the name of the Rams’ defense is the Eagle.

A tribute to Ryan? Not at all.

“It’s an adaptation of an old defense played in the ‘40s and ‘50s called the Eagle,” Coach John Robinson said.

Ryan, whose Eagles are struggling in the NFC East with a 4-5 record, said he wished his defense was playing as well as the Rams’.

“Everyone in the league is running the 46,” Ryan said Wednesday. “They’ve (the Rams) got 41 sacks, we’ve got 21. They’re doing a lot better job than we are.”

Ram Notes

Besides Donald Evans, the Eagles have also signed former Ram linebacker Doug Bartlett. . . . Not surprisingly, Ram receiver Michael Young was reported doubtful for Sunday’s game with a back injury. Coach John Robinson said there was “a chance” that Young would end up on injured reserve before week’s end. . . . Cornerback Cliff Hicks should also return this week after missing the first 9 games with a broken leg. . . . Cornerback LeRoy Irvin was a judge on the recent “Miss Eye On L.A.” contest, a search conducted by KABC Television. Irvin told just about everyone about it except his wife, Roxanne, who first found out when she turned on the TV set Monday night and saw her husband surrounded by 15 beautiful women. “I’m really in the doghouse,” Irvin said. . . . The NFC’s leading candidate for rookie of the year honors is Eagles tight end Keith Jackson, who is tied with San Francisco’s Roger Craig for the conference lead in receptions with 51. . . . Linebacker Mel Owens (ankle) didn’t practice again Wednesday and is doubtful for Sunday’s game. Cornerback Mickey Sutton, who sat out the Saints’ game with 2 sprained ankles, was back in uniform Wednesday. . . . Linebacker Kevin Greene took the day off because of the flu.