Bo Starts to Practice, Mueller Is the Starter

Things are getting thin among the Raiders, who are used to throwing out a backfield of matched Heisman Trophy winners in October.

This year, they may be featuring a brace of wounded Heisman winners. Vance Mueller, who comes from Occidental and the other end of the publicity spectrum, will start Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Coliseum.

Marcus Allen’s injured knee, described as a two-week problem, may be six weeks’ worth. The team is thinking of putting him on injured reserve, which would make it six weeks, at least.

Bo Jackson is here and practicing--although his annual news conference was pushed back to today--but there’s a question of how ready he may be.

The Kansas City Royal outfielder pulled a thigh muscle in June, which was one reason he stopped trying to steal bases. All but assured of joining the 30-30 club at the All-Star break, when he had 23 steals in 28 attempts, he made only seven attempts (three successful) afterward.

In the last week of the baseball season, he told a Kansas City reporter that his thigh was still only 75% recovered.

Beyond that, Coach Art Shell says he is concerned about trying to force him into the lineup too quickly.

“The thing we’ve got to be careful about,” Shell said, “we don’t want to take this guy and push him in this thing. He hasn’t had training camp.

“Bo will help us make the decision as to what he can do and where he can go. We won’t in any way try to force him, try to make him the focal point of this particular game coming up. It’s not going to be that way.

“What he’ll be doing will use muscles he hasn’t used in a while. And there’s the contact factor, also, you have to be concerned about. If he does play, it’ll be a limited situation for him.”

Of course, similar circumstances existed upon his arrival last season, when Bo didn’t start at Kansas City but entered on the second play, carried three consecutive times and wound up with 21 carries.

Bo knows the spotlight.

Bo knows coy, too?

Approached as he headed out to practice, he pulled his shirt up over his face in a mock attempt to hide his identity, and kept walking.

It was good to be back, presumably.

Raider Notes

Coach Art Shell said defensive end Howie Long may make his first start of the season Sunday. Shell was encouraged by Long’s play at the Meadowlands in the Raiders’ 14-7 victory over the New York Jets. “Every time the ball was snapped, he was double-teamed,” Shell said. “His presence makes other players better.” . . . Special teams standout Stefon Adams is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Center Don Mosebar is listed as probable after sitting out most of the last three games with a knee injury. . . . Shell, on the Herschel Walker-to-the-Raiders rumors: “Really? What are we going to do with all these running backs? Herschel Walker is a great player, but we’ve already got great players here.”