Victory Special to Pasquale but Also Hurts

He was like a heavyweight boxer who had been forced to defend his title by knocking his former sparring partner senseless.

It was business, bloody business, and while all around him they crowded with congratulations after the Chargers’ 39-3 victory over the Jets, misty-eyed Larry Pasquale was in no mood to celebrate.

“It hurts to see the guys go down like that,” he said. “I love those Jets players as if they were my sons. They were loyal to me.”

Pasquale, the Chargers’ special teams coordinator, was with the Jets from 1980 to 1989 before being released along with Coach Joe Walton.

Enlisted immediately by General Manager Bobby Beathard, Pasquale has helped the Charger special teams earn respect after a disastrous year under Joe Madden.

While with the Jets, Pasquale was a favorite of both the players and the media, and as he walked off the field Sunday, he was surrounded by admirers.

“I’m happy for our team that we won,” Pasquale said, his voice cracking, “but I feel for those other guys. I feel for (Kyle) Clifton, and (Jeff) Lageman, and (Joe) Prokop, and (John) Booty, and (Erik) McMillan. I love them. They got great character.

“But I’m also happy for the Chargers, because they deserved to win today. They played hard, and they tried to do all the things right. Hopefully we can have the Chargers’ special teams do what the Jets’ special teams have done in the past. That’s what we’re working toward.”

While with the Jets, Pasquale’s special teams had the best punt coverage statistics in the NFL from 1986-1988. But Sunday, it was the Charger coverage team that hogged the spotlight.

In the first quarter, the Jet punter, Prokop, could not cleanly field a low snap from center, and the Chargers fell on the ball at the New York 19. They were eventually stopped at the goal line, but the Jets would not be so fortunate on Prokop’s next attempt.

In the second quarter, Prokop accepted the snap from center in his own end zone and looked like a kindergarten teacher surrounded during recess. Had he attempted to kick the ball, he might now be in a full body cast.

Prokop took off running and was tackled at the five. On the following play, running back Marion Butts ran the ball in for a Charger touchdown.

“It was bad,” said Foge Fazio, the man hired by the Jets to replace Pasquale. “It was embarrassing. It’s never happened to me before.”

How good/bad day was it for the Chargers/Jets? For only the third time in Charger history, the team did not have to punt.

“You know the speed of guys, you know the physical abilities of the guys,” Pasquale said, “so there’s no question I could stand in our meetings and speak from certainty as to what the Jets might or might not be able to do.

“That’s a tremendous help to our guys. But my God, I can’t take anything away from the Charger players. They stuck to the plan better than we have done all year.”

As if the Jets needed any further reminder of Pasquale’s handiwork, running back Darrin Nelson returned a Prokop punt 33 yards to the New York three. The Chargers didn’t score, but for the booing fans, it didn’t matter.

“Our players were totally focused on doing the job today, and I think we’re coming together as a team,” Pasquale said. “I think our special teams guys are getting a feel for one another, just like the Jet players had a feeling for one another.”