Humphries Warms Up to Prospect of Starting : Chargers: Ex-Redskin will get chance to challenge Gagliano for starting job.

With sweat pouring from his forehead, Charger quarterback Stan Humphries patiently stood for 30 minutes in the 90-degree heat at the club’s training camp during two interviews with the media.

But for Humphries, who spent most of his four years with the Washington Redskins on a cold and lonely bench, Saturday’s heat was a welcome relief.

“I can finally get back to thinking about something on the field instead of everything off the field,” he said.

Coach Bobby Ross said Humphries will immediately be given an opportunity to become the starting quarterback even though there are less than three weeks left in the preseason.

“We have to find out how Stan fits in,” Ross said. “He’s a smart guy, he’s been in a great program. He’s had excellent coaching. He should be able to adapt.”

When asked if current starter Bob Gagliano would still have his job by the season-opener Sept. 6 against Kansas City, Ross didn’t give a ringing endorsement.

“That’s a possible scenario,” Ross said. “We think Stan can be a good quarterback and Bob has done well for us. We’ll just have to see.”

Humphries said he will do everything he can to win the starting spot. He even indicated he might make San Diego his permanent home.

“Maybe I will live out here, as nice as it is right now,” he said. “It’s a little nicer than it was in D.C.”

Humphries, who was acquired Thursday from the Redskins for a third- or fourth-round pick in 1993, never made Washington his off-season home, and he said that didn’t sit well with Coach Joe Gibbs.

“You like to take about a month or so off and visit with your family--let the grandparents see their grandbaby and things like that,” he said. “That’s just something that I think is good and I think maybe that got me in the doghouse a little with them.”

But Humphries said he isn’t anticipating those problems in San Diego.

“I’m not sure what (the Chargers) off-season program is and how they handle it,” he said. “I’m anxious to get started. If that’s what it takes to be the guy out here, to stay out here all year long, then that’s something I’ll have to do.”

Ross said Humphries will be given every opportunity to be the starter.

Humphries, 27, thinks he can win the starting job from Gagliano, but he’s taking nothing for granted.

“Just because they traded for me, I’m not going to walk in here and have the No. 1 job,” he said. “It’s not fair to other guys who have been here for a year and are fighting for the job. I’m going to go out to do my best to make myself better, learn the system and see what happens.”

Even though Gagliano is his current competition, Humphries said he hopes injured starter John Friesz can soon join the fray.

“I hope John gets healthy quick,” he said. “It’s not fun to go out there and fight for a job when you’re not fighting against everybody for the job. You feel like you’re getting (the job) under the wrong reason or something. John’s a great quarterback. When he does get healthy, we’ll get back out on the field together and it’ll be great competition for both of us.”

But lately, Humphries has not been used to competition of any kind. In the past four years, he has started only six games. After the Redskins won the Super Bowl last year, Humphries decided to voice his displeasure with Washington’s management.

“I told them I wanted to be traded,” he said. “I was beginning to think it wasn’t going to happen, but it finally did and I’m very happy about it.”

Humphries was given a playbook when he arrived Saturday morning from Washington. Already, he sees plenty of similarities.

“I was really surprised to see some of the plays here that I just finished looking at back there,” he said.

His first practice with his new team will come this afternoon. For Humphries, it can’t come soon enough.

“I’ve been in limbo for a year and half,” he said. “I’m anxious to get out there.”

Ross said it took all of one play for the Chargers to come out of their week-long funk.

“The first play of the game, Marion (Butts) broke about four tackles,” Ross said. “You could just sense a lift on the sidelines right away and a confidence builder. Not only is he a great physical football player, but I think he can have a lot to do with a football team that’s grasping for a little confidence. We were looking for something positive and he gave us that early.”

After viewing films of the Chargers’ 20-10 victory over New England on Friday, Ross said he was most pleased with the work of the starting offensive line--the same offensive line that watched Friesz take hit after hit against Phoenix last week.

“I don’t think (New England) got a hand on Gagliano the whole first half,” he said. “That’s a big, big improvement from last week.”

Ross was also happy with the play of defensive tackle George Thornton against the run, and rookie defensive end Chris Mims (two tackles, one sack) against the pass.

Ross listed center Courtney Hall (bruised fibula), tackle/center Mike Zandofsky (pulled hamstring) and running back Eric Bieniemy (sprained ankle) as questionable for Friday’s home game against the San Francisco 49ers.