Matter of Feet : Carney Still Is Maintaining His Edge Over Huerta In the Battle for the Job as the Chargers’ Kicker

If John Carney successfully handles his field-goal opportunities in tonight’s exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers, it’s Boot Hill for Carlos Huerta.

This was going to be the great duel between the veteran who stubbed his toe in 1991 and the rookie who left college as one of the game’s finest performers.

High noon never materialized.

“If I had been competing with John Carney right after he came out of college I think I would have blown him away,” Huerta said. “But there’s a toughness inside of him . . . the way he approaches things I don’t know if you could be much better.

“You can’t go wrong with him. If Coach (Bobby) Ross was in this room right now and he said he was going with John Carney, I would look him in the face and say, ‘Coach, you made a good choice.’ That’s the way I feel.”

Earlier this week in practice, Huerta was 6 for 9, including successful kicks from 54 and 58 yards. Carney was 7 for 9, and although he missed from 54, he was true from 58.

They are that close in field-goal attempts, but from the start the outcome rested on kickoff distance.

“Right now I have been beaten out on kickoffs,” Huerta said. “In practice John has hit the ball great on the kickoffs. In field goals we’re pretty close; I know he’s not ahead of me.

“But when it’s so close in field goals, kickoffs are crucial.”

The only thing keeping the Chargers from making Carney their kicker for 1992 is the formality of watching him successfully convert a field-goal attempt in competition.

“I want to see it,” special teams coach Chuck Priefer said. “Bobby Ross wants to see it. We need to see him hit one in a game situation.”

Carney was 19 for 21 in 1990, but 19 for 29 in 1991. He has not attempted a field goal this exhibition season, but tonight in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium he is expected to get his chance.

“I kind of look at (tonight) as everything; it can change my life,” Huerta said. “Hopefully, the coaches are still looking at me and considering me.

“Up until this point John Carney has really kicked well. I think I’m really going to have to show them something against San Francisco. I think this game is going to be big. I am behind, but what if I have a bang-’em-up game and it creates some doubt? Maybe if I create some doubt I’ll hang around until the Rams’ game.”

It’s no longer Huerta’s job to win, however. It’s Carney’s job to lose.

“Carlos is still here and he’s still kicking well,” Carney said. “So for me to assume the battle’s over is jumping the gun. He’s a good kicker, and it wasn’t an accident he had a very good college career.

“But at the same time that I competing with Carlos, I have to get myself ready for the regular season. It’s time to tighten things up and get ready to go.”

While Carney prepares for the regular-season opener Sept. 6, Huerta concerns himself with the cutdown to 60 players Tuesday.

“If they call, they will probably say, ‘Look, you did well and you have potential,’ ” Huerta said. “They’ll sugarcoat it, but in a way, it’s like, ‘You weren’t good enough.’ That’s tough to accept.

“But I’ll stick with it. I need to improve on the kickoffs, but I think I’m going to play in this league and I think I will be real good. There are not too many guys that are as accurate as Carney and I.”

There aren’t too many kickers as accurate as Carney and who also have the driving leg on kickoffs. Huerta, unfortunately, never had a chance. . . .

“When I came here I told my fiancee and I told my family that I thought things would be so close,” Huerta said, “that it might come down to one kick.”

It probably has, and Carney expects to make it.

Ross said quarterback Bob Gagliano will start and play the first quarter before giving way to Stan Humphries. Humphries will play at least into the third quarter before Pat O’Hara finishes the game.

Steve Young, who has completed 18 of 25 passes for 150 yards with an interception and no touchdowns this exhibition season, is expected to start for the 49ers and play the first half. Steve Bono, who has connected on 39 of 66 for 412 yards with three touchdowns and an interception will come on in relief.

Quarterback Joe Montana continues to be sidelined with an elbow injury. Wide receiver Jerry Rice remains unsigned.