FOOTBALL 2001

The Associated Press
Matt Hasselbeck has never started an NFL regular-season game, but the Seahawks are counting on him to reverse their fortunes.

Holmgren stakes reputation on Hasselbeck

QB faces high expectations to turn around team

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEATTLE -- Mike Holmgren, who has a 15-17 record in his first two seasons as coach of the Seattle Seahawks, has his reputation of being one the NFL's top offensive minds riding on Matt Hasselbeck.

After being Brett Favre's backup in Green Bay for two seasons, Hasselbeck will be on his own this season. Holmgren needs Hasselbeck to come through as the focal point of Seattle's offense after the Seahawks went 6-10 last season.

"It's a good situation," Hasselbeck said. "To be a starting quarterback in the NFL is a huge opportunity. I'm going to try to take advantage of it."

Holmgren has huge expectations for Hasselbeck despite the fact that he's never started a regular-season game and he's thrown a total of 29 passes.

In Seattle, Hasselbeck has lived up to his nickname of Mr. August that he earned with strong exhibition performances with the Packers.

With the Seahawks, he's had a strong training camp and has played well in his new team's exhibition games. In a 28-18 victory in San Francisco night, he threw three touchdown passes.

Now, Holmgren hopes Hasselbeck can perform on that level through December.

"We'll see how he does when it counts," Holmgren said.

Hasselbeck has to produce for Holmgren immediately.

Seahawks owner Paul Allen, a billionaire who also owns the NBA Portland Trail Blazers, and team president Bob Whitsitt lured Holmgren to Seattle from Green Bay after the 1998 season when they decided Dennis Erickson wasn't the right coach for the job in Seattle.

They hired Holmgren, who coached the Packers into two Super Bowls.

With Jon Kitna and Brock Huard as their starting quarterbacks last season, the Seahawks looked anything but like a Super Bowl team. Their defense was the worst in the league and their offense didn't perform the way Holmgren wanted it to. It ranked 19th in the league and its passing offense was 21st among 31 teams.

In March, Holmgren acquired Hasselbeck, 25, in a trade with Green Bay. Recently, he rewarded him with a $24 million, five-year contract with a $2 million signing bonus.

The Seahawks will move into a new $430 million outdoor stadium next season and there is pressure on Holmgren to turn around the team's record this year.

It won't be easy for Holmgren to make the playoffs. In their final season in the AFC West, the Seahawks are picked to finish third behind the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders.

As insurance for Hasselbeck, Holmgren signed Trent Dilfer, last season's quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, after Seattle's training camp began in Cheney.

Dilfer, 29, is expected to be the team's No. 2 quarterback when the Seahawks open their regular season in Cleveland Sept. 9, with Huard the third stringer.

"It's just nice to have a veteran in there," Holmgren said.

The Seahawks have a veteran at running back, 11-year veteran Ricky Watters, backed up by 2000 top draft choice Shaun Alexander. They like their offensive line, where 2001 first-round draft choice Steve Hutchinson will start at left guard in place of departed Pete Kendall.

But Holmgren didn't like his lack of experience at wide receiver, where 2001 first-round pick Koren Robinson, who has been bothered by a sore hamstring, and second-year Darrell Jackson will start this season.

So Holmgren last week added six-year veteran Bobby Engram, who ranks seventh on the Chicago Bears' all-time receiving list. Engram, who was released by the Bears, will be the Seahawks' third receiver behind Robinson and Jackson.

On defense, the Seahawks have added free agent defensive tackles John Randle and Chad Eaton, middle linebacker Levon Kirkland and free safety Marcus Robertson. Holmgren spent $11.8 million of Allen's money in signing bonuses to get the four veterans.

A year ago, Seattle's defense gave up 6,391 yards, third highest total in NFL history.

"It was pretty tough," two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Chad Brown of the Seahawks said. "It's about as tough a season as I've ever had."

The Seahawks will start the season with second-year player Ike Charlton and second-round draft pick Ken Lucas as the starting cornerbacks because Shawn Springs pulled his left hamstring Aug. 11 in Seattle's exhibition opener.

"We've got a great challenge on the corners and they know that," Holmgren said.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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2001 Seattle Seahawks schedule

Sep. 9 at Cleveland 10 a.m.

Sep. 16 KANSAS CITY 1:15 p.m.

Sep. 23 PHILADELPHIA 1:15 p.m.

Sep. 30 at Oakland 1:15 p.m.

Oct. 7 JACKSONVILLE 1 p.m.

Oct. 14 DENVER 1:15 p.m.

Oct. 21 OPEN

Oct. 28 MIAMI 1:15 p.m.

Nov. 4 at Washington 1:15 p.m.

Nov. 11 OAKLAND 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 at Buffalo 10 a.m

Nov. 25 at Kansas City 10 a.m.

Dec. 2 SAN DIEGO 1:05 p.m.

Dec. 9 at Denver 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 16 DALLAS 1:15 p.m.

Dec. 23 at N.Y. Giants 10 a.m.

Dec. 30 at San Diego 1:15 p.m.

Home games in CAPITALS.