Wednesday, July 24, 1996

Oiler Rookie George Anxious To Play Against Cowboys

By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
AP Sports Writer
(July 24, 1996)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - So far, Eddie George has taken his introduction into the NFL in stride.

He sidesteps comparisons to Earl Campbell with the same deftness that he eludes linebackers, but the Houston Oilers scrimmage against the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday night has gotten his attention.

"I kind of got my feet wet in minicamp, but this means you're getting everything wet, going against the Super Bowl champions," George said. "I'm really anxious to see what it's all about. I just want to continue learning and get better."

George, the Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, capped Tuesday's morning scrimmage with a bullish 60-yard touchdown run that brought cheers from fans and players.

"The big fella showed he's got some speed didn't he?" running backs coach Sherman Smith said.
In four days of workouts, George has shown speed and toughness and now he hopes he's ready for the Cowboys test.

"When I was in college watching the pros, you'd see these crushing blows, and you're squirming in your chair," Smith said. "Now I'm out there running, and hopefully I won't get hit too hard, but if it happens, hopefully I'll get up and be ready for the next play."

At 6-3, 232, Smith has delivered a few blows, too.

"You don't want to make a mistake or be embarrassed," he said. "You want to do the best you can do and compete. The speed of everything is the difference. I'm going to have to get used to that.

"In college, the hole would open for a second and then close. It's faster than that here. I'll have to get used to that."

Will he get any Cowboys autographs?

"I might do that," he laughed. "It will be an experience, something I can tell my children that I scrimmaged and played a preseason (game) against one of the best teams in NFL history."

Campbell was the 1977 Heisman Trophy winner and the Oilers' first pick in 1978. He led the NFL in rushing his first three seasons, but George isn't expected to carry such a load.

"We've got Rodney Thomas and Ronnie Harmon so there's no pressure on him to come in and be the savior of this team or to help us get a running game going because we've already got that," Smith said. "He's just a part that's going to make us better."

George has remained poised throughout training camp with all the attention he's received.
"I can only be the next Eddie George," George said. "I can't pattern myself after any other running back. I'm just going to work hard and try to live up to my own expectations."

He's already living up to Smith's expectations.

"He has the skills, and physically he knows he has the speed and power, so I've told him not to try to dance because that's not what he does," Smith said. "He's learning every day what he needs to do."

Smith also is telling the long-striding George to make his cut and go upfield.

"In our running game, he'll have to make cuts and react," Smith said. "Rodney Thomas has feet where he can make three or four cuts in a small area.

"Eddie is a long strider. He's got to make one cut then he's got to go."

George certainly got the message in his touchdown run Tuesday.

"You can see why he won the Heisman Trophy," Smith said.

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