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Cowher names Zereoue, Riemersma as Starters

From Steelers.com

Amos Zereoue will be the team's starting running back when the Steelers open the season against Baltimore on Sept. 7 at Heinz Field. Coach Bill Cowher also named Jay Riemersma the starting tight end.

LATROBE - Making what he described as "a gut decision," Coach Bill Cowher said at a Thursday news conference that Amos Zereoue would open the season as the starting running back and Jay Riemersma would open as the starting tight end.

Cowher said he came to the decision last Monday, two days after the Steelers' second preseason game, and that's when he informed Zereoue and Jerome Bettis, and Riemersma and Mark Bruener of the decision.

"We will use Jerome and Amos a lot," said Cowher. "Both of them will play, and hopefully we'll be able to keep them fresh all year. But we don't have any preconceived notions. Whoever is running the best will play.

"I just made a gut decision. It wasn't a case where one guy outplayed the other. Both guys will play. This position is not like quarterback. You can alternate running backs."

Cowher said that Riemersma has done well in his first camp with the Steelers, and while he didn't mention Jerame Tuman's groin injury, that also had to be a factor in his decision at tight end.

As for the other position battle on offense -- right tackle -- Cowher said Oliver Ross will start Thursday's game against Dallas, with Todd Fordham also working with the first unit. Cowher said the two players could alternate ever couple of series against the Cowboys, because "somebody needs to step up."

The starting safeties will be Mike Logan and Brent Alexander, and Cowher indicated that would be the case for the opener on Sept. 7 against Baltimore. Verron Haynes was cited as a player who has taken advantage of opportunities so far this preseason, and he will get more of them as the third-down back.

Kendall Simmons will start at right guard against the Cowboys. As for how long he'd play, Cowher said, "We'll see how he feels. His strength isn't all the way back."

The Steelers now have completed their 2003 training camp, and Cowher gave it mixed reviews. He acknowledged that it's difficult to leave any camp with the notion that everything got accomplished, and he admitted that the persistent rain and subsequently soggy fields were a bit of a distraction. But he also closed camp with a punitive move.

He canceled the annual rookie show, which is typically held on the final night of camp.

"I canceled the rookie show, because I didn't feel we were focused on this game," said Cowher.

INJURY NOTES: Ruled out of the game against the Cowboys were Tuman, Jason Gildon (knee), Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (hamstring) and Tim Levcik (knee). Cowher said Tuman and Fuamatu-Ma'afala will run for the first time on Friday, and that's when the team will have a better idea of when they might return. Cowher said Gildon could've played against the Cowboys if it were a regular season game.

Posted by Muddy at August 20, 2003 01:35 PM | TrackBack