文章基本信息

标题：COUNTING ON 'Q'
作者：FRANK SCHWAB THE GAZETTE
期刊名称：Gazette, The (Colorado Springs)
出版年度：2004
卷号：Jul 27, 2004
出版社：Colorado Springs Gazette

COUNTING ON 'Q'

FRANK SCHWAB THE GAZETTE

ENGLEWOOD - The Denver Broncos' starting tailback spot is Quentin Griffin's to lose.

Griffin moved into the starting job after Clinton Portis was traded to the Washington Redskins in early March, and coach Mike Shanahan said Griffin will be the No. 1 back when training camp opens Wednesday.

"(Griffin) is going to line up as our No. 1 tailback and I wouldn't be surprised if he's our No. 1 tailback coming out of the preseason," Shanahan said. "But I actually think we have a number of backs who are capable of starting on this football team."

Griffin's competition will come from Mike Anderson, Garrison Hearst, secondround draft pick Tatum Bell, Ahmaad Galloway and Santonio Beard.

While Shanahan has confidence in Griffin, he wasn't guaranteeing Griffin will be the starter at the beginning of the season. But he is impressed with Griffin's elusiveness and his ability.

"It'll be fun to see what he does in the preseason this year to see if he's as good as I think he is," Shanahan said.

Bell will be worth watching as well. Anderson, Hearst and Griffin have more experience than Bell, who didn't get many repetitions during minicamps in May and June.

Bell, who played college ball at Oklahoma State, said he's ready to compete for a starting spot.

"I'm way ahead from the last minicamp," Bell said. "I studied over the break -- we had three weeks off -- and I'm picking up everything. I'm just looking forward to the contact now."