MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 11, 2000

Where’s Regis Philbin when you need him? As the New Orleans Saints open training camp at Nicholls State University later this week, the franchise faces more daunting questions than a contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” How will Jim Haslett do in first head coaching job? Will the new additions, nearly 50 in all, make any kind of impact? Can Jeff Blake stop the team’s recent carousel of quarterbacks that has included Jim Everett, Kerry Collins, the Billy Joes (Hobert and Tolliver), Danny Wuerffel and Jake Delhomme? Will Ricky Williams live up to the expectations that caused former coach Mike Ditka to give up an entire draft for? Can an offensive line that includes three first-round picks and two high-priced free agents fulfill its potential? On defense, can Joe Johnson, who missed the entire 1999 season, return to his old Pro-Bowl form? What impact will Darren Howard, the Saints’ top pick in the draft in April, have? Will Charlie Clemons, a free agent signing from St. Louis, improve on the linebacking corps? Can Mark Fields takethat next step to superstardom? Will the secondary limit the big plays against it this year? Will Doug Brien keep up his steady play at placekicking? Can the Saints improve in both kick coverage and returns? And will the players survive the heat and mosquitos of Thibodaux in July and August? These questions and more face Haslett and his coaching staff that includes only one holdover, Rick Venturi, from the Ditka regime. Their jobis to turnaround a franchise that ranks 30th out of 31 teams in terms of winning percentage (25-55, .313) over the last five years. That includes a3-13 mark in 1999.

Gone from team are the likes of Hobert, Ashley Ambrose, Andre Hastings, Eddie Kennison and Wayne Martin. In there place are Blake, Kevin Mathis,Joe Horn, Jake Reed, Clemons, Howard and Norman Hand. The franchisecleaned house from the front office down through the roster in an attempt to bring the first playoff victory to the Big Easy.

Perhaps the biggest move new general manager Randy Mueller and Haslett made was bringing Blake into town. The Saints have not had a quarterbackthey could count on for the long haul since the heyday of Everett in the mid 1990s and are hoping that Blake can display the form that made him a Pro Bowl selection in 1995.

To help ease Blake’s transition, the Saints brought in free agent receivers Horn and Reed. Both possess the qualities needed in the West Coastoffense that the team will run this season. Keith Poole, one of the fewreceivers returning from last year, is a rising talent. The Saints will alsobe strong at tight end with returnee Cam Cleeland and free agent signee Anthony Glover.

But the bulk of the offense will still fall on Williams’ shoulders. Williamshad a good rookie season if not the spectacular one everybody expected coming out of Texas. This year, he needs to stay healthy and quit whiningto take the pressure off Blake.

The defense is an area that definitely needs to improve. The return ofJohnson, a dominating pass rusher and run stopper before going down with an injury, and the additions of Howard and Hand should drastically improve the play of the line. One publication named Hand as the best offseasondefensive acquisition in the league.

Clemons, Fields and Keith Mitchell will try to bring back the days of the Dome Patrol. Both Clemons and Fields possess uncanny speed for theposition.

The secondary was in shambles last season. Ambrose left for Atlanta andthe Saints will try to replace him at cornerback. The team brought in 12new backs in the offseason, including Mathis, Darren Perry and Fred Thomas. This is perhaps the area that has to improve the most in order forthe team to have any kind of success.

Much has been made about the chemistry of this team. The next couple ofweeks in the heat of south Louisiana will tell if this team can jell going into the season or if it will need to reach out for more lifelines.

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