In 15 Years, Ram Center Has Come Full Cycle : NFL: Doug Smith, 35, is again battling for a roster spot, as he did as a free agent in 1978.

By TIM KAWAKAMI

July 30, 1992 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

IRVINE — Odds completely stacked against him, floating around as an afterthought in an already packed position, watching bigger, stronger players brought in to beat him out . . . yes, Doug Smith has been here before.

Fifteen years ago, to be specific.

Smith, a six-time Pro Bowl selection battling for a spot on the Ram roster, is taking a matter-of-fact stance these days, because when you are 35 and still have life in the legs, you take it one practice at a time.

And, having been through it so often, having seen so many other competitors not make it through the brutal summer work, Smith is just waiting to see it all unfold before surrendering to what seems logical.

“You know what, it’s kind of come full cycle for me,” Smith said between practices Wednesday. “I started out as a free agent in 1978, and now I’m in the same kind of competitive situation as I was back then.”

Right now, Smith is fighting for practice time, fighting for the coaching staff’s attention, fighting to keep a job he has held so long.

“I just feel God has blessed me, allowing me to be here for my 15th season--trying to get to that 15th season--and I’m just going to give it my best effort and see what goes from there,” Smith said.

One of the first moves Coach Chuck Knox made during the off-season was to establish Bern Brostek as his starting center and move Tom Newberry, last year’s experiment at center, back to left guard.

Smith filled in solidly for Newberry at center in the middle of last season when Newberry and quarterback Jim Everett were having snap-exchange problems, but returned to the bench when the season was lost.

Before 1991, Smith had started 76 consecutive games at center, earning Pro Bowl selections from 1984-89.

The numbers got tricky for Smith this off-season when Knox brought in Blair Bush from Green Bay in the Plan B free-agent period to fill the role as a veteran backup and long-snapper.

Bush was born on the same day as Smith--”Yeah, we still haven’t figured who’s older yet,” Smith joked--it is not standard NFL procedure to carry two 35-year-old back-up centers.

Smith has tried long-snapping in the past, but as recently as last season he couldn’t do it to the liking of his coaches. Bush is a proven snapper, someone who earned Knox’s trust as the Seattle Seahawk snapper for six years.

And even if Brostek or Bush doesn’t make it out of the summer healthy, Newberry did start eight games at center last season.

Smith said he never really considered not attempting to play one more season with the Rams.

“I still feel like I’ve got the capability to play--and I’d love to finish my 15th year with the Rams,” Smith said. “I obviously knew Blair has the long-snapping ability, he’s been doing that for a while, and that’s something our team needed.

“(But) I’m hoping it’ll all work out. I’ve been practicing my long-snapping, and I’m doing it proficiently right now. I’ll just have to see what’s in store, what happens in the preseason games, how I perform, and just go from there.”

And if he doesn’t make the Rams, would Smith consider hooking on with another team?

“You never know,” Smith said. “My faith is strong. The Lord has something in store for me. But football is where my heart is and I’d like to be playing. And if not, we’ll see what else He has for me.”