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Bucs' Stovall has chance to emerge from obscurity

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Maurice Stovall makes a catch during training camp Tuesday at One Buc Place.

By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 12, 2009

Updated: 08/12/2009 01:39 am

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TAMPA - We all remember the story of Earnest Graham, how he labored on special teams for the Bucs and earned the nickname "Mr. August" because of his standout play in exhibition games.

He rarely got the chance to prove it in regular-season play, though, and if fate hadn't intervened he might have forever played in anonymity until it was time to leave this town. Cadillac Williams got hurt and the Bucs turned to Graham because there was no one else. Graham took that opportunity and started ripping off 100-yard games. All he needed was a chance.

With that in mind, consider Maurice Stovall.

After coming here from Notre Dame as a third-round selection, he has spent the better part of his three seasons with the Bucs on special teams. He has played only occasionally at his natural position of wide receiver, although at 6-foot-5 he should be an inviting target for quarterbacks. Injuries have gotten in the way and it seemed like Stovall, like Graham before him, was relegated to obscurity.

But the same circumstance that held him back has now provided Stovall his best (and maybe last) chance to prove he can be a productive National Football League receiver. He is in a group of players who will get extra playing time in exhibition games, starting Saturday at Tennessee, because of injuries to Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton.

"He does (have) a lot of the elements we're looking for on this football team," General Manager Mark Dominik said. "He's tough, he's a big target, he can catch inside in traffic and he will block. We feel his traits do fit what we want to do as a running football team, but he can make some big plays and take advantage of his size."

Like Graham before him, Stovall has done the dirty work without complaint. And like Graham, an injury to someone else has provided a chance he might never have otherwise gotten.

"It can happen with anybody. It's all about playing with heart and believing that there's more to what you're doing right now, working toward a goal," Stovall said. "Earnest Graham is a living example of that. A lot of guys look up to him for that."

With Bryant set to miss the exhibition season while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery and Clayton nursing a balky hamstring, somebody has to catch the passes, and Stovall could be that guy. This is the point where he's supposed to stand up, call for the cameras to focus on him and do his best T.O. - Throw me the ball! Throw me the ball!

That's not his style, though.

"Being a Buccaneer makes me happy in itself, but at the same time there is more that you want to contribute to the team. You have to take advantage of your opportunity when it's presented," he said.

"I want to win a Super Bowl. If me catching 10 balls a game is going to help us win, good. If it means I only catch one, good. If it means I have to block on every play, good."

Attitude has never been a problem for Stovall. He'll never be a speed guy, but he runs good routes and isn't afraid to mix it up. He is similar to Clayton in that sense. In three seasons, though, he has just 20 catches - mostly because he has had a hard time staying healthy.

"Maurice has struggled early in his career with staying healthy, and that's something you can't control a little bit. I will say that in this offseason Maurice did his best job of conditioning his body. Sometimes, I've felt that Maurice has over-trained - he's one of those guys who is really self-motivated and does a lot of work, but sometimes that can wear you down," Dominik said.

"He's had a really good training camp and I'm excited to see what he does."

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