Steve Stenstrom

El Toro High School quarterback Steve Stenstrom has made an oral commitment to play football at Stanford University, according to his father, Pete Stenstrom. Stenstrom passed for 4,604 yards during his two-year career with the Chargers. Last season, he completed 178 of 270 for 2,830 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading El Toro to the Southern Section Division III championship game. The Chargers lost to Paramount, 26-20, in the title game.

The Chicago Bears are beyond banged up, and the injured list grew again Wednesday. Reserve quarterback Steve Stenstrom was the latest casualty, lost for the season because of a broken bone in his right foot. The Bears immediately signed Shane Matthews, their third-stringer from 1993-95, to a one-year deal. Matthews, cut twice by the Bears, joins veteran Dave Krieg and rookie Mark Butterfield, signed only last week. Neither Matthews nor Butterfield has played in a regular-season game.

Quarterback Steve Stenstrom of El Toro High School and lineman Oscar Wilson of Santa Ana head the list of selections for the South team that will participate in the 31st Orange County All-Star football July 6 in Orange Coast College's LeBard Stadium. Stenstrom was the county's top-rated quarterback, passing for 2,074 yards in 10 games. He led El Toro to the Division III championship game and will attend Stanford in the fall.

Jeff Stenstrom, brother of Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom, died Monday, four days after contracting a highly infectious bacterial disease. The younger Stenstrom, 19, died of meningococcal meningitis a day after what would normally have been a happy occasion for his family--Steve's selection in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Coach Rich Brooks says the Oregon coaching staff is proceeding as if Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom won't start against the 15th-ranked Ducks. Stanford officials still list Stenstrom as questionable for Saturday's game at Palo Alto. He has not practiced and doctors reportedly are considering surgery that would end his senior season. Stenstrom broke the little finger on his throwing hand in last week's 46-28 victory over Washington.

To Stanford Coach Dennis Green, it was great defense. To Oregon Coach Rich Brooks, it was lousy offense. Whatever the reason, Stanford kept its bowl hopes alive and Oregon's season continued its downhill slide Saturday as the Cardinal beat the Ducks, 33-13. "Our defense really set the stage for us," Green said. "Oregon challenged us and we met that challenge. We're pleased about that."

Steve Stenstrom, The Times' All-County quarterback in 1989 while at El Toro High School, will probably replace Jason Palumbis as Stanford's starting quarterback this weekend when the Cardinal plays host to Cornell, Stanford Coach Denny Green said Tuesday. Palumbis, who led the nation and set a Stanford record for completion percentage last year, has completed 78 of 135 passes for 782 yards this season, with no touchdowns and four interceptions.

Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom, a junior from El Toro High, did not practice Monday and is not expected to practice today because of a bruised left wrist and forearm, but is expected to play Saturday against USC at Palo Alto. Stenstrom did not return after suffering the injuries during the second quarter of last Saturday's 41-7 loss to top-ranked Washington.

Jeff Stenstrom, brother of Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom, died Monday, four days after contracting a highly infectious bacterial disease. The younger Stenstrom, 19, died of meningococcal meningitis a day after what would normally have been a happy occasion for his family--Steve's selection in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom won't remember the 408 passing yards he collected against UCLA Saturday, a personal best and a UCLA record for an opposing quarterback. He won't remember the first-quarter touchdown drive that put him over 10,000 passing yards for his career, making him only the 10th NCAA Division I-A player to amass that many yards, not including bowl games.

Coach Rich Brooks says the Oregon coaching staff is proceeding as if Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom won't start against the 15th-ranked Ducks. Stanford officials still list Stenstrom as questionable for Saturday's game at Palo Alto. He has not practiced and doctors reportedly are considering surgery that would end his senior season. Stenstrom broke the little finger on his throwing hand in last week's 46-28 victory over Washington.

Its passing game deflated by the loss of quarterback Steve Stenstrom, Stanford turned to the run and came away with a 46-28 upset of 12th-ranked Washington on Saturday night. Playing on a field soaked by rain, backup quarterback Scott Frost led three second-half scoring drives and confounded Washington's defense with his running, gaining 88 yards in 11 carries, including a 10-yard touchdown.

Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom won't remember the 408 passing yards he collected against UCLA Saturday, a personal best and a UCLA record for an opposing quarterback. He won't remember the first-quarter touchdown drive that put him over 10,000 passing yards for his career, making him only the 10th NCAA Division I-A player to amass that many yards, not including bowl games.

Return with us to days of yore--well, two months seems like yore when you have lost as many games as UCLA and Stanford. The Pacific 10 Conference was full of quality quarterbacks, three of whom passed for more than 3,000 yards last season. Another had led his team to the Rose Bowl and still another made his team a contender every time he walked on the field. Where did they go? Well, USC's Rob Johnson was injured. So were Oregon's Danny O'Neil and California's Dave Barr.

USC's Trojans go up against their one-time ball boy today, hoping to keep Bill Walsh's team in the downward spiral that has generated an upward spiral of second-guessers and the first rumblings of discontent in Walsh's second Stanford era. In 1945, Walsh was a 14-year-old ball boy for the football team at USC, scant blocks away from his home, at Vermont and Gage.

Stanford's Steve Stenstrom takes the snap, drops back and faces a decision most college quarterbacks only dream of making one day. San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice is open on a deep fly pattern, as usual. Tight end Jamie Williams looks good crossing over the middle. And how about Roger Craig, who's free coming out of the backfield?

The Chicago Bears are beyond banged up, and the injured list grew again Wednesday. Reserve quarterback Steve Stenstrom was the latest casualty, lost for the season because of a broken bone in his right foot. The Bears immediately signed Shane Matthews, their third-stringer from 1993-95, to a one-year deal. Matthews, cut twice by the Bears, joins veteran Dave Krieg and rookie Mark Butterfield, signed only last week. Neither Matthews nor Butterfield has played in a regular-season game.

No one should be surprised that these two players should be headliners in the closing weeks of the Pacific 10 Conference football season. After all, both quarterbacks, Steve Stenstrom and Rob Johnson, were outstanding high school quarterbacks. But the remarkable part of this story is that they were not only at the same high school but in one season, 1989, played on the same team.