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PRO FOOTBALL

August 13, 2009 12:37 am

BY RICH CAMPBELL

ASHBURN

Drenched in sweat following the Washington Redskins' practice on Sunday, Agnone sat on a bench at Redskins Park and reminisced about how he spent his afternoons as a redshirt freshman quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh.

He vividly recalled one of his main practice duties: holding the helmet of and fetching water for the second-string quarterback, Joe Flacco.

"I knew him real well," Agnone said with a smile.

The tale of Agnone and Flacco's friendship begins there, winds its way through two separate universities and continues tonight when Agnone's Redskins travel north to play Flacco's Baltimore Ravens in the preseason opener for both teams.

You see, if anyone could have forecast Flacco's rise to NFL prominence, it was Agnone (pronounced AG-known), who now plays tight end. They were teammates at both Pitt and the University of Delaware after transferring within a year of each other. They were roommates at Delaware.

While many fans had their doubts when the Ravens drafted Flacco 18th overall last season, Agnone wasn't surprised when his friend helped guide the Ravens to the AFC championship game.

"I've seen a few NFL quarterbacks, and he's one of the most talented," Agnone said. "When you're around him every day, you see the things he does and how accurate he is. When we were at Delaware in practice, it was very rare to get a ball that wasn't just on the money. And he can make every throw. That's what I knew."

RIVALS TO FRIENDS

Flacco arrived at Pitt one year before Agnone, and the two were behind quarterback Tyler Palko on the depth chart.

In the spring of 2005, after Dave Wannstedt took over as head coach, Agnone converted to tight end. He went from being Flacco's personal assistant to catching passes from him on the second-string offense.

"On the football field, you could see the chemistry that they had as far as routes," said Redskins linebacker H.B. Blades, who was Flacco's roommate at Pittsburgh. "When Joe threw the ball, Robbie knew when it was going to be thrown. That kind of chemistry is hard to find."

But Flacco grew unhappy with his place on the depth chart and transferred to Delaware. It was a messy situation because Pitt didn't release him from his scholarship. That cost him a year of eligibility at Delaware in 2005.

Meanwhile, Agnone languished at Pitt. He played in only three games in 2005 and never caught a pass.

He, too, decided to transfer. And knowing what Flacco had gone through the previous year, Agnone sought his counsel.

"His situation was similar to mine, and I think that's one of the reasons we bonded," Flacco said. "When he transferred to Delaware, he came in with the mind-set that he had something to prove."

Both of their careers took off. Flacco threw for 7,046 yards in two seasons with the Blue Hens and finished his career ranked second on the school's all-time passing yardage list. Agnone had 11 touchdowns and 872 receiving yards in three seasons.

In 2007, Flacco and Agnone connected for 484 yards and four touchdowns in helping Delaware to the FCS (Division I-AA) championship game.

Flacco's leadership left a lasting impression on his buddy.

"It's funny because he's not very vocal," Agnone said. "But he's always so focused. He always knows what he is doing, and he was always prepared, so you just follow him on the field. I always liked that about him. He wasn't up in your face. He just did his thing, and when he talked, everyone listened because it was serious then."

DIVERGENT PATHS

Off the field, they played basketball and a lot of golf. They both shoot in the mid-80s, Agnone said. Who wins usually depends on the day.

"Me and him are sticklers, though," Agnone said. "We keep score, out of bounds, stuff like that."

While Agnone played out his senior year at Delaware last fall, Flacco took command of the Ravens' starting job and justified the Ravens' faith in him.

During that time, the two exchanged calls and text messages. Agnone wanted to hear what the NFL was like, and Flacco checked in on his boys at Delaware. Agnone attended three Ravens games, including their playoff win in Miami last January.

This time, Flacco is the undisputed starting quarterback looking to sharpen his skills in preparation for another playoff run. Agnone, a long shot to make the Redskins' roster, hopes he can seize a moment of brilliance to impress his coaches.

Afterward, they'll meet at midfield and exchange a hug befitting old friends, knowing someone else will be fetching their water.

"Robbie is a smart guy and a really hard worker," Flacco said. "Obviously, whatever I can to do support him, I will. It's definitely going to be fun to see him this week."

Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974
Email: rcampbell@freelancestar.com