20B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NFL
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2007
Preaseason quaterbacks compete for starting spots
BY TOM WITHERS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLEVELAND — The coin flipped in Charlie Frye's favor, and the rest of the night went his way, too.
Frye played better than Derek Anderson in their competition to become Cleveland's starting quarterback, and the Browns got a late kickoff return for a TD in a 16-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.
Rookie Brady Quinn stood with a clipboard and studied his Cleveland playbook during his first NFL preseason game, watching as Frye and Anderson duked it out for a job the former Notre Dame star hopes to someday own.
Frye finished 12-of-15 for 122 yards. He made several strong throws downfield, but those positive plays were overshadowed by two bad
ones. Frye had a batomed swing pass in the backfield returned 56 yards for a touchdown by Kansas City's Benny Sapp in the first half,
And moments later, Frye's mismanagement of the clock in the closing seconds cost Cleveland points.
Still, Frye was pleased with his performance.
"I think I was putting the ball where I wanted it," Frye said. "We moved the ball pretty well, but we need to get touchdowns. That's what the coaches want from me."
Before kickoff, Frye won a coin toss held in coach Romeo Crennel's office to decide his starter.
"I called tails," said Anderson, who went 7-of-16 for 76 yards. "I stuck with it, but it didn't work for me."
Crennel, who hadn't given any indication when he'll name his starter, thought both players looked good
"Charlie was able to get into a rhythm a little bit sooner than Derek," he said. "Both were hurt by some dropped passes. We'll look at the tape and make an evaluation."
once they settled in.
Phil Dawson kicked three field goals for the Browns, who trailed 12-9 after Kansas City's Justin Medlock kicked a 42-yard with 148 left.
But Barclay returned Medlock's ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a TD, and the Brown's recovered a fumble inside their 20 to seal it in the final seconds.
Quinn, a first-round draft pick, missed 12 days of training camp in a contract holdout before signing a five-year, $20 million contract on Wednesday. Quinn's absence probably cost him any chance of starting the Sept. 9 season opener against Pittsburgh, but unless Frye or Anderson steps up, it may not be
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Browns' 'Braylon Edwards runs' for an 8-yard gain against Kansas City Chiefs' Tamba Hall in the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game Saturday in Cleveland.
long before the former Notre Dame star is calling signals.
For now, Quinn's listed behind Frye, Anderson and even Ken Dorsey on the Brown's depth chart, which could undergo several revisions in the months ahead.
box score
Kansas City 0 7 0 5 12
Cleveland 3 3 3 7 16
First Quarter Cle — FG Dawson 27, 1:33.
Second Quarter
Cle-FG Dawson 38, 8:40.
KC-Sapp 56 fumble return (Medlock
kick), 4:02. <
Third Quarter
Cle-FG Dawson 32, 2:46. <
Fourth Quarter
KC-Safety, R.Smith tackled by K Gonzalez in end zone, 12:43.
KCF-GF Medlock 42, 1:48.
Cle-Barclay 8k kickoff return (Dawson kick), 1:36.
| | KC | Cle |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| First downs | 12 | 20 |
| Total Net Yards | 200 | 346 |
| Rushes-yards | 22-90 | 29-99 |
| Passing | 110 | 247 |
| Punt Returns | 4-20 | 4-20 |
| Kickoff Returns | 5-154 | 3-142 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 0-0 | 2-24 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 15-29-2 | 25-40-0 |
| Sacked-Yards Lost | 4-22 | 2-3 |
| Punts | 8-46.5 | 5-43.6 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 6-44 | 9-58 |
| Time of Possession | 23:32 | 36:28 |
Attendence- 70,067.
On the Chiefs' second possession, Croyle made one of those head-scratching plays.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Kansas City, Bennett 3-28,
Printers 4-27, Ross 7-27, O'Kelish 6-1,
KSmith 3-(minus 3), Cleveland,
Harrison 8-33, Wright 9-28, Lewison 4-25
Cribbis 1-12, Anderson 1-11, Barclay 2-6,
Vickers 1-0, Dorsey 1-(minus 1), Fryre
2-(minus 10).
PASSING-Kansas City, Croyle 5-8-1-49,
Huard 2-4-1-19, Printers 8-17-0-64,
Cleveland, Frye 12-15-0-122, Anderson
7-16-0-76, Dorsey 6-9-0-52.
After stepping away from linebacker Kamerion Wimbley's rush on a blown-up play, Croyle throw a pass directly to Browns cornerback Leigh Bodden for an interception instead of throwing the ball away.
Browns fans already have their favorite as chants of "Bra-dy, Bra-dy," broke out in the fourth quarter after the Chiefs sacked Dorsey in the end zone for a safety. Quinn never got in, but should play next week against Detroit.
**RECEIVING-Kansas City, Hannon 2-26, Willis 2-19, Ekwerkwun 2-18, O'Keith 2-12, K.Smith 2-11, Allan 1-18, Kennison 1-13, Ryan 1-1, Bennett 1-5, T.Gonzalez 1-4, Cleveland, Ortegura 4-19, Lewis 3-16, Harrison 3-6, Stepteo 2-36, Krause 2-34, Wilson 2-29, Wright 2-28, Mosley 1-23, Barclay 1-9, Edwards 1-8, Cribbis 1-6, Dinkins 1-6, Winclow 1-5, Niklos 1-6
MISSED FIELD GOAL-Cleveland, Ainsworth 43 (WL).
Kansas City, too, was looking for a starting quarterback and neither Brodie Croyle nor Damon Huard looked as if they wanted the job.
Kansas City's coaches love Croyle's high-powered arm. It's his decision making that drives them crazy.
Croyle, a third-round pick last season, got the start from coach Herm Edwards and went 5-of-8 for 49 yards with one interception. Huard, who led the Chiefs to a playoff berth last season after Trent Green sustained a serious concussion, was just 2-of-4 for 19 yards and also threw an interception.
"I made a stupid mistake trying to make a play," Croyle said. "I was trying to be Superman. I have to not make stupid plays."
On his first play, Frye forced a pass over that was nearly picked off by Chiefs linebacker Donnie Edwards. After a Kansas City turnover, Frye drove the Browns to a 27-yard field goal by Dawson.
The Chiefs were without running back Larry Johnson, who remained at odds with the club over a contract extension and hasn't reported to camp.
It was the first event held at Cleveland Browns Stadium since a flood caused extensive damage during a Kenny Chesney concert on July 14.
HALL CENTER for the HUMANITIES
All events are free, open to the public and begin at 7:30 pm.
785-864-4798
www.hallcenter.ku.edu
Humanities Lecture Series 2007-2008
September 24, 2007 | Lied Center ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH Bestselling Author of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series "The Very Small Things of Life: An Evening with Alexander McCall Smith"
October 22, 2007 | Woodruff Auditorium
SARA AHMED
Professor in Race & Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths College, University of London
November 8, 2007 | Kansas Union Ballroom ORVILLE SCHELL Author, Journalist and Director of the Asia Society's Center for US-China Relations "The'China Miracle: How Did It Happen and How Durable Is It?"
February 27, 2008 | Woodruff Auditorium
PAUL MULDOON
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet
"The Eternity of the Poem"
April 2, 2008 | Woodruff Auditorium IAN BURUMA Author, Journalist and Cultural Commentator "Among the Unbelievers? Muslims in Europe"
April 24, 2008 | Alderson Auditorium
CAROL ANN CARTER
Professor of Art, University of Kansas
"Art@Work: Mapping Transformation"
KU HALL CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES
4.