Article on Croyle

[rbedgood]

The biggest point in the whole article is probably the endorsement from new OC Chan Gailey...

http://www.kansascity.com:80/sports/chiefs/story/641996.html

Croyle knows he still needs to win over Chiefs

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star

All it takes is a simple word for Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle to spring into action.
Colt. Pony. Dragon.
Any of those words describe a play, the protection and the formation in the Chiefs’ new offense. Having to say just one word in the huddle has lifted a burden in Croyle’s bid to establish himself as the team’s starting quarterback.
He’s not bogged down by the wordiness and complicated terminology that often leads to mistakes and interceptions.
“I really like the offense,” Croyle said Thursday after the Chiefs completed their second week of the on-field portion of their offseason program. “I’m very comfortable, surprisingly. The reads are pretty clear right now for us.
“It’s a pretty simple offense. It’s giving guys the chance to go out and play, not a whole lot of thinking about it, just go out and line up and go.”
Croyle, a third-round draft pick in 2006, was given every chance to win the starting job last year. The club cleared the way by trading veteran Trent Green and gave Croyle an inside track during the preseason.
But he performed poorly in the preseason, allowing veteran backup Damon Huard to open the season and start the first eight of nine games. Once the season was out of hand, Croyle started six of the final seven games — all losses in a 4-12 season — though in fairness he was handicapped by a dilapidated offensive line and absence of running back Larry Johnson.
This year, the job is again Croyle’s to lose. And he’s not about to let another opportunity slip through his fingers.
“I didn’t win the job last year when I wanted to,” Croyle said. “It obviously was not the right time. We got some games under our belt last year, and we’re ready to go.
“This offense gives me a chance to be patient and more consistent … make the right reads and don’t try and force things. Everybody when they get in there, they want to make big plays and win a bunch of games. Usually when you do that, you get yourself in trouble and throw interceptions and bad things happen.”
The Chiefs gave Croyle an enormous vote of confidence when they did not take a quarterback with any of their 12 draft picks. Head coach Herm Edwards senses a different demeanor in Croyle, 25.
“He’s been pretty consistent in throwing the football … a lot more confident than he’s ever been around here,” Edwards said. “He’s feeling he’s the quarterback and that’s a good thing.
“The offense is very similar to what he’s run before. He likes the names of how we (call plays). It gives him an opportunity to do some things at the line of scrimmage where he can get out of the play. He can handle all that.”
Durability has been another issue that has dogged Croyle throughout his career, including high school and college. He missed one start because of a back injury and left another game because of a hand injury. Edwards is convinced a better supporting cast will keep Croyle in one piece.
And new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is confident a healthy Croyle can be a franchise-type quarterback.
“There’s no question in my mind he can be that guy,” Gailey said emphatically. “There’s no question.”
While Croyle would have to play absolutely dreadfully in training camp to lose the starting job to Huard or second-year man Tyler Thigpen, he realizes this won’t be his team until he leads the Chiefs to some victories.
Croyle has played in just one victory in a Chiefs uniform, when he mopped up the last two possessions of a 41-0 rout of San Francisco in the third week of his rookie season. Since then, he’s appeared in 10 games, all losses.
“When we go out and start winning football games, that’s the first time people will start believing,” he said when asked whether he feels this is his team.
“As good of (practices) and minicamps as I can possibly have, and even a great training camp and even a great preseason, it doesn’t really mean much until you win some football games.
“You don’t call it your team or huddle until you win.”

[rbedgood]

........................And I like to say Damon's.

Look who's back...