Frye makes most of Senior Bowl audition
Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 30, 2005
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Charlie Frye made the most of the opportunity when he finally got a chance to play in the postseason.
The Akron quarterback was nearly flawless in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, completing 10 of 12 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown to lead the North to a 23-13 victory over the South in an audition for top senior NFL prospects.
Frye seized the spotlight after his Zips were the 57th team in the NCAA's 56-team bowl sweepstakes, the only eligible team snubbed by the bowls. But he downplayed any effect Saturday's performance had on his hopes of becoming the next Mid-American Conference quarterback to make it in the NFL.
''I'm not worried about that,'' Frye said. ''I just came in here to have fun and I just look forward to having a chance to play in that league.''
The game capped a weeklong audition for top NFL prospects and wound up showcasing lesser-known players such as Akron's Frye and the game's smallest player, Kansas State's Darren Sproles, who's trying to prove he can play in the NFL.
The 5-foot-5 Sproles outplayed bigger tailbacks, darting through the middle for 24 yards and the game's first touchdown with 10:07 left in the third quarter.