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Akron coach's allegiances spread across field

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 21, 2006 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - Among all the football die-hards in Ohio who will tune in to Sunday's Broncos-Browns game in Cleveland, there is one conflicted soul with a different strategy.

"I'm thinking I may just avoid the game if I can," University of Akron football coach J.D. Brook- hart said with a laugh. "No, I've just got too many rooting interests in this one. I've got Larry, Charlie, coach Shanahan, just too many people to root for, I'm not sure how to work all of that."

Larry would be Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer, who Brookhart coached with at the University of Pittsburgh.

Charlie would be Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who Brookhart coached in 2004 for the Zips.

And there is Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who took on Brookhart in 1995 for a volunteer position on the Denver staff when, at 30, the Cherry Creek High School graduate was ready to leave his job as a software salesman.

"One of the really good things about this business is, you love the relationships you get to make, the people you get to be around," Brookhart said. "It's the great part of this game."

"He was a sharp guy," Shanahan said. "We wanted to bring him back after he was in Pittsburgh as an offensive assistant, but he got a commitment to stay there and it's worked out great for him. He's done well."

Broncos wide receiver Domenik Hixon, a former Akron wide receiver who is on the Broncos' non- football injury list after suffering a broken bone in his foot in a predraft workout, said that, after the Broncos drafted him in April, he could see how much Brookhart brought with him to Akron.

"A lot of the things he took with him, you can see," Hixon said. "The first day I was looking at the playbook here, a lot of things looked similar, just some different terminology. (Brookhart) put his own spin on it."

Brookhart, whose Akron team will play Miami (Ohio) today for homecoming, said he will be running a team meeting Sunday afternoon when the Broncos and Browns play in Cleveland.

"But I was very fortunate for coach Shanahan to give me that opportunity," Brookhart said. "How many times does a software salesman get a chance to work in a situation like that? Football was always in my heart, I'm glad it's worked out."

RUSH JOB: Coyer said he believes the team is approaching a threshold in the pass rush. With six sacks during the past two games - two against Baltimore and four against Oakland - Coyer said the team is close to generating the consistent pressure on quarterbacks it's going to need to go deep in the playoffs.

"That's what we're trying to build, is the same attitude in the rush that we have against the run," Coyer said.

INJURY REPORT: Fullback Kyle Johnson, who suffered a sprained right ankle against the Raiders on Sunday, went through portions of practice again Friday. Shanahan said Johnson would be a game-time decision.

Browns wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, who has a rib injury, is not expected to play, and Joe Jurevicius is expected to get the start in Northcutt's place.

With Northcutt out, that would mean Browns kickoff returner Joshua Cribbs also will return punts.

Cornerback Leigh Bodden has struggled with a sprained ankle, and if he doesn't play, Daven Holly would start.

ETC.: With interceptions in the end zone and at the Broncos 1- yard line in back-to-back games, Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey is hoping quarterbacks will not shy away even more than they already have for most of the season. "I love the action, I love getting these opportunities," Bailey said. "I'm just proud of myself I've been able to take advantage." The six-time Pro Bowl selection added that, five games in, the Broncos defense has the look of the best he has been a part of in his career . . . Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler was excused from practice to attend his grandmother's funeral in Detroit. He will travel from Michigan to Cleveland for the game.

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