Kyman Controls CSUN Scrimmage

In the second-best performance of his long-yet-uneventful Cal State Northridge football career, senior Coley Kyman distanced himself Saturday from competitor Clayton Millis in the battle for the starting quarterback job.

In the team’s annual fall intrasquad scrimmage, Kyman completed 11 of 18 passes for 171 yards and scored on runs of six and two yards.

“He was in a groove,” said Coach Bob Burt, who compared Kyman’s effort favorably to a 1990 game against Eastern New Mexico in which Kyman came off the bench in place of two injured quarterbacks and rallied the Matadors to victory.

Kyman, who has passed for 257 yards in three seasons as a reserve, was particularly deceptive on play-action passes.

“We hope to take advantage of his athletic ability and play-action is one way to do that,” Burt said.

The 6-foot-6 Kyman showed the ability to roll out to his left and throw on the run in the Matadors’ new run-and-shoot scheme and his arm strength was evident on two 60-yard completions--to Brandon Chretien and to Duc Ngo.

Burt also was impressed with Millis. As a result, he has not named a starter for Saturday’s opener against San Diego State.

Millis, a sophomore transfer from Oregon, completed eight of 19 for 106 yards with one interception.

“He did some good things,” Burt said. “He made some nice throws. A couple of them were very difficult, where he had to thread the needle or put some mustard on it.”

Both quarterbacks ran 35 plays, half against the first-team defense, half against the second-team defense.

David Romines, a sophomore from Simi Valley High, led the receivers with three catches for 152 yards and one touchdown.

The coaching staff limited top tailback Robert Trice to five carries (for 33 yards), enabling newcomers to display their talents.

Junior transfer Mark Harper and freshman Harry Grammar each gained 24 yards in eight carries. Grammar also scored a touchdown.

“He is a really good back,” Burt said of Grammar. “He has good balance, good acceleration and good vision. He’s just young. He has to get bigger and stronger and he has to have patience because there are some good backs ahead of him.”

A pair of preseason All-Americans, defensive tackle Victor Myles and outside linebacker Ivy Calvin, were impressive on defense.

Burt was particularly pleased with the starting secondary: cornerbacks Ralph Henderson and Vincent Johnson, strong safety James Woods and free safety Gerald Ponder.

The other position group that stood out was the offensive line.

“They were really coming off the ball,” Burt said. “This is the kind of offense that moves the ball.”

The scrimmage marked the end of fall camp, a 10-day period of two-a-day practices, film sessions and team meetings.

“I was really pleased with our work ethic in the heat,” Burt said. “They practiced on a good level of intensity and their frame of mind was good.”

Prior to the game, Kyman was elected offensive captain and Myles was voted defensive captain.