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WC Rumble Gets \'Moe' Good News

November 15, 2006 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Summit County Rumble News Release


WOOSTER - The Wayne County Rumble finally has some coaches to go with its stampeding buffalo logo.

Several indoor football veterans were named to lead the team Tuesday, highlighted by the appointment of Maurice "Moe" Cooper of Columbus, Ga., as the team's first head coach.

The team said it will release a list of players invited to its January minicamp by the end of the week. The debut season in the Continental Indoor Football League will begin March 24 and the league's schedule is also expected to be announced soon.

The Rumble's focus yesterday was on their new coaches, though.

"Moe played arena ball for seven years and is very intelligent as far as the game is concerned," said Rumble owner Ramone Davenport. "It's very exciting to have Moe signed as our head coach, along with the hiring of several other coaches for our staff as we continue to move forward."

Cooper, 32, is a native New Yorker who has had his football career take him all over the Eastern half of the U.S. He ran track and starred in football at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, N.Y.

At West Virginia Wesleyan College, Cooper became the only running back in school history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and still ranks third on the school's career rushing list.

An extensive arena football career includes stints with the New Jersey Reddogs and Buffalo Destroyers, as well as the Roanoke Steam, Macon Knights, Greensboro Prowlers and Columbus (Ga.) Wardogs of the af2. The af2 is the official developmental league for the AFL.

Cooper said he has also had extensive experience as an assistant coach at various levels of football, but this will be his first shot as a head coach.

"I think this is a great opportunity," said Cooper, reached in Georgia for a telephone interview yesterday. "I'm very excited about it and about getting up to Wooster and getting familiar with the town and community. "I've been a player and also coached at the high school and college level. Football is in my blood and I'm looking forward to the challenge of bringing a winning team to Wooster."

Cooper was actually a former teammate and roommate of Davenport's when they played in Roanoke.

"He's a very professional young man," Cooper said. "Just getting to know him you can tell he's a very hard-working individual. He has a passion for the game that's the same as mine."

In addition to coaching and playing football, Cooper has worked with troubled youth over the years at his day job. He currently works with the juvenile court program in Georgia and said he'd like to find a similar position in this area.

During a standout arena playing career, Cooper's best season was in 2000 with the Steam. He started all 16 games and collected 29 receptions for 376 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also led the team with 48 tackles and was one of the league's top kick returners.

In addition to Cooper, the Rumble also announced the signing of the following assistant coaches:

*Marcus Whitehead (offensive coordinator) - A native of Decatur, Ga., Whitehead was an All-American in basketball, baseball and football player at Cedar Grove H.S. in Ellenwood, Ga. He played running back at Oklahoma State and Morris Brown College in Atlanta.

Whitehead's playing career in the af2 lasted five seasons, making it onto an AFL roster for one year; In 2000-01 with the Augusta Stallions (af2), in 2002 with the Georgia Force (AFL), 2003-04 with the Cape Fear Wildcats and in 2005 with the South Georgia Wildcats.

*Mike Bechtel (defensive coordinator) - Is a physical education teacher at Northwest H.S. in Canal Fulton and a varsity assistant and head freshman football coach at Northwest.

Bechtel was also on the staff of the defending AIFA Champion Canton Legends last season as the special teams coordinator. The Legends went 13-4 and defeated the Rome (Ga.) Renegades for the title this past spring.

*Demetrius Ross (defensive backs) - Attended Marion Harding H.S., played for Boise State and was in camp with the Cincinnati Bengals before heading back out to Boise to play for the Stallions of the IPFL. Also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL and was the head coach of the Marion Wolfpack in the OVFL

*Thomas Favorito (line coach) - Graduated from Neumann College in Aston, Pa. Favorito has several years of assistant football coaching experience as well as lacrosse. The Rumble will also count on Favorito's experience from his one season on staff at Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia as he will be heading up operations at the Rumble's proposed fieldhouse under renovation in Orrville.



Continental Indoor Football League Stories from November 15, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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