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2009 South Division Preview

March 17, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - The af2's 10th anniversary season begins this Friday, March 20, when the Central Valley Coyotes host the Tri-Cities Fever. The two-game slate that is 2009's "Kickoff Weekend" finishes Saturday when Florida hosts South Georgia in a South Division showdown. The year gets into full swing the following weekend with 12 Week 1 affairs, including six on Saturday, March 28. This week a special team-by-team preview will be presented for each division. The third division profiled is the American Conference's South Division, which features four teams: Florida, Kentucky, South Georgia and Tennessee Valley.

SOUTH DIVISION

Florida Firecats (2008: 10-6, 0-1 playoffs)

Home Field: Germain Arena (7,128)

Head Coach: Kevin Bouis, fifth year with Florida; 50-20 record (including playoffs)

Rookies Invited to Camp: 13

Key Players Lost: DB Carlos Campbell, FB/LB James Gibson, DE Terrance Chapman, DB Tony Stubbs, WR Matt Burstein, WR Ethenic Sands

Key New Faces: WR Toris Rutledge, WR Lamar Hughes

Key Returners: QB Chris Wallace, WR Magic Benton, WR/DB Brent Burnside, WR/LB Chris McKinney

Burning Questions: Does Chris Wallace have the firepower to lead the Firecats to another 10-win season and playoff appearance? Will AFL legend and new offensive coordinator Clint Dolezel's presence spark Florida's offense after a sub-par showing in 2008? Who will step in to replace the Firecats' missing defensive stars from 2008?

Last Game: Lost at Tennessee Valley, 33-48, in first round of 2008 ArenaCup playoffs (August 2)

Comments: The Firecats continue to be one of the most successful teams of the past eight af2 seasons. However, since 2004, the team has always been good, but not good enough to earn its way to the ArenaCup. On the heels of another 10-win season and early playoff disappointment, the Firecats have tweaked their roster in hopes of making a deeper postseason run. This year the team again has a mixture of veterans and newcomers in what Coach Kevin Bouis hopes will turn into a potent squad. Familiar faces that have returned to the Firecats in 2009 are QB Chris Wallace, WRs Chris McKinney and Magic Benton and WR/DB Brent Burnside, the only af2 player to compete in the league all nine seasons. Wallace is coming off another solid year in which he completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for 3,442 yards and 72 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. McKinney is the club's leading returning pass catcher with 58 catches for 632 yards and 13 touchdowns. Benton, the league's all-time leading scorer and receiver, returns for a full season after playing in just five games a year ago. Despite his limited action, he still recorded 46 receptions for 595 yards with 13 TDs.

Burnside (24.0 tackles) was a solid two-way player who enjoyed his second straight five interception season to go along with 24 catches for 229 yards and three scores on offense. Newcomers that should make an instant impact for Florida will be WR Toris Rutledge (92-767-7 TDs) and WR/KR Lamar Hughes (33-448-8 TDs; 1,226 kick return yards, 2 KR TDs), both of whom saw significant action for the Daytona Beach Thunderbirds af2 team in 2008. Florida's main area of concern at this point might be on the offensive and defensive line. This year the club hopes to have enough talent in camp to offset the losses of savvy league veterans like Alfred Peterson and Antonio Dingle as well as disruptive pass rusher Terrance Chapman (9.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss). If the Firecats can shore up the line items, Florida has enough firepower to compete for the South Division crown yet again in 2009.

Kentucky Horsemen (2008: 9-7, 0-1 playoffs)

Home Field: Rupp Arena (23,000)

Head Coach: Mike Harmon, second year with Kentucky; 9-8 record (including playoffs)

Rookies Invited to Camp: 12

Key Players Lost: QB Eddie Eviston, DL Michael Madrazo, WR Tavon McGee, WR Chad Spencer

Key New Faces: QB Jared Lorenzen, QB Justin Rascati, DB Matt Forbes, WR Lonnell Dewalt, FB/LB Demetrius Forney

Key Returners: DB William Mulder, WR Harry Lewis, DB J.T. Haskins, WR/LB John Cooper, LB Jamus Martin

Burning Questions: Can former NFL QB and Kentucky star Jared Lorenzen make a successful transition to the Arena game? Do the Horsemen have enough talent in the stable to compete for a division title?

Last Game: Lost at Green Bay, 37-65, in first round of 2008 ArenaCup playoffs (August 1)

Comments: The Horsemen ride into their second af2 campaign confident they can find even more success than they did a year ago. Kentucky's af2 team in 2008 proved many naysayers wrong when they entered the league and earned a postseason berth in just their first year of play. This year the Horsemen won't be able to sneak up on anyone. Moved from the Midwest to the South Division, Kentucky looks to be well equipped to tackle its new opposition. Key returnees that were a big part of last season's success are All-af2 kick return man and solid defensive back William Mulder, WRs Harris Lewis and John Cooper and LB Jamus Martin. Mulder averaged over 23 yards per kick return with three return TDs. He also led the squad in tackles (57.5) and passes defended (22). Lewis and Cooper combined for 110 catches, nearly 1,400 yards receiving and 31 TDs in 22 games. Martin registered 51 total tackles and a team-best 8.0 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The Horsemen also had a fruitful offseason with the addition of studs like all-time league interceptions leader Matt Forbes (47 INTs), WR Lonnell DeWalt (96-1160-20 TDs) and perennial All-af2 FB/LB Demetrius Forney (208 rush yards, 15 rush TDs, 13 tackles, 2 sacks). All three players decided to join the stable in Lexington after spending last year with the Horsemen's bitter in-state rivals from Louisville. The Horsemen's on-field leader at quarterback will be either former Kentucky standout Jared Lorenzen or second-year player Justin Rascati. Lorenzen has NFL experience after a standout college career for the Wildcats while Rascati had a strong rookie season with Peoria in 2008 after leading James Madison to a Division I-AA title as a collegian. Both signal callers are quite different. Lorenzen is a big guy who likes to throw from the pocket while Rascati is somewhat smaller and is one of the best runners in the league. Last year Rascati had 300 rush yards and 10 rush TDs in addition to 37 TD passes. Kentucky showed last season it belongs in the af2. This year the Horsemen are out to prove that they belong in the conversation for potential division contenders.

South Georgia Wildcats (2008: 12-4, 0-1 playoffs)

Home Field: Albany Civic Center (8,034)

Head Coach: Rodney Blackshear, first year with South Georgia, third season overall; 16-17 (including playoffs)

Rookies Invited to Camp: 12

Key Players Lost: QB Andrico Hines, WR/KR P.J. Berry, WR Buchie Ibeh, DB Roland Cola, DL Joe Woolridge, DB Pierre Lee, DB Cory Bailey

Key New Faces: WR Alvance Robinson, WR Robert Kilow, WR Kelvin Dickens, DB Demetrie McCray, WR/LB Mel Long

Key Returners: QB Cecil Lester, WR Antwone Savage, DL Ray Gant

Burning Questions: Can Blackshear's new-look Wildcats repeat as division champions? Can backup QB Cecil Lester step in and perform in a full-time starter's role for South Georgia?

Last Game: Lost to Manchester, 42-46, in first round of 2008 ArenaCup playoffs (August 2)

Comments: The Wildcats enjoyed their most successful season in 2008 since moving to Albany, Ga. prior to the 2005 season. Head Coach Derek Stingley's crew posted a 12-win regular season and a South Division title. In the offseason, however, the 2008 af2 Coach of the Year left to take a job with the AFL's New Orleans VooDoo, which led the squad to find a new leader. Enter Rodney Blackshear for 2009. Blackshear is a more than capable head coach who guided the Lubbock Renegades to a playoff berth last year. After the AFL decided to take the 2009 season off, Stingley caught on as an assistant with Bossier-Shreveport. Shortly thereafter, a number of Stingley's top players from 2008 decided to follow their old coach to join the BattleWings. All-af2 WR/KR P.J. Berry, All-af2 DB Roland Cola, WR Buchie Ibeh, QB Andrico Hines and DL Joe Woolridge may have migrated to Louisiana, but Blackshear's cupboards were not empty in Albany. He was quickly able to secure one of the af2's all-time best receivers and area native Antwone Savage. Savage led the Wildcats with 31 TD receptions in 2008. Two other notable players who choose to stick around were DL Ray Gant (9.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks) and backup QB Cecil Lester. In eight appearances in 2008, Lester had a QB rating over 105 and threw 24 TD passes against six interceptions and completed nearly 58 percent of his passes (237-for-381). Lester looks to be the likely starter unless an incoming rookie outplays the four-year league veteran. Just as Stingley's move caused some of his best players to move along with him, the same can be said of Blackshear in the case of All-af2 WR Alvance Robinson, who scored 35 total TDs last season with Lubbock. He led the Renegades in receiving with 95 catches for 1,568 yards and 32 TDs. Blackshear has also landed some strong veterans from around the league to suit up for the Wildcats in 2009, most notably All-af2 LB and All-Ironman team member Mel Long. Long, who spent 2008 with Austin, ranked second among Wrangler receivers with 97 catches for 1,010 yards and 24 touchdowns. On the defensive side from the jack linebacker position, the 6-2, 190-pound Toledo alum finished second on the team in interceptions (4) and tied for second in the league with three interception return touchdowns. Long also registered 35 total tackles (24 solo, 22 asst), including one tackle for loss and six pass breakups. Two more incoming veterans who could be difference makers are WR/KR Robert Kilow and WR Kelvin Dickens. Kilow led the Barnstormers in receiving in 2008 with 95 grabs, including 21 for scores. Dickens had 70 grabs for Spokane last season and capped things off with a stellar showing in the ArenaCup (13-159-4 TDs). In the secondary, DB Demetrie McCray (70 tackles, 9 INTs with Austin in 2008) will be a player to watch in 2009. On paper, South Georgia again has a strong pool of talent. The Wildcats season, however, will likely rest on the shoulders of QB Cecil Lester. If he plays well, the Wildcats have the potential to claw their way to another postseason appearance.

Tennessee Valley Vipers (2008: 10-6, 4-0 playoffs)

Home Field: Von Braun Center (6,642)

Head Coach: Dean Cokinos, second year with Tennessee Valley, third season overall; 19-16 (including playoffs)

Rookies Invited to Camp: 11

Key Player Lost: DL Terrance Ford, WR/DB Gary Elliott, K Nick Hayes

Key New Faces: WR/LB Bradly Chavez, LB Keller Speaks, WR Jeremy Grier, WR/DB Chris Bocage

Key Returners: QB Kevin Eakin, WR Maurice Brown, WR Alonzo Nix, WR/DB Travis Blanchard, WR/DB Desmond Foster, DB Demetrius Derico, DL Eric Scott

Burning Questions: Can the Vipers repeat as ArenaCup champions? Can Tennessee Valley keep all its stars happy? Can QB Kevin Eakin carry over his strong play from the second half of 2008 into 2009?

Last Game: Won at Spokane, 56-55 in overtime, in 2008 ArenaCup Championship (August 25)

Comments: The defending ArenaCup champion Vipers have the look of a club loaded to make run at another league title. Last year's Tennessee Valley team got off to a slow start, losing its first three games before winning 10 of its last 13 games to head into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed. In the postseason, the Vipers took out top seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the road in the conference semifinals before defeating Manchester at home to earn the right to play in the ArenaCup. Tennessee Valley scored another upset win in the final against the heavily-favored hosts from Spokane. In what would later come to be known as the greatest af2 game in league history, the Vipers defeated the Shock, 56-55, in overtime on a game-winning two-point conversion run by backup QB Tony Colston. After last year's amazing run, Head Coach Dean Cokinos could've felt justified in being a bit complacent, but that's not what happened. Instead of resting on his accomplishments, Cokinos went right back to work to secure another highly competitive team for 2009. On offense, a number of key returnees from the title team of 2008 are back, including QB Kevin Eakin, receivers Alonzo Nix and Maurice Brown and WR/KR Travis Blanchard. Eakin threw 51 TDs in 12 games for the Vipers while Nix and Brown combined for 205 catches, 2410 yards receiving and 50 touchdowns. Blanchard, an All-Ironman team honoree in 2008, led the team with 13 rushing TDs in addition to 37.5 total tackles and three interceptions on defense. Speaking of defense, All-af2 First Team DL Eric Scott and Demetrius Derico, quarterback of the secondary, have also returned to Huntsville. Scott led the squad with 17.5 sacks while Derico paced the Vipers with 79 total tackles, nine interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Desmond Foster is another quality defensive back who chose to come back for another season the Vipers. In 2008, Foster ranked second in tackles with 66.5 while adding three interceptions and seven pass breakups. Two new additions to note are WR/LB Bradly Chavez, the 2008 af2 Ironman of the Year, and LB Keller Speaks. Chavez, honored as being the league's top two-way threat a year ago, led the Manchester Wolves in receptions (86), receiving touchdowns (28), total touchdowns (33) and scoring (202) and finished third on the squad in receiving yards (1,147). The 6-2, 205-pound standout also lined up at the Jack Linebacker position for the Wolves in 2008. On defense, Chavez led the team in fumble recoveries with three (one return TD) and finished second in tackles with 38 (34 solo, 8 asst). He also placed second on the squad in forced fumbles (3), tied for second in interceptions (2; 1 return TD) and ranked third in tackles for loss (5). Speaks, who played last season in Louisville, had 30.5 tackles, six sacks and three forced fumbles in 15 games played with the Fire. Last year's Tennessee Valley team was a surprise. This year's edition won't sneak up on anyone. The Vipers, boasting extreme talent and experience on both sides of the ball, could very well end up in the same position they were in last year - the ArenaCup championship game.

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