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A Peak into Training Camp: AFL South Camp Notebook

April 26, 2024 - Arena Football One (AF1) News Release


The season is near, and training camp is the appetizer before the meal. Here is a look at the AFL South.

The season is creeping ever closer, and training camps are on the breadcrumbs leading us there. Training camp is an important time for the team to bond and for coaches to hammer out their game plans. We checked in with the coaches of the AFL South to see how their camps have been going.

Orlando Predators - Head Coach EJ Burt

Coach Burt feels that the Predators are making great progress through training camp thus far and that the key is not to dive into everything at once. His goal thus far has been to gradually introduce pieces of the Arena game so that "players can digest and adjust the pieces to their game."

Overall, his satisfaction is very high on both sides of the ball. Although he has spent his career as a defensive coordinator, he has to split his time evenly between the offense and defense.

Since starting training camp, the goal has been to work slowly, but coming ahead is crunch time. The goal from here on will be to put guys in game-like scenarios while polishing off the game plan.

Coach Burt says, "Those who can't take the heat won't make it." One guy who seems prepared for the heat is star QB Drew Powell. Powell has spent many years in the National Arena League, so he is familiar with many of the passing concepts needed for this game. With a myriad of awards under his belt, he is set to take over the AFL.

Coach Burt says they have yet to start looking ahead to game one. "The most important game is the next game." They are preparing to play their kind of football no matter the circumstances, and if they do that, they will be just fine.

Louisiana Voodoo - Head Coach James Shiver

The Voodoo have come into training camp a week later than everybody else but are hitting it hard. Coach Shiver is incredibly impressed by the professionalism and dedication of his team.

One thing the Voodoo can hang their hat on is their veteran presence, which has led guys to get the work in by themselves and get in early. The most significant focus of their work has been getting their timing right. There is a lot of pre-snap movement in the league, and ensuring the timing is right can be crucial for creating spacing and avoiding penalties.

Regarding team construction, Coach Shiver is very proud of his trenches. The work that he has gotten from his linemen has made him confident in their controlling the line. The offense will get substantial support from Toree Boyd at the nose.

The quarterback role is still up in the air, and we will not know until game one versus the Soul. Chase Fourcade and Andre Sale are equally equipped but with several differences. The main factor is that Fourcade is more of an outdoor quarterback, adjusting his game to the Arena, and Sale has more indoor experience.

Coach Shiver is fired up from what he has seen thus far. In a recent conversation, he fired off statements on his expectations for the season. He took exception to his team's preseason ranking from the AFL Podcast. In the preseason power-ranking episode, the Voodoo was given a tier two and a tier three rating. If the players have half of the excitement and determination as Coach Shiver, they can make some serious waves in week one.

"We gon put the whole league on notice right now. AFL Podcast we're coming for y'all. Keep picking us last, we'll show y'all what's up."

West Texas Desert Hawks - Head Coach Chris Siegfried

This Desert Hawks training camp is Coach Siegfried's biggest taste of coaching since 2012. His big focus has been getting his receivers to a high level of game knowledge and getting guys familiar with the right angles, patterns, and steps. The rookies, in particular, must get used to the wall and learn to stop toe-dragging near the sideline. As the veterans say, "The wall remains undefeated."

They have also been focused on keeping the load light. Coach Siegfried is trying to avoid wear and tear on the body now, which could lead to injury. Rosters are smaller in the AFL, and one injury can potentially change the dynamic of a whole team.

Many types of players are coming together in Odessa, including a category of guys that Coach Siegfried calls "Rookie+." This category includes professional football veterans who are now moving into the arena. The king of this category is Nick Marshall.

Many will know him from Auburn in the 2010s, but even more would know him as a seven-year veteran of the CFL. Coach Siegfried had nothing but praise for Marshall as an absolute athlete. He is comfortable as a DB, WR, and QB; if needed, he could probably kick.

The future of training camp will be about making the tough decisions. There are still some cuts to be made, and the coaching staff needs to figure out who will be playing on game day. One guy avoiding the cut is quarterback Jonathan Bane. He is returning from a grizzly neck injury he suffered last season, but seeing him in practice, you would never guess. He has been practicing at 100% in every facet: intensity, mobility, etc.

Looking forward to week one, there is not much for the Desert Hawks to go on. The Georgia Force have played their cards close to their vest. Not much is known about the Force roster and coaching staff, but Coach Siegfried knows their Head Coach, Durwood Roquemore. They met back in 1992 in the AFL while they were both with the Orlando Predators. Other than that, it is a blank slate, but West Texas is welcoming the challenge.



Arena Football One Stories from April 26, 2024


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