af2's developmental design continues to strengthen AFL
Published on January 31, 2006 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - With final rosters set for opening weekend of the Arena Football League's historic 20th season, 140 former af2 players have made the final roster or practice squad for an AFL team. In addition, 32 former af2 coaches and 27 past af2 officials are now working in the AFL, the af2 League office announced today.
"These numbers solidify af2's position as the premier developmental league in the country," af2 President Jerry Kurz said. "Our record of development is unmatched and continues to grow stronger each season."
To date, more than 32 percent of the players currently in the AFL have played in af2. The complete roster of af2 players now on an AFL team is listed at the end of this release.
Two first-year AFL players with af2 experience planning on making an immediate impact in 2006 are Philadelphia WR/LB J.J. McKelvey and Arizona OS Jeremiah Pope. McKelvey enters the year with a lot of exposure already, recently being named the Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA) Preseason Rookie of the Year. In 2005 as a member of the Manchester Wolves, McKelvey led the af2 in receptions with 138 and ranked second in scoring with 298 points (44 receiving TDs, three rushing TDs, one INT TD, five 2-pt conversions). He also recorded 1,454 receiving yards and tallied 21.5 tackles on defense. Pope honed his pass-catching skills and playmaking ability as a member of the Albany Conquest in 2005. In just 13 games, the former C.W. Post standout caught 131 passes for 1,454 yards and 32 touchdowns. Together, both McKelvey and Pope look to follow in the footsteps of former af2 players like OL/DL E.J. Burt (AFL Philadelphia via af2 Cape Fear), QB Shane Stafford (AFL Tampa Bay via af2 Tallahassee) and WR/DB Bobby Sippio (AFL Tampa Bay via af2 Greensboro) who have moved up and become stars in the AFL.
Of the 32 coaches currently in the AFL with af2 experience, 16 are former af2 head coaches, five serve as current AFL head coaches, seven coached in af2 during the 2005 season and one is a former af2 player. The complete list is detailed at the end of this release.
One former af2 head coach getting his first taste of head coaching experience at the AFL level this season is Kevin Porter, who will guide the expansion Kansas City Brigade. Porter, spent the past two seasons (2004-05) in New Orleans as the defensive coordinator for the VooDoo, is regarded as one of the best young defensive minds in the game. Prior to his time in New Orleans, the former NFL veteran coached in the af2 for four years (2000-03). His last three years in the af2 were spent at the helm of the Macon Knights. During his tenure with Macon, Porter guided the Knights to three straight playoff appearances (2001-03) and one ArenaCup appearance (2003). He also coached the af2's Pensacola Barracudas in 2000 and led that squad to a postseason berth as well. Porter finished his af2-coaching career as the winningest coach in league history, amassing an overall record of 45-27 (.625). With a veteran group of players and coaches assembled in a strong new market, Porter and the Brigade are poised for an exciting first season.
About af2
Entering its seventh season in March of 2006, af2 serves as a vehicle to bring Arena Football to second-tier cities and as a developmental league with an unmatched history of sending players, coaches and officials to major professional football leagues each year. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans' Bill of Rights as the Arena Football League. Log on to www.af2.com for more information.
Former af2 coaches currently on AFL staffs (Through 1/27/06)
COACH CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST af2 TEAM
Maurice Blanding Georgia Augusta
Jerome Brown New York Rochester
Webbie Burnett# Kansas City Arkansas
Vinnie Clark Columbus Cincinnati
Dean Cokinos* Nashville Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Ian Cooper Columbus Tulsa
Bruce Cowdrey* Chicago Peoria
Lucious Davis Las Vegas Tulsa
Jimmy Dunn* Tampa Bay Charleston
Willie Fears Orlando Arkansas
Ed Flanagan# Arizona San Diego
Flint Fleming Utah Columbus
Skip Foster*^ Austin Tulsa
James Fuller* Dallas Bakersfield
Gary Gusman* Las Vegas Rio Grande Valley
Kevin Guy*# San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Weylan Harding^ New York Rochester
Mike Hold*# Las Vegas Macon
Chad Lindsey* New York Mobile
Chris Mackeown*# Columbus Louisville
Ken Matous* Columbus Tulsa
Sparky McEwen^ Grand Rapids Oklahoma City
Rod Miller*# Kansas City Green Bay
Les Moss*# Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bret Munsey* Orlando Tennessee Valley
Mike Neu*^ New Orleans Augusta
Jon Norris* Austin Tulsa
Brian Partlow~ Colorado Cincinnati
Kevin Porter*^ Kansas City Macon
Brian Schwartze Chicago Quad City
Tres Sullivan Kansas City Macon
Dave Witthun San Jose Macon
* Denotes former af2 head coach; ^ Denotes current AFL head coach; # Denotes coached in af2 last season; ~Denotes former af2 player
Former af2 players currently on AFL Rosters (Through 1/27/06)
PLAYER CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST af2 TEAM
Anthony, Chris New York Quad City
Arceneaux, Anthony* Las Vegas Central Valley
Avery, Chris Grand Rapids Norfolk
Barrie, B.J. Columbus Oklahoma City
Berger, Jason Grand Rapids Macon
Bergeron, Troy Georgia Columbus
Boden, Chris New York Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bond, Carl Kansas City Carolina
Bonner, Cornelius Nashville Carolina
Bowers, Ryan Orlando (ATL-N) Green Bay
Brown, Mike Philadelphia Charleston
Brown, Maurice New York Memphis
Browner, Brent Austin Quad City
Bryant, Henry Austin Wichita
Bryant, Maurice* Las Vegas Bakersfield
Bullard, Thaddeus Tampa Bay Florida
Burns, Travis* Grand Rapids Norfolk
Burt, E.J. Philadelphia Cape Fear
Canonico, Eddie Las Vegas (PHI-N) Cincinnati
Carey, Rob Georgia Manchester
Carter, Frank Nashville Quad City
Carter, Kahlil Nashville Arkansas
Certain, Ernest Tampa Bay Tallahassee
Cherry, Jamal New York Quad City
Clemons, Sam* Georgia Quad City
Coleman, Travis* Kansas City Albany
Cook, Charlie Chicago Mohegan
Culp, John* Columbus Quad City
Damond, Erin Utah Tennessee Valley
Daniels, Ronney Tampa Bay Tennessee Valley
Davis, Nick* Las Vegas Tulsa
DeMatteo, Cosmo Arizona Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Dennard, Ryan* Utah Macon
Dennis, DaShane New York Richmond
Dodson, Tony Kansas City Tulsa
D'Orazio, Matt Chicago Mohegan
Dotsy, Terrance Dallas Quad City
Douzart, Byron* Kansas City Arkansas
Duncan, Howard* Columbus Oklahoma City
Dupree, Lincoln Columbus Peoria
Eaton, Jake* Orlando Manchester
Faoa, Asi* Arizona San Diego
Ferguson, Jason Dallas Louisville
Floyd, Marquis* San Jose Rio Grande Valley
France, Todd Philadelphia Charleston
Gant, Julius* San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Gaspar, Ricky* Arizona Central Valley
Gauntt, Glenn Georgia Augusta
Gile, Dennis* Arizona Bakersfield
Gispert, Keith Chicago Augusta
Gooch, Ira Columbus Quad City
Greetis, Brad* Columbus San Diego
Griesen, Chris Dallas Green Bay
Hall, Jon New York Cape Fear
Hart, Clinton Utah (SDC-N) Tallahassee
Hefflin, Brandon* Columbus Bossier-Shreveport
Henderson, Bryan Utah Wichita
Hines, Anthony Grand Rapids Cape Fear
Houle, Eric* Las Vegas Rio Grande Valley
Huddleston, Jajuan* San Jose Central Valley
Huebner, Matt* Georgia Force Green Bay
Hughes, Patrick* Utah Quad City
Ibeh, Buchie* Chicago Albany
James, Jerrian Orlando Tennessee Valley
Johnson, Carlos* Columbus Oklahoma City
Johnson, Chris* Georgia Macon
Johnson, Larrell Austin Charleston
Johnson, Tyronn New York Florida
Jones, Brian* Las Vegas Memphis
Jones, Jermaine Dallas Florida
Key, Sale'* Utah Memphis
Kinsinger, Matt Las Vegas Augusta
Kral, Gary Arizona Cape Fear
Krause, Greg Orlando Mohegan
Lane, Randall Dallas Green Bay
Laudano, Joe New York Rio Grande Valley
Layton, Andrew Dallas Greensboro
Lewis, Mark Columbus Tennessee Valley
Locke, Tony Los Angeles Albany
Mack, Tremain San Jose Louisville
Marshall, Timon Grand Rapids Oklahoma City
Martinez, Carlos Dallas Fresno
Martinez, Peter Grand Rapids Oklahoma City
Mascorro, Steve Arizona Laredo
Mason, Troy* Utah Green Bay
Mayes, William Las Vegas Birmingham
McCauley, Tango Chicago Peoria
McClesky, Richard New York Tulsa
McGill, Tim Utah (MIA-N) Quad City
McKelvey, J.J.* Philadelphia Manchester
McNamara, Sean Los Angeles Quad City
Minucci, Joe Nashville Tennessee Valley
Morant, Chris* Kansas City Florida
Moten, Eddie Philadelphia Rio Grande Valley
Moye-Moore, Marlon Orlando Charleston
Myers, Nick* Chicago Manchester
Nagle, Kevin Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Neal, Tremaine Kansas City Macon
Nickerson, Kevin Austin Tulsa
Obert, Jesse New York Manchester
Peters, Joe* Chicago Green Bay
Pettis, Will Dallas Pensacola
Pharms, Jeremiah* New York Bakersfield
Pointer, Chris Kansas City Norfolk
Poole, Reggie* Kansas City Green Bay
Pope, Jeremiah* Arizona Albany
Pospisil, Scott* Utah Green Bay
Powell, Lewis* Utah Memphis
Prentiss, Kevin* Las Vegas Memphis
Rasmussen, Kyle* Kansas City Rio Grande Valley
Richardson, Ramon Austin Tulsa
Robinson, Chris* Philadelphia Rio Grande Valley
Simpson, Teto Grand Rapids Cape Fear
Singfield, Dahnel* New York Memphis
Sippio, Bobby Tampa Bay Greensboro
Skaggs, Justin Utah Tulsa
Smalls, Denario Kansas City Macon
Smith, Khreem* Chicago Memphis
Sodano, Jim* Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Solomon, Kenny* Grand Rapids Green Bay
Stafford, Shane Tampa Bay Tallahassee
Takahashi, Mutsami New York Louisville
Taplin, Greg* Tampa Bay Memphis
Taylor, Kerry Arizona New Haven
Taylor, Marvin Grand Rapids Tallahassee
Thompson, Arkee* Philadelphia Louisville
Tippins, Andrew* Nashville Louisville
Todd, Joseph Arizona Tennessee Valley
Trentadue, Frank Arizona Quad City
Walls, Matt Kansas City Tulsa
Washburn, Ronnie Utah Green Bay
Whelihan, Craig* Las Vegas San Diego
White, Josh Austin Hawaii
White, Paul* Nashville Louisville
Whitson, Tyshaun Las Vegas Quad City
Whittemore, Bill Nashville Peoria
Winston, PJ Austin Laredo
Williams, Brandon* Chicago Bossier-Shreveport
Williams, George* New York Central Valley
Wood, Juston* New York Central Valley
*Denotes a player who played in af2 last season
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