af2's developmental design continues to strengthen AFL
Published on February 28, 2007 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - With opening weekend of the Arena Football League's 21st season beginning this Thursday, March 1, an all-time, league-best 147 former af2 players have made the final roster or practice squad for an AFL team. In addition, 30 former af2 coaches are currently serving on the sidelines for AFL teams, the af2 League office announced today.
"These numbers provide further proof that the af2 is the premier developmental football 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.
One AFL player with af2 experience looking to break out in 2007 is Georgia Force QB Chris Griesen. After serving as a backup in Dallas for the past two years, Griesen enters this season as the Force starter with a ton of offensive weapons at his disposal. His stellar receiving corps includes three of the AFL's best, Chris Jackson, Derek Lee and former af2 star Troy Bergeron (Columbus - 2004). With protection from a strong Georgia frontline, Griesen and the Force hope the 6-foot-3, 220-pound signal caller can duplicate his af2 production from 2004 when he threw for 2,718 yards, 61 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in just 10 games played with the Green Bay Blizzard. Three rookie kickers from the af2 will also be factors in 2007 for their respective AFL teams, Steven Azar for Las Vegas (via af2 Memphis), Nate Bell for Dallas (via af2 Rio Grande Valley) and A.J. Haglund for San Jose (via af2 Oklahoma City). These af2 alumni look to follow in the footsteps of former af2 players like QB Shane Stafford (AFL Orlando via af2 Tallahassee), QB Matt D'Orazio (AFL Chicago via af2 Mohegan and Rochester), WR Bobby Sippio (AFL Chicago via af2 Greensboro) and DL E.J. Burt (AFL Chicago via af2 Cape Fear) who have moved up and become stars in the AFL.
Of the 30 coaches currently in the AFL with af2 experience, 17 are former af2 head coaches, seven serve as current AFL head coaches, four coached in af2 during the 2006 season and three are former af2 players. 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 Danton Barto, who will guide the Las Vegas Gladiators. Barto spent five seasons as the leader of the Memphis Xplorers. During his tenure, he became one of the winningest coaches in league history, ranking fourth overall with 49 career victories. Barto also guided the Xplorers to the 2005 ArenaCup Championship, earning af2 Coach of the Year honors in the process. In addition, former af2 QB Brian Partlow (2003 Cincinnati Swarm) will begin his first season as the new head coach of the Austin Wranglers. Partlow will also assume the role of the Wranglers offensive coordinator. Prior to joining the Wranglers, Partlow spent three seasons with the Colorado Crush as the team's offensive coordinator.
About af2
With its eighth season set to begin on March 29 with 30 member teams, af2 serves as a vehicle to bring Arena Football to small to midsize 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, which begins its 21st season on March 1 with 19 teams as it enters a five-year media partnership with ESPN. Log on to www.af2.com for more information.
Former af2 coaches currently on AFL staffs (Through 2/28/07)
COACH CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST af2 TEAM
Danton Barto*^# Las Vegas Memphis
Maurice Blanding Kansas City Augusta
Chris Boden~ Colorado Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Jerome Brown New York Rochester
Dean Cokinos* Nashville Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bruce Cowdrey* Austin Peoria
Travis Crusenberry# Kansas City Spokane
Willie Fears Orlando Arkansas
Skip Foster* Columbus Tulsa
James Fuller* Dallas Bakersfield
Gary Gusman* New Orleans Rio Grande Valley
Kevin Guy* San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Weylan Harding^ New York Rochester
Jeff Jarnigan*# San Jose Oklahoma City
John Kirk Philadelphia Tennessee Valley
Chad Lindsey* New York Mobile
Chris Mackeown* Austin Louisville
Ken Matous* Columbus Tulsa
Sparky McEwen^ Grand Rapids Oklahoma City
Les Moss* Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Bret Munsey*^ Orlando Tennessee Valley
Mike Neu*^ New Orleans Augusta
Brian Partlow~^ Colorado Cincinnati
Kevin Porter*^ Kansas City Macon
Deumaine Reeder Las Vegas Memphis
Brian Schwartze Chicago Quad City
Chris Siegfried*#~ Kansas City Spokane
Deatrich Wise* Dallas Norfolk
Dave Witthun San Jose Macon
John Zinser Las Vegas Mohegan
* 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 2/28/07)
PLAYER CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST af2 TEAM
Afif, Patrick San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Anthony, Chris New York Quad City
Apgar, John Las Angeles Tennessee Valley
Avery, Chris Grand Rapids Norfolk
Azar, Steve* Las Vegas Memphis
Bellisari, Steve* New Orleans Manchester
Ball, Jason Colorado Oklahoma City
Barre, B.J. Columbus Oklahoma City
Beard, Kevin* Chicago Spokane
Bell, Dustin* Dallas Rio Grande Valley
Berger, Jason Grand Rapids Macon
Bergeron, Troy Georgia Columbus
Bonner, Cornelius Nashville Carolina
Boss, Robert* Chicago Green Bay
Brown, Mike Philadelphia Charleston
Brown, Maurice New York Memphis
Bryant, Colin Kansas City Wichita
Bryant, Henry New Orleans Wichita
Bullard, Thaddeus Tampa Bay Florida
Burt, E.J. Chicago Cape Fear
Canonico, Eddie Las Vegas Cincinnati
Carter, Frank Utah Quad City
Carter, Kahlil Orlando (OLE-CFL) Arkansas
Certain, Ernest Tampa Bay Tallahassee
Chestnut, John New York Albany
Clark, James Georgia Birmingham
Coleman, Travis Kansas City Albany
Cook, Charlie Chicago (RTR) Mohegan
Cook, Chris Kansas City Spokane
Crear, Joe* Las Vegas Memphis
Crocker, David* Georgia Green Bay
Culp, John Utah Quad City
Damond, Erin Arizona Tennessee Valley
Daniels, Ronney Grand Rapids Tennessee Valley
Dawn, Akarika Austin Tennessee Valley
Dean, Konrad* Las Vegas Albany
Demary, Silas Los Angeles Norfolk
DeMatteo, Cosmo Arizona Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Dennard, Ryan Utah Macon
Dennis, DaShane Kansas City Richmond
D'Orazio, Matt Chicago Mohegan
Dotsy, Terrance Dallas Quad City
Douzart, Byron Kansas City Arkansas
Duncan, Howard Columbus Oklahoma City
Eaton, Jake Orlando Manchester
Ekwueme, Chris* New Orleans Everett
Faoa, Asi Arizona San Diego
Floyd, Marquis San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Ford, Terrance New Orleans Alabama
France, Todd Philadelphia Charleston
Frederick, Charles* Kansas City Spokane
Gant, Julius San Jose Rio Grande Valley
Gispert, Keith Georgia Augusta
Gonzalez, Adrian* Las Vegas Memphis
Gonzalez, Steve* Philadelphia Manchester
Greetis, Brad Columbus San Diego
Griesen, Chris Georgia Green Bay
Haglund, AJ* San Jose Oklahoma City
Haith, William* New Orleans Bossier-Shreveport
Harrell, Clay* Nashville Stockton
Hart, Clinton Utah (OLE-NFL-SD) Tallahassee
Haugabrook, Sidney* Las Vegas Memphis
Hefflin, Brandon Columbus Bossier-Shreveport
Hicks, Tim* Los Angeles Quad City
Higgins, Kenny* Nashville Memphis
Holmes, Brent* Georgia Green Bay
Houle, Eric New Orleans Rio Grande Valley
Huyser, Brett Colorado Green Bay
Huebner, Matt Georgia Green Bay
Ibeh, Buchie Chicago Albany
Jahnke, Chris Columbus Quad City
Jones, Brian* Las Vegas Memphis
Jones, Kimani* Austin Arkansas
Johnson, Larrell Kansas City Charleston
Jones, Jermaine Dallas Florida
Keyes, Bobby* Dallas Birmingham
Kinsinger, Matt San Jose Augusta
Kral, Gary Arizona Cape Fear
Krause, Greg Los Angeles Mohegan
Laudano, Joe New York Rio Grande Valley
Lazare, Peter* Dallas Green Bay
Lewis, Mark Austin Tennessee Valley
Locke, Tony Columbus Albany
MacPherson, James* Georgia Green Bay
Mance, Brian* Philadelphia Manchester
Marshall, Timon Grand Rapids Oklahoma City
Martinez, Carlos Dallas (OLE-NFL-DAL) Fresno
Martinez, Peter Columbus Oklahoma City
Mascorro, Steve Arizona Laredo
McAlmont, Kevin* New Orleans (OLE-NFL-DE) Macon
McCauley, Tango New Orleans Peoria
McClesky, Richard Los Angeles Tulsa
McGill, Tim Nashville Quad City
McKelvey, J.J. Philadelphia Manchester
McNamara, Sean Los Angeles Quad City
Miller, John Orlando Florida
Minucci, Joe Nashville Tennessee Valley
Morant, Chris* New Orleans Florida
Moten, Eddie Philadelphia Rio Grande Valley
Moye-Moore, Marlon Orlando Charleston
Murphy, Chaz* Orlando Tulsa
Myers, Nick Chicago Manchester
Nagle, Kevin Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Narcisse, Antonio New Orleans Everett
Neal, Tremaine New Orleans Macon
Nickerson, Kevin Austin Tulsa
Peters, Joe Chicago Green Bay
Pettis, Will Dallas Pensacola
Pharms, Jeremiah New York Bakersfield
Pope, Jeremiah Arizona Albany
Prentiss, Kevin* Las Vegas Memphis
Rabatin, Will* Columbus Louisville
Radlinski, Mark* Grand Rapids Tulsa
Rasmussen, Kyle Grand Rapids Rio Grande Valley
Richardson, Ramon Austin Tulsa
Rislov, Scott* San Jose Central Valley
Roberson, John* Dallas Amarillo
Robinson, Chris Utah Rio Grande Valley
Robinson, Dennison Chicago Quad City
Robinson, James* Las Vegas South Georgia
Ross, Isaiah Nashville Memphis
Rue, Joshua Las Vegas Memphis
Sadler, James* Chicago Tulsa
Sanders, Chris Arizona Manchester
Sauk, Matt Grand Rapids Louisville
Singfield, Dahnel New York Memphis
Sippio, Bobby Chicago Greensboro
Skaggs, Justin Utah Tulsa
Smalls, Denario Kansas City Macon
Sodano, Jim Orlando Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Stafford, Shane Orlando Tallahassee
Stevens, Wes Columbus Tennessee Valley
Ta'amu, Ed* Kansas City Spokane
Taplin, Justin Arizona Green Bay
Taylor, Delanio Orlando Memphis
Tickles, Marlon New Orleans Mohegan
Todd, Joseph Arizona Tennessee Valley
Traynor, Pete New York Quad City
Turner, Jerry* Grand Rapids Bakersfield
Wallace, Alex* New Orleans Bakersfield
Ward, Jamarr* Kansas City Albany
Warley, Carter New York Manchester
Watson, Steve* San Jose Arkansas
Whelihan, Craig San Jose San Diego
White, Josh Dallas Hawaii
White, Paul New York Louisville
Wood, Justin Philadelphia Central Valley
*Denotes a player who played in af2 last season
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