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XFL Arlington Renegades

Arlington Renegades Prepare for Season in Front of Enthusiastic Fans at Open Practice

February 2, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Arlington Renegades News Release


ARLINGTON, TX - Arlington Renegades Head Coach Bob Stoops walked over to a group of season ticket holders at Saturday's open practice at Choctaw Stadium. He bumped fists and mingled with the crowd before duty called and he made his way back to the practice occurring just yards away.

The over 1,200 fans in attendance watched for over an hour as some of the Renegades training camp standouts displayed the reasons why they are on the field. Former Oklahoma Sooners receiver Jordan Smallwood reeled in an eye-popping catch. Former Buffalo Bills running back Keith Ford galloped through holes. NFL veteran Will Hill patrolled the defensive backfield while former NFL second-team All-Pro Marquette King booted punts high into the Texas sky.

There are still three weeks to go before Arlington opens the 2023 XFL season at home against the Vegas Vipers in Choctaw Stadium, but there was a different energy to the open practice.

"It's really exciting to see all these people out here supporting us," Stoops said. "We want to be a positive part of the Arlington community and give back to this area."

The Renegades enter the 2023 XFL season as the only team with its head coach returning from 2020. Stoops, the former Oklahoma head coach and 2021 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, has filled out his staff with experienced coaches and a roster of high-quality players looking to find their way to the NFL.

The XFL is focused on helping to elevate these players to new heights in their careers, and Stoops sees talent all over his team.

At quarterback, Stoops said he likes what he has seen from all three of his quarterbacks: Kevin Anderson, Drew Plitt and Kyle Sloter.

The trio have experience at NFL camps over the past few seasons and similar to many of their teammates, the hope is to get back there and onto NFL rosters.

Stoops envisions his team being fun to watch on Saturdays and Sunday throughout the winter and spring. He said the defense will have an attacking and blitzing mindset, while the offense will be well balanced with an explosive edge to it.

"Fans can expect an exciting, fun brand of football on both sides," Stoops said. "I really believe we've got the skill and the talent to do that."

After practice, fans made their way to a Q&A session with Stoops and had the opportunity to interact with the players they just watched on the field. As fans snapped photos and talked football while autograph seekers provided everything from jerseys to helmets and everything in between.

"It was good to see fans come out today," said linebacker Nick Temple, who was second on the Seattle Dragons in tackles during the 2020 XFL season.

That close-to-the-action environment is something the XFL is hoping to cultivate this year, and many fans felt that connection Saturday.

Season ticket holder Lily Dzurenko attended the Renegades open practice during the 2020 season and remembered it as a fun, personal event.

This time around, she and her husband brought their nieces and nephews to Choctaw to watch the event. The opportunity to watch professionals like Smallwood and Ford from the field and say hello to Stoops was something she was excited for them to experience.

Many fans recognized the unique opportunity in front of them. Vicki and Bryan Taylor missed the XFL the past few seasons and were excited to be back and close to the action. William Neal, an offensive lineman at Arlington Bowie High School, said he was picking up notes watching Arlington's linemen go through drills. Weatherford High School assistant football coach Randall Garrett commented that the fan experience at the event was great.

Micheal Hernandez attended the practice with his wife and young son. His favorite part of the day was giving his son the chance to be on the field with a professional sports team.

"It's one of those things you carry with you when you're a kid," Fernandez said. "You remember it later on in life and you're like, 'Wow! Remember when I did this? It was so cool.'"

The fans were not the only ones benefiting from the experience. The opportunity to practice with crowd noise and meet the fans afterward was something the players relished.

Anderson said it was a blast to do offense vs. defense drills with fans providing extra energy and noise during the reps. He also added the team wants to do everything they can to get the fans out and give them an advantage on gameday.

Adrian Matute and his daughter Jaiden plan on being there for opening day and supporting all season. Adrian surprised his daughter - who wants to be a sports analyst when she grows up and is already watching game film as a high schooler - with season tickets as an early birthday gift. They love watching football and Saturday represented the start of a fun new aspect of their fandom.

"This is gonna be a constant staple," Adrian said. "We'll be here every year."

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