Burn Return Four
January 14, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Boise Burn News Release
BOISE, Idaho - The Boise Burn arenafootball2 club today announced the signing of four returning players for the 2009 season. The list is headed by All-af2 second team selections Terrance Sanders and Rich Seals, and includes Garrett Smith and Shadrach Okoebor.
Sanders, a 5-10, 176 lb. WR/DB from Eastern Illinois, earned all-league National Conference honors after ranking third in the league in interception return yards (9 for 205) and tied for seventh in interceptions returned for touchdowns (2). He was the Burn's second-leading tackler with 68.5. He was named the Defensive Player of the Game three times last season (Week 4 vs. Tri-Cities, Week 5 vs. Texas and Week 8 vs. Daytona Beach).
Despite missing nine games due to a knee injury, Seals (6-3, 335 lbs.) earned All-af2 National Conference honors for his play on the offensive line. The University of Utah product began his af2 career with the Bakersfield Blitz in 2007. He played defensive end in college, and has three years experience in the NFL with the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills.
Also returning for his second season in Boise is Garrett Smith. The 6-3, 290 lb. lineman was one of the best defensive tackles in the country at the University of Utah, making the Mountain West Conference All-Conference First Team as a junior (2001) and senior (2002). He played in 11 games for the Burn after being waived by the Utah Blaze of the AFL, where he played for two seasons.
An International Player assigned to the Burn, Nigerian-born Shadrach Okoebor, played his college football at Idaho State University. A 6-0, 195 lb. WR/DB, Okoebor spent part of the 2007 season with the Bakersfield Blitz. He was a two-time Big Sky Honorable Mention All-Conference selection at ISU, and finished his collegiate career in Pocatello with 157 catches for 1,828 yards and 11 touchdowns.
These signings give Boise 13 returning players from the 8-8 season in 2008.
The Burn open their third af2 season this spring under new Head Coach Brent Winter on Friday, March 27 at Tri-Cities. The Burn will host its West Division rival and defending National Conference Champion Spokane Shock for its home opener on Saturday, Apr. 18 at Qwest Arena. Season tickets are currently on sale. Call the front office at 208.383.0080 or check online at www.boiseburn.com for more information.
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