Byron Curtis leading the way for Bluecats

Published on May 5, 2004 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Evansville BlueCats News Release


Byron Curtis is quietly having a great season at wide receiver for the 2004 Evansville Bluecats. Through last week's game against the Fort Wayne Freedom, Curtis leads the Bluecats in all-purpose yards with 448 or 86.9 per game; good enough for the 10th best all-purpose yards per game average in the NIFL. He has 4 rushing touchdowns on just 5 attempts (any reception behind the line of scrimmage is considered a rush in the NIFL.) Curtis is the Bluecats leader in kickoff returns averaging 14.9 yards per return. He has also has 15 receptions for a total of 155 yards and 1 touchdown. .

Coming out of the University of North Texas, Curtis was an NFL prospect, working out for six NFL teams including the Miami Dolphins. A hamstring injury hampered his chance at making an NFL team and after recovering led him to the Tennessee Thundercats in 2001. There he played with current Bluecats Michael Cosey, John Gordon, James Beavers and Scotty Stewart. "Playing with guys I have played with before is comfortable and refreshing," Curtis said. Between that season with the Thundercats and this season with the Bluecats Curtis played for the Lincoln Capitols of the NIFL, and the Macon Knights and Mobile Wizards of the AFL2. Curtis said the biggest difference between the two indoor leagues is that in the NIFL you don't have to play offense and defense. "I prefer to stay at one position," Curtis said.

Curtis had an opportunity to come to Evansville last year and play for the Bluecats but passed because Evansville is 16 hours from his home in Houston, TX. He also didn't know the Bluecats head coach at the time, Avery Atadero. Current Bluecats head coach Ollie Guidry was Curtis's assistant wide receivers coach at North Texas and also the offensive coordinator to the 2001 Thundercats. He and Curtis had kept in contact over the years and when Guidry came to Evansville he asked Curtis to join the Bluecats organization.

Curtis had his biggest game of the 2004 season in last week's 71-68 Bluecats win over Ft. Wayne. Curtis had 4 rushes for 3 touchdowns and recovered an onside kick late in the game deep in Ft. Wayne territory all but sealing a victory for the Bluecats. The game didn't start so great for the Bluecats. The Freedom returned the opening kick for a touchdown. Curtis said it crushes a teams momentum when that happens but as an offense Curtis said the Bluecats thought, "We've got to score. We've got to answer them." Answer the Freedom is just what the Bluecats did, scoring on every possession, except the when time ran out at the end of the first half and when the Bluecats ran out the clock to end the game. Curtis said, "We have shown people what we can do. We should be able to score on every possession against everybody. As an offense we expect to score 70 points every game."

Curtis said his family and friends are a top priority in life, "My inner circle, my close friends, keep me going. I wouldn't be here today without my family and friends." Curtis said he is close to his mom, Shirley, dad, J., and grandmother, Lois. Curtis grew up in Houston with Jason Webster, a corner back for the Atlanta Falcons, and Albert Johnson, a wide receiver for the Houston Texans. Webster and Johnson are among a group of close friends that Curtis said he considers family.

Curtis said that in his free time he enjoys watching movies, especially comedies. Some of his favorite movies include "The Mack," "Scarface," and "Usual Suspects." He said that over the last 6 or 7 years of traveling and playing football he has learned to be a loner. He doesn't go out on the town much, preferring to stay at home. Curtis said, "There are a few guys I hang out with but not many." To earn more than his $200 per game that he gets playing for the Bluecats Curtis has taken a job with the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation as a substitute teacher. According to Curtis, "Subbing has been a great opportunity for me. I have been working with kids since I got my degree. I relate well with the kids because I am still young myself." (Curtis will turn 26 this summer.) Curtis has taught mainly at Harrison and Central High Schools. Curtis said that having Bluecats assistant coaches Harvey Robinson and Jeff Daming as fellow teaches at Harrison helps him feel comfortable there.

This week the Bluecats take on the Show Me Believers at the Family Arena in St. Charles, MO. Kickoff is set for Saturday night at 7:30. You can catch the play-by play live on Gold WYNG 95 starting at 7:00. Curtis said the approach this week will be the same, "We have always had confidence. We just didn't always get things done. Now we have shown what we can do. We just have to keep working hard." Curtis said that the wonderful fan support the Bluecats players have received is appreciated and he wants even more fans to come out to the May 15th game against the Atlantic City Cardsharks.

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National Indoor Football League Stories from May 5, 2004


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