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Carlos McNeary Answers the Call

July 7, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


How does a team lose its star offensive player in the middle of the season and then go on to improve its offensive output by 20 percent since his departure? Birmingham head coach Bobby Humprhey knows the answer.

Get the ball to Carlos McNeary.

Back in Week 11, coach Humphrey received some good news and some bad news. The good news was that one of his players was going to get a shot in the NFL. The bad news was that it was his team leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Offensive Specialist Detronn Harris was leaving the team to sign with the Carolina Panthers.

"I am very excited for Detronn and think this is a great opportunity", Humphrey said at the time. "I am not surprised one bit, and rather expected him to get this shot. This is what our league is all about, developing players that have a passion for the game and trying to get them to the next level."

Expected or not, coach had a big hole to fill on his offense. During the first nine games of the season Birmingham was off to a 7-2 start, averaging 50.8 points per game. Harris, who appeared in all nine games amassed 47 receptions, 766 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches. He also averaged 24 yards a return on 23 kickoff returns and had three return touchdowns.

"I kind of felt all along he was going to get a shot with the NFL sometime this season," said Humphrey. "We knew when we brought him in he had the ability to play at the next level so we were prepared when Carolina signed him."

After Harris left, Humphrey went to Plan B by designating McNeary as the new go-to guy on the Steeldogs' offense, and the 5-foot-11, 180-pound WR/DB out of Bethel has responded in a big way. Over the past three games, the former Memphis Xplorer has not only carried the offensive load, he's made the Steeldogs a better team.

"It is no surprise what Carlos is doing," said Humphrey. "All season he has stepped up and made plays when his number has been called and now it just happens that it is his opportunity to play the OS position and get some more looks."

In 2002 with Memphis, McNeary led the club with 82 receptions for 1,165 yards and 28 touchdowns. After last week's win over Rio Grande Valley, McNeary has become the Steeldogs leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns.

During the first nine games this season, McNeary totaled 423 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns for the Steeldogs. Over the past three games he has 419 yards with nine touchdowns. Not to mention he also has amassed 378 kick return yards with two more touchdowns during that span, averaging 22.2 yards per return since Harris' departure.

"I feel very comfortable with my role and the position coach has put me in," said McNeary. "I always believe I can go out and make a play. We have a lot of talented guys on this team and I just want to step up like the rest of them to do my part to help us win ball games."

To put his numbers in perspective, as a receiver McNeary averaged 47 receiving yards, and 1.1 touchdowns per game during the first nine games of the season. Since then he has averaged 139 receiving yards and three touchdowns a game. That's even better than his 2002 season with Memphis when he averaged 72.8 yards and 1.75 touchdowns per game.

The Steeldogs offense, which averaged 50.8 points per game through the first nine games of the season, has averaged 59.6 over the last three games. McNeary even earned league recognition as Ironman of the Week for his Week 12 performance against Tennessee Valley in which he caught seven passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned four kickoffs for 112 yards including one touchdown in that game.

"With the loss of Detronn everybody had to come together and pull a little more weight," said McNeary. "I've been able to get more involved in the offense and have been able to return kicks and every time I get my hands on the ball I just want to make something positive happen."

With Birmingham on the verge of clinching a playoff berth this weekend, McNeary figures to increase the Steeldogs' chances of advancing to the 2004 ArenaCup.

"The playoffs are where players can make a name for themselves," said McNeary. "I'll be ready and hopefully we can put a run together and compete for it all."

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