Colonials Announce Protected Players
Published on March 22, 2010 under United Football League (UFL 1)
Hartford Colonials News Release
HARTFORD, CT - Monday, March 22, 2010 - The Hartford Colonials have protected 20 players who played for the franchise as members of the New York Sentinels as head coach Chris Palmer and his staff begin building a roster for the 2010 United Football League season.
This week the UFL will announce a total of 60 players who have been protected by the head coaches of the Colonials, Florida Tuskers and the yet to be named UFL team in Sacramento. The reigning champion Las Vegas Locos will unveil their protected player list during April.
As a component of its overall digital media strategy, the United Football League is announcing the protected player lists to fans first through its team Facebook sites:
http://www.facebook.com/HartfordColonials
http://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaRedwoods
http://www.facebook.com/FloridaTuskers
"Our coaches are anxious to work with them and meet them," said Coach Palmer who announced the majority of the team's new coaching staff last week. "We have protected players who are excited to be playing in the United Football league and who we feel will make a significant contribution to the Colonials."
Among the protected Colonials are five players who were key components of the team's defense during the 2009 UFL Premiere season. Defensive back Darien Williams was second on the team and eighth in the UFL with 31 tackles, closely followed by Tra Battle, a free safety who finished the season with 26 tackles (11th overall). They are joined by linebacker Joe Mortensen, who posted 23 tackles (13th overall) and protected defensive end Michale Spicer jointly led the team in sacks along with defensive tackle Brian Save, who also made 12 tackles.
The offensive side of the ball is highlighted by receiver Cortez Hankton, who had 11 catches for 144 yards and tight end Ronnie Ghent, who caught 14 passes for 113 yards. Hankton, an elite receiver during his college career at Texas Southern, played four seasons in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, making 34 receptions for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns, before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bringing familiarity to the Colonials backfield will be running back Shannon Woods, who finished second on the team with 32 carries for 101 yards and fellow back Marlon Lucky, who returned 5 kickoffs for 114 yards last season.
The United Football League teams will build 70-player training camp squads and eventual 52-man rosters through free agency signing, the inaugural UFL Draft, and invitational and open tryouts.
Hartford Colonials Protected Players:
Pos
Name
College
DB
Tra Battle Georgia
OL Nate Bennett
Clemson
DT Ryan Boschetti UCLA
TE Charles Davis Purdue
DE Maurice Fountain Clemson
TE Ronnie Ghent Louisville
WR Cortez Hankton Texas Southern
C Jasper Harvey San Diego State
RB Noah Herron Northwestern
RB Marlon Lucky Nebraska
OL Elton Brown Virginia
LB Joe Mortensen Kansas
WR Steve Sanders Bowling Green
DT Brian Save Colorado State
DL Jonas Seawright North Carolina
DE Michale Spicer Western Carolina
OL Orrin Thompson Duke
DB Darien Williams Oklahoma
RB Shannon Woods Texas Tech
DB Tony Tiller East Tennessee State
Group and season tickets to Hartford Colonials games will go on sale in April and the team's new logo and uniforms will also be unveiled in the coming months. Sports fans can call 860-718-0141 for more information about the Colonials.
United Football League Stories from March 22, 2010
- Colonials Announce Protected Players - Hartford Colonials
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