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Coming Out From The Indoors

August 28, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010-Imagine throwing for a phenomenal 107 touchdown passes in 2010. Add in a PlayStation-like 5,139 yards and a 68 completion rate. Yet imagine those numbers still only get you back-up status to Brooks Bollinger, the reigning UFL Most Valuable Player.

That's were Chris Greisen finds himself as he begins his second season with the Tuskers after posting incredible numbers with the Milwaukee Iron of the Arena Football League. Greisen recently posted those lofty numbers in just 16 games while helping lift the Iron to within one step of ArenaBowl XXIII, taking a 60-57 loss to the Spokane Shock in the conference finals.

In a strange twist of fate, Greisen is now playing for the coach that he had always wanted to play for in the Arena Football League, Florida's Jay Gruden. While that never came to fruition, Greisen came to play under Gruden last season when the coach took a chance on bringing him in to back-up Bollinger.

"Playing for Jay is definitely one of the reasons I wanted to come here and play for the Tuskers," Greisen said. "Jay Gruden is synonymous with championships both as a player and as a coach. As a quarterback with the Georgia Force I always greatly respected his defenses with the Predators."

The Northwest Missouri State product showed up to camp a few days late and promptly tweaked a muscle in his back while warming up his arm.

This incident was an easy bump and set for Gruden to spike down with one of his patented one-liners that can send an entire media room into a laughing mess. Gruden's response when asked if he had ever hurt a back muscle while warming up in his quarterback days?

"No, I am way too tough for that I am old school; these guys nowadays they're soft," Gruden cracked. "It's an unfortunate incident he plays 18 games in the arena league and gets his head splattered then he comes over here and plays catch he pulls a back muscle. Isn't it ironic?"

All kidding aside, Gruden has great confidence in Greisen's ability to run the Tuskers' offense with already one year in the system under his belt. In college was the last time Greisen played extensively outdoors and he played well at NMSU. He was a two-time All-American ranking first in Bearcat history throwing for 5,731 yards and 51 touchdowns in his career. Greisen led his team to the Division II National Championship in his senior season of 1998 throwing for 2,937 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Being able to watch Bollinger run the offense to perfection last season also helped Greisen make the transition a little easier from indoors to outdoors.

"Learning from Brooks who knows this offense left-and-right it was a great experience for me last year," he said. "The biggest transition is knowing that outdoors I am going to have more time to get rid of the football, wait on the receivers a little longer, and be able to move around in the pocket a bit more because the offensive line gives me more time. As opposed to the arena game, where if I take a five-step drop the ball has to be gone because it is a faster game."

In the off-season coach Gruden took another chance with his back-up quarterback spots when he brought in former South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe to the mix. While Greisen has been sidelined, Grothe has gotten more reps behind Bollinger which has created some healthy competition for the second spot on the depth chart.

Greisen is hoping to return sometime over the next few days so he can put a stranglehold on the position he held behind Bollinger last season. He tried to go in Friday's practice, but again tweaked his back muscle.

"It's not as bad as it was the first time, but it is still really sore," Greisen said of his freak injury. "I love playing for Jay and I really don't want to be sitting out. He took a chance on me last year as an arena guy I want to repay him, play well, and be healthy."

As the season draws nearer, a healthy Chris Greisen will only help matters to keep Bollinger playing at the top of his game and the Tuskers winning football games.

"Chris has performed at a high level throughout his career and played well in a lot of big games while dominating the AFL," Gruden said. "I feel really confident about him backing up Brooks I wish he had gotten here sooner to maybe push Brooks a little more, but he hurt his back so hopefully he'll be ready next week to compete with Matt for the back-up spot."

FLORIDA TUSKERS SATURDAY CAMP NOTES: The Tuskers made a roster move on Saturday, waiving lineman PHIL BOGLE...the Tuskers also claimed and were awarded the UFL rights to guard TIM DUCKWORTH, a former All-SEC selection from Auburn University who spent time in the NFL with New Orleans, Philadelphia and Denver...although he really wanted to get the work in, a rash of injuries to several offensive and defensive linemen forced Coach JAY GRUDEN to cancel Saturday's scheduled scrimmage...instead the team practiced in helmets and shorts and will have tomorrow off before the resumption of training camp on Monday... "Because we have no pre-season games, I obviously would have liked an opportunity to scrimmage as I believe the live practice is beneficial," Gruden said. "But we are so nicked up on the lines I really couldn't afford to get anyone else hurt."...Gruden said he would try to get some live scrimmaging in the later part of this week...Approximately 200 fans watched practice Saturday as part of a fan day event...Fans received free schedule posters and had a chance to mingle and meet with players after the practice...Tuskers Director of Broadcasting MARC DANIELS, who also serves as radio voice of UCF, relayed this amusing story of current Tusker and former Knights punter AARON HORNE...seems in his early days at UCF, Horne would start shanking punts at practice whenever Head Coach GEORGE O'LEARY was around. Finally O'Leary asked Horne why he struggled whenever he watched him. Horne told O'Leary it was because He got nervous whenever the coach was around. "Get used to it," O'Leary told him. "Because I am going to be at the games."...Single game tickets to the Tuskers Sept. 30 opener are available by calling 407-545-8123 or visiting the Amway Center Box Office.



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