ConQuest Assigned 6-Year AFL Vet
Published on March 25, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release
ALBANY, NY â The defending Northeast Division Champion Albany Conquest are announcing that they have been assigned 6'3 280 lb. FB/LB, Ron Perry, by the af2 league office. Perry played six seasons in the AFL from 1997-2002 and will be introduced to the media at today's practice session at the Albany Academy in Albany, NY.
Perry, who played college football at Grambling State under then-Head Coach Eddie Robinson, was named AFL Rookie of the Year in 1997 when he played for the Florida Bobcats. He has accumulated over sixty career tackles, including five for a loss and three sacks, while making stops in New Jersey (1998-99), Oklahoma (2000), Milwaukee (2001) and finally with the New York Dragons in 2002.
Perry has rushed for 245 yards and scored fourteen touchdowns, while being named to the All-AFL Team as a FB/LB in 1999 and 2000. In 2000, Perry had perhaps his best season when he rushed for 106 yards and seven touchdowns, caught six passes for 56 yards and a score, grabbed 13 solo tackles (three for loss), one sack, two pass breakups, two QB hurries and a forced fumble.
Conquest Head Coach Pete Costanza, who coached Perry while with the New Jersey Red Dogs, is obviously excited to add this caliber player to his already proven training camp roster.
"Ron is a guy who I have coached before, so he knows my style and I know his. It shouldn't take him too long to get into the mix with the rest of the FB/LB's we've had here for the past week", Costanza commented, "We still have a lot of work to do before our first game, but getting a player like this will certainly help speed up the learning process for many of the guys here. He'll push the younger guys, help out the rookies and most of all perform at a level that many of the players here want to be day in and day out."
A native of Oklahoma City, Ron was a two-time All-SWAC selection as well as All-American his senior year at Grambling, when he recorded 80 tackles (2nd on team), recovered two fumbles, broke up six passes and had one interception. Perry signed as a free-agent out of college with the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL). Following that he played two seasons with the Canadian Football League's Shreveport Pirates. He began his AFL career with the Bobcats in 1997, but left five games into the season to sign with the Baltimore Ravens (NFL). Now af2 will be the next stop, but his goals remain the same everywhere.
"I just wanted to make sure no matter what happened that I didn't sit a season out", said Perry at his first full practice session Monday night, "There is probably some things that I can bring to the chemistry of the team and help out in certain areas. These guys won fourteen games last season, so if I can chip in and help us get two or three more, there is a good shot at the championship round. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't legitimately think we could win it all."
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- ConQuest Assigned 6-Year AFL Vet - Albany Firebirds
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