Sports stats



Coyotes acquire NFL veteran Latario Rachal

December 6, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Central Valley Coyotes News Release


FRESNO – Latario Rachal, a wide receiver with two years of National Football League experience, was assigned to the Central Valley Coyotes, head coach Fred Biletnikoff Jr. announced today.

Rachal (5-11, 183 pounds) played last season in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders. While in Calgary, Rachal caught 11 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown. He also had eight kickoff returns for 155 yards.

Virtually unheard of when signed by the San Diego Chargers in 1997 as a rookie free agent that was allocated to the Amsterdam Admirals of the World League, Rachal made the Charger's final roster by his outstanding special teams play as returner and cover man. In his first NFL preseason game, he returned a 77 yard punt for a touchdown.

In his rookie year, Rachal ranked third on the team with 15 kickoff returns for 336 yards in 14 games. He also led the Chargers in special teams tackles with 14 despite missing two games with a broken bone in his right forearm. Rachal's speed gave him the opportunity to showcase his talents on punt returns in his second season in San Diego. In addition to 11 kickoff returns for 192 yards, Rachal returned 32 punts for 387 yards in 11 games.

In 2001, the wide receiver was picked 161st in the XFL draft by the Los Angeles Xtreme. Rachel's 24 catches for 254 yards and 11 kick returns for 251 yards helped the Xtreme earn a championship in the league's lone season.

Starting in all 13 games in his senior year at Fresno State, Rachal was given the team's "Most Outstanding Special Teams Player" award. In his first game as a Bulldog, Rachal caught a 35 yard touchdown and returned a punt for 60 yards.

The wide receiver was a JC Grid-Wire All-American selection at El Camino College (Torrance, Calif.) in 1992. In his two years, he caught 91 passes for 1,763 yards and 14 touchdowns while returning six kickoffs for scores.

Rachal was born on January 31, 1973, in Lynwood, Calif. His brother, Traco, was af2 "ADT Defensive Player of the Year" while playing defensive specialist for the Ladero Law last season and was recently signed by the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League.

The Coyotes will kick off their 2005 af2 season on the road in Bakersfield on April 2. Their first home game will be on April 23 at 7:30 p.m. against the Arkansas Twisters. Fifty dollar deposits for 2005 Coyote season tickets, which include eight games played at Selland Arena, are now being accepted at 559-498-1182.

• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...

arenafootball2 Stories from December 6, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Central Valley Coyotes Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central