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April 24, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Mohegan Wolves News Release


NEW LONDON, C.T. (April 24th, 2002)- The expansion Mohegan Wolves are currently sitting in second place of the Atlantic Division with a 2-1 record. Their success is due in large part to the play of twin brothers Brandon and Brent Burnside. The Burnsides are entering their third season of af2 play, and it is shaping up to be their best.

The twins have been "attached" at virtually every stop. Both attended Missouri Western College, both played for the Tulsa Talons (af2), both moved up to the Houston Thunderbears (AFL), and both made the trip from Kansas to Connecticut to play for the first year af2 franchise. Brent and Brandon are the top two receivers on this year's squad and serve as the cornerstone of the receiving corps.

Offensive Specialist Brandon Burnside has put up huge numbers despite playing the last game and a half with a variety of injuries. Brandon is currently ranked 3rd in the af2 in all-purpose yards with an average of 197 yards a game. He is also in the top ten in Kickoff return average and Missed field goal return average. Returning kicks is where Brandon excels the most. He was a two time all conference kick returner at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph's, Missouri. He took those skills and honed them in the first season of arenafootball2 with the Tulsa Talons. Brandon was the 3rd leading receiver in the af2 in 2000 with 120 receptions for 1721 yards and 33 touchdowns. He was also ranked 3rd in scoring and receiving yardage in 2000 as well as 9th in all-purpose yards with an average of 120.9 yards per game that season. His play earned him a trip to Houston and a spot on the AFL's Thunderbears roster. Brandon saw limited time with Houston and returned to Tulsa for the final three games of the 2001 season. With the AFL contracting 4 teams including Houston, the chance to move up again wasn't in the cards for Brandon, so he opted for one more year of af2, and better shot at moving up next year.

Brent's past closely shadows that of his brother. While attending Missouri Western State he was a 1st team all Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association defensive back and led all NCAA Division II players with 8 interceptions in 1999. He also played for the Talons in 2000 and while his numbers didn't garner the league wide attention that Brandon's did, Brent may have had a more complete season. In 2000 he recorded 2 rushing touchdowns, 11 receiving touchdowns and 1 interception return for a touchdown. He also added 54 receptions for 623 yards, 45 tackles and 6 interceptions. His 45 tackles ranked Brent among the top 30 tacklers in the league that year and also had him on the fast track to the AFL. Brent faced the same adversity with Houston that his sidekick did and also returned to Tulsa at the end of the 2001 season. The opportunity for a change of scenery landed the Burnside brothers in southeastern Connecticut.

Head Coach Gary Porter commented on the Burnside twins:

"We are extremely fortunate to have Brent and Brandon. They are unbelievable athletes that bring a wealth of arena football knowledge to our ball club. It's a crime that two players of this caliber are still playing at this level, but a lot of guys were put in this situation with the AFL losing those 4 teams. If there are two players who deserve a chance to move up its Brent and Brandon, they've earned it. If they play the way they are capable of playing they'll be back in the AFL next season."

The Wolves face the New Haven Ninjas this Saturday night in the first of three intrastate rivalry games. The Wolves will return home May 10th to welcome the 1st place Albany Conquest (3-0) back to the marvelous Mohegan Sun Arena. Tickets can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office or by visiting www.tickets.com. For ticket information call (860) 862-8000.

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