Georgia Force sign top free agents on first day

Published on October 1, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


FLOWERY BRANCH, GA, October 1, 2004 – On the first day of the Arena Football League's free agency signing period, the Georgia Force claimed eight of the league's most coveted free agents. Head coach Doug Plank announced today the signings of quarterback Jim Kubiak, offensive/defensive lineman Jermaine Smith, defensive specialist Ricky Parker, wide receiver/defensive back Luke Leverson, defensive specialist Fred Vinson, offensive/defensive lineman Kevin Aldridge, offensive specialist Troy Bergeron and defensive specialist Rob Carey. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

"Today marks another valuable step in the process of assembling this team," explained director of football operations Nick Polk. "We have been working hard the last couple of months to identify the players we wanted to build a championship team in Georgia. Given the talent, leadership and proven successes of these players, we believe we have attracted a nucleus of players upon which we can build our foundation."

Polk added, "We will continue to evaluate and sign players throughout free agency. Over the next several weeks, we will be reviewing those players in the league's dispersal draft in addition to holding our own open player tryouts to attract the best players."

"As a coach, the thing that excites me is the quality of players we have been able to attract and add to this team," said head coach Doug Plank. "The five AFL veterans signed today (Kubiak, Smith, Parker, Leverson and Vinson) each are being reunited with a coach on our staff they have worked with before. Those relationships will help in building of our team chemistry."

"As important of a day as this is for our organization, it means just as much to our fans," said Force president Dick Sullivan. "We said that we were going to be taking an aggressive approach to free agency, while continuing to build on the excitement and momentum the Georgia Force has created over the past several months. With the addition of these players today, I believe we are building a team our fans can truly be proud of."

KUBIAK (6-2, 218, Navy) re-joins his former coach, Force offensive coordinator Steve Thonn, and an offensive system that helped him put together one of the best seasons in AFL history placing him among the top quarterbacks in the league. During the 2003 season as a member of the Dallas Desperados, Kubiak established a new AFL single season record for passing yards with 4,762. He continued to etch his name in the league record books with a 69.7 completion percentage (2nd highest in league history), 388 completions (2nd best in league history), 557 attempts (7th best in league history), 97 touchdowns (4th best in league history) and a 122.6 passer rating (11th highest in league history). All of his passing numbers established new career-highs, as well as Dallas franchise records. For his efforts, Kubiak was named Second Team All-Arena.

Last year with the Detroit Fury, Kubiak was out of football following surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck. A four-year letterman and three-year starter at the United States Naval Academy, Kubiak set 22 school records and graduated as the school's all-time leader in passing yards and pass completions. Among his other pro experience, he has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. Kubiak also played in NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals and the Barcelona Dragons.

SMITH (6-3, 290, Georgia) returns to the Force where he played the first two seasons of his career in 2002 and 2003. One of the premiere lineman in the AFL, Smith garnered Second Team All-Arena honors last season with the Orlando Predators and posted a career single season high 7 sacks. Smith remains the Force's all-time career sacks leader with 9 and stands tied for fourth on the Force career games played list with 29.

As an AFL rookie in 2002, he earned All-AFL rookie honors with 16 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three blocked kicks. The following season, he was named to the First Team All-Arena team, recording 23 tackles, 5.5 sacks and one interception.

Smith starred in the XFL for the Las Vegas Outlaws in 2001 and also played four years in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, where he was a fourth round draft pick in 1997.

He started two seasons at the University of Georgia, after playing two years at Georgia Military College. A first-team All-SEC selection as a senior, Smith finished his career at Georgia with 111 tackles, 3.5 quarterback sacks, 14 tackles-for-loss and four fumble recoveries in two years. A native of Augusta, Georgia, he was an all-area honorable mention selection in football at Laney High School.

PARKER (6-1, 190, San Diego State) is a five-year AFL veteran who has helped the Arizona Rattlers reach three consecutive ArenaBowl appearances from 2002-2004. Parker finished second on the team in tackles despite playing in only nine games last season. For his career, he has 174.5 tackles, 7 interceptions, 53 pass break-ups, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. On offense, Parker has added 10 receptions for 138 yards and 4touchdowns over his career.

A three-year starter at San Diego State, he led the nation in interception return yards during the 1996 season.

LEVERSON (5-11, 185, Minnesota) is a four year veteran who played with the New Orleans VooDoo in 2004. During his career, Leverson has had 83 catches for 1,092 yards and 16 touchdowns, while posting 58 tackles, 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense.

He began his Arena Football career with the New England Sea Wolves in 2000. After a stint in the XFL, he signed with Toronto as a free agent in 2001 and spent two seasons with the Phantoms. Leverson then played the 2003 season with the Dallas Desperados.

VINSON (5-11, 180, Vanderbilt) will enter his second season in the AFL with the Force coming over from the Carolina Cobras. On the season in 2004, he recorded 20 tackles and 3 pass break-ups, while appearing in four games.

A former sound round selection by the Green Bay Packer in the 1999 NFL Draft, he played in all 16 games as a rookie contributing in Green Bay's ‘dime' defense and on special teams. Vinson was later traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Ahman Green in April 2000. He was a two-year starter and four-year letter winner at Vanderbilt finishing his colligate career with 162 tackles, 4 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries and 22 passes defended.

ALDRIDGE (6-1, 285, Southern Methodist), a rookie for the Dallas Desperados this past AFL season, just recently went to training camp in 2004 with the St. Louis Rams as a defensive end. Aldridge played in nine games with the Desperados before being injured forcing him to miss the final six games of the year. He finished the season with 17.5 tackles, two pass break-ups, a sack and an interception on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, he finished second on the team with 51 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries and catching three passes for 22 yards.

Aldridge spent the 2002 season with the Tennessee Titans on the practice squad and was allocated by the team to NFL Europe, playing for the Barcelona Dragons. The Jacksonville, Tex., native was an All-WAC defensive lineman at SMU.

CAREY (5-10, 175, Lock Haven (Pa.) will be entering his first season in the AFL, but is no stranger to the arena football game. Joining the Manchester Wolves of af2 midway through the team's season, he finished the year second on the team in tackles with 59, tied for the team lead with 11 pass break-ups and recorded 4 interceptions in eight games. Carey also won the af2 ADT Defensive Player of the Week honor following his Week 16 performance against Cape Fear, where is 10.5 tackles and two interceptions.

As a collegian, Carey was a four-year starter for Lock Haven University (Pa.) at defensive back, recording 278 career tackles, 11 interceptions and 30 pass breakups. The North Braddock, PA native was a four-time member of the All-PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) West First Team as a defensive back. He was also a three-time All-PSAC West honoree as a return specialist.

BERGERON (6-2, 180, Middle Tennessee State) recently concluded his first season in af2 with the Columbus Wardogs and in a short amount of time quickly became one of the most exciting players in the league with his blazing speed and spectacular catches. The youngest player ever in af2, the 20-year-old Bergeron caught 77 passes for 1,220 yards and 26 touchdowns despite not playing in the team's first four games, and then only participating in a few plays in the next two games.

Only the third Wardog player to reach 1,000 yards receiving, the former Middle Tennessee State standout set a Wardog single game record with 212 receiving yards against Macon. Three weeks later, he had another record-breaking performance and set three single game team records with 14 catches for 216 yards and six touchdowns against Louisville. Bergeron added a 56-yard kickoff return for a score to account for seven of the team's nine touchdowns in that game. His kick return average of 25.8 yards was fourth best in af2. Bergeron was twice named the league's Offensive Player of the Week.

The Georgia Force begin a new chapter in their team history when they kick off their fourth season in the Arena Football League in late January 2005. This past August, the AFL's board of directors voted to approve Arthur M. Blank, owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, as the new owner of the Georgia Force. Along with the ownership change, the Force announced they will be led on the field by new head coach Doug Plank and will be returning to downtown Atlanta to play their home games at Philips Arena. For more information, visit www.georgiaforce.com.

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