Lions land former Auburn guard Crittenden
February 19, 2007 - World Indoor Football League 2 (WIFL 2)
Columbus Lions News Release
COLUMBUS, GA, February 19 -- A big man with a big track record filled a big hole today for the Columbus Lions, as 6'4", 358-pound Monreko Crittenden signed with the team exactly one week before its World Indoor Football League debut against the Daytona Beach Thunder.
Crittenden, who played in 50 career college games and started all 37 games for the Auburn University Tigers in 2001-03, restores the "Half-Ton Offensive Line" vacated briefly by the Arena Football League Los Angeles Avengers' signing of Branden Hall last week. Along with center Troy Bennett and guard Steve Davis, the talented blocking line that Head Coach Jason Gibson feels is the WIFL's best is back to protect quarterbacks Andrew McKay and Chinedu Okoro.
"Monreko is going to help greatly with our offensive line situation, and the numbers recently so thin," said Gibson. "He looks like he's right near his playing weight, looked real good in practice today and is a solid addition to our line and team as a whole." Crittenden blocked at Auburn for sensational runners Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (now of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Ronnie Brown (now of the Miami Dolphins).
Crittenden, who turns 27 in March, is a Montgomery, Alabama native who spent the better part of two seasons with the NFL Baltimore Ravens practice squad. He was on the 2007 roster of his hometown Montgomery Bears of the American Indoor Football Association when the Lions offered him a contract.
FINAL CUTS: Gibson, defensive coordinator Norbert Sullivan, line coach Fred Williams and special teams coach David Daniels huddled for some difficult decisions Sunday to get the roster down to 25, including the allowed five-man practice squad. Released were quarterback Davon Brown, wide receivers Chris Porch and Mark Lewis, defensive lineman DeAngelo Zeigler and defensive back Jason McBeath.
The late-development signing of Crittenden put the Lions back at 26 players, and Gibson will announce the final roster tomorrow or Wednesday. He does have an injury-reserve list of up to five players available.
RADIO SHOW BEGINS: Fans are invited to join linebacker Mahlon Carey and running back Eugene Goodman, guests on the very first "Lions Football with Coach Gibson" show on ESPN Radio 1580-AM, Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., broadcast live from Joe D's Que at 5408 Summerville Rd. in Phenix City. Mike Vee, veteran local sports talk-show host and Lions play-by-play announcer, will head up the weekly program. The Lions take an off-day before three hard final scrimmages leading up to the road opener next Monday, so other players, owners and staff will be on hand. It's a great opportunity to get to know the Lions, and Joe Rast, owner of Joe D's Que (and formerly, Hickory House Bar-B-Q) is a longtime supporter of indoor football in Columbus.
VERSATILE GILYARD IS A LIONS KEEPER: He may be soft-spoken, and not terribly physically imposing, but you won't find a player that commands more respect from Columbus Lions coach Jason Gibson.
Roshard Gilyard, another ex-Auburn star (Brandon Williams makes three on the Lions) is a top-flight defensive back and linebacker, who helped get Gibson's Chattahoochee Valley Vipers, last year's AIFL team in Columbus, make the playoffs by also producing big plays at running back and wide receiver.
"I like safety best, giving the punishment rather than receiving it," said a smiling Gilyard. "But to me, what it's all about is helping at any position and giving 110 percent so my team has an edge. I'll play all over the place for a win. Moving around is second nature to me, and switching to offense is as easy as walking."
The Jacksonville, Florida native was heavily recruited after making All-State and being ranked in the Top Ten high school safeties in the nation. Gilyard chose Auburn over Miami, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Syracuse, because he says "It felt like home when I visited Auburn." He cited a play that made ESPN's "Plays of the Week" as jump-starting his career, a huge hit as a freshman against Wyoming that was his most memorable in college.
Gilyard's father, who he calls "my biggest fan," is a commercial truck driver who made all but one of Roshard's college games. His mother, however, is skittish about his chances of injury and seldom watches him play. The past two years, Gilyard, who went undrafted, accepted arena football as his best route to the NFL, and worked out with AFL teams in Tampa Bay and Orlando, and the af2 Birmingham Steeldogs.
Of being reunited with Monreko Crittenden, Gilyard said "It's like old times, like a reunion. I was with Monreko since our freshman year. I can't wait for the season to start. It's not the NFL, but God had a different plan for me, and I plan to take it and go with it. I've got a definite feeling good things will happen."
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