Lions Training Camp Report Part One: Defense Set To Re-Group
Published on February 27, 2013 under Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Columbus Lions News Release
COLUMBUS, GA (February 27, 2013) - The wait is almost over as the Columbus Lions of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) begin their second and final week of training camp with the season opener taking place in "The Jungle" on Sunday March 10th vs. the Knoxville Nighthawks.
Having a chance to reflect on a tumultuous 2012 season in which the Lions a number of firsts both being bad and good, the club spent majority of the off-season trying to find ways to improve a defense that finished dead last in the PIFL last season in both pass defense (248 yards allowed/game) and total defense (283 yards allowed/game).
"Had to make a number of tough decisions this past off-season because let's face it, we weren't really good last season defensively," says Columbus Lions Head Coach Jason Gibson. "One was looking in the mirror and examining how our defense is led in both the game and practice."
One of those major changes is the addition of defensive coordinator Josh Resignalo. Resignalo, a former United States Marine Corp combat veteran who served two tours of duty in the Iraq War, brings a ton of indoor football experience having both played and coached at different levels.
"Josh has a take-charge no crap kind of personality," continued Gibson. "That mentality fuels off on the players giving our defense the bit of nasty-ness and physicality it has lacked."
Last season, as many as eleven rookies gained playing time on the defensive side of the ball and while majority of those players won't be returning a select few were re-signed. Including linebacker/defensive lineman Jamontay Pilson (6'3 275, NW Mississippi), DL Melvin Matthews (6'4 285, Grambling), in addition to DB Cortez Stubbs (5'9 185, Concordia) who has recently been signed by the AFL's Jacksonville Sharks.
Another familiar face who will be making his seventh go round with the Lions is local home-bred LB Justen Rivers. "Gameday" Rivers is set to return as the clubs all-time leader in tackles (189) and sacks (28) with his eyes set to return on unfinished business.
"Last season left a bitter taste in my mouth both on and off the field," said Justen Rivers. "Coach Gibson relies on me to be a team-leader and I'm excited about the opportunity to lead the rejuvenated physicality and pain that we are about to bring to the rest of the league."
No off-season is met without a bevy of fresh faces and this season defensively the club has brought in both a mix of rookies and veterans. Some of the batch getting the first taste of training camp include DL Jaermel Walls (6'2 275, Bethune-Cookman), who the other day showed-off his physical prowess the other day by lifting 225 pounds forty times in the weight room, as well as defensive lineman's Ahmard Howard (6'4 240, Texas) and William Hollis (6'1 245, Tuskegee).
Signing with the team this off-season was mob of indoor veterans with majority having some previous experience visiting the un-friendly confines of "The Jungle." DB's Marvin Bohannon (6'0 200, Winston Salem St.) and Anthony Shutt (6'0 190, Florida A&M) made their indoor debut's last season with other clubs in the PIFL respectively playing the Hammers and Nighthawks.
DL Cory Groover (6'3 300, Clemson) will be suiting up for his sixth season of indoor football spending his first three years with the Florence (SC) Phantoms helping guide the club to a league title in 2008. DB Reggie Sullivan (6'2 221, Johnson C. Smith) was originally signed by the NFL's Carolina Panthers in May of 2009 spending bit and pieces on the squad for the past three seasons. Sullivan's travels have previously landed him with the AFL's Dallas Vigilantes and Oklahoma Yard Dawgz followed up with stints with the IFL's Green Bay Blizzard and Sioux Falls Storm.
Back in 2011, DB Jeremy Gray (6'2 185, North Carolina St.), a native of Opelika, AL spent time with the AFL's Kansas City Command and Tulsa Talons while DB LeRoy Vann (5'9 185, Florida A&M) got some playing time just up the road with the AFL's Georgia Force last season.
"Competition is always the greatest equalizer when it comes to judging talent," says Coach Gibson. "We have a great mix of rookies and vets who both want to win as well as get back to high levels of football. As a coach we ask our players everyday are you better than you were yesterday."
The Lions coaching staff will have just one more week to judge and evaluate before they make their final roster cut-down to 27 on March 6th.
The Columbus Lions 2013 season will kick-off on Sunday March 10th when they host the Knoxville Nighthawks for "Military Appreciation Night." To find about how you can obtain special "Drop-Zone Tickets" for the entire season, contact the Lions front office at 706-322-3336 or for other ticket details log on to www.columbuslions.net.
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- Lions Training Camp Report Part One: Defense Set To Re-Group - Columbus Lions
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