Morays training camp week two wrap-up
March 14, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Miami Morays News Release
New Faces: Several new faces made their way into Morays camp this week. Receiver Jack Walker Jr. is a graduate of Kent State and made his pro debut with the Toronto Argonauts. In addition to playing in the CFL, Walker has extensive indoor football experience, playing with the Carolina Cobras, New York Dragons, and Iowa Barnstormers.
Coming out for a linemen position is former FAMU Rattler Tyronn Johnson. After graduating from FAMU, Johnson was a member of the San Francisco 49ers and played in two pre-season games in 2000. Since that time, Johnson got extensive experience playing in the af2. He spent a season with the Tallahassee Thunder in 2002, a season with the Florida Firecats in 2003, and last season played for the Columbus Wardogs at the defensive and offensive line.
Intense Scrimmage: The Morays held their final scrimmage Saturday afternoon at Gibson Park, pitting the Morays offense against the defense. Running back Ben Labelle scored two touchdowns, a 3-yard plunge and a bruising 15-yard run that had Labelle shrug off several tackles as he made his was to the end-zone.
Quarterbacks Derrick Vickers and Travis Wilson each threw touchdown passes on the next two offensive scoring drives. Vickers capped off the offense's first drive when he hit receiver Jack Walker in the back of the end-zone with a 12-yard strike. Vickers went 4-7 in passing on the scoring drive.
Travis Wilson scored on his second possession, throwing a 30-yard strike to a wide-open OJ Farlow, who stepped into the end-zone for the score. Wilson completed two of four passes, and had two runs for a total of 26 yards in that drive.
Defensive linemen Lashawn Pugh, Arpedge Rolle, and Rob Akindle each registered a sack, and defensive backs Antwon Robinson and Roosevelt Williams had three and four tackles respectively. One defensive highlight was a massive hit on running back Matt Bernardo by linebacker Jimmy Williams that left both players temporarily woozy.
Starting QB: Coach Wells has been happy with the progress at the quarterback position, but realizes that the quarterbacks still have some work to do when it comes to feeling completely comfortable with the timing of the offense and the chemistry with the receivers. After the scrimmage on Saturday, Wells named Derrick Vickers as the starting quarterback for the first game against New Jersey on the 19th.
Big Runners: Leroy McFadden broke off a stellar run during full-team drills on Thursday, shedding tacklers and juking out defensive backs as he rumbled down the field. Wells already knows what Labelle and McFadden are capable of, so Matt Bernardo got extra reps in camp as Coach Wells evaluated his play further.
Sure Hands: The top receiver spots have already been locked up, but with the addition of newcomer Jack Walker Jr., The Morays possess another option through the air. Walker brings a veteran presence to the Morays, and Coach Wells has been working quickly to get Walker integrated into the offense.
Presence Felt: Former University of Miami offensive lineman Alan Symonette came into camp last week and made his presence felt right away. Symonette brought with him experience from several different football leagues and still possesses solid strength to handle the Morays defensive line in drills.
No Worries: The Morays defensive line at times has been so strong that one could think it might be difficult to evaluate the offense, but Coach Wells knew that his offense would come around and show what they are made of as well.
"It is kind of like the little brother syndrome. They get beat up on for some time, but they eventually grow up and begin to fight back stronger."
It was during the team drills on Friday that the offense finally started to click, making several big plays as they advanced the ball down the field on several different drives.
Cohesive Unit: Defensive squad cohesion always comes quicker in training camp, and the Morays defense is no exception. Coach Ray Isaac has been pleased with the intensity shown by his squad, especially after stymieing the Morays offensive efforts with big defensive stops. When the yelling begins and the defense runs to the huddle, somewhere nearby is a frustrated offensive player.
"Mentality of Violence": Despite some league's efforts to keep their image squeaky clean, football is a violent and physical sport. Ignoring the call for calm and understanding, the Morays defensive line took it upon themselves to enact Isaac's "Mentality of Violence" during drills and scrimmages by closing quickly on the ball and delivering some big hits.
Steady, Steady, Steady: With no changes from the first week, the Morays linebacker squad remained steadily strong through the second week. Mike Ziccardi, Jimmy Williams, and Lernard Mack are all making big plays, and Isaac pointed out William's physical presence during drills.
Pick a Scheme: Like the linebackers, the defensive backs also remained steady with their play this week. Earning recognition for their continued strong play from Isaac were two veterans of the indoor leagues, Antwon Robinson and Vic White. Another factor is that the defensive backfield has been equally strong at playing both zone and man coverage in all situations.
3 Square Meals: The only hunger for two weeks was the player's hunger for a roster spot, thanks to Chef John Townson of the Southern Experience Mobile Kitchen. The Morays were fed three square meals a day throughout training camp, feasting on great dishes such as meatloaf, smothered chicken, Turkey Tetrazzini, fresh salads, and fresh baked desserts.
Moving on: Given their release during the second week of training camp were the following players. LB Andre McNeal, WR Cainon Lamb, OL Terrence Gattling, OL James Davis, and OL Reuben Bain.
This Week: The Morays head into their first week as a team. Practice sessions this week are closed to the general public. The Morays will travel on Friday to New Jersey for their first game on Saturday, March 19th.
The Miami Morays will play in the National Indoor Football League, entering its fifth season with 21 teams located across the United States. The NIFL provides players with an opportunity to develop their skills and continue their careers in professional football.
The Miami Morays kick off a 14 game schedule in March with seven home games at the Miami Arena. For additional information about the Miami Morays, please call Mark Fischel at 305-374-8950 X309 or visit us at www.miamimoraysfootball.com.
National Indoor Football League Stories from March 14, 2005
- Coach makes the cuts - Louisiana Swashbucklers
- Morays training camp week two wrap-up - Miami Morays
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.
