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Mountain Lions Announce Protected Player List for 2011 Season

April 6, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Sacramento Mountain Lions News Release


Sacramento, CA - Wednesday, April 6, 2011 - The Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League have announced the team's 40-man protected player list for the 2011 season.

Heading the list of players the Mountain Lions aim to have return for the 2011 season are quarterback DAUNTE CULPEPPER, running back CORY ROSS and linebackers ZEKE MORENO, DONTARRIOUS THOMAS and MICHAEL TAUILIILI.

"It's an honor to be among the chosen group," said Ross, the UFL's Offensive Player of the Year for the 2010 season. "I am pleased that my hard work on the field has been well appreciated by such a great group of coaches. Go Molo!!"

Also among the 40 players on the attached list is local product JOHN FALETOESE (Jesuit, UC Davis) and running back JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, the son of Academy Award-winning DENZEL WASHINGTON. Denzel was on the sidelines for all four Mountain Lions home games a year ago and he also roamed the sidelines for the season opener in Hartford, Conn.

"Our Sacramento Mountain Lions coaching staff feels great about this returning group of experienced UFL players," Mountain Lions head coach DENNIS GREEN said. "In fact 19 of this group of 40 players have played in the two years (that the UFL has existed). These types of experienced and productive players will bring excitement and wins to our great Sacramento Mountain Lion fans."

The protected player list can be found at: www.ufl-football.com/sacramento-mountain-lions/player-roster. It is also attached to this press release.

Culpepper started all eight games last season for the Mountain Lions. He led the UFL in completions (183), attempts (300), passing yards (1,944) and completion percentage (61 percent) while tying for the lead in touchdown passes (10). Culpepper, 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, also rushed for two touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, having his best seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (1999-2005). He also played for the Miami Dolphins (2006), Oakland Raiders (2007) and Detroit Lions (2008-09). His best statistical season came in 2004 with the Vikings when he threw for 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns with a passer rating of 110.9.

Ross led the UFL in receptions and receiving yards and was second in rushing yards in 2010. Ross, who was a star at the University of Nebraska, played in all eight games for the Mountain Lions in 2010, recording a UFL-high 443 yards and a touchdown on his 56 catches and 435 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 121 carries. His 878 yards from scrimmage set a new UFL single-season record.

The 5-foot-6, 200-pound Ross was the UFL's leading rusher in 2009, gaining 462 yards and scoring four touchdowns on 117 carries during the six-game season. He spent two seasons (2006-07) with the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL.

Moreno (second on the team), Tauiliili (third) and Thomas (fourth) were among the Mountain Lions leading tacklers last season. The top tackler from 2010, defensive back ANDREW SENDEJO, finished the season on the active roster of the Dallas Cowboys.

Moreno played for the San Diego Chargers (2001-04) and the Philadelphia Eagles (2005) in the NFL after being a first-round draft pick out of USC in 2001. Thomas was a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2004 and he played with them through 2008. He also spent time in the off-season with the San Francisco 49ers (2009) and the San Diego Chargers (2010). Tauiliili (Tao-E-Lee-E-Lee) signed with the Indianapolis Colts in May 2009 as an undrafted free agent. He changed his last name from Brown to Tauiliili in 2006 to honor his Samoan heritage.

Washington scored two touchdowns last season, one on the ground and one through the air, while playing as a back up to Ross. He was a star at Morehouse College in college and spent two years on the St. Louis Rams practice squad (2006-07). He played in NFL Europe in 2007 and joined the UFL in 2009 with the California Redwoods. The Redwoods became the Mountain Lions in 2010.

Faletoese, a defensive lineman, entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Buffalo Bills in 2009 and has also spent time in the Denver Broncos organization. He joined the Mountain Lions in 2010.

Each UFL team will begin the process of re-signing the players on their protected list as they build their roster for the 2011 UFL season. Added at a later date will be those selected in the forthcoming 2011 UFL Draft and players whose rights each team claims through the Professional Exempt List for players who have signed with other professional leagues.

The Mountain Lions went 4-4 in 2010, averaging about 18,250 fans per game at Hornet Stadium. The UFL season will begin in August.

Ticket information will be available soon at www.sacmountainlions.com. Fans can also visit www.buyUFL.com for merchandise.

2011 Sacramento Mountain Lions Protected Player List

First Name Surname Pos Ht Wt DoB College

STEVE BAYLARK RB 6 ‚¬â„¢0 206 7/28/83 MASSACHUSETTS

MARTIN BIBLA OG 6 ‚¬â„¢3 306 10/4/79 MIAMI

ROBERT BOURNE DB 6 ‚¬â„¢1 208 1/27/84 COLORADO STATE

KAI BROWN LB 6 ‚¬â„¢3 240 2/12/86 BROWN

MAURICE CRUM LB 6 ‚¬â„¢0 230 5/28/86 NOTRE DAME

DAUNTE CULPEPPER QB 6 ‚¬â„¢4 260 1/28/77 CENTRAL FLORIDA

JOHN FALETOESE DT 6 ‚¬â„¢2 286 7/5/86 UC-DAVIS

JAYSON FOSTER WR 5 ‚¬â„¢7 175 7/22/85 GEORGIA SOUTHERN

LENDY HOLMES DB 6 ‚¬â„¢1 201 10/26/85 OKLAHOMA

DENNIS KEYES S 6 ‚¬â„¢2 199 3/26/85 UCLA

AARON KING LS 6 ‚¬â„¢1 245 1/30/85 TEXAS-EL PASO

PRINCE KWATENG LB 6 ‚¬â„¢2 230 11/19/86 NORTHWESTERN

NATE LAWRIE TE 6 ‚¬â„¢6 255 10/7/81 YALE

MATT LENTZ OL 6 ‚¬â„¢6 320 11/19/82 MICHIGAN

JOSH LEONARD DL 6 ‚¬â„¢3 292 7/22/87 HAWAII

SAM LIGHTBODY OL 6 ‚¬â„¢9 325 8/22/81 WASHINGTON STATE

TYLER LUELLEN OT 6 ‚¬â„¢6 300 6/25/84 MISSOURI

MIKE MABRY C 6 ‚¬â„¢1 302 4/26/80 CENTRAL FLORIDA

TOM MALONE P 6 ‚¬â„¢0 205 3/29/84 USC

TERRELLE MAZE CB 5 ‚¬â„¢10 172 3/14/84 SAN DIEGO STATE

MARCUS MAXWELL WR 6 ‚¬â„¢3 210 7/8/83 OREGON

MARCUS MCCAULEY DB 6 ‚¬â„¢1 203 9/3/83 FRESNO STATE

ERIC MONCUR DL 6 ‚¬â„¢2 250 11/28/84 MIAMI (FL)

ZEKE MORENO LB 6 ‚¬â„¢2 246 10/8/78 USC

KEVIN MYERS OL 6'7 318 6/20/85 NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS

EDDY NEWTON WR 6'2 210 10/2/87 BAYLOR

LIAM O ‚¬â„¢HAGAN QB 6 ‚¬â„¢2 206 8/5/85 HARVARD

RONNIE PALMER LB 6 ‚¬â„¢3 245 3/29/86 ARIZONA

JASON PARKER DE 6 ‚¬â„¢3 265 1/23/85 ARIZONA

RONNIE PRUDE DB 5 ‚¬â„¢11 180 6/4/82 LSU

CORY ROSS RB 5 ‚¬â„¢6 201 9/22/82 NEBRASKA

JOSH SAVAGE DE 6 ‚¬â„¢4 275 9/28/80 UTAH

CLINTON SNYDER LB 6 ‚¬â„¢4 240 4/18/87 STANFORD

MATT SPANOS OL 6 ‚¬â„¢5 305 12/31/84 USC

JASON STEWART NT 6 ‚¬â„¢1 320 11/14/80 FRESNO STATE

DARRELL STRONG TE 6 ‚¬â„¢5 265 5/21/86 PITTSBURGH

MICHAEL TAUILIILI LB 5 ‚¬â„¢11 235 10/29/86 DUKE

DONTARRIOUS THOMAS LB 6 ‚¬â„¢2 240 9/2/82 AUBURN

JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON RB 5 ‚¬â„¢9 208 4/28/84 MOREHOUSE

AARON WOODS WR 5 ‚¬â„¢6 180 8/5/86 PORTLAND STATE



United Football League Stories from April 6, 2011


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.

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