Nighthawks Protected Players
April 6, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Omaha Nighthawks News Release
OMAHA, NE - Wednesday, April 6, 2011 - The Omaha Nighthawks 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 Nighthawks aim to have return from the 2010 season roster are running back MAURICE CLARETT, who finished eighth in the UFL in rushing yards in his professional debut; cornerback RICARDO COLCLOUGH, whose 22.9-yard kickoff return average led the league in 2010, and kicker JEFF WOLFERT, who was the most accurate kicker in the UFL last fall (9-for-10 on field goals, 10-for-10 on extra points).
"I feel good that they are the right guys, and guys who made contributions in the past," said Nighthawks Head Coach JOE MOGLIA who exercised his right to protect a maximum of 40 players. "Just the fact that you kind of know each other and the guy who is playing next to you, those things are a plus."
The protected player list can be found at: www.ufl-football.com/omaha-nighthawks/player-roster.
Other key players who have been protected include wide receiver ROBERT FERGUSON, who led all UFL wide receivers with 36 catches and 425 receiving yards in 2010; wide receiver DEVARD DARLING, who was tied for the UFL lead in touchdown catches (three) and running back / return specialist SHAUD WILLIAMS, who finished sixth in the league with 558 all-purpose yards.
Defensive end JAY MOORE (team-high 3 1/2 sacks) is protected along with safeties CLINTON HART (team-high two interceptions) and STUART SCHWEIGERT (45 total tackles); linebacker PATRICK THOMAS (team-high 46 total tackles); and punter JUSTIN BRANTLY, who was tied for second in the circuit in gross punting average (41.4) and second in net average (35.7).
"All of our coaches have looked at our guys on film, and they are in regular contact with things they need to work on," Moglia added.
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 UFL rights each team claims through the Professional Exempt List for players who have signed with other professional leagues.
The Nighthawks went 3-5 in 2010, while selling out all four home games at Rosenblatt Stadium, and set a UFL single-game attendance record with 23,554 fans for a Week 7 game against the eventual champion Las Vegas Locomotives.
United Football League Stories from April 6, 2011
- United Football League Teams Announce 2011 Protected Player Lists - UFL 1
- Mountain Lions Announce Protected Player List for 2011 Season - Sacramento Mountain Lions
- Locomotives Announce Protected List - Las Vegas Locomotives
- Nighthawks Protected Players - Omaha Nighthawks
- Destroyers Protected Players - Virginia Destroyers
- Hartford Colonials Announce Protected Player List - Hartford Colonials
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