Philadelphia Soul open 2005 training camp
December 30, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA â The Philadelphia Soul will open their 2005 training camp on Monday, January 3, at the Tri State Sports Complex in Aston, PA. Soul players will report to the facility for testing on Saturday, January 1, and will open camp with two-day practice sessions on Monday, January 3.
Practice will be open to the media and public beginning Monday, January 3 with 8:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. sessions. Players will be made available to the media 15 minutes prior to each practice and immediately following each session.
For more information on practice schedules and availability, please call 215-636-0421 ext. 176 or 178.
DIRECTIONS TO TRISTATE SPORTS:
63 Concord Road
Aston, PA 19014
From I-95 - South to Exit 3A Route 322 towards West Chester. Exit on to Route 452 North. At the second traffic light, turn right onto Dutton Mill Road. At next light, turn right on Concord Road. Tri-State is one mile on the right. Driving time from South Philadelphia is 15-20 minutes.
SAN JOSE SABERCATS SCRIMMAGE:
The Philadelphia Soul will travel to San Jose to scrimmage the San Jose SaberCats. The Soul will be departing Philadelphia on Monday, January 10 for the scrimmage which will take place on Wednesday, January 13. The Soul will return to Philadelphia on Thursday, January 14 and have a regular practice at Tri State Sports on Friday, January 15. For more information on the San Jose Scrimmage, contact Tim Farrell, 215-636-0421 ext 178.
ROSTER SIZE:
AFL teams are permitted to bring 37 players into camp. Rosters must be cut to 24 by Monday, January 24, 2005.
2005 PREVIEW:
The Philadelphia Soul enter year two of their youthful existence poised to become a powerhouse in the Arena Football League. Fresh off an ultra-successful inaugural season off the field, the Soul look to establish a winning tradition on the turf. The organization took a major step in that direction when it inked prize free-agent quarterback Tony Graziani. His 2004 stats (99 touchdowns to just five interceptions) read like a fantasy football dream while his presence makes for nightmares for Eastern Conference coaches. As ex-Philadelphia Eagle and current Soul President Ron Jaworski symbolically turned the No. 7 jersey over to Graziani in October, the torch was passed. Philadelphia football fans hope their newly acquired star will be the first quarterback to lead his team to the Promised Land since Jaws did so in 1981.
Quarterback
The addition of Graziani is arguably the League's most significant offseason change. The Soul's -19 turnover ration was the League's worst in 2004, and Graziani's gift for taking care of the football is one of his most admirable traits, according to Soul Head Coach Michael Trigg. Philadelphia fans can expect a high-powered offense piloted by the League's best.
Offensive Specialist
Tyronne Jones returns to share receiving and kick returning duties with Steve Smith. This acquisition teams up two of the premier kick returners and offensive weapons in the League and Soul coaches plan to use them in a rotation so that at least one of them is on the field every series and in every kick return situation. Look for Terrill Shaw to make a run at the OS position after his off-season rehab and hopefully return to the form that earned him ArenaBowl XV MVP honors. All three will rotate and have an impact in an arsenal of weapons available to Graziani.
Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Keita Crespina is the only returning player with experience at this position. The Soul also signed Tremaine Neal from New Orleans in the offseason to provide depth and competition, although both players are DBs by trade. Joseph Todd and DeAuntae Brown will team up again to lock down opponents' air attacks. Look for Arkee Thompson, Lamar Campbell, Eddie Moten and Neal to add competition with AFL experience. Chris Brown brings NFL experience and size to the position (defensive specialist) the Soul were most thin at in 2004.
Wide Receiver/Linebacker
Perhaps the brightest surprise to come out of Philadelphia's inaugural season was the play of WR/LB Sean Scott. Selected Soul MVP by his teammates, the 6-foot-2 rookie won over the approval of his hometown fans with a combination of size, strength and speed. The Philadelphia native also contributes mightily on defense and special teams and will be a catalyst on both sides of the ball again this season.
Fullback/Linebacker
Chris "Soul Train" Ryan and Marlion Jackson return from the 2004 squad. In addition, Soul coaches plan to convert Dwayne Sabb from the line to a "swing-man" position that will allow him to play a more flexible role on both offense and defense.
Offensive/Defensive Line
Eric Gohlstin returns to anchor the line with additional depth from Cory Stone in Free Agency. Winfield Garnett and Cyron Brown will be leaned upon to anchor the trenches as premier two-way stars that can rush and pass protect. Donovan Arp and Dwayne Missouri lend athleticism and experienced speed pass rushing off the corners. This group of returning veterans from the Soul was the team's brightest spot in the tail end of last season as their collective play is a cause for optimism of what can be accomplished around Graziani.
Kicker
J. R. Jenkins and Derek Schorejs will battle for the kicking job in an area the Soul will specifically look to improve over last year's performance, particularly in the areas of scoring, PAT percentages, and kickoff consistency. Trigg emphasizes the importance in having a kickoff guy with the ability to put the ball over the net, forcing the opponent to start at its own 5-yard line.
Coaching Staff
The entire Soul coach staff remains in tact from the 2004 season in an effort to create a familiar and consistent environment for the team heading into its sophomore year. Trigg enters his 17th year of Arena Football and has won three ArenaBowl rings, most recently as head coach of the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2001. Director of Player Personnel Robert Smith combines playing experience at the NFL, Arena and USFL levels as one of the top talent evaluators in the League. Former Philadelphia Eagle James Fuller returns as Defensive Coordinator while Penn grad John Zinser will be back as Offensive Coordinator.
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Season tickets for the Philadelphia Soul's 2005 season are on sale now. For more information on season tickets call 1-888-PHIL-AFL or visit www.philadelphiasoul.com. The Soul led the Arena Football League in attendance averaging over 16,866 fans per home game, including six sellouts.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from December 30, 2004
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- Philadelphia Soul open 2005 training camp - Philadelphia Soul
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