Player development part of SaberCats' success
June 25, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (June 25, 2004) - When San Jose first jumped into the Arena Football League in 1995, it was decided by the "powers to be" that the SaberCats would develop many of their own players instead of picking up veteran players from other teams. This philosophy has proven extremely successful over the years as the franchise has now maintained a combination of talented free agents along with players willing to play a lesser role until they learn the nuances of the indoor game.
"We really didn't go the way other organizations had gone and take people that had been re-run (played before) in the game," said general manager Terry Malley, who also serves as the SaberCats' offensive coordinator. "And, we've tried to develop our own players in the game."
At the present time, San Jose has nine players on its roster that have been developed either through the practice squad or brought along slowly until reaching a maturity level the coaching staff feels comfortable with. Included on list are fullback-linebacker Kevin Buck, receiver-defensive back Rashied Davis, fullback-linebacker Keala Keanaaina and lineman Dan Loney, all of whom were on the team's practice squad at one time.
Others currently rostered, who the SaberCats took initiative to ring along slowly, are fullback-linebacker Brian Johnson, defensive specialists Omarr Smith and Clevan Thomas, fullback-linebacker Matt Kinsinger and lineman Devin Wyman.
"I would say we have tried to combine the younger player with the veteran to make the transition for the non-experienced player easier," said Malley. "The pro mentality sometimes is that if the guy can't play right away, you move him on and get to the next guy. You've got to make a judgement; if the guy can't play today - and we work with him, somewhere down the road he will have a chance to be a successful player."
Malley explains that mostly all the SaberCat coaches have college backgrounds. "This college experience in invaluable," he said. "In college, if the guy can't play and you can't get anybody else, you have to make them play. We would like to be good teachers (of the game) and I think the people we have stuck with ave become good players."
He cites Smith and Davis as prime examples of the system. "Omarr was a support player for a good period of time and them became a dominating player," he said. "Rashied was in the same situation and our fullbacks have come through that process.
"I think we have done a nice job of saying the guy (player) isn't there yet, but he's our fourth guy at that position and if we can hold on to him, he'll be worth while with a little bit of experience," Malley said. "That's been the positive part of the program ¬Â¦because again, a good coach should be a great teacher and it is something you would like to see. I think our coaches are great teachers."
Some other active players who have moved on from the San Jose team, after the SaberCats developed them into an AFL commodity, are quarterback John Dutton (Colorado), defensive specialist Gana Joseph (New Orleans), receiver-defensive back Hamin Milligan (Chicago), defensive specialist Terrence Joseph (New York), quarterback Kevin Daft (Indiana), lineman Cedric Pittman (Las Vegas) and receiver-defensive back Travis Seaton (Philadelphia).
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 25, 2004
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