Predators Place Gruden on IR
February 25, 2003 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Orlando Predators News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 25) -- As expected, the Orlando Predators placed quarterback Jay Gruden on the Arena Football League's injured reserve list on Tuesday. The move clears the way for the Predators to place another quarterback on the team's 24-man roster.
Under league rules, Gruden will not be eligible to come off the disabled list until the Predators play Tampa Bay on March 16. But Gruden, who suffered a severe ankle injury last Friday against Carolina, is not expected to return well past that date and is could miss 4-8 weeks.
The loss of Gruden moves veteran quarterback Connell Maynor into the starting line-up. Arena Football League teams dress two active quarterbacks and an emergency quarterback for each game. The promotion of Maynor means that emergency quarterback Chris Wallace will likely move to second string.
On Tuesday, the Predators signed former Central Florida starter Vic Penn to its practice squad. Penn played two seasons (1999-2000) at UCF, completing 329 of 571 passes for 3,857 yards, 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
He had an outstanding junior season in 1999, earning Team MVP honors with 3,078 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. That total was third highest in school history. His top game came against the University of Florida, when he completed 34 of 55 attempts for 379 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for four touchdowns, including a 122-yard day (11 attempts) with one rushing TD against Middle Tennessee.
Penn started the first four games of his senior season in 2000, throwing for 779 yards and five touchdowns. He was sidelined with a shoulder injury in the fourth game of the season and did not see action again until the final game of the season.
He played professionally for Cape Fear and Tallahassee of the "arenafootball2" league last season. Penn will most likely dress as the Predators "emergency quarterback" against New York this Sunday. The Predators (4-0) are the only undefeated team remaining in the Arena Football League. Sunday's match-up with the Dragons (0-4) is one of four NBC regional broadcasts this week. The game can be seen locally on WESH Channel 2.
Arena Football League Stories from February 25, 2003
- Rattlers Game Notes - Arizona Rattlers
- Lexington Horsemen sign eight more players - Kentucky Horsemen
- Orlando Predators Game Notes - Orlando Predators
- Predators Place Gruden on IR - Orlando Predators
- Bonner and Cooper Earn AFL Week Four Honors - Arizona Rattlers
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