Roster Construction Underway

January 27, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Bakersfield Blitz News Release


Bakersfield, Calif. – The Bakersfield Blitz began to piece together their 2005 af2 roster today when three players were assigned by the league office. WR Bryant Richardson, QB Jo'rade Jackson and FB/LB Anthony Suggs became the first official member of the defending West Division Champions squad.

Richardson, 22, comes to the Blitz via William Paterson University, where he was a three-time All-New Jersey Athletic Conference selection at wide receiver. At 6'0", 190-pounds, he is the school's all-time leader in receptions (137) and yards (1,763). As a sophomore, Richardson broke the school record with 64 receptions on the season, including a school record 11 in one game.

Jackson, 26, returns to this side of the Atlantic after playing in 2003-04 with the Essen Assindia Cardinals in the German Football League. The 6'6", 240-pound southpaw hails from southern Florida, where he accumulated countless honors in high school, leading to a spot on the Florida A&M Rattlers football team for four years. At A&M, he split time under center with his cousin and current Jacksonville Jaguars QB Quinn Gray. While experiencing limited playing time, he threw 11 touchdowns with no interceptions during his tenure with the Rattlers. He picked up Team MVP, 1st team All-Dade County, All-State, Blue Chip/Superprep All-American honors while at Miami Monsignor Pace High School, where he led all Dade County passers with 2,512 yards passing as a junior.

Suggs, 26, played last season with the Sioux City Bandits in the National Indoor Football League. While slated to lineup at linebacker for the Blitz, Suggs was a standout defensive tackle/noseguard during his two seasons at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. UNLV is also the alma mater of Blitz Head Coach Rick Van Horne. He started 21 of 22 games with the Runnin' Rebels after playing for two seasons at Northwest Mississippi Community College. At 6'3", 265-pounds, the Memphis native has shown great strength, and can bench over 465 pounds.

The Blitz 2005 schedule includes eight games at home and eight on the road, starting with Opening Night on Saturday, April 2nd against Central Valley. Friday Night Football will hit Centennial Garden this season, as the remainder of the home schedule will consist of Friday night match-ups. The Blitz will compete in the National Conference West Division along with the Central Valley Coyotes, Rio Grande Valley Dorados, San Diego Riptide and the Tulsa Talons.

Season tickets and group outings for the Blitz are on sale now by contacting the Blitz office at 716-BLITZ (2548) or by stopping by the Bakersfield Sports Entertainment office located at Centennial Garden. For up-to-date information on the Blitz, log onto www.bakersfieldblitz.com and sign up for the Blitz e-mail notification list.



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