Rushing Record-Holder Among Edge Offensive Returnees
January 22, 2014 - Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL)
Bloomington Edge News Release
The Bloomington Edge have added some high-powered offense to their plans for the upcoming Champions Professional Indoor Football season.
Signings announced this week include running backs Andre Raymond and Michael Hayden, wide receivers Rob Garcia and Wes Schmidgall, and quarterback Andre Brown.
Raymond is Bloomington indoor football's all-time leading rusher and has played 54 games over five seasons. In 2013, Raymond registered 19 touchdowns on the ground, breaking a Bloomington record for the third consecutive year. He was the Most Valuable Player in the 2008 United Indoor Football All-Star Game and set an Eastern Illinois University record with 2,268 all-purpose yards in 2002 while earning All-American honors.
"Andre is an outstanding player to get back on the field," said Edge head coach John Johnson. "He is just as valuable on the field as he is off it and is a great guy to have in our locker room. He can catch the ball out of the backfield as good as any wide receiver and knows how to get into the end zone. Dre is a weapon that teams will have to account for every game."
Garcia registered 13 catches in seven games with the Edge last season. He was part of the 2005 Monmouth College squad that won the Midwest Conference with a 10-0 record as a teammate of quarterback Alex Tanney, who later signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Garcia coaches wide receivers at Washington Community High School.
"Rob is as hard of a worker as you can find," said Johnson. "Having a guy like Rob in your organization can only make you a better team on and off the field, and it's great to get him back on board for the year."
Schmidgall played his rookie season with the Edge in 2013 registering two catches. He closed his Eureka College playing career with 182 receptions for 3,411 yards and 42 touchdowns. "Wes is a very instinctive wide reciever and knows how to get open and has expceptional hands," said Johnson. "He has been with us before and we know he has the ability to make some plays for us this year."
Brown also entered indoor football last season with the Edge, rushing 14 times for 70 yards and a touchdown and completing 68 of 107 passes with eight interceptions and 13 touchdowns in eight games. "Andre picked (indoor football) up very quickly and by the end of the season he was playing some good football," said Johnson. "We are excited to see how he will develop as he gets another season under his belt."
Hayden played with the Chicago Knights of the Continental Indoor Football League after a career at Shasta College in Redding, California. Hayden is a cousin to Chicago Bears cornerback Kelvin Hayden and Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden. ""Michael is a powerful and explosive runner that can also play WR as well," said Johnson. "He is very versatile as a player, he can play a lot of different spots on the field and can impact the team on special teams as well."
The Edge open play in Kansas on March 7 against the Salina Bombers with the home opener at U.S. Cellular Coliseum set for Saturday, March 29 at 7:05 p.m. against the Omaha Beef. Season tickets are available by calling 309-434-2980. The latest on the Edge can be found at www.bloomingtonedge.com, Facebook and Twitter.
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Champions Professional Indoor Football League Stories from January 22, 2014
- Rushing Record-Holder Among Edge Offensive Returnees - Bloomington Edge
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