AAF San Diego Fleet

SD Fleet Daily Update

Published on January 14, 2019 under Alliance of American Football (AAF)
San Diego Fleet News Release


TODAY'S HEADLINES

The Alliance of American Football announced all the game times for the 2019 season. The full Fleet listing appears in the section below.

The Fleet held a morning practice at 8:45 a.m. CT at the Heroes Stadium complex in San Antonio, Texas. The walk-through scheduled for this evening has been cancelled.

The Fleet held its morning session at the two practice field at the Heroes Stadium complex - marking the first time in training camp the team has practiced on grass. The move was made for two reasons: for player safety (better footing/less jarring) and to get accustomed to playing on grass - considering its home field at SDCCU Stadium in San Diego is a natural grass surface.

The Fleet had a pair of transactions today. FB Daniel Marx (Stanford) has retired. DL Donte Wilkins (Virginia) was signed by the Fleet. Biographical information on Wilkins appear later in today's notes.

The Fleet had 70 of the 71 players on the roster participate in today - with the exception of DE Meffy Koloamatangi (knee), who missed his fourth-consecutive day with a minor knee injury. Newcomer DL Donte Wilkins, who arrived in San Antonio on Sunday, got in a full practice today.

A short video on QB Alex Ross produced by Fleet Content Creator James Brunt got rave reviews throughout the AAF and can be viewed here.

BOARDING TIMES

The AAF released the starting times for the 2019 schedule. The compete Fleet schedule appears below with home games in bold. Please note that all times are subject to change.

W1: Feb. 9 Saturday at San Antonio Alamodome 5 p.m. (PT)

W2: Feb. 17 Sunday ATLANTA SDCCU Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W3: Feb. 24 Sunday SAN ANTONIO SDCCU Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W4: March 2 Saturday at Memphis Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W5: March 9 Saturday SALT LAKE SDCCU Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W6: March 17 Sunday BIRMINGHAM SDCCU Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W7: March 24 Sunday at Arizona Sun Devil Stadium 1 p.m. (PT)

W8: March 30 Saturday at Salt Lake Rice-Eccles Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W9: April 6 Saturday at Orlando Spectrum Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

W10: April 14 Sunday ARIZONA SDCCU Stadium 5 p.m. (PT)

HIGHLIGHTS

In one of the first plays in 11-on-11 drills, SS Na'im McGee (San Diego State) intercepted a pass in the middle of the field and advanced to the sidelines for a healthy return.

WR Kameron Kelly (San Diego State) made a one-handed grab in the back corner of the end zone during seven-on-seven drills. He made a similar grab during the walk-through on Saturday night.

WR Nelson Spruce (Colorado) hauled in two impressive catches in 11-on-11 drills. One catch came on a deflected ball near the sidelines, as he was able to adjust and keep both feet in bounds. The other came on a short touchdown strike.

LB Tau Lotulelei (UNLV) made a couple of huge hits that fired-up the defensive unit early in practice. DE Alex Barrett (San Diego State) continues to impress coaches with his ability to get to the quarterback in during pass rushing drills.

BOATS QUOTES

RB Bishop Sankey (Washington) on his view of the development on offense: "I think we're coming along really well. We've been installing plays each day and making progress every day. Guys are working hard from all positions, from what I've seen. I know for the running backs, we've all been pushing each other. Coach Jordan has been pushing us every day; and so far, so good. We just have to keep pounding - keep it going - and things will come together."

RB Bishop Sankey (Washington) on what he has learned from Running Backs Coach Lamont Jordan: "Everything - from linemen assignment technique; just the wisdom he has from playing the (NFL) game for 10 years. He has an abundance of knowledge and he's willing to share with us - which is cool. And he's going to keep it real with you. He's going to let you know when we're slacking; what you need to do better; things you need to improve on. We've just been taking the coaching as a group Everybody's here trying to be the best running back they can be. So that's been my approach as well as the other guys' (approaches)."

RB Bishop Sankey (Washington) on comparing Fleet training camp to the NFL camps he's been through: "It's very similar. We're putting in hours - hours in meetings, hours on the field. Coach Martz has been pushing us to become better football players each day. It's been a challenge; it's been a struggle. But it's something we embrace as a team and we're looking forward to putting the end product on the field come Game Day."

WR Nelson Spruce (Colorado) on practicing on grass for the first time: "Getting on grass is a good change-up for our legs. Sometimes, when you get out on the turf and you're pounding for a few days, you start feeling the aches and everything - and most of the time, we're going to be playing on grass.

So it's good to get out on that surface and kind of get a feel for it." WR Nelson Spruce (Colorado) on playing wide receiver in this Mike Martz system: "The stuff we're doing is really high-level stuff. I've been in a few offenses in the NFL and this surpasses all that. We're just kind of scratching the surface, so I'm excited to see where this thing will go."

WR Nelson Spruce (Colorado) on how long it takes quarterbacks and wide receivers to develop rapport: "Every situation is kind of different. As we're going through camp, everyone is getting on the same page. A lot of it is just understanding the offense. They are throwing a lot at us; really testing us - so everyone's kind of thinking a lot. But I feel like we're coming together pretty well."

DROPPING THE ANCHOR LINE (OF THE DAY)

CB Tyree Holder (Ball State) during the first drill of practice on a 38-degree morning in San Antonio: "Man, I need me some WD-40!"

WELCOME ABOARD

DL Donte Wilkins (Virginia) was signed by the Fleet on Monday. The six-foot-one, 290-pound product of Dumfries, Va., spent his collegiate career at University of Virginia (2013-16). He started games in all four years, appearing in 45 contests overall and recording 89 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles. Wilkins, who was a Cavaliers tri-captain as a senior, attended two rookie camps with both Baltimore and Buffalo on a tryout basis following the 2017 draft. Most recently, he had been serving as an assistant football performance coach at UCLA prior to launching his AAF career.

BIRTHDAY BOYS

DT Derrick Dixon (Southern Miss) celebrated his 24th birthday today. It was the third straight day with a Fleet birthday, as C Khaliel Rodgers (USC) turned 25 on Saturday and DE Myles Nash (Rutgers) turned 24 on Sunday.

COUNTDOWNS

The Fleet will enter practice tomorrow:

With 3 days before its joint practice with the Atlanta Legends on Jan. 17.

With 13 days before its dress rehearsal game (i.e preseason game) against the Atlanta Legends at the Alamodome on Jan. 27.

With 26 days before the inaugural season kicks-off in San Antonio against the Commanders at the Alamodome on Feb. 9.

With 34 days before its home opener at SDCCU Stadium against the Atlanta Legends on Feb. 17.

COACHES SPOTLIGHT - LAMONT JORDAN, RUNNING BACKS COACH

Lamont Jordan spent nine years as a running back in the NFL after being selected by the New York Jets in the second round (49th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He appeared in 114 regular season games, with 29 starts, during his time with the Jets (2001-04), Oakland Raiders (2005-07), New England Patriots (2008) and Denver Broncos (2009). Over the course of his career, the Suitland, Md., native rushed 897 times for 3,734 yards and 28 touchdowns, while also catching 158 passes for 1,301 yards and two scores. Jordan also appeared in five playoff games with New York, rushing 39 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns. A standout collegiate performer, Jordan was a four-year letter winner at the University of Maryland. He received numerous accolades for his on-field performance and still remains the program's all-time leading rusher with 4,147 yards. As a freshman in 1997, he finished as runner-up for the ACC Rookie of the Year award. As a junior in 1999, Jordan surpassed Maryland's single-season rushing record with 1,632 yards and was one of only four players in the NCAA to average over six yards per carry. Following that season, he was selected as a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top collegiate running back, as well as being voted an All-ACC selection and second-team All-American.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT - BISHOP SANKEY, RUNNING BACK

RB Bishop Sankey (Washington), 26, was the first running back selected in the 2014 NFL Draft when the Tennessee Titans selected him in the second round (54th overall) out of University of Washington. Although declaring for the draft after his junior year, Sankey is one of the top running backs in Huskies history. He played in 38 games - starting in 25 - and finished with the most rushing touchdowns (37) and the third-most rushing yards (3,496) in program history while combining for 4,063 yards from scrimmage. In fact, in the 2013 Apple Cup game against Washington State, he broke the UW single-season record rushing record held by Corey Dillon (1,695) and the career touchdown record held by Napoleon Kaufman (35) on the same carry - a seven-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. As a sophomore, he was MVP of the 2012 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas - despite a 28-26 loss to Boise State -- after rushing for 205 yards and adding 74 receiving yards on six receptions. His NFL career got off to a solid start, as the Wadsworth, Ohio, native rushed for a career-high 569 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. However, his role dwindled in 2015 and he was later among the Titans final cuts prior to the 2016 season. He spent time with the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, but never logged another carry. Sankey then missed the entire 2017 season when he tore his ACL in the Vikings' first preseason game of 2017. In 29 games and 12 starts in his NFL career, the five-foot-ten, 217-pounder has rushed 199 times for 762 yards and three touchdowns while registering 32 catches for 272 yards and an additional score.

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Alliance of American Football Stories from January 14, 2019


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