Training Camp Week One Recap

Published on February 10, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Rapids Rampage wrapped up their first week of training camp Friday (Feb. 9) at The Soccer Spot with a 60-play intrasquad scrimmage. After a rocky start thanks to frigid and blizzard-like conditions, Rampage Arena Football action finally started heating up as the team began preparing for its 10th Anniversary Season.

With several players delayed in reaching Grand Rapids due to last weekend's storm, the Rampage postponed their training camp open to last Tuesday (Feb. 5). To make up for the lost time, Sparky McEwen, head coach and director of player personnel, kicked off the camp with back-to-back hard two-a-day practices.

"After the first few days, the bodies are a little tired, as expected," said McEwen. "Every team has guys that are down right now, but they are minor aches and pains: sprains, hamstrings, quads, and other things like that.

"In regards to our mental level, we are ahead of the game. We're putting these guys in tough situations to see how they can react under pressure. In that last game that we lost last season (against Chicago on May 13, 2006), I didn't think we performed well under pressure."

Several of the Rampage veterans are joining McEwen in working hard to erase memories of last season's end. Defensive lineman DeMarcus Johnson (Tallahassee, Fla.) noted the improvement in skill level since the end of the 2006 season.

"The talent level at this camp is pretty high," he said. "I was with the Rampage at the end of last season, and the talent here compared to last year is better. They have a lot of young guys in here who are really hungry, and we're all working for a trip to Louisiana."

A large influx of two-day waiver players, who have only 48 hours to prove their worth before returning home, has stimulated competition while providing McEwen and his staff with a deeper talent pool. Since the beginning of training camp, the Rampage have inkned several new players while releasing a few of their previously signed athletes.

"Two-day waiver players are just as important as our contractual players," said McEwen. "These are guys that for whatever reason have found themselves to be the odd men out. But they get the chance to come in here and compete and, as evidenced by the players we have signed and released, we're going to give everyone a fair opportunity."

Below is a list of the Rampage's recent transactions, along with information on each of the team's newest acquisitions.

Next week, Grand Rapids will travel west to take part in combined practices with the AFL's San Jose SaberCats from Tuesday (Feb. 13) to Friday (Feb. 16).

- LaWaylon Brown (Tyler, Texas) - The 6-5, 305-pound Oklahoma State University product earned All-Big Twelve Honorable Mention recognition as a defensive lineman in 2002 and most recently participated in training camp with the Buffalo Bills in 2006.

- Quentin Burrell (Decatur, Ga.) - The great grandson of legendary Grambling State University head coach Eddie Robinson, this 6-0, 175-pound defensive back played at the University of Notre Dame and most recently attended mini-camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006.

- Cory Johnson-Lehr (Aberdeen, S.D.) - An All-North Central Conference Second Team selection in 2004 at St. Cloud State University, this 6-2, 305-pound defensive lineman played for the Sioux Falls Storm of United Indoor Football in 2006.

- Marlin Maxwell (Detroit, Mich.) - Over four years (2002-05) at Central Michigan University, this 5-8, 180-pound defensive back played in all but one game for the Chippewas after converting from the wide receiver position.

- Terrell McGill (Miami, Fla.) - The 6-4, 325-pound offensive lineman played both the guard and tackle positions over four years (2002-05) and 35 games at Louisiana State University.

- Stephanol Santos (Saginaw, Mich.) - A 2004 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Honorable Mention selection at Saginaw Valley State University, this 6-4, 315-pound offensive lineman most recently played for the Billings Outlaws of the National Indoor Football League.

- Woodly Telfort (Miami, Fla.) - Ranked the nation's fourth best junior college offensive line recruit before transferring to the University of South Carolina prior to the 2004 season, the 6-6, 324-pound offensive lineman finished his collegiate career at Northwestern State University in 2005.

- Nigel Tharpe (Detroit, Mich.) - The 6-4, 285-pound Iowa State University product spent time with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks and NFL Europa's Frankfurt Galaxy.

- Marvin Ward (Landover, Md.) - An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention defensive back at Northwestern University, the 5-11, 208-pound Maxwell has spent time with the Buffalo Bills, the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings.

- Lunda Wells (Baker, La.) - This 6-2, 320-pound offensive lineman played four seasons (2002-05) at Southern University, earning All-Southwestern Athletic Conference First Team honors as a senior.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 10, 2007


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