Veteran QB Craig Whelihan signs with SaberCats
Published on October 11, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Oct. 11, 2006) - Veteran Arena Football League quarterback and former NFL draft pick CRAIG WHELIHAN and 2006 arenafootball2 Kicker of the Year A.J. HAGLUND both signed free agent contracts with the two-time ArenaBowl Champion San Jose SaberCats the club announced today.
A local product from San Jose's Santa Teresa High School, Whelihan (6-5, 220) has been playing in the AFL for the last six years. His finest season came during his 2001 rookie campaign when he threw for 3,004 yards and 60 touchdowns in 12 games with the Orlando Predators.
A member of SaberCats' Western Division rival Las Vegas Gladiators for the past two seasons, Whelihan has passed for 5,876 yards and 109 touchdowns during his 52-game AFL career.
"Craig is a gamer," said SaberCats' head coach Darren Arbet. "He knows this game real well and will help solidify the quarterback position for us."
Selected by San Diego in the sixth round (197th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University of the Pacific, Whelihan (6-5, 220) played in 20 games making 14 starts for the Chargers over the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
He replaced an injured Stan Humphries and started the final seven games of the 1997 season completing 118-of-237 attempts for 1,357 yards and six touchdowns. In seven starts during the 1998 campaign he threw for 1,803 yards and eight scores.
Haglund (5-8, 175) possesses a strong, accurate leg and will compete with incumbent Brian Schmitz in camp for the SaberCats kicking chores in 2007.
A member of the af2 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz the last two seasons, Haglund converted 69 straight extra point attempts during a stretch last season and was successful on 116-of-124 PATs on the year for an af2 record 93.5 percent success rate. He added 10 field goals for a league-leading 146 points to earn the league's New Balance Kicker of the Year award.
A two-time All-Lone Star Conference selection and NCAA Division II second-team All-American following his 2004 senior season at Central Oklahoma, Haglund established school career records for field goals (40) and PATs (139) made while ranking second in points with 259.
A premier franchise in the AFL, San Jose has captured two ArenaBowl titles, six Western Division championships, seven consecutive playoff appearances and owns the league's best regular season record this decade. Season tickets for the SaberCats 13th season in the AFL, which begins next February, are available now by calling (408) 573-5577.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 11, 2006
- Blaze get Frank Carter in trade with Nashville - Utah Blaze
- Veteran QB Craig Whelihan signs with SaberCats - San Jose SaberCats
- Dragons sign Leon Murray and Corey Jackson - New York Dragons
- Wranglers to hold open tryout December 3 - Austin Wranglers
- Rampage Add Quarterback, Linebacker And Wide Receiver - Grand Rapids Rampage
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