Pace Helping Drive Rattlers
Patrick Daly
Friday March 21, 2003
Starting at the University of Idaho in 1996, Pace’s college career got off to a quick start, especially as a kick returner. After one year, Pace left school to complete a mission in Brazil for two years before returning to attend Ricks Junior College in Rexburg, Idaho in 1999.
Pace then returned to Mesa, Arizona after playing one season and took a job as a pool cleaner before deciding to try to walk on to the Arizona State football in 2000, where he ultimately played for two seasons as a running back and kick returner.
As an Arizona Rattler, the former running back and kick returner has made the transition to the wide receiver/linebacker position. What makes Pace’s early success even more amazing is how quickly he has picked up not just one, but two positions.
“The transition has been huge,” said Pace. “It’s a different position, so I’m learning routes instead of running plays and steps for what hole to hit. I’ve had to learn to read the DB coverage. I’m getting a little better and I’m catching on a lot more.
“The defense is a lot different, too. I’m learning where to tackle and how to tackle. I’m playing the linebacker position and I’ve never played that before. I have to read whether it’s a run or pass. That’s definitely much different for me, too.”
Comparing Pace to offensive specialist Chris Horn, now on the exempt list while he takes a shot at the NFL, is hard not to do. From Pace’s quickness and ability to find the ball to his overall size, there is a strong resemblance.
“He’s very quick and has quick feet, which is obviously a big part of this game,” said Horn. “How quick you can change directions and how quick you can get going to full speed from a dead stop – he’s got a lot of those abilities.”
In addition to his athletic ability, Pace has a number of qualities that should keep him on the field for many seasons to come.
“He’s a playmaker, that’s for sure,” said Rattlers head coach Danny White. “He’s got the kind of attitude we need more of—he finishes every play. He’s not down until he’s down. He doesn’t finish a defensive play until the whistle blows. He’s just that kind of guy and we need him to become infectious. We need more guys playing the way he plays. As long he’s playing like that he’s going to get a lot of action because we need that on the field.”
As an example of refusing to go down, in a recent game against Detroit, Pace fielded a squib kick on the kickoff and made three opposing players miss what should have been easy tackles. After taking the ball to the left, he spun out of a tackle, turned the ball to the right side of the field, and pulled away from two other players before adding another 10 yards to what could have been a short kickoff return.
“You can tell he’s got great ability, because he’s very shifty,” said Horn. “On that squib kick they kicked, three or four guys thought they had him down and then, out of nowhere, he peels out of the pile. I think he’s got a lot of potential.”
Just like he earned his spot on the roster at Arizona State, Pace had to convince the Arizona coaching staff that he could play the Arena game, and he has even surprised himself a little in the process.
“I had to come here and try out as well,” said Pace. “I had the tryout where they had 30 guys come out and everything was pretty much the same. I had to come out, basically walk on, and try out for the team and make all of the cuts during camp.
“I was surprised. I never thought about making the adjustment. It wasn’t comfortable, making that transition. I was surprised that I was able to make that transition that quickly.”
For now, Pace will probably continue to work behind Hunkie Cooper as a wide receiver/linebacker, despite the gap at offensive specialist left by Horn’s departure. However, given a little more time, Pace could end up taking that spot.
“We’ve been working him at X for the past two weeks; he’s been taking a set of plays there,” said White. “He’s still pretty young. He’s still learning the game. He’s just gotten to the point where he’s got the wing/jack position figured out. That’s going to be a tough decision to make next week.”
As far as that decision goes, there are a number of candidates. In addition to Pace, White has mentioned that Orshawante Bryant, who currently plays both sides as a wide receiver/defensive back, may be an option. And don’t forget that Maurice Bryant, one of the most athletically talented players on the team, has enjoyed plenty of success as the offensive specialist. The Rattlers have also looked at bringing former Rattler Calvin Schexnayder back—a failed physical nixed that option—and they appear to have interest in grabbing Terence Davis, a five-year veteran who spent time with Indiana and New Jersey last season after four seasons in Houston.
Whatever happens, Pace will find a way to contribute offensively, defensively or on kick returns, and he should be a fixture in Arizona for quite some time.
Patrick Daly has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he first stumbled across the late-night ESPN broadcasts and has followed the Arizona Rattlers since their inaugural season in 1992. He graduated from Arizona State University with an engineering degree and is currently a member of a web development team for Direct Alliance in Tempe. Patrick currently resides in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona with his beautiful wife, son and a very large football helmet collection.
