ArenaFan Online announces 2006 Award Winners
Joe Kauffman
Monday June 5, 2006
Offensive Player of the Year
Damian Harrell (6-3, 200, Florida State) – OS, Colorado Crush
In 2006, Damian Harrell had 152 receptions for 1,920 receiving yards, which rank second and third, respectively, among AFL single-season totals. He set AFL records with 60 receiving touchdowns, 61 total touchdowns, and 366 points scored. Harrell also tied a League record of 65 consecutive games with at least one touchdown reception. He can pass Eddie Brown by catching a touchdown pass in the first game of the 2007 season.
Harrell passed the 10,000 yard mark for career reception yards, reaching 10,327 for his career, placing him fourth all-time in receiving yards. In his eight-year AFL career, Harrell has been named second-team All-Arena (2004), first-team All-Arena (2005, 2006) and AFL Offensive Player of the Year (2005, 2006).He was twice named the ArenaFan Online Offensive Player of the Week in 2006.
Other players who received votes for the ArenaFan Online 2006 Offensive Player of the Year were Clint Dolezel (Dallas).
Defensive Player of the Year
Eddie Moten (5-10, 185, Texas A&M Kingsville) – DS, Philadelphia Soul
In 2006, Eddie Moten led the Philadelphia Soul with 104 total tackles, including 91 solo. He also intercepted an AFL-leading 13 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns, and broke up an additional 18 passes, forced and recovered one fumble. Moten added a pair of missed field goal returns for 15 yards.
Moten, in his second year with the Soul, was named to the All-Arena team in 2006, and was also named ArenaFan Online's Defensive Player of the Week in Week 15.
Other players who received votes for the ArenaFan Online 2006 Defensive Player of the Year were Rashad Floyd (Colorado), Damon Mason (Austin), and Jeremy Unertl (Chicago).
Two-Way Player of the Year
Will Pettis (6-0, 195, Midwestern State) – WR/DB, Dallas Desperados
Will Pettis caught 93 receptions for 1256 yards and 26 touchdowns on offense. He returned 63 kickoff for 1093 yards and five missed field goals for 72 yards. He recorded 40 total tackles, six interceptions for 59 yards, seven breakups and a forced fumble on defense.
Pettis, who is in his fourth season with the Dallas Desperados was named ArenaFan Online's Two-Way Player of the Week in Week 2. He has been named to the AFL's All-Rookie team (2003), All-Ironman Team (2004, 2005, 2006), and second team All-Arena (2004, 2005).
Other players receiving votes for the ArenaFan Online 2006 Two-Way Player of the Year were Mike Brown (Philadelphia), Randy Gatewood (Arizona), Kevin Ingram (Los Angeles), Timon Marshall (Grand Rapids), and Lawrence Samuels (Tampa Bay).
Coach of the Year
Will McClay – Dallas Desperados
Dallas coach Will McClay led the Desperados to their best season in franchise history in 2006 with an AFL-best record of 13-3. The Desperados became just the fourth team in AFL history to lead the league in both scoring offense and scoring defense in the same season and only the second team to win 13 games in a season.
McClay is in his third season as the Desperados head coach. He was named to that position just three days before the start of the 2004 season. In three years with Dallas, he has led them to a regular season record of 28-21-1, which includes the second and final tie in AFL history.
McClay is a former AFL player. A WR/DB for the Detroit Drive, he won three ArenaBowls in four consecutive appearances from 1989 to 1992.
Other coaches receiving votes for ArenaFan Online 2006 Coach of the Year were Darren Arbett (San Jose), Skip Foster (Austin), and Weylan Harding (New York).
2006 ArenaFan Online Award Weekly Winners
Offensive Player of the Week
Week 1 – Damian Harrell (OS, Colorado Crush)
Week 2 – Terrill Shaw (OS, Dallas Desperados)
Week 3 – Siaha Burley (OS, Utah Blaze)
Week 4 – Shane Stafford (QB, Tampa Bay Storm)
Week 5 – Shane Stafford (QB, Tampa Bay Storm) (2)
Week 6 – Damian Harrell (OS, Colorado Crush) (2)
Week 7 – Clint Dolezel (QB, Dallas)
Week 8 – Clint Dolezel (QB, Dallas) (2)
Week 9 – Chris Jackson (OS, Georgia)
Week 10 – Mark Grieb (QB, San Jose)
Week 11 – Sherdrick Bonner (QB, Arizona)
Week 12 – Andy Kelly (QB, Utah)
Week 13 – Bobby Sippio (WR/LB, Chicago)
Week 14 – John Dutton (QB, Colorado)
Week 15 – Bobby Sippio (WR/LB, Chicago) (2)
Week 16 – Mark Grieb (QB, San Jose SaberCats) (2)
Defensive Player of the Week
Week 1 – Frank Carter (FB/LB, Nashville Kats)
Week 2 – Damon Mason (DS, Austin Wranglers)
Week 3 – Rashad Floyd (DS, Colorado Crush)
Week 4 – Chris Brown (DS, Georgia Force)
Week 5 – Jeremy Unertl (DS, Chicago Rush)
Week 6 – Colston Weatherington (OL/DL, Dallas Desperados)
Week 7 – Jeroid Johnson (DS, Orlando)
Week 8 – Jerald Brown (DS, Columbus)
Week 9 – Brandon Hefflin (DS, Columbus)
Week 10 – Rashad Floyd (DS, Colorado) (2)
Week 11 – Rashad Floyd (DS, Colorado) (3)
Week 12 – Clevan Thomas (DS, San Jose)
Week 13 – Thal Woods (DS, Utah)
Week 14 – Johnnie Harris (DS, Grand Rapids)
Week 15 – Eddie Moten (DS, Philadelphia)
Week 16 – Dennison Robinson (WR/DB, Chicago Rush)
Two-Way Player of the Week
Week 1 – Kevin Ingram (WR/LB, Los Angeles Avengers)
Week 2 – Will Pettis (WR/DB, Dallas Desperados)
Week 3 – Lawrence Samuels (WR/LB, Tampa Bay Storm)
Week 4 – Timon Marshall (WR/DB, Grand Rapids Rampage)
Week 5 – Lawrence Samuels (WR/LB, Tampa Bay Storm) (2)
Week 6 – Joe Douglass (WR/LB, Las Vegas Gladiators)
Week 7 – Orshawante Bryant (WR/DB, Utah Blaze)
Week 8 – Josh Bush (WR/DB, Grand Rapids)
Week 9 – Randy Gatewood (WR/DB, Arizona)
Week 10 – Dialleo Burks (WR/LB, Dallas)
Week 11 – Phil Glover (FB/LB, San Jose)
Week 12 – Sean Scott (WR/DB, Phildaelphia)
Week 13 – Mike Brown (WR/DB, Philadelphia)
Week 14 – Derek Lee (WR/LN, Georgia)
Week 15 – Wilson Thomas (WR/LB, Arizona)
Week 16 – Darryl Hammond (WR/LB, Nashville Kats)
About ArenaFan Online
ArenaFan Online (http://www.arenafan.com) is the only independent Web site dedicated to covering all of the Arena Football League and arenafootball2. On-line since 1998, the site provides original stories, an interactive section, a thorough statistical database covering the league's 20-year history, and numerous other features.
Joe Kauffman is President and Editor in Chief of Arenafan Online, having joined the staff in 2000. He graduated from Florida State University in 1998 with a degree in communications andbuilds ecommerce sites for a day job. Joe has enjoyed Arena Football since 1991 and has been a member of the Arena Football Internet community since 1995. Prior to Joining Arenafan, he was a co-founder and Technical Editor of the Storm Shelter, which covered the Tampa Bay Storm from 1996-99. Joe and his wife Erika live in Hackettstown, New Jersey with their two daughters.
