Can Buffalo`s Defense Dominate?
Tom Ando
Sunday March 25, 2001
Bentley`s Destroyers lost their first three games, and the team faced the second-half of the season with an 0-7 record. Bentley then turned to his defense for help and they did not let him down, as the team won five in a row to clinch a playoff birth and earn respect around the league.
In those five wins, the Defense allowed an average of 46.2 points per game, as opposed to the 56.6 they were giving up in the seven losses. Wanting to make the defense even more dominating, Bentley signed players such as wide receiver/defensive back Carlos James and fullback/linebacker John Motten; both from Iowa. Last season James had nine interceptions for 96 yards and a touchdown, earning All Arena First Team honors for the second consecutive season.
Another addition to the team is secondary coach Vinnie Clark, who Bentley thinks can help the team. "Vinnie Clark coming in has paid dividends already" said Bentley "These guys are getting coached on every play, and he`s all over them. He`s doing a heck of a job and I think that will have a big impact"
Returning for the Destroyers at defensive back is Willie Latta, who played sparingly throughout Buffalo`s winning streak last year, and will provide good depth. Linebacker, according to Bentley, is a position in which the Destroyers are in good hands. "We`ve got a lot of experience in Tony Burse and John Motton as linebackers. They know the game, they`ve been in it for years and they’re going to teach tricks to the youngsters we`ve got in Ken Sanders and Chris Underwood, who have got all the physical ability you need. Now they`ve got guys that can teach them and we`re going to be good there."
 Darrick Branch has been improving his play on defense Image courtesy of Tom Ando |
Bentley is not the only one who’s excited. Clark is also pumped about his Defense, but wants to wait until game time to jump to conclusions. "I`m real anxious about going into the first game" says Clark "right now I feel pretty good about us, I think we`ll be OK, but it`s all about how they react under pressure."
The 2001 Destroyers Defense is full of stand-out players, and Clark was quick to identify them. "Kevin Jackson is standing out, Prentice (Taylor) is standing out, Hassan Probherbs, as a rookie, he`s really standing out."
WR/DB Cyrill Weems was also quick to name certain players. "In Carlos James, we`ve got a veteran that knows the league a little bit better, and he`s going to contribute. Prentice, who was a rookie last year, is going to be exceptional this year, he`s got a year under his belt, and he`s got a little bit of the league inside of him, so he`s going to be a lot better too."
Returning on the line is veteran David Caldwell, who will not only provide the Destroyers with solid play, but with leadership as well. "Up front, we went about this off-season process, as far as building a line, we were looking for guys who could rush the passer,” explained Bentley, “defensive linemen that we teach how to block (for offense) and that we`ve got, so we`re going to get better heat on the quarterback."
So does this all mean that the Destroyers Defense will be better? Well, according to Bentley, yes. "We will be better, there`s no doubt about it. We`re doing a few things differently scheme-wise that are going to help us, and I think the personnel and the talent is better than last year. So with that emphasis, we had better be better."
The Destroyers hope that their Defense will dominate this season, to go along with their blazing offense, which will make them serious contenders, but only time will tell.
"Touchdown" Tom Ando is a free lance writer from South Buffalo, NY and has been covering the Arena Football League in one capacity or another since the 2000 season, when he was 17 years old. Tom Currently writes for Sports & Leisure Magazine in Buffalo covering the NLL's Buffalo Bandits and NCAA Division I football. In 2001, Tom was the only writer in the country to cover the Houston "Travelin' " Thunderbears, where he befriended his mentor John F. "Hondo" Hahn.
