Preds Set to Start Anew
Adam Markowitz
Monday February 25, 2008
Then it happened… Jay Taylor’s PAT was blocked and returned by Utah Blaze DL Chris Janek for two points to take what would’ve been a tie game late, and turned it into a 3 point Blaze lead. Orlando never rebounded in that game, a 65-62 loss. The Utah loss started the downward spiral for the Preds, as they finished the season losing five out of their final six games, including an embarrassing playoff 41-26 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Soul that concluded Orlando’s season. It was the first time since their inaugural season that the Preds finished below .500 for the season.
Changes were inevitable from that 8-9 team, the worst in team history since their inaugural campaign. Training camp began with a nice mixture of returning Preds, veteran free agent signings, and rookies, but with final cuts coming yesterday following their intra-squad scrimmage, it was the rookies that prevailed over a bunch of veterans.
Surprising casualties over the course of training camp include a whopping six starters from last year’s team. K Jay Taylor, OL Justin Cleveland, WR Jimmy Fryzel (who was lost due to an ACL injury early in camp), WR Javarus Dudley, DB Rayshun Reed, and DL Chaz Murphy all failed to make the 2008 team. Other highly touted players that didn’t survive cut downs include WR Roosevelt Kiser and LB AJ Nicholson.
Of the 24 men the Predators currently have on their active roster, 11 are rookies. Of the individual statistical leaders from a year ago, the Preds only return their 2nd leading rusher (Marlon Moye-Moore), their 2nd leading receiver (Ron Johnson), their quarterback (Shane Stafford), and their 3rd leading tackler (Moye-Moore). Of the top 11 receivers from last season, only Johnson and TT Tolliver return. Of the 30 defensive players that recorded stats in 2007, only Moye-Moore and Charles Hill return. Hope somebody buys name tags before the plane leaves for Philadelphia…
While most would look at these alarming statistics and suggest that the Predators are in a boat load of trouble, taking a closer look may prove otherwise.
Taylor had his worst complete season kicking for the Preds last year, only connecting on 11 of 21 FG attempts and consistently coming up short of the net on his kickoffs. Replacing him rookie (get used to seeing that word) John Vaughn from Auburn. Vaughn was a Lou Groza Finalist in his senior season with the Tigers (awarded to the top place kicker in college football), and turned heads by nailing a 49-yard field goal against the Storm in their scrimmage.
On offense, the biggest concern was the revolving doors up front and in the receiving corps. Long-time Predator Justin Cleveland was released in the first set of cuts, largely due to a number of nagging injuries, and Reggie Lee, the lone member of the All-Ironman Team for the Preds in 2007, is also gone. Jim Sodano’s season was cut short by a knee injury last year, but he returns as the only returning member of the offensive line. Joining him will be rookies Jonathan Clinkscale, Jasper Harvey, Bobby Harris, and Chris Jahnke, all of which are at least 6’3” and 315 lbs. (It’s a miracle that there was any food left over from the fan club picnic held after the scrimmage!) When needed, veteran Charles Hill will fill in as the tight end.
At the beginning of training camp, new wide receivers coach, Sean Beckton had to believe that his receiving corps had to consist of Dudley, Fryzel, Johnson, and Tolliver, and that anyone else showing up to camp was wasting their time. After the injury to Fryzel, the aforementioned Roosevelt Kiser was the talk of the town with his blazing speed. Following the release of Dudley, Kiser, Levon Thomas, and Fryzel, the only listed receivers left on the squad are Johnson and Tolliver. Presumably, the third receiver that will make the team was the infamous “#23” at the scrimmage, who didn’t appear on anyone’s roster.
Chaz Gessner, a rookie receiver who made a few cameo appearances in Tampa Bay Buccaneers camp, surprised everyone at the scrimmage, hauling in several passes right over the defensive backs. At 6’5”, Gessner may become another huge target for 2nd year Predator QB Shane Stafford, to put opposite the 6’3” Johnson.
The defense’s biggest problem is obviously going to be trying to find a way to replace the productivity of 2007 ADT Defensive Player of the Year Greg White. You can’t simply plug a talent like White into your lineup out of nowhere, but attempting to fill the void will be BJ Cohen, who returns for his second stint in black and red. Charles Hill returns for his 3rd season with the Predators, and joining them will be rookie Darrell Campbell and 2nd year man Cleveland Pinkney, who appeared in five games with the Preds in 2006. Surprisingly, Chaz Murphy was amongst the final cuts the team had to make upon the completion of camp.
The secondary has been completed revamped, as Rayshun Reed, Ryan Bowers, Micheaux Robinson, and Lin-J Shell have all moved on. After a year in Kansas City, Kenny McEntyre returns to the Predator secondary. Joining him will be long-time teammate Damon Mason and rookies Ahmad Carroll and Nick Allison. Carroll, originally a first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers, provided the biggest laugh of the scrimmage. In between plays, he began dancing around in the middle of the field, showing that he still loves to play the game of football. His talent is unmatched in the Orlando secondary, and should he stay focused this year, will prove to be a lockdown corner all season.
Another former NFL talent, AJ Nicholson did not make the 2008 Predators. Nicholson, a troubled linebacker from the Florida State, was originally figured to start at the mack linebacker position next to Marlon Moye-Moore. However, the play of rookie Stevie Baggs pushed him into that role. Baggs was the most impressive player on the entire team in my eyes. He intercepted Stafford in the scrimmage with an incredibly vertical leap, and brought it back for a defensive score. Baggs is quick through the line of scrimmage, has a huge wingspan, and is 6’2” to boot, everything anyone could ever want out of their mack linebacker. The tandem of Baggs and Moye-Moore should prove to be the best linebacking duo in the AFL this season, and is easily the strength of the team.
Head Coach Jay Gruden and assistant coach Les Moss deserve all the credit in the world for finding so many of these talented players in the offseason. What has always separated the Preds from the rest of the AFL was the ability to scout talent, and this year is no exception. I fully expect this defense to be amongst the best in the league as it usually is.
If there is one bugaboo sticking in the back of my head, it’s the fact that it’s been quite some time since the Predators have won a game that they were trailing or tied in the 2nd half. You have to go back to the National Conference title game from two years ago for last the time the Preds trailed at any point in the 2nd half to win, a stretch of 10 consecutive losses. Until this team learns to cope with adversity, they will never return to the league power that so many Preds fans have become accustomed to throughout the years.
Many will look at the current roster of the Orlando Predators and think, “rebuilding.” The Predators don’t rebuild. They reload.
Adam Markowitz is an accountant living in Orlando. Adam is an old school AFLer, having followed the AFL since 1991. He attended or covered well over 200 games, including 17 ArenaBowls. Adam worked for the Arena Football League for two years as a columnist and historian before retiring in 2017 when the 50-yard indoor war left the Sunshine State. Adam still muses about the AFL on ArenaFan from time to time, and you can follow him on Twitter @adammarkowitzea.
