SaberCats Scratching Back
Andy Lopusnak
Saturday March 10, 2012
The last time Mark Grieb threw a pass in a game it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown as time expired against Tampa Bay in the 2011 season finale. It was a fitting end to the worst season in San Jose SaberCats history.
After the Arena Football League went dark in 2009 and the SaberCats didn't field a team in 2010 when the league reemerged, the team returned in 2011. Back was Grieb and head coach Darren Arbet. Early on, it seemed like the Cats didn't miss a beat starting the season 5-2. Injuries to nearly every position other than quarterback, fullback and kicker led to a seven-game losing streak and the first losing season since 1998.
In the end, the SaberCats finished the season 2-9 and lost five of those games in the final minute of play. There were signs of hope late in the year with double-digit victories against eventual ArenaBowl champion Jacksonville (by 13) and playoff-bound Orlando (by 20). However, in the final two games with a chance to slip into the playoffs, the team lost on the final play both times.
The SaberCats led the league in total offensive yards, but also gave up the most yards. San Jose did score the sixth most points, but also allowed the third most. In the offseason, the three-time champs stockpiled on both sides of the ball with some All-Arena free agents.
On the 24-man rosters just nine return from last year’s squad highlighted of course by Grieb, who shattered the AFL single-season passing yardage mark (5,312).He will likely end the season as the second leading passer in terms of yardage and third in passing touchdowns (he's currently fourth in both categories). Grieb will move into third place in yardage during the season opener (needs less than 100 yards) and should move into second place about seven games into the season.
Also back are receivers Ben Nelson, James Roe and Samora Goodson as well as offensive linemen Robbie Powell and Mark Lewis. Defensive linemen Gabe Nyenhuis and Francis Maka as well as DB Mervin Brookins are the only holdovers from statistically one of the worst defensive units in the league last season. Injuries limited Nyenhuis and Brookins to subpar seasons.
Nyenhuis had one of the most dominating seasons in 2010 with the Tulsa (now San Antonio) Talons setting league records for sacks (15.5) and forced fumbles (nine) en route to being named Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year. Last year, he appeared in just ten games and tallied only four sacks. Nyenhuis was great in the beginning of the season when the SaberCats were winning but an injury early in the season limited his time the remainder of the year. Maka, a rookie last season had five sacks but none came in the final ten weeks of the season.
Not only did the SaberCats load up on free agents in the offseason, the three-time champs hired a new strength and conditioning coach and a new athletic trainer to limit and potentially prevent the ridiculous amount of injuries in 2011. Last year, the SaberCats went through 57 players during the season – the biggest number in the league by a far.
San Jose raided the Tampa Bay Storm roster for players in the offseason. On the offensive side of the ball receivers Huey Whittaker and Hank Edwards were added as well as offensive lineman Emmanuel Akah. Defensively, the SaberCats brought in defensive linemen Tim McGill and Jermaine Smith. Backup QB Danny Southwick also comes from the Gulf Coast.
McGill was the biggest defensive free agent added. McGill is perhaps the greatest nose tackle to ever play the game. The three-time All-Arena performer is known for his quickness off the ball and it's rumored the league's asinine rule that ejects a defensive player after three offsides penalties was inspired by McGill, who posted ten sacks and helped the Storm set a league mark with 40 sacks last season. From looking at the 2011 game books, McGill would’ve been tossed from about five games. His Tampa Bay teammate Smith would’ve been gone in at least three.
Smith, a six-time All-Arena selection, is the league’s all-time leader in blocked kicks (twelve). The closest player next time him has had just nine. He also is third all-time in sacks. In fact, the SaberCats have the top three active AFL leaders in career sacks on the roster (Smith, Nyenhuis and McGill).
Helping out in the secondary will be defensive back Andre Jones, who had 12 interceptions last season with Milwaukee and set a league single-season record with 275 interception return yards to go with his league-leading three returns for touchdowns. Jones’ Mustangs teammate Brandon Brinkley joins him in the Silicon Valley secondary. Last year, Brinkley had five picks. Also in the secondary is Vince Hill, who led the 2011 National Conference champion Arizona Rattlers with 102 tackles and added seven interceptions.
The SaberCats set an AFL record last year with 19 different players catching at least a pass, nine of which had at least 30 grabs (also a record). This inconsistency in receivers led to Grieb tossing an AFL record 25 interceptions, 18 of which came in the team's final nine losses.
In Grieb's receiving corps, 2011 leading receiver Ben Nelson returns. Nelson was Grieb's top receiver last year despite playing in just 11 of 18 games. He nabbed 76 balls for 1,019 yards with 24 scores. As does San Jose all-time receiver James Roe and Samora Goodson.
San Jose added a tandem of terrific Tampa Bay Storm receivers in Huey Whittaker and Hank Edwards. The duo combined for 226 catches, 2,698 yards with 51 touchdowns. The team also added Jason Geathers, who is one of the last ironmen in the sport that was once defined by the term. Last year with Arizona, Geathers caught 93 passes for 1,065 yards with 28 TDs and posted 18 tackles and an interception as a linebacker.
The unsung heroes of what looks like a promising 2012 season might very well be of the offensive line. Last season after center Robbie Powell (a 2010 All-Arena performer) was injured against Philadelphia, the SaberCats lost seven straight due in part to the weak protection of Grieb by an ever-changing offensive line. Seventeen of the 21 times Grieb was sacked came in the team's final nine losses. The only constant was Mark Lewis and as a result, he earned All-Arena Second Team honors on a 7-11 team. Lewis played in nearly ever snap on offense and special teams. He switched from the outside to the center position for seven and a half games and still led the league in receiving yards and yards per catch by a linemen last season. Joining Lewis and Powell is 2011 AFL Offensive Lineman of the Year Rich Ranglin, who hasn't allowed a sack in his four-year indoor football career.
As far as special teams, the team dumped kicker Juan Gamboa last week and will have rookie Jacob Harfman kicking this season. Harfman was the punter and mainly a kickoff specialist for USC. According to Sports-Reference.com, he attempted just one field goal (a miss) and no extra points in college.
Most notable gone is fullback Chad Cook, who was Second Team All-Arena last season after rushing for 30 touchdowns (second most in the league) and 294 yards (seventh most). He also added 34 catches for 368 yards with three more scores. Replacing Cook, who signed with the San Antonio Talons, is third-year player Tommy Taggart, who ran for nine scores last season with New Orleans and also added two forced fumbles on defense. Since the league went to free substitution in 2007, San Jose has been one of the best rushing yardage and rushing touchdown teams in the league. Before joining the SaberCats, Cook was cut by Tampa Bay after just one game and finished 2010 with just eight rushing scores with Oklahoma City.
The disappointment of 2011 is not acceptable to the league's most dominated team of the past decade. Prior to 2011, the SaberCats had more wins and more championships since 2000 than any team in the league (even with San Jose missing the 2010 season). Winning is the norm in San Jose and if this roster of stars gels and most importantly stays healthy, another banner could be dropped from the HP Pavilion rafters a year from now.
San Jose opens its 2012 season tonight against the defending National Conference champion Arizona Rattlers at HP Pavilion in San Jose. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 PM Pacific Time. The Rattlers swept the SaberCats last season en route to the best record in the league. In the 35-game history of these two legendary franchises, the SaberCats hold an 18-17 advantage which includes two ArenaBowl victories.
For ticket information, visit TheSanJoseSaberCats.com. Fans in attendance tonight will received a replica banner with the AFL Hall of Fame logo and the names of the three SaberCats inductees into the 2011 class – WR/DB Barry Wagner, head coach Darren Arbet and OL/DL Sam Hernandez.
Andy Lopusnak is an 11-year AFL front office veteran, spending time with the Tampa Bay Storm, San Diego Riptide and Grand Rapids Rampage. He works as a statistician for NFL and college sports for CBS Sports and is a freelance photographer. Lopusnak received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and has been a fan of ArenaBall since its inception.
