Early Test for Southern Division Powers
Charliy Nash
Friday April 19, 2002
Gruden, the former head coach of the Orlando Predators, was a dominant QB when he played for the Tampa Bay Storm. The inevitable Michael Jordan comparisons have been many (though Jay has a lot more hair). My expert scout, whose identity I’ll reveal later, says that Gruden looked a little rusty in Indianapolis, but still has the tools to be one of the league’s top passers. He’s even been spotted scrambling out of the pocket.
Gruden has a good experienced line in front of him and excellent receivers to throw to. Siaha Burley had a brilliant rookie year and should be even better with experience. New Head Coach Fran Papasedero should not really be considered a rookie. He was elevated to assistant head coach last season, a move that now appears to have been preparation for his taking the reins this year.
The Force Be With Y’all
The opponents for Gruden and the Predators will be their old rivals, the former Nashville Kats, now known as the Georgia Force. Even with a list of departed players that resembles an all-star team, the Force have the personnel to compete for the division title. While James Baron will be sorely missed on the defensive line, Ben Crosland and C.J. McLain will make life difficult for Gruden and the rest of the league’s QBs. Ron Carpenter and Cliff Green will be joined in the defensive secondary by Quincy LeJay, who showed excellent “ball-hawking” skills last year before a season-ending injury.
If new head coach Robert Lyles wants to go to the ground game, he has the horses to do it. FB/LB Travis Reese led the league in rushing last year – while he was still adapting to the indoor game. His partner in the backfield will be Dan Curran, a powerful and elusive runner. Fan favorite Rupert “Dogghead” Grant will miss this season due to an injured Achilles tendon.
As far as the receivers; the bad news is that Cory Fleming is gone. The good news is that Jerrick Hillery, Darryl Hammond, and Tyronne Jones are still there; and they played most of last season without Fleming. Rookie Markieth Cooper has excited many observers, and Corey Sullivan (another player who missed all last year due to a pre-season injury) has looked very good. Jones is questionable for Saturday’s game because of a rib injury.
Zeier Today, Gone Tomorrow
The biggest question for the Force has been QB. Andy Kelly is now in Dallas. Backup James Brown was released and picked up by NFL Europe. The franchise had pinned their hopes on University of Georgia star and former Atlanta Falcon Eric Zeier. The Force took the unusual step of keeping three QBs on their active roster. This proved to be a very fortuitous move, as Zeier elected to bolt the Arena League to take his chances at returning to the NFL. Kevin McDougal inherits the starting role, backed up by Donnie Davis. My “mystery expert” rates McDougal very highly, and believes he’ll distinguish himself as one of the best in the league.
What About Pat?
So, does former Kats Head Coach Pat Sperduto regret turning down the coaching jobs in Dallas and Los Angeles? “I did last Friday,” he told me at lunch earlier this week, “and I probably will on Saturday night.” He is slated to coach the new Nashville franchise if Tennessee Titans’ owner Bud Adams exercises his option this month to buy a new team. In the mean time, Sperduto works for the Titans as a scout and defensive assistant. “I just do whatever they ask me to do,” he explained, “I’m a good chief, but I also make a good Indian. I’m learning a lot from some really good people.”
Sperduto is in no hurry to move to the NFL full time. “Not right now,” he laughed, “not with two young children and a third on the way.” His philosophy has always been God first, family second, team third; he prefers a role that gives him the flexibility to spend time with his family.
He’s enjoying working with the Titans. “They know that I want to coach Arena Football so nobody sees me as a threat,” he said, “They’re great people to work with.”
Charliy Nash has covered both incarnations of the Nashville Kats, and now has make the 2 hour drive to Huntsville for an Arena Football fix. He also covers the Tennessee Titans as a blogger for nfl.com and still hopes this will eventually lead to a paying gig.
