af2
DEVELOPMENTAL DESIGN CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN
AFL
CHICAGO – With opening weekend
of the Arena Football League’s 22nd season
beginning this Friday, February 29, an all-time,
league-best 162 former af2 players have
made the final roster or practice squad
for an AFL team. In addition, 29 former
af2 coaches are currently serving on the
sidelines for AFL teams, the af2 League
office announced today.
“These numbers are impressive,” af2 President
Jerry Kurz said. “They provide further proof
that the af2 is the premier developmental
football league in the country. Our record
of development is unmatched and continues
to grow stronger each season.”
To date, nearly 33 percent
of the players currently in the AFL have
played in af2. The complete roster of af2
players now on an AFL team is listed at
the end of this release.
One AFL player with af2 experience
looking to break out in 2008 is New Orleans
VooDoo QB STEVE BELLISARI.
After beginning last season as a backup
in New Orleans, Bellisari was pressed into
action earlier than expected due to an injury
to starter ANDY KELLY.
The rookie from Ohio State made the most
of his opportunity, proving to be one of
the team’s top overall performers in 2007.
Appearing in all 16 games with five starts,
Bellisari completed 193-of-307 passes for
2,287 yards with 47 touchdowns with just
12 interceptions. Bellisari also ranked
second on the club in rushing with 30 carries
for 54 yards with a team-high seven touchdowns.
After getting a taste of what Bellisari
could do last year, New Orleans fans and
coaches are looking forward to Bellisari’s
performance to be even more dynamic now
as the VooDoo’s main man under center. Prior
to earning his AFL opportunity, Bellisari
honed his skills in the af2 with the Manchester
Wolves in 2006. That year he led the Wolves
to a postseason berth thanks to a 5-1 record
as a starter, finishing the regular season
with 984 yards passing and 25 touchdowns.
Bellisari looks to follow the lead shown
by former af2 signal callers like Georgia’s
CHRIS GREISEN, Orlando’s
SHANE STAFFORD and Tampa
Bay’s BRETT DIETZ who have
become stars at the AFL level.
Of the 29 coaches currently
in the AFL with af2 experience, 14 are former
af2 head coaches, five serve as current
AFL head coaches, two coached in af2 during
the 2007 season and two are former af2 players.
The complete list is detailed at the end
of this release. One former af2 head coach
getting his first true taste of head coaching
experience at the AFL level this season
is KEVIN GUY, who will
guide the Arizona Rattlers. Guy joined the
Rattlers after spending two seasons with
the San Jose SaberCats as their Defensive
Coordinator. Guy helped lead the team to
two consecutive Western Division Championships
and an ArenaBowl XXI title in 2007. Prior
to joining San Jose, Guy served as a head
coach in the af2 for four seasons where
he finished with the most coaching victories
in the history of the league. Guy amassed
52 career wins, a Sportexe Coach of the
Year honor and compiled a .732 winning percentage
while leading the Tennessee Valley Vipers
(2002-04) and Rio Grande Valley Dorados
(2005). In 2005, Guy guided the Dorados
to a 10-6 regular season record and a trip
to the league's National Conference Championship
game. He currently ranks fourth overall
on the all-time af2 coaching wins list behind
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s RICH INGOLD
(60), Arkansas’ CHRIS SIEGFRIED
(57) and Austin’s BEN BENNETT
(56). Guy began his Arena Football coaching
experience in 2000 after a four-year playing
career. He started the 2000 campaign as
the Defensive Coordinator with the New Jersey
Red Dogs before, at only 26 years of age,
being elevated to Interim Head Coach for
the remaining four games of the season.
Former af2 coaches currently
on AFL staffs (Through 2/27/08)
COACH CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST
af2 TEAM
Maurice Blanding |
Kasas City |
Augusta |
Chris Boden~ |
Cleveland |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Tony Bowick |
Arizona |
Albany |
Jerome Brown |
New York |
Rochester |
Jonathan Churchill |
Columbus |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Steve Criswell |
Dallas |
Cape Fear |
Travis Crusenberry |
Kansas City |
Spokane |
Willie Fears |
Orlando |
Arkansas |
Rickey Foggie*# |
Kansas City |
South Georgia |
Skip Foster* |
Arizona |
Tulsa |
James Fuller* |
Dallas |
Bakersfield |
Gary Gussman* |
New Orleans |
Rio Grande Valley |
Kevin Guy*^ |
Arizona |
Rio Grande Valley |
Weylan Harding^ |
New York |
Rochester |
Jeff Jarnigan* |
San Jose |
Oklahoma City |
Chad Lindsey* |
new York |
Mobile |
Ken Matous* |
Columbus |
Tulsa |
Rod Miller |
Grand Rapis |
Green Bay |
Les Moss* |
Orlando |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Bret Munsey*^ |
Philadelphia |
Tennessee Valley |
Mike Neu*^ |
New Orleans |
Augusta |
Brian Partlow~ |
Colorado |
Cincinnati |
Kevin Porter*^ |
Kansas City |
Macon |
Paul Reinke |
Grand Rapids |
Green Bay |
Brian Schwartze |
Chicago |
Quad City |
Ron Selesky*# |
Grand Rapids |
Alabama |
Deatrich Wise* |
Dallas |
Norfolk |
Dave Witthun |
San Jose |
Macon |
John Zinser |
Columbus |
Mohegan |
* Denotes former af2 head
coach; ^ Denotes current AFL head coach;
# Denotes coached in af2 last season; ~Denotes
former af2 player; BOLD
spent time in Louisville over career
Former af2 players currently
on AFL Rosters (Through 2/27/08)
PLAYER CURRENT AFL TEAM LAST
af2 TEAM
Kevin Adams* |
Utah |
Quad City |
Farouk Adelekan* |
New York |
Tennessee Valley |
Ronnie Amadi* |
New York |
Green Bay |
Chris Anthony |
Dallas |
Oklahoma City |
Odie Armstrong* |
Orlando |
Tulsa |
Chris Avery |
Kansas City |
Norfolk |
Jason Ball |
Cleveland |
Oklahoma City |
Jonnie Balous |
Georgia |
Oklahoma City |
B.J. Barre |
New Orleans |
Oklahoma City |
Steve Bellisari |
New Orleans |
Manchester |
Troy Bergeron |
Georgia |
Columbus |
Cornelius Bonner |
Cleveland |
Carolina |
Robert Boss |
Chicago |
Green Bay |
Terrell Bowden |
Grand Rapids |
Birmingham |
Levy Brown* |
New York |
Florida |
Mike Brown |
Philadelphia |
Charleston |
Daryon Brutley* |
Tampa Bay |
South Georgia |
D. Bryant* |
Kansas City |
South Georgia |
Henry Bryant |
New Orleans |
Witchita |
E.J. Burt |
Utah |
Cape Fear |
Eddie Canonico |
Los Angeles |
Cincinnati |
Rob Carey |
Columbus |
Manchester |
Frank Carter |
San Jose |
Quad City |
Kahlil Carter |
Kansas City |
Arkansas |
Stephen Cason* |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
Ernest Certain |
Tampa Bay |
Tallahassee |
James Clark |
Georgia |
Birmingham |
Travis Coleman |
Kansas City |
Albany |
Chris Cook |
Kansas City |
Spokane |
Reggie Cooley |
Orlando |
Arkansas |
David Crocker |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
John Culp |
Utah |
Quad City |
David Davis* |
Los Angeles |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Konrad Dean |
New Orleans |
Albany |
Demary Silas |
Cleveland |
Norfolk |
Ryan Dennard |
Chicago |
Macon |
DaShane Dennis |
Dallas |
Richmond |
Brett Dietz |
Tampa Bay
|
Louisville |
Matt D'Orazio |
Philadelphia |
Mohegan |
Terrance Dotsy |
Dallas |
Quad City |
Michael Douglas |
Orlando |
Laredo |
Javarus Dudley |
New Orleans |
Florida |
Howard Duncan |
Columbus |
Oklahoma City |
Brandon Eaton* |
Grand Rapids |
Mahoning Valley |
Jake Eaton |
Orlando |
Manchester |
Beau Elliott |
Chicago |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Aqua Etefia* |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
Asi Faoa |
Arizona |
San Diego |
Antonio Ficklin* |
Kansas City |
Green Bay |
Lee Foliaki |
Columbus |
Spokane |
Maurice Fountain* |
Utah |
Manchester |
Gene Frederic |
San Jose |
Oklahoma City |
Charles Frederick |
Kansas City |
Spokane |
Julius Gant |
San Jose |
Rio Grande Valley |
Reggie Gray |
Chicago |
Peoria |
Brad Greetis |
Columbus |
San Diego |
Chris Greisen |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
A.J. Haglund |
San Jose |
Oklahoma City |
William Haith |
Grand Rapids |
Bossier-Shreveport |
Jon Hall |
Kansas City |
Cape Fear |
Jason Hardee |
New York |
Green Bay |
Clay Harrell |
Los Angeles |
Stockton |
Erick Harris |
Grand Rapids |
Birmingham |
Clinton Hart |
Utah (SDC-N) |
Tallahassee |
Ryan Hart* |
Grand Rapids |
Albany |
Sidney Haugabrook |
Sidney Columbus |
Memphis |
Lyndell Hawkins |
Grand Rapids |
Stockton |
Brandon Hefflin |
Cleveland |
Bossier-Shreveport |
Tim Hicks |
Los Angeles |
Quad City |
Kenny Higgins |
Grand Rapids |
Memphis |
Anthony Hines |
Grand Rapids |
Cape Fear |
Brent Holmes |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
Manase Hopoi |
New Orleans |
Stockton |
Matt Huebner |
Georgia |
Green Bay |
Ernest Hunter |
Los Angeles |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Brett Huyser |
Colorado |
Green Bay |
Brandon Isaiah |
Kansas City |
Tennessee Valley |
Chris Jahnke |
Orlando |
Quad City |
Jerriah James |
Arizona |
Tennessee Valley |
Gary Jenkins |
New Orleans |
Green Bay |
Chris Johnson* |
Grand Rapids |
Mahoning Valley |
Larrell Johnson |
Kansas City |
Charleston |
Jermaine Jones |
Dallas |
Florida |
J'Sharlon Jones |
Utah |
Central Valley |
Kimani Jones |
Cleveland |
Arkansas |
Tiger Jones* |
New Orleans |
Louisville |
Rob Keefe* |
Philadelphia |
Spokane |
Bobby Keyes |
Dallas |
Birmingham |
Matt Kinsinger |
Chicago |
Augusta |
Greg Krause |
Los Angeles |
Mohegan |
Alan Krutulis* |
Grand Rapids |
Oklahoma City |
Joe Laudano |
New York |
Rio Grande Valley |
Peter Lazare |
Columbus |
Green Bay |
Mark Lewis |
Columbus |
Tennessee Valley |
James MacPherson |
Grand Rapids |
Green Bay |
Rob Mager |
Chicago |
Louisville |
Brian Mance |
Philadelphia |
Manchester |
Cesare Manning* |
Kansas City |
Fort Wayne |
Carlos Martines |
Georgia |
Fresno |
Timon Marshall |
Los Angeles |
Oklahoma City |
peter Martinez |
Kansas City |
Oklahoma City |
Steve Mascorro |
Arizona |
Laredo |
Troy Mason |
Dallas |
Green Bay |
Kevin McAlmont |
New Orleans |
Macon |
Tango McCauley |
Cleveland |
Peoria |
Ben McCombs* |
Chicago |
Bakersfield |
Matt McGhghy |
Los Angeles |
Green Bay |
Tim McGill |
Tampa Bay |
Quad City |
J.J. McKelvey |
Utah |
Manchester |
Sean McNamara |
Los Angeles |
Quad City |
Joe Minucci |
Cleveland |
Tennessee Valley |
Donovan Morgan* |
Chicago |
Tulsa |
Kelvin Morris* |
Utah |
Spokane |
Eddie Moten |
Philadelphia |
Rio Grande Valley |
Marlon Moye-Moore |
Orlando |
Charleston |
Leif Murphy |
Grand Rapids |
Peoria |
Chaz Murphy |
Orland |
Tulsa |
Kevin Nagle |
Colorado |
Wilke-Barre/Scranton |
Antonio Narcisse |
Cleveland |
Everett |
Tremaine Neal |
Columbus |
Macon |
Kevin Nickerson |
Arizona |
Tulsa |
Chris Onorato* |
New York |
Copus Christi |
Joe Peters |
Chicago |
Green Bay |
Will Pettis |
Dallas |
Pensacola |
Jeremiah Pope |
New York |
Albany |
Kevin Prentiss |
Cleveland |
Memphis |
Neil Purvis |
Kansas City |
Spokane |
Will Rabatin |
Columbus |
Louisville |
Traco Racal |
Tampa Bay |
Laredo |
Elex Reed* |
Cleveland |
Bossier-Shreveport |
Ramon Richardson |
Cleveland |
Tulsa |
Josh Richey |
San Jose |
Everett |
Scott Rislov |
San Jose |
Central Valley |
Chris Robinson |
Arizona |
Rio Grande Valley |
James Robinson* |
Kansas City |
South Georgia |
Chris Royal* |
Cleveland |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Joshua Ruffin |
Cleveland |
Memphis |
Chad Ruffin |
New Orleans |
Tulsa |
james Sadler |
Chicago |
Tulsa |
Chris Sanders |
Dallas |
Roanoke |
Dartangon Shack* |
New York |
Central Valley |
Kabote Sikyala |
Los Angeles |
Louisville
|
Denario Smalls |
Kansas City |
Macon |
Khreem Smith |
Chicago |
Memphis |
Jim Sodano |
Orlando |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Shane Stafford |
Tampa Bay |
Tallahassee |
Ed Ta'amu |
Kansas City |
Spokane |
Mitch Tanney* |
Tampa Bay |
Alabam |
Alex Teems* |
Cleveland |
Spokane |
Frank Trentadue |
Georgia |
Spokane |
Isaiah Trufant |
Arizona |
Spokane |
Jerry Turner |
Kansas City |
Bakersfield |
Ryan Vena* |
New York |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
Jamarr Ward |
Kansas City |
Albany |
Darnerius Watson* |
Dallas |
Manchester |
Steve Watson |
San Jose |
Arkansas |
Josh White |
Dallas |
Hawaii |
Wndall Williams |
New Orleans |
Manchester |
Joe Woolridge* |
Kansas City |
South Georgia |
Nick Zeck* |
Chicago |
Louisville |
*Denotes a player who played
in af2 last season
About af2
With its ninth season set to kick off on
March 28 with a 29-team membership, af2
serves as a vehicle to bring Arena Football
to small-to-midsize cities and as a developmental
league with an unmatched history of sending
players, coaches and officials to major
professional football leagues each year.
af2 operates under the same Mission Statement
and Fans’ Bill of Rights as the Arena Football
League, which begins its 22nd season on
February 29. Log on to www.af2.com for more
information.
- A PROUD MEMBER OF THE
ARENA FOOTBALL FAMILY -
