Post by fwp on Feb 21, 2010 7:24:45 GMT -5
www.pantagraph.com/sports/football/professional/arena/extreme/article_fe177228-1ea0-11df-9c0d-001cc4c03286.html
BLOOMINGTON — Forgive Kenton Carr if he seems a little giddy. Heading into his third season as coach of the Bloomington Extreme, an eager Carr begins shaping what he hopes will be a championship caliber indoor football team when training camp opens today.
“I’m very excited and I think the fans are going to be pleased with what they see,” said Carr. “It’s going to be the most competitive camp we’ve had. We’ve always had good players, but this year I feel we’ve got great players across the board.”
The Extreme posted a 10-5 record last season, winning its final five regular season contests before suffering a 47-36 loss to Wichita in the opening round of the Indoor Football League playoffs. Bloomington ranked first in scoring defense at 28.4 points a game and third in total defense with 183 yards per game and also owned a plus-24 turnover margin.
Defensive lineman Antonio Ficklin, who led the team with nine sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss, is among the Extreme returnees. Former Illinois State quarterback Luke Drone is expected to guide the offense.
The Extreme filled out its training camp roster Saturday by announcing the signing of eight players, including returning defensive lineman Jeff Candler and defensive backs Terrill Mayberry and Mike Crumpler. Candler had 18 solo tackles and two sacks in 12 games and Mayberry had 25 solo tackles in eight games, while Crumpler appeared in two games.
Defensive backs Marcus Minor of Western Kentucky, Brandon Henderson of Northern Iowa, David Darby of Hofstra and Chris Lee of Quincy join running back Aaron Pruitt of Youngstown State as Extreme newcomers.
“We know what the vets can do and the rookies you never know until you get on the field,” said Carr. “Talent-wise every one of them can play.”
The shifting landscape of indoor football has had a drastic impact on the Extreme’s divisional rivalries. The IFL has grown from 19 to 25 franchises and none of the other three teams in Bloomington’s division were league members last season.
Joining the Extreme in the United Conference’s Central North Division are the Chicago Slaughter, the Green Bay Blizzard and the expansion La Crosse Spartans. Green Bay’s new ownership moved the franchise to the IFL from af2, while the Slaughter, coached by former Chicago Bears star Steve McMichael and featuring the son of Bears legend Walter Payton, decided to leave the CIFL after winning the league championship last season.
“Chicago, with Jarrett Payton, they’ll be solid. There’s a lot of good players in the Chicagoland area,” said Carr. “Green Bay has always had a solid program in the af2, and their place is going to be crazy. That’s football country there and (new Blizzard coach) Rik Richards does a great job recruiting.”
After the two-week training camp, concluding with a scrimmage against the CIFL’s Cincinnati Commandos, Carr will trim his roster from 44 to 30 ahead of the March 6 season opener against Richmond at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Carr sees a commitment to success throughout the organization and envisions great things for the fifth-year franchise.
“I’ve got a great staff. I’m very pleased with the owners, upper management and staff,” he said. “We’re on the right path to get a championship and I’m very excited.”
BLOOMINGTON — Forgive Kenton Carr if he seems a little giddy. Heading into his third season as coach of the Bloomington Extreme, an eager Carr begins shaping what he hopes will be a championship caliber indoor football team when training camp opens today.
“I’m very excited and I think the fans are going to be pleased with what they see,” said Carr. “It’s going to be the most competitive camp we’ve had. We’ve always had good players, but this year I feel we’ve got great players across the board.”
The Extreme posted a 10-5 record last season, winning its final five regular season contests before suffering a 47-36 loss to Wichita in the opening round of the Indoor Football League playoffs. Bloomington ranked first in scoring defense at 28.4 points a game and third in total defense with 183 yards per game and also owned a plus-24 turnover margin.
Defensive lineman Antonio Ficklin, who led the team with nine sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss, is among the Extreme returnees. Former Illinois State quarterback Luke Drone is expected to guide the offense.
The Extreme filled out its training camp roster Saturday by announcing the signing of eight players, including returning defensive lineman Jeff Candler and defensive backs Terrill Mayberry and Mike Crumpler. Candler had 18 solo tackles and two sacks in 12 games and Mayberry had 25 solo tackles in eight games, while Crumpler appeared in two games.
Defensive backs Marcus Minor of Western Kentucky, Brandon Henderson of Northern Iowa, David Darby of Hofstra and Chris Lee of Quincy join running back Aaron Pruitt of Youngstown State as Extreme newcomers.
“We know what the vets can do and the rookies you never know until you get on the field,” said Carr. “Talent-wise every one of them can play.”
The shifting landscape of indoor football has had a drastic impact on the Extreme’s divisional rivalries. The IFL has grown from 19 to 25 franchises and none of the other three teams in Bloomington’s division were league members last season.
Joining the Extreme in the United Conference’s Central North Division are the Chicago Slaughter, the Green Bay Blizzard and the expansion La Crosse Spartans. Green Bay’s new ownership moved the franchise to the IFL from af2, while the Slaughter, coached by former Chicago Bears star Steve McMichael and featuring the son of Bears legend Walter Payton, decided to leave the CIFL after winning the league championship last season.
“Chicago, with Jarrett Payton, they’ll be solid. There’s a lot of good players in the Chicagoland area,” said Carr. “Green Bay has always had a solid program in the af2, and their place is going to be crazy. That’s football country there and (new Blizzard coach) Rik Richards does a great job recruiting.”
After the two-week training camp, concluding with a scrimmage against the CIFL’s Cincinnati Commandos, Carr will trim his roster from 44 to 30 ahead of the March 6 season opener against Richmond at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Carr sees a commitment to success throughout the organization and envisions great things for the fifth-year franchise.
“I’ve got a great staff. I’m very pleased with the owners, upper management and staff,” he said. “We’re on the right path to get a championship and I’m very excited.”