Post by fwp on Apr 16, 2010 4:52:05 GMT -5
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/90911259.html
AMERICUS — ALBANY — It’s still pretty new to Alton Pettway, this indoor game of football. Just don’t tell the other players. They will never believe it.
Pettway, a defensive lineman who joined the Albany Panthers late, not only made an immediate impact in his first game in the Southern Indoor Football League, he was the its Defensive Player of the Week after creating havoc and scoring a touchdown in a victory against Columbus.
If that’s not enough, he predicted the touchdown.
“The day before the game I told a few of the guys that I was going to score a touchdown,’’ Pettway joked Wednesday at practice. “I saw it all happening, me rushing in, getting a sack, stripping the ball and then scoring. I just didn’t get the sack.’’
Kevin Campbell got the sack, but it was Pettway who grabbed the ball and ran 5 yards to give Albany a 13-point lead in the opening minutes. The Panthers went on to win the opener, 54-41.
Panthers general manager Will Carter predicted Pettway would have an impact, and coach Lucious Davis, who had never seen Pettway play before, knew his newest defensive lineman could create problems.
“The first day he was at practice, you could tell,’’ Davis said. “The first two days he practiced with us, he disrupted everything we did.’’
Carter told Davis what to expect even before Pettway joined the team.
“I was told he has a motor that doesn’t quit,’’ Davis said. “And he doesn’t. He just never stops. He’s like the energizer bunny. He goes and goes and goes.
“I was impressed by his quickness off the ball,’’ Davis added. “When you have a guy that quick, the quarterback can’t take a five-step (drop), and even when he does a three-step, (Pettway’s) hands are right there ready to bat the ball away.’’
Pettway was a star at Albany State, where he was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, which is the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, and was signed by the St. Louis Rams. But after he was released, he got away from football for a year. He signed to play arena football with the af2’s Tennessee Valley Vipers last year but never played a down.
“After St. Louis, I came back to Albany where I was living, and I tried to sign with the team last year (the South Georgia Wildcats). But I had already signed with Tennessee Valley, and they wouldn’t let me out of my contract. So I didn’t play anywhere.’’
Instead, Pettway moved to Athens and sold Chrysler Jeeps. It was a tough job in an even tougher economic environment, so when Carter called him last month, Pettway was ready to come back to Albany.
“When he called me, I told him I was coming to play,’’ Pettway said. “I missed football a lot. I’m glad to be here. I know some guys from Albany State and know some other players from other colleges. I feel right at home.’’
The Panthers, who had their first news conference in January, were put together on the run, but Pettway said they were put together the right way.
“We’re going to be awesome,’’ Pettway said. “The group of players we have are great and the bond we have is just unbelievable. It’s like a team that has been together for a couple of years or more. And we’re just starting. That’s the crazy part of it.’’
The Panthers’ defense was a big part of the opening-night win against Columbus, which scored 88 points the previous week. Pettway was in the middle of it all, constantly harassing Columbus QB Todd Spitzer, who threw six TDs in the Lions’ opener but only one against Albany.
“We knew what kind of player he was’’ Carter said. “You saw it. He really comes off the edge and causes problems for the quarterback.’’
Pettway hasn’t slowed down since that first day of practice.
“I joined the team the second week of camp,’’ said Pettway of the big impression he made when he joined the team. “I was just trying to make sure I had some moves, trying to test myself. It’s a real quick game and I’m still learning everything. ‘’
He learned how to score fast enough and even laughed about his TD.
“I hadn’t scored a touchdown since I was in high school,’’ Pettway said. “It didn’t hit me until I got to the sideline.’’
Then came the Player of the Week award.
“I was shocked,’’ he said. “It made me feel like I was going back to my college days. It was the same feeling, a feeling I can’t explain.’’
Pettway has no trouble explaining why he is here.
“It’s all about winning,’’ Pettway said. “I’m here to win a championship. Defense wins championships, and that’s why I’m here — to win a ring.’’
AMERICUS — ALBANY — It’s still pretty new to Alton Pettway, this indoor game of football. Just don’t tell the other players. They will never believe it.
Pettway, a defensive lineman who joined the Albany Panthers late, not only made an immediate impact in his first game in the Southern Indoor Football League, he was the its Defensive Player of the Week after creating havoc and scoring a touchdown in a victory against Columbus.
If that’s not enough, he predicted the touchdown.
“The day before the game I told a few of the guys that I was going to score a touchdown,’’ Pettway joked Wednesday at practice. “I saw it all happening, me rushing in, getting a sack, stripping the ball and then scoring. I just didn’t get the sack.’’
Kevin Campbell got the sack, but it was Pettway who grabbed the ball and ran 5 yards to give Albany a 13-point lead in the opening minutes. The Panthers went on to win the opener, 54-41.
Panthers general manager Will Carter predicted Pettway would have an impact, and coach Lucious Davis, who had never seen Pettway play before, knew his newest defensive lineman could create problems.
“The first day he was at practice, you could tell,’’ Davis said. “The first two days he practiced with us, he disrupted everything we did.’’
Carter told Davis what to expect even before Pettway joined the team.
“I was told he has a motor that doesn’t quit,’’ Davis said. “And he doesn’t. He just never stops. He’s like the energizer bunny. He goes and goes and goes.
“I was impressed by his quickness off the ball,’’ Davis added. “When you have a guy that quick, the quarterback can’t take a five-step (drop), and even when he does a three-step, (Pettway’s) hands are right there ready to bat the ball away.’’
Pettway was a star at Albany State, where he was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, which is the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, and was signed by the St. Louis Rams. But after he was released, he got away from football for a year. He signed to play arena football with the af2’s Tennessee Valley Vipers last year but never played a down.
“After St. Louis, I came back to Albany where I was living, and I tried to sign with the team last year (the South Georgia Wildcats). But I had already signed with Tennessee Valley, and they wouldn’t let me out of my contract. So I didn’t play anywhere.’’
Instead, Pettway moved to Athens and sold Chrysler Jeeps. It was a tough job in an even tougher economic environment, so when Carter called him last month, Pettway was ready to come back to Albany.
“When he called me, I told him I was coming to play,’’ Pettway said. “I missed football a lot. I’m glad to be here. I know some guys from Albany State and know some other players from other colleges. I feel right at home.’’
The Panthers, who had their first news conference in January, were put together on the run, but Pettway said they were put together the right way.
“We’re going to be awesome,’’ Pettway said. “The group of players we have are great and the bond we have is just unbelievable. It’s like a team that has been together for a couple of years or more. And we’re just starting. That’s the crazy part of it.’’
The Panthers’ defense was a big part of the opening-night win against Columbus, which scored 88 points the previous week. Pettway was in the middle of it all, constantly harassing Columbus QB Todd Spitzer, who threw six TDs in the Lions’ opener but only one against Albany.
“We knew what kind of player he was’’ Carter said. “You saw it. He really comes off the edge and causes problems for the quarterback.’’
Pettway hasn’t slowed down since that first day of practice.
“I joined the team the second week of camp,’’ said Pettway of the big impression he made when he joined the team. “I was just trying to make sure I had some moves, trying to test myself. It’s a real quick game and I’m still learning everything. ‘’
He learned how to score fast enough and even laughed about his TD.
“I hadn’t scored a touchdown since I was in high school,’’ Pettway said. “It didn’t hit me until I got to the sideline.’’
Then came the Player of the Week award.
“I was shocked,’’ he said. “It made me feel like I was going back to my college days. It was the same feeling, a feeling I can’t explain.’’
Pettway has no trouble explaining why he is here.
“It’s all about winning,’’ Pettway said. “I’m here to win a championship. Defense wins championships, and that’s why I’m here — to win a ring.’’