Post by 50yardfan on Aug 30, 2010 15:27:08 GMT -5
Houston Lillard had the Tri-Cities Fever within a touchdown of knocking off the defending Indoor Football League champions, the Billings Outlaws, in the first round of the 2010 playoffs. Fever coach Adam Shackleford is curious to see what Lillard can do for an encore.
Lillard, who started nine games for the Fever last season, re-signed with the team this week, and is expected to be one of three quarterbacks in training camp in February.
"He's a great passer, a smart quarterback and knows the offense," Shackleford said. "There was no doubt we were going bring him back."
In his rookie season, Lillard got the call after Andy Collins went down with a shoulder injury, leading the Fever to a 6-3 record as a starter and a playoff spot in the team's inaugural season in the IFL. Lillard, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound right-hander from Southeast Missouri State, completed 130 of 203 passes for 1,286 yards and 33 touchdowns. He won his first start on May 1, 56-48 win over the Alaska Wild in which he threw for 214 yards and six TDs. By the end of the season, in which the Fever won four of its last six games with both losses coming against Billings, Lillard was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league. "I think the last four or five games, he was as good as anyone," Shackleford said.
In addition to re-signing Lillard, the Fever also re-signed offensive lineman Irvin Stevens. Stevens (6-2, 310) played last season at Idaho, helping anchor the Vandals' line that led them to the Humanitarian Bowl win over Bowling Green last fall.
The Fever also made another addition to its roster this week, signing defensive back George Kelly. Kelly is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back from UTEP, who played in six games for the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League last season where he had 11 tackles and one forced fumble. In his senior season in 2008 at UTEP, he recorded 65 tackles for the Miners.
Lillard, who started nine games for the Fever last season, re-signed with the team this week, and is expected to be one of three quarterbacks in training camp in February.
"He's a great passer, a smart quarterback and knows the offense," Shackleford said. "There was no doubt we were going bring him back."
In his rookie season, Lillard got the call after Andy Collins went down with a shoulder injury, leading the Fever to a 6-3 record as a starter and a playoff spot in the team's inaugural season in the IFL. Lillard, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound right-hander from Southeast Missouri State, completed 130 of 203 passes for 1,286 yards and 33 touchdowns. He won his first start on May 1, 56-48 win over the Alaska Wild in which he threw for 214 yards and six TDs. By the end of the season, in which the Fever won four of its last six games with both losses coming against Billings, Lillard was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league. "I think the last four or five games, he was as good as anyone," Shackleford said.
In addition to re-signing Lillard, the Fever also re-signed offensive lineman Irvin Stevens. Stevens (6-2, 310) played last season at Idaho, helping anchor the Vandals' line that led them to the Humanitarian Bowl win over Bowling Green last fall.
The Fever also made another addition to its roster this week, signing defensive back George Kelly. Kelly is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive back from UTEP, who played in six games for the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League last season where he had 11 tackles and one forced fumble. In his senior season in 2008 at UTEP, he recorded 65 tackles for the Miners.