Post by Banana Cat on Mar 24, 2012 5:21:44 GMT -5
siouxcityjournal.com/sports/football/amateur/bandits-breakdown-a-position-by-position-glance/article_3e0fc119-052d-5a9a-93a7-8c1267cabd68.html
BANDITS BREAKDOWN: A position-by-position glance
March 22, 2012
Offensive backfield
QUARTERBACKS: #3 Kyle Gerdes, 5-9, 180 (Briar Cliff); #5 Scott Jensen 5-10, 185 (Eastern Oregon)
KEEP AN EYE ON: Jensen, the reigning APFL MVP, is coming off the most prolific passing season in league history. He made it look easy, dissecting defenses for 1,927 yards, 43 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He wasn't afraid to pull it down, either, scampering for 332 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
RUNNING BACKS: #7 Sean Treasure, 6-0-200 (Minnesota State), #20 Andrew Prohaska, 5-8, 190 (Briar Cliff); #28 Johnny Bentley, 5-10, 225 (Northern State).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Hard to believe Prohaska played receiver in college. Listed at 5-8 (a stretch, unless he's on his tippy toes), the shifty back quickly became a coach and fan favorite with his fearless running style and pin-balled his way for a team-leading 564 yards and 12 touchdowns. He'll get competition from the veteran Bentley, who led the 2008 Bandits in rushing, and Treasure -- who rushed for 743 yards at NCAA D-II Minnesota State in 2005.
Receiving corps
WIDE RECEIVERS: #2 Fredrick Bruno, 5-8, 210 (Wayne State); #4 Eddie Pertilla, 6-0, 200 (Midland); #10 Damon Mothershead, 5-10, 180 (Morningside); #12 Trae Johnson, 6-3, 200 (Morningside); #14 Chase Colvin, 6-3, 200 (Briar Cliff).
KEEP AN EYE ON: As if QB Scott Jensen didn't have enough quality options, the Bandits went out and re-added Trae Johnson to the fold. The former Morningside star caught eight TDs for Sioux City in 2010, but sat out last season for personal reasons. Mix in the veteran Mothershead (56 rec, 781 yards last season), the big-play Pertilla (19 TD catches), the speedy Bruno and the sure-handed Colvin, and Jensen's biggest chore will be keeping all of his targets happy.
Offensive Line
LINEMEN: #60 Nehemiah Blackburn, 6-4, 275 (Wayne State); #70 Joe Bundy, 6-6, 305 (Wayne State); #73 Devin Johnson, 6-2, 290 (Sioux Falls); #78 Isaac Harris, 6-3, 330 (East Carolina).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Two-thirds of the Bandits' "Three Musketeers" offensive front return. Blackburn and Bundy are back, but Sioux City signed Johnson and Harris to help fill the void left by Brian Okonofua -- who played with both Blackburn and Bundy at Wayne State. They deserved as much credit as anyone for Jensen's MVP season. After all, they were the ones keeping him upright (the Bandits allowed just 15 sacks in 14 games).
Defensive Line
LINEMEN: #18 Jason Bonwell, 6-2, 260 (South Dakota State); #47 Donny Baker, 6-2, 235 (Wayne State); #48 Fred Mitchell, 6-3, 285 (South Dakota); #75 Anthony Thomas,6 -3, 340 (Arizona); #94 Leif Murphy, 6-2, 285 (North Dakota State).
KEEP AN EYE ON: No surprise how Anthony "Big Daddy" Thomas earned his moniker. The 6-foot-3, 340-pounder simply eats up space and is capable of playing on either side of the line. A stalwart on the Bandits' 2005 UFL runner-up squad (5½ sacks), Thomas should help free up the ends Bonwell and Mitchell -- who combined for 16 sacks last season.
Linebacking corps
LINEBACKERS: #45 Thomas Wells, 6-0, 245 (Chadron State); #51 Spetlar Tonga, 6-0, 235 (Morningside); #96 Marlon Lobban, 6-2, 240 (Sioux Falls).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Tonga, the face of the franchise, is without a doubt the most popular Bandit in franchise history (and a beloved member of the Omaha Beef as well - BC) -- and for good reason. With 115 tackles last year, Tonga hiked his career total to 579. Expect another 100-plus tackles this year for the 32-year-old team captain, though he'll tell you the most important number is two -- the number of championship rings he hopes to have by season's end.
Secondary
DEFENSIVE BACKS: #1 Alex Ardley,5-10, 185 (Clemson); #8 Buddy Williams, 5-10, 185 (Clemson); #9 Rahn Franklin, 6-0, 200 (Buena Vista); #23 Jonathon Smith, 5-10, 190 (Briar Cliff); #33 Taylor Schumacher, 5-10, 200 (Briar Cliff); #39 Angelo Pree, 6-0, 185 (Sioux Falls); #40 Denzel Adams, 5-10, 185 (Sioux Falls); #42 Ryan Klein, 6-0, 190 (Morningside).
KEEP AN EYE ON: This unit may have been the biggest factor in the Bandits' 2012 championship run. The Sioux City secondary swallowed up 40 passes last year, including Schumacher's franchise-record 13 interceptions. Ardley (Nine interceptions) and Williams (three) have been locking down the corners for several seasons, and Franklin is coming off a nine-interception season of his own.
Special Teams
KICKER: Nick Hope, 6-2, 215 (Wayne State)
RETURN SPECIALIST: Fredrick Bruno
KEEP AN EYE ON: Hope -- who was born with one arm but one heck of a foot -- kicks from straight-on with a box-toe boot, like an old-school kicker from the 1960s. He finished 5-for-8 on field goals with a long of 47, and hit 76.1 percent of his PATs (48 of 63). The flashy Bruno, the all-time leading kick returner at Wayne State, will likely resume his all-purpose duties. He took one kick back to the house last season, but relinquished his role after missing four games with an injury.
March 22, 2012
Offensive backfield
QUARTERBACKS: #3 Kyle Gerdes, 5-9, 180 (Briar Cliff); #5 Scott Jensen 5-10, 185 (Eastern Oregon)
KEEP AN EYE ON: Jensen, the reigning APFL MVP, is coming off the most prolific passing season in league history. He made it look easy, dissecting defenses for 1,927 yards, 43 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He wasn't afraid to pull it down, either, scampering for 332 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
RUNNING BACKS: #7 Sean Treasure, 6-0-200 (Minnesota State), #20 Andrew Prohaska, 5-8, 190 (Briar Cliff); #28 Johnny Bentley, 5-10, 225 (Northern State).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Hard to believe Prohaska played receiver in college. Listed at 5-8 (a stretch, unless he's on his tippy toes), the shifty back quickly became a coach and fan favorite with his fearless running style and pin-balled his way for a team-leading 564 yards and 12 touchdowns. He'll get competition from the veteran Bentley, who led the 2008 Bandits in rushing, and Treasure -- who rushed for 743 yards at NCAA D-II Minnesota State in 2005.
Receiving corps
WIDE RECEIVERS: #2 Fredrick Bruno, 5-8, 210 (Wayne State); #4 Eddie Pertilla, 6-0, 200 (Midland); #10 Damon Mothershead, 5-10, 180 (Morningside); #12 Trae Johnson, 6-3, 200 (Morningside); #14 Chase Colvin, 6-3, 200 (Briar Cliff).
KEEP AN EYE ON: As if QB Scott Jensen didn't have enough quality options, the Bandits went out and re-added Trae Johnson to the fold. The former Morningside star caught eight TDs for Sioux City in 2010, but sat out last season for personal reasons. Mix in the veteran Mothershead (56 rec, 781 yards last season), the big-play Pertilla (19 TD catches), the speedy Bruno and the sure-handed Colvin, and Jensen's biggest chore will be keeping all of his targets happy.
Offensive Line
LINEMEN: #60 Nehemiah Blackburn, 6-4, 275 (Wayne State); #70 Joe Bundy, 6-6, 305 (Wayne State); #73 Devin Johnson, 6-2, 290 (Sioux Falls); #78 Isaac Harris, 6-3, 330 (East Carolina).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Two-thirds of the Bandits' "Three Musketeers" offensive front return. Blackburn and Bundy are back, but Sioux City signed Johnson and Harris to help fill the void left by Brian Okonofua -- who played with both Blackburn and Bundy at Wayne State. They deserved as much credit as anyone for Jensen's MVP season. After all, they were the ones keeping him upright (the Bandits allowed just 15 sacks in 14 games).
Defensive Line
LINEMEN: #18 Jason Bonwell, 6-2, 260 (South Dakota State); #47 Donny Baker, 6-2, 235 (Wayne State); #48 Fred Mitchell, 6-3, 285 (South Dakota); #75 Anthony Thomas,6 -3, 340 (Arizona); #94 Leif Murphy, 6-2, 285 (North Dakota State).
KEEP AN EYE ON: No surprise how Anthony "Big Daddy" Thomas earned his moniker. The 6-foot-3, 340-pounder simply eats up space and is capable of playing on either side of the line. A stalwart on the Bandits' 2005 UFL runner-up squad (5½ sacks), Thomas should help free up the ends Bonwell and Mitchell -- who combined for 16 sacks last season.
Linebacking corps
LINEBACKERS: #45 Thomas Wells, 6-0, 245 (Chadron State); #51 Spetlar Tonga, 6-0, 235 (Morningside); #96 Marlon Lobban, 6-2, 240 (Sioux Falls).
KEEP AN EYE ON: Tonga, the face of the franchise, is without a doubt the most popular Bandit in franchise history (and a beloved member of the Omaha Beef as well - BC) -- and for good reason. With 115 tackles last year, Tonga hiked his career total to 579. Expect another 100-plus tackles this year for the 32-year-old team captain, though he'll tell you the most important number is two -- the number of championship rings he hopes to have by season's end.
Secondary
DEFENSIVE BACKS: #1 Alex Ardley,5-10, 185 (Clemson); #8 Buddy Williams, 5-10, 185 (Clemson); #9 Rahn Franklin, 6-0, 200 (Buena Vista); #23 Jonathon Smith, 5-10, 190 (Briar Cliff); #33 Taylor Schumacher, 5-10, 200 (Briar Cliff); #39 Angelo Pree, 6-0, 185 (Sioux Falls); #40 Denzel Adams, 5-10, 185 (Sioux Falls); #42 Ryan Klein, 6-0, 190 (Morningside).
KEEP AN EYE ON: This unit may have been the biggest factor in the Bandits' 2012 championship run. The Sioux City secondary swallowed up 40 passes last year, including Schumacher's franchise-record 13 interceptions. Ardley (Nine interceptions) and Williams (three) have been locking down the corners for several seasons, and Franklin is coming off a nine-interception season of his own.
Special Teams
KICKER: Nick Hope, 6-2, 215 (Wayne State)
RETURN SPECIALIST: Fredrick Bruno
KEEP AN EYE ON: Hope -- who was born with one arm but one heck of a foot -- kicks from straight-on with a box-toe boot, like an old-school kicker from the 1960s. He finished 5-for-8 on field goals with a long of 47, and hit 76.1 percent of his PATs (48 of 63). The flashy Bruno, the all-time leading kick returner at Wayne State, will likely resume his all-purpose duties. He took one kick back to the house last season, but relinquished his role after missing four games with an injury.