Wide receiver looking for rebirth with reborn Soul

When it came time last fall for free agent wide receiver Donovan Morgan to pick an Arena Football League team to play for this season, choosing the Soul was a no-brainer.

"It was Coach Hohensee," Morgan said Wednesday at the Coliseum in Voorhees.

Mike Hohensee, Morgan's former coach and mentor, is now guiding the Soul as it returns to action after a two-year absence from competition. The Soul will visit the Pittsburgh Power on Friday night in a Week 1 contest that will be televised on the NFL Network.

"We're not ready to win the championship right now, but we're taking positive steps every day," Hohensee said about the Soul's prospects. "I think they're ready."

Hohensee was in charge of the Chicago Rush squad that drafted Morgan, and watched him develop into the league's rookie of the year in 2008. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound native of Houston made all-league first team for the Tulsa Talons after leading the AFL with 52 touchdown receptions.

Now comes the reunion with Hohensee for a Soul team that shut down with the rest of the league franchises in '09 and was not among the teams that came back last year.

"He was a blessing to me in my life," said Morgan, who spent time in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills (2007), the Kansas City Chiefs (2006), the Houston Texans (2005), and the New York Jets (2004). "Last year, I ventured off to somewhere else, and I really didn't like the situation I was in. Coach Hohensee gave me a call when the free agency period came, and it was all over after that. Once he called, I knew this is where I wanted to be."

By snagging Morgan, Hohensee also got himself a quarterback when Justin Allgood signed with the Soul after teaming with Morgan in Tulsa last season. Allgood led the AFL with 109 touchdown passes while throwing for 4,359 yards.

Morgan said he brought Allgood's name up to Soul management.

"They were trying to bring in some other quarterbacks, and I told them Allgood hadn't signed yet," Morgan said. "They got interest, and once he found out I was coming, the rest is history."

Allgood, 6-2, 240 pounds, is from Colony, Texas. He and Morgan give the Soul a ready-made combo, although they are learning a new offense.

"It helps the team," Allgood said about his connection to Morgan. "I know what Donovan is about. It definitely helps having been around him."

Here is the roster for the Soul:

Player                  Pos.      Ht.      Wt.    College            Exp.

 Alfonzo, DeJuan         WR/LB      6-0      205    Indiana State       8

Played for the AFL's Chicago Rush from 2003 to '08 and in 2010.

Allgood, Justin         QB         6-2      240    Central Oklahoma 1

Played for Tulsa and led the AFL with 109 TD passes in 2010.

Aumaitre, Nyere         OL         6-5      320    Iowa             R

Played for Harrisburg (American Indoor Football Assoc.) in 2009-10.

Brackins, Larry         WR         6-4      221    Pearl River C.C.    3

Had 61 catches for 734 yards and 20 TDs for AFL's Dallas in 2010.

Bright, Callahan         DL         6-1      365    Shaw             1

Harriton High grad played with AFL's Tulsa and Jacksonville in '10.

Brown, Melik (IR)         FB/LB      6-2      275    North Carolina    R

Wilson (N.J) graduate played for the CFL'S B.C. Lions in 2009.

Brown, Mike            DB         5-10   185    Charleston South.    6

Played DB for the Soul in 2006-08 and won ArenaBowl XXII.

Campbell, Darrell         OL/DL      6-4      300    Notre Dame       1

Had 19 total tackles for the AFL's Orlando Predators in 2008.

Evans, Willie            DL         6-1      260    Mississippi State    R

Was on the Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL) practice team in 2009.

Hayes, Jerome         OL/DL      6-2      255    Penn State       R

Had 43 tackles at Penn State from 2006 to 2009.

Holstrom, Ryne         OL         6-6      310    Northern Arizona    R

Was a three-year starter at right offensive tackle in college.

Malone, Antonio         DB         6-0      200    Toledo             2

Had 601/2 tackles for the AFL's Utah Blaze last year.

Martin, Chris            DB         5-11   190    Washington State    4

Had five interceptions with the AFL's Chicago Rush last year.

Morgan, Donovan         WR         6-3      225    Pearl River C.C.    2

Led the AFL with 52 receiving TDs last year with Tulsa

Newton, Syvelle         WR/DB      6-1      210    South Carolina    1

Played with Soul coach Mike Hohensee in Chicago last year.

Nsekhe, Ty            OL         6-8      325    Texas State       1

Started for the AFL's Dallas Vigilantes last year.

Perkins, Brandon         LB         6-0      240    Kansas             3

Had 141/2 total tackles with Oklahoma of the AFL last year.

Richardson, Kent         WR/DB      6-0      197    West Virginia       R

Spent time at the Green Bay Packers' rookie camp last year.

Ross, Daniel            FB         5-10   270    Ithaca             R

Played fullback in college.

Stokes, Keith             WR/KR      5-8      185    East Carolina       R

Was with the Elancourt Templiers (European Football League) in '09.

Thompson, Dominique   WR         6-0      205    William & Mary    R

Was with the NFL's Panthers in 2008 and Rams in 2005-07.

Varner, Tanner         DB         6-0      210    Northern Iowa       1

Led the AFL with 1291/2 tackles for Iowa last year.

Vena, Ryan            QB         6-1      225    Colgate          3

Spent last season with the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers

Whitley, Darnell         OL/DL      6-6      330    Waldorf College    2

Played mostly offensive line for the AFL's Chicago Rush last year.

Williams, LeMoriell      WR/DB      5-11   190    South Carolina    R

Played with Syvelle Newton at the University of South Carolina.

Coaches

Mike Hohensee, head coach

Has been a head coach in the AFL for 16 seasons.

Ernesto Purnsley, defensive coordinator

Was an assistant coach with four AFL teams.

Phil Bogle, line coach

Played line for the Soul in 2007-08.

Jack Klebe, special teams coach / player personnel

Was assistant at West Chester University, Widener and Youngstown.

Ryan McGorry, equipment manager

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