2013 Philadelphia Soul roster primer: The Offense
Who said football season was over?
It's just beginning for the Arena Football League as training camps are set to open this weekend across the league with the Philadelphia Soul opening Feb. 28 at the NovaCare Complex. The first practice is set for March 2.
As per AFL rules, 35 players will report to camp, but teams are required to cut down to 24 before the start of the season.
The Soul are coming of a record-breaking season where they made an appearance in the Arena Bowl, but came up short to Maurice Purify and the Arizona Rattlers.
The 2013 version will have some familiar faces, but a bevy of new ones as under the old collective bargaining agreement, all players were under one-year contracts.
With that said, here's a breakdown of the Soul's offense heading into training camp. Tomorrow we'll take a look at at the defense.
Returns: QB Dan Raudabaugh, FB Derrick Ross, OL Christian Johnson, OL Brennen Carvalho,, WR Anthony "Tiger" Jones,
Additions: WR Jackie Chambers, WR Tyrone Collins, OL/DL Sioeli Fakalata, QB Steven Gachette, OL/DL Marcus Gordon, OL Jason Jones, FB Tombe Kose, K Carlos Martinez, WR Ryan McDaniel, QB Ryan Porter, WR/KR Alvance Robinson, WR Armand Robinson, WR Andrae Thurman
Losses: WR Donovan Morgan, WR/KR Jeff Hughley, WR Emory Sammons, WR Larry Brackins, OL Zipp Duncan, QB Adam DiMichele, OL Devin Clark
QBs (3): Dan Raudabaugh, Miami (Ohio) (AFL Exp.: 2 seasons) – Raudabaugh is coming off a career season, throwing a franchise-record 115 touchdowns. In any other season, Raudabaugh would have been First Team all-Arena and possibly league MVP, but he was overshadowed by a historic season from Utah's Tommy Grady.
Under the tutelage of Dolezel, he has gone from unknown to elite in only two seasons. The next step for him is to become a championship quarterback, something he came up short at last season. He threw three interceptions in the Arena Bowl last August.
Steven Gachette, Southwest Baptist (AFL Exp.: 2 seasons) – Gachette played for the Kansas City Command the last two seasons, but only attempted a total of 10 passes in the AFL. Gachette does have other indoor experience with the IFL's Allen Wranglers in 2012. He also spent some time with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 2011.
Ryan Porter, Missouri State (AFL rookie) – Porter has no AFL experience, but has bounced around a number of indoor leagues during his career since 2005. He played for four different teams in the AFL's former developmental league, the Af2, and played for the Amarillo Venom of the LSFL
Outlook: Raudabaugh won this job the day he signed back with the team. He's been Dolezel's guy ever since he entered the league and that will continue in 2013. The only way Gachette or Porter will ever see the field is if Raudabaugh is injured.
FBs (2): Derrick Ross, Tarleton (AFL Exp. 2 seasons) – In only two seasons, Ross has become one of the best fullbacks in league history. In a league known for its passing, Ross has made running viable option. He has twice set the record most rushing yards in a season with more than 600 in each of his first two seasons. Before him, no one gained more than 500 in a season. He is currently tied for fourth in league history for career rushing yards with 1,267. Bo Kelly currently holds the record at 1,571. At the rate he's going at, Ross will have the all-time record by mid-season.
Tombe Kose, Syracuse (AFL rookie) – The Soul will be Kose's first professional football experience.
Outlook: Much like the quarterback situation, Ross is firmly in place as the starter
WRs (7): Anthony "Tiger" Jones, Louisville (AFL Exp.: 4 seasons) – Tiger Jones was on a record pace last season before leaving the team for Eagles training camp. He will return to the team this season and the Soul will get back the first receiver in league history to record back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons. With Donovan Morgan gone via a trade to New Orleans, Jones is the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in the Soul offense.
Jackie Chambers, Lane College (AFL Exp.: 1 season) – Chambers has spent time in the NFL, CFL and IFL. He spent 2012 with the Kansas City Command catching 58 passes for 751 yards and seven touchdowns. Chambers' numbers may have been better, however, if the Command had a steady quarterback. He was selected to the All-Ironman team after leading the Command with 1,963 all-purpose yards.
Tyrone Collins, Wagner (AFL rookie) – Collins has spent time in the CFL and with the Reading Express of the IFL. He caught four touchdowns his senior season at Wagner.
Ryan McDaniel, Samford (AFL rookie) – McDaniel is an AFL rookie, but he spent 2012 in the PIFL where he was selected ALL-PIFL second team after he caught 71 passes for 768 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Alvance Robinson, Alabama State (AFL Exp.: 3 seasons) – Robinson has a decent amount of AFL experience and has proven to be a big-time performer. He led the Utah Blaze in every receiving category in 2011, which included 111 receptions and 31 touchdowns. Before being released by Utah during last season, Robinson caught 74 passes, 15 of which went for scores.
Armand Robinson, Miami (Ohio) (AFL Exp.: 1 season) – Robinson played in only six games last season with the Kansas City Command due to injuries, but when he was on the field he produced. Robinson caught 47 passes for 519 yards and nine touchdowns in those six games. The key for him moving forward is staying healthy for most of the season.
Andrae Thurman, Southern Oregon (AFL Exp.: 3 seasons) – Although Thurman only has three years of AFL experience, he has been around the league since 2007 as a member of the Dallas Desperados, where he was catching passes from his current head coach. Thurman started 2012 with the Arizona Rattlers before being traded to the Milwaukee Mustangs during the season. Between Arizona and Milwaukee, Thurman caught 72 passes for 1,026 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Outlook: Jones is firmly in place as the No. 1 receiver in the offense and for good reason. He is one of the most explosive receivers in the league. As far as who will be the No. 2 receiver in the offense, that remains to be seen. Based on past experience and production, it is a three-man battle between Jackie Chambers, Alvance Robinson and Andrae Thurman.
OL (5): Christian Johnson, Kentucky (AFL Exp.: 2 seasons) – Christian Johnson is one of the premier linemen in all of Arena Football. He was apart of an offensive line unit that gave up a franchise-low five sacks last season. Despite that, Johnson was notably left off the All-Arena team last season, as were the rest of the Soul linemen. Part of the reason Derrick Ross is able to break records on a weekly basis is due in part to Johnson's blocking up front.
Brennen Carvalho, Portland State (AFL Exp.: 3 seasons) – All of the superlatives that were said about Johnson can be said about Carvalho. Carvalho was the anchor of that dominant offensive line from a season ago at center. Despite the Soul having to use couple of different linemen combinations throughout 2012, Carvalho played in all but one game last season.
Sioeli Fakalata, New Mexico State (AFL rookie) – This is Fakalata's first experience of professional football. While at New Mexico State, he was named Phil Steele Pre Season All-WAC first team.
Marcus Gordon, Louisville (AFL Exp.: 1 season) – Marcus Gordon may as well be an AFL rookie because he didn't finish his one season with the Kansas City Command in 2011. He does have other indoor football experience, however, playing for the CIFL's Erie Explosion. He's also had stints with the Denver Broncos and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL.
Jason Jones, Idaho (AFL Exp.: 2 seasons) – Jason Jones spent the last two seasons playing against the Soul. In 2011, Jones played for the Milwaukee Mustangs and in 2012 he suited up for the Pittsburgh Power – both division rivals of the Soul. Jones is not only a blocker, he's also a bit of a receiver. In 2011, he caught nine passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. It's nice to have a lineman with a little added versatility.
Outlook: Christian Johnson and Brennen Carvalho are the anchors of the offensive line, which is crucial to the success of the Soul's offense. With only one spot left in the starting lineup, that spot is seemingly Jason Jones' for the taking given his experience and ability to catch the ball if necessary. The other roster spots are up for grabs.
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Soul roster by the numbers:
35: The number of players the Soul invited to training camp
28: The number of players the team must cut down to by March 8.
24: The number of players the team are required to cut down to for final cuts by March 16.
4: The number of former All-Arena selections the Soul have returning to the team (Anthony "Tiger" Jones, Derrick Ross, Bryan Robinson and Rayshaun Kizer).
5: The number of players the Soul have acquired from the Kansas City Command, who moved to another league during the offseason. The reason why this is noteworthy is because Kansas City finished with the worst record in the league last season at 3-15. The Command offense was one of the worst in recent memory scoring 50-plus points — a standard in the AFL — only once. Not to mention it took them 13 games to do it. The Command scored less than 40 points nine times — half of their games.
12: The number of players the Soul invited to camp that has never played in the AFL.
9: The number of players that have played in the Indoor Football League, a lesser-known arena football league. Of those nine, Four players (Joe Goosby, Derrick Ross, Calvin Fance and Jeff Hodges) played for the San Angelo Stampede Express in 2010, who were coached by current Soul head coach Clint Dolezel.