EVERETT – Is there any tactic or trick the Birmingham Steeldogs or Everett Hawks will try in today’s arenafootball2 clash that might surprise either head coach?
Not likely.
Ron Selesky, in his first year as Birmingham’s coach, previously coached Everett coach Rickey Foggie when Foggie quarterbacked Carolina of the Arena Football League in 2004.
“We know each other very well,” Selesky said. “Rickey is a very good and special friend of mine.”
“We are really close friends,” Foggie said. “We talk once or twice a week. He’s taught me a lot about the ins and outs of coaching.”
Despite the mutual familiarity Foggie is wary going into the 5 p.m. clash at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
“They are in a little bit of a rebuilding mode right now, but the bottom line is they have been a pretty solid organization,” Foggie said of the Steeldogs who struggled to a 2-14 record last season.
“They are gonna be hungry, this is their opener, and they draw pretty good crowds so we’re gonna have to weather the storm early to take the crowd out of the game.”
Even in a sub-par year, Birmingham’s attendance averaged more than 6,000 fans per game in 2005.
“Down here in the Southeastern United States football is king,” Selesky said. “In Birmingham, it’s Auburn or Alabama depending on who you’re talking too. But, in the spring it’s indoor football.”
Two promising rookies – Ryan Hawk from Ohio University and Robert Kent from Jackson State – have waged a battle for Birmingham’s starting quarterback spot. The starter will be a game time decision.
“They both bring a lot to the table,” Selesky said. “Both are very good and are catching on to our game real quick. But, they have yet to suit up and play in an arena game.”
Line play was a major problem for Birmingham last year. They have made wholesale changes to add talent and depth.
The Steeldogs picked up veteran lineman William Mayes, who Selesky said was a victim of the salary cap after playing the last three seasons in the AFL with Las Vegas.
“The AFL’s loss is certainly our gain,” Selesky said of Mayes, a former Louisiana Tech player.
Birmingham also picked up rookie linemen Jordan Brumbaugh (Tuskegee Institute) and James Clark (Tennessee-Chattanooga).
After allowing 37 sacks in 2005, improving the offensive line was also a major priority. To help, the Steeldogs signed 6-foot-4, 305-pound Myron Powe, a rookie from Southern Mississippi.
Selesky is familiar with Everett quarterback Julian Reese, who threw five touchdown passes and rushed for three more in the Hawks’ season opening home loss to Bakersfield.
“Julian Reese is a very talented quarterback who I feel is AFL caliber,” Selesky said. “And, the (Kendrick) Walker kid (WR/DB) is a very good two-way threat,” Selesky said.
In its bid to notch its first af2 victory, Everett will focus on correcting the mistakes that cost them dearly in the opener.
“After watching film the game wasn’t as bad as I thought,” Foggie said. “We just made a lot of key mistakes at the wrong times and we’ve got to correct those.”
The Hawks’ secondary was burned frequently by the Blitz, prompting some changes to Everett’s defense for today’s game. Defensive specialist Jamley Austin will start in place of Charles Davis. Toure Butler, a product of Cascade High School and former University of Washington player, replaces Renard Carey. John Fields gets the starting nod as pass rushing specialist over Brett Allen. Davis, Carey and Allen remain on the practice squad.
That’s how we usually do it,” Foggie said. “Get a couple of new faces in there and give them the opportunity to play and hopefully they can help us out.”
Upgraded af2: Selesky, who played for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987 and bounced around the NFL for three additional seasons, first coached indoor football as an assistant in the AFL in 1997. “When af2 started (in 2000) I didn’t give its players a second thought,” Selesky said. “But it has improved night and day. To the trained eye you can still see some rookie mistakes, but talent? It’s like you’re watching an AFL game.”
Personnel notes: Hawks’ international player Kohei Satomi remains out, recovering from a dislocated left shoulder. He is expected to be ready for the April 30 home game against Central Valley. Everett added Ryan Branting, a Canadian player, to fill the international roster spot until Satomi’s return…OL/DL Rico Ochoa was traded this week to the Spokane Shock for future considerations.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
