2013 Season Preview(s)

[Matt]

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St. Paul Bandits

Last Season: 7-9 (2-4)

Key Additions:
RB Nigel Clark (R)
FL JC Meadows (FA)
NT Bryant Koplitz (FA)

Key Losses:
WR Bo Stuart (trade)
DE Hugh Adams (FA)

The St. Paul Bandits came off their 2nd Front Office Bowl victory in 2011 by going 7-9 in 2012, only their 2nd losing season in the history of their franchise and the GM promised changes. The first big change was the trade of star WR Bo Stuart to Yuma for two draft picks, a 1st in 2013 and a 3rd in 2014. Stuart was having problems with other members of the receiving core and the distraction wasn't worth his ability. The second was not resigning all-time St. Paul leading rusher Rob "The Diesel" Cote, a 4-time pro bowl selection who ran for over 8500 yards in 7 seasons.

Offense

The offense will be continued to be led by arguable the best quarterback in the league, Dusty Galloway. There has never been another quarterback to start a game for St. Paul and over his career he's thrown for 27,320 yards (#1), 210 TD's (#2), 105 interceptions, and an overall rating of 88.6.

His receiving corp is down Stuart, but there is still FL Mercury Humphrey, SE Dwayne Holzberger, and TE Frankie Antigua. Last year they all had down years but in the past this trio has been one of the most productive in the league. During the preseason a new offensive scheme has been put in place and the Bandits hope they can get back to days of past.

The running game has a new face when RB Nigel Clark was drafted out of Wyoming in the 2nd round and will start immediately. Not only does he have the ability to make people miss but he is a leader.

Defense

Last season's liability might prove to be so again, the defensive line being the reason. DE Mark Fisk, St. Pauls 1st pick in the draft, will get the start and shows tremendous upside, but for now will be a liability. The other bookend DE Rex Samuel, a FA pickup from Boston, is about as good but with no upside. NT Bryant Koplitz, another FA pickup, will anchor the middle.

The linebackers are arguable the strength of the defense and why St. Paul runs a 3-4. St. Pauls #1 pick from 2011 Omar Smith ended his holdout during the preseason and is one of the better young LB's in the league. Veterans Cole Burks and Trent Thomas will anchor the middle, while Blake Daniels will play WLB and handle the pass rushing duties.

The defensive backfield will be led by SS Todd Garcia, one of the original members of the St. Paul organization. This aging group has played well during the preseason and the coaching staff hopes they continue to do so. Cornerbacks Kurt Howard and Broderick Carlisle have been together for a while but they have different strengths and weaknesses.

Predictions

The Bandits start out with 5 of their first 6 games on the road, a brutal way to start any season. During the preseason they suffered some injuries, notably at the wide out position and were forced to sign some late FA's which not only lack in talent but come in rusty. This team is led by it's offensive stars though. If Galloway can find his old touch and get back on the same page with the receiving corp this team will go to the playoffs for the 5th time in franchise history. If they struggle and the defense doesn't step it up it could be another long, frustrating season. The future looks a little brighter due to a solid draft class this season, but St. Paul needs another one of those next season, especially for the aging WR/DB corp.

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[Matt]

The (s) was so every else could join in! With Ben's utilities it makes it pretty simple...you don't even need the game open.

[Delandis]

I'm joining in a second. I just had to get the laptop back from the wife.

[Delandis]

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North Liberty Enforcers

Last Season: 7-9 (3-3)

Key Additions:
FB Chris Gaines (R)
FL Bryan Winzenried (FA)
DE Junior Bell (R)

Key Losses:
FL Patrick Siegrist

The North Liberty Enforcers had a really tough time last year. Finishing just 7-9(3-3) was a big disappointment. With a 4-game, 3-game, and 2-game losing streak over the season, it showed that the Enforcers could be consistently bad. There were a few key injuries to star players including Myron Allen(QB), Andy Grisso(G), Dwayne Kemp(S), and Eric Ackerman(CB) just to name the bigger stars who were hurt last season.

Offensive Line

The Enforcers' offensive line is truly, one of the most dominant run-blocking lines in the OSFL. One thing that was amazing last year, was the fact that perrinial All-Pro Guard, Andy Grisso played only 11 games last year, but was still the #3 offensive guard in the league(by DOGPOINTS) and was also still selected to his fourth consecutive year as an All-Pro. Grisso's injury forced North Liberty to shuffle the offensive line and play players out of positions and hopefully, Grisso can remain healthy for the entire season this year.

On the other side of the center, Cornell "Monster" Henson was chosen as an All-Pro for the first time in his career. Henson played the tackle position for the first five years of his career, but was moved to guard in 2012. He flourished as a guard, and will remain in that role in 2013.

The tackle positions are played by 12-year veteran, and offensive line leader, Donnell Morris and 6 year veteran, Irv Archibald. With Morris, the Enforcers get consistent production, leadership, protection from the coveted left tackle position. On the right side, Archibald has a lot of size and talent but has yet to produce as a starter.

The weakest point of the offensive line is definitely the center position. North Liberty attempted to fix this glaring hole by drafting former Illini All-American center, Bert Dalan in the 3rd round of the 2013 draft. Unfortunately, Dalan sufferered a major knee injury that will require reconstructive knee surgery, and he will miss the entire 2013 season and likely part of the 2014 season. Speaking with sources within the Enforcers' training camp, it has been confirmed that Amos Peters will get the nod as the season's starter over last year's starter, Jonathan Hailey.

Quarterback

The quarterback position is again headed by now, 7-year veteran and former #1 overall pick, Myron Allen. Myron is coming of an injury plagued season where he only played 12 games, and statistically, one of his worst seasons ever. Allen threw just 11 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2012. However, it has been said that Myron did spend a little extra time in the film room and expanded his knowledge of the Enforcers offense. Allen also has matured to the point where he is now able to convey that knowledge and experience to the younger quarterbacks that back him up.

Running Backs

Along with that killer run-oriented offensive line, there is a running back that is arguably the most consistent back in the league over the last 5 years. That back would be, another former Illini, Conrad Bronson. Bronson has an unparalled vision to find the hole and is also a competent reciever out of the backfield. Every season Bronson has been in the league, he rushed for over 1300 yards and 2012 was no different. Bronson rushed for 1394 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2012 and with Grisso back in business to lead him, look for Bronson to have another good season.

Backing Bronson up will be 3rd year man, Willie Erickson. Erickson had a decent season backing up Bronson last year and looks to continue to change the pace for the Enforcers.

Last but certainly not least, the Enforcers added a bit of depth in the backfield by drafting fullback, Chris Gaines out of UMass. Gaines projects to be an all-around fullback and his performance in the preseason shows that Gaines may even be able to carry a good percentage of the carries to take some of the pressure off of Bronson.

Receivers

This has been the biggest area of concern for the Enforcers for years now. The receiving corp is led by 2012 All-OSFL TE, Johnny May. May became the first tight end to catch over 100 passes and catch for over 1000 yards. Despite what anyone in North Liberty says, he is the Enforcers' best receiver and will reprise that role again this year.

This past off-season, the Enforcers finally cut ties with 2008 Fastest Man, Patrick Siegrist. Siegrist fractured his knee cap in the first game of the 2011 season, missed all of the 2011 season and a good bit of the 2012 season. The fill that void, the Enforcers brought in long time Columbus #2 receiver, Bryan Winzenreid and a 3rd round pick in exchange for a 1st round pick next year. Many OSFL analysts have questioned if Winzenreid still has enough in the tank to justify a 1st round pick, but the Enforcers were very pleased with Winzenried's consistency in Columbus and hope that Bryan will bring that stabilty to help the Enforcers' ailing passing game.

The remaining Enforcers' receivers include, 2013 7th round pick, Korey Wiggins, who had a played his way into a roster spot during preseason, Dennis Bowling, a 2012 undrafted free agent, who plays exceptionally well in the clutch, and Jerald Lester who caught 41 balls last year for the Enforcers.

Defensive Line

The real strength of the Enforcers team has been, and will continue to be the defense. Beginning with the line, the Enforcers have one of the most versatile defensive lines to be found in OSFL. The right end is anchored by 6-year man, Bennie Baxter. Baxter is one of the league's best at defending the run but can also maintain a decent level of pressure from the right side.

On the left side, former 7th round pick, Oliver Sugita, played his first full year as a defensive end and compiled 38 tackles with 6 sacks, 13 hurries, and 5 knockdowns. Sugita will likely share snaps with the Enforcers' 2013 1st round pick, Junior Bell. Bell was a monster defensive tackle for Baylor in college. The North Liberty staff saw a lot of talent in Bell as a defensive tackle. Bell worked very hard during training camp and lost 12 lbs, to make him a meaner, leaner, defensive end.

The middle of the defensive line is anchored by 2013 All-Pro defensive tackle, Ken Ursino. Ursino had a break out year in his sophmore season and is expected to do more of the same this year, especially, with the expected emergence of 2nd year tackle Earnest Mueller. Mueller had an outstanding training camp and preseason and the North Liberty expect this group of young lineman to bring a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks they face this year.

The linebacking core is led by former Air Force cadet, Joel Wild. Depite the Enforcers pitiful team performance last year, Wild had an MVP type season, racking up 120 tackles, 4 sacks, 6 interceptions, and 12 defended passes. Unfortunately for North Liberty, Wild was hurt early in preseason, and may miss the first two regular season games.

The middle linebacking position is Mr. Steady, Zach McDonald. Zach has been a mainstay of the Enforcers defense since the inception of the league, and continues to make it tough for any offense to play across the middle of the field. Zach is in his 9th year, but still hasn't seemed to have lost a step and despite a bruised shoulder, will start in the season opener against Dakota.

The defensive backfield is captained by Eric "Its in the Game" Ackerman. Ackerman was ranked the 20th best cornerback in the OSFL despite sitting out 3 games due to a concussion early in the season. On the other side of the field, Rick Weaver, a former Tarheel standout, usually defends the team's 2nd best receiver.

The two safeties are two of the league's best as well. At free safety, there is Dwayne Kemp, who despite never being voted to an All-Pro during his 6-year career, is known for being a ball-hawk. At strong safety, Adrian Burhart is in his 12th year but is still one of the leagues most consistent players at his position.


Predictions

The Enforcers will likely remain a mediocre team this year, as there hasn't been enough changes offensively to warrant any more wins than 8-8. To truly become an elite team, the Enforcers need a top tier receiver and despite being servicable, it is rather unclear if Winzenreid can provide that level of production, this late in his career. However, even with a host of injuries last year, North Liberty did squeak out 7 wins, so if the team can stay healthy over the course of a long season, who knows what may happen.

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[Guest]

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Yuma Aces

Last Season: 16-3, NC Champs (3-3)

Key Additions:
TE Jon Crutchfield
WR Bo Stuart

Key Losses:
FS Herman Everett

The Aces are looking to make one final run at the title that has eluded them in recent years, and they bring back virtually the same cast as last season. The key addition that has fans excited is WR Bo Stuart, who provides a second major threat to help open up the offense even further for the Aces. The sentiment locally seems to be that this is the most complete team Yuma has had since the inception of the league, and with the veteran leadership and continuity management has been able to maintain, this looks to be the best chance Yuma has to see another title in the Clements era.

Offense:

Jumbo Clements returns with the same offensive line that has protected him for the last 6 seasons, with nary a soul on the roster different from last years gang. Dean Boshier returns for another season, hoping to stay healthy and continue where he and backfield mate Richie Gibbons ended up last season. The two both broke the 1000 yard mark and helped open up the air attack for Clements and Edgar Minkel, who had his best season as an Ace, with 1122 yards and 11 tds on a very robust 9.7 yards per attempt. With Bo Stuart manning the other side and lightninig quick YAC-man Leo Woods in the slot, the Aces are hoping to take big steps and improve the YPA totals across the board.

With the continuity this team has had, there is no reason not to expect a top 3 offense to come out of the desert this season.

Defense:

The return of SLB Erik Person and the improvement of DE Dennis Treu will be nice additions to one of the top defenses in the league last season. The age is starting to show in a lot of spots for this group, but there still looks to be enough there for the Aces to once again present a strong opposition to hostile offensive attacks. Continuity is again the hallmark of the team, as they are a talented bunch who has played together for a long time. If the team can avoid injuries, 2013 could see the Aces hoist the trophy.

Prediction: 13-3, 1st in the tough NC West, barely fending off San Fran one more time.

(And hopefully a title to follow) - Fingers crossed.

[Delandis]

Added the defense for NLB.

[Pat]

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Portland Phantoms

Last Season: 6-10 (4-2)

Key Additions:
CB Jake Kennedy (R)
DE Michael Hagglund (trade)
SE Ethan Williamson (FA)
RB Tim Hartman (FA)

Key Losses:
TE Nick Devitt (FA)

The Portland Phantoms stumbled down the stretch last season. After a week 13 win over Port City, the Phantoms sat at 6-6, but fell on their face losing their last four games. A very young team with no expectations, this season the Phantoms look to build on that early success. Plus, with a 4-2 divisional record, the Phantoms might be headed in the right direction.

Offense

The offensive is led by second year QB Eddie Castillo. Last season, as a rookie, he played well, like a rookie. This off-season the Phantoms worked on new formations to expand the playbook a little for the local youngster.

The receiving corp is better than it was last season. Starting FL Harry Drain and SE Ty Cascadden were both rookies last season, but still managed to combine for over 1,000 yards, 75 receptions and three touchdowns. In addition to the youngsters, the Phantoms have veteran slot receiver Jack Jackson and SE Ethan Williamson. The latter was a very underrated FA signing. The fifth year man out of USC, has caught 210 passes and 2606 yards in his first four seasons. No superstars at WR, but a lot of depth. The TEs are a bunch of youngsters as well. Second-round pick Hugh Warren looks to have a grasp of the starting spot after training camp, but there will be a rotation at the position of third-year receiving specialist Tracy Narcisse and rookie blocker Richard Cook.

The running game should be the strength of the offense. Last off-season the Phantoms traded for RB Jon Chart, giving him the full-time role. He responded by having a career season with 1,100 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns and a 4.12 avg. To help bolster the attack, the Phantoms signed RB Tim Hartman formerly of Brooklyn. A starter for the Hitmen the past six seasons, Hartman will share some 1st and 2nd down carries with Chart, but he will be the full-time 3rd down back. In maybe the deepest position offensively, the Phantoms have two stud FBs. Wally Fulton is a phenominal run blocker and he added 491 rushing yards, 157 receiving and three touchdowns. DJ Sera is not much of a runner, but he can block with the best of them and is a reliable checkdown out of the backfield.

The strength of the offense however is the offensive line. Bookend tackles in Orlando Bell and Lance Clayton. One of the leagues better interior combos as well in C Roy Kramer and RG Juan Bergman. The only question is who will start at Left Guard. Right now, Jeremy Wing has the lead on Rodney Cafferty, but that may only be temporary.

Defense

The defensive line is a quantity over quality approach. Expect a heavy rotation at DT as well as DE. The Phantoms did trade for DE Michael Hagglund and draft a speed rusher in Travis Pickerill in the 3rd, but they still have last years starters Jeff Bellis and Fernando Thurmond on the roster. On the interior the rotation will include last seasons starters Jackie Bradford and Nolan Hinsley. But watch out for Myron Maloney and Derek Balent, the 3rd and 2nd year pros are making noise in Training Camp.

In the 4-3 you really need strong linebackers, especially at MLB. The Phantoms have that in third-year backer Lenny Prescott. He has lead the team in tackles in two consecutive seasons and this year the Phantoms want to see what he can do rushing the passer. On the outside, it is questionable. Penciled in at SLB is 4th-round rookie Shaun Farley. Not much of a pass rusher, he should be decent defending the run. At WLB it is a question mark. On the roster is Kendrick Watkins, who is entering his 3rd year and has had decent results, but is severly undersized at just 5-9 227. The other option is the longest tenured Phantom, OLB Stephen Stephenson. He has last a step over the years, and will probably be more of a leadership role and situational LB.

The defensive backfield is the strength of this average defense. In the first round the Phantoms landed the best CB in the draft in Jake Kennedy. He will start immediately. Opposite him will be Leo Duffy who has fallen off in recent years, but is still a hard hitting corner who likes to make plays against the run. There is depth as well in second-year corners Quentin Donaldson and Ray "Red" Rose. Both saw plenty of time starting last season, so they should be very experienced in a nickel-dime role. At safety, the Phantoms have a three-man rotation in SS Julio Smolka, FS Ray Kohberger and SS Thurman Joyner. Kohberger will likely be every down with Joyner and Smolka rotating on passing/rushing downs.

Special Teams
Punter Max Owens took the league by storm as a rookie last season. Kicker Tracy Saathoff had a career season hitting on over 90% of his FG attempts. Return specialist Donald Tatum tested the free-agent market and got paid because of it. He is the teams #1 PR and #1 KR. Moving to a special teams role this season is LB Stephen Stephenson. In pre-season he made some big plays.


Predictions

The Phantoms are young on both sides of the ball and have much room to grow as a team. Offensively, if the runningbacks can stay healthy, the great offensive should pave the way for a great ground attack. If Castillo can make significant improvements from last season, the passing game should be above average and keep the defense honest. I'm more concerned about my defense. I like the players that were brought in to bolster the unit, but who is going to rush the passer? Are the outside linebackers good enough to stop the run? Will the youngsters at corner be able to make plays in the secondary? I think this is another season to build on, probably in the 6-8 win range.

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[tomr1962]

Dillion is poised for a break out season and his natural athleticism will crush Pat's Portland Pansies.

[Clay]

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Last Season: 6-10 (3-3)

Key Additions:

LB Ian Stokes
DT Justin Doucette
CB Clifton Trabosh (R)
P Rodney MaKinster (R)

Key Losses:

WR Greg Supple (FA)

The Motor City Mechanics has an up-and-down 2012 season. After 6 games, they were sitting pretty at 4-2 and looking at a return to the playoffs. Seven games later, they were 4-9 and looking at another Top 10 pick. They ended the season winning 2 of 3, losing only a 1 point game at Pearl Harbor, but everyone involved with the team left dissappointed. Management expressed their displeasure calling their franchise "a group of individuals and nowhere near a team."

Offense

One significant highlight on the '12 season was the OSFL Rookie of the Year season of Cris Gardner. Besides rushing for 1480 yards, the rookie out of Oregon caught an OSFL record 110 passes on the season and showed his ability to redefine the position and the game. In season 2, he'll be looking to find the endzone. In a recent interviews with the Detroit Free Press, Gardner said that "anything under 20 TD's would be a lost season."

Moving Gardner into positions to score will be the job of Motor City's young Oline. When Mechanic's Legend Jeffrey Exterovich hung up the spikes after the 2011 season, the transition began. With a Rookie starters all accross the line, the game experience earned last year will be crucial. Marc Sutter took home First Team All-OSFL at Guard last season and is the heart and sole of this young line.

"The Jiz" is still the Captain that stears the ship under center and, besides Gardner, he'll find himself throwing to a crew of young receivers. At least three rookies will make the Mechanics' opening day roster and be counted on to contribute immediately. Some inside buzz around camp says that Free Agent Rookie OJ Blair may end up being the best of the lot.

Defense

Using their 1st Round pick of CB Clifton Trabosh totally revamped the Mechanics secondary. Trabosh will start immediately at the RCB spot opposite Jermaine Lowman. That move allows former 1st Rounder Daryl Calabri to move back to his more natural Safety position (where he played all 4 years in college). Calabri will join Harry Berry forming a very formidable starting 4.

Jackie Patrick is healthy again and should combine with fellow horses Clyde Oliva and Kent Cook on the DLine. Free Agent Justin Doucette comes to town to take the under Tackle spot. Motor City needs major production out of this group. Scouts around the league will tell you that this group has all of the talent in the world, but the production just hasn't been there.

Ian Stokes joins the Linebacker core, but remains the weakness on this defense.

This team finished #3 last season in Total Defense (286.9 ypg), but were still giving up too many points in most games. The stats are slightly skewed by the fact that they often gave up a short field.

Special Teams

The Mechanics shot themselves in the foot many times in 2012 with their inability to win the field position battle. They cut last year's kicker Rico Stevens to bring in two rookies to compete for the job. Rodney MaKinster won the gig outright in camp and should hopefully provide some consistancy.

Bryant Accimus is back to continue his streak of XP's having never missed in his career. He was 4-6 on FGs over 50 yards last season and looks to continue his success from long range.

Still a glaring hole in the Motor City aresenal is their complete lack of a return game. Rumor has it that Cris Gardner may see some action returning punts this season to give the team a much needed spark.

Predictions

The Mechanics are a Playoff team on paper. Unfortunately, the games aren't played on paper. With a strange schedule that sees Motor City plaing on the road 5 out of 6 games (including the first 4), it will be imperative to get out to a quick start.

Cris Gardner should compete for the rushing title, but a change in Offensive Philosophy will likely have him catching less passes.

Our real prediction is somewhere between 7-9 and 9-7.

[tarcone]

Phoenix Riders

Last Season : 12-4 (4-2)

Key Additions

P Bobby Thompson

Key Losses

LB Ian Stokes


the Riders had an interesting season last year. We started off 0-2, then reeled off 11 straight wins before losing 2 in a row again. We finished the regular season with a win at Denver.
Th playoffs saw the Riders lose in the conference championship game for the 2nd year in a row. After beating rival Utah with a last minute touchdown, the offense stalled against eventual champion Memphis.
The offseason was supposed to be the end of a run, but with league indifference, the Riders choose to make another run and renegotiated many veteran contracts to allow the team to fall under the cap. The run is nearing the end, but the Riders are giving it one more shot.

Offense

Almost everyone returns. Age is starting to show. But that shouldnt slow the Riders down too much. Reese to Slade will be the theme again, with the offensive line opening holes for the two-headed monster at running back, Hugh Samuel and Al Castellano. TE Gas Ratan should provide help this season also.

Defense

The linebacking corp is a little weaker with the loss of Ian Stokes and the injury to S Doug Kneiling hurts the pass defense. Otherwise the unit is ready to attack opponents. The defensive line is back as is the cornerback crew. The defense will be a positive force this season.

Spacial Teams

This group is not as strong as last seasons. And that isnt saying much. With the exception of K Skip Binkow, our special teams arent real special.


Predictions

The Riders will challenge for the league championship one more time. That is if they make it out of their division. Age and depth are becoming concerns. But one more run is not out of the question. 10-6 or 11-5 should be the record.

[Bigsmooth]

Awesome job on these.

[tomr1962]

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Kalispel Stags

Last Season: 7-9

Key Additions:

Doug Jackson TE
Jeffrey Medford C

Key Losses:

None

Offense

Sammy Dillion continues his growth at QB, His biggest improvement has been in the turn over game. Dillion is a nightmare as a runner and gives Defense's fits. He is surrounded by a veteran group of playmakers.

Jack Taylor is old for a starting Running back but no one can seem to take his job. He is 2nd all-time in runs over 10 yards.

Buddy Offord should be a shoe in hall of famer when he turns in his cleats. He is backed up by the age less Doug Jackson. At wideouts Richards is slowing down after a fine career and Wilkerson is injury prone. Stags have depth at WR in case this happens. Wilkerson if healthy provides the home run threat to keep defenses honest.

Percy Grier leads a solid , but unspectacular offensive line.

Defense

The heart of the defense has always been the backfield. Steve Stone may retire as the all-time league leader in tackles. Leland Ernst is a shut down corner and Lincoln Ramsey is a ball hawk, seldom out of position but takes a few too many chances. Ramsey is a great tackler, which allows him to play reckless. Wayne Kushto has always played backseat to Stone but is reliable and gets the job done.

Lionel Vance is a beast up front. Jimmy Morris is a fine pass rusher. Rookie Joe Durham looks to be fine DE. The Stags have a solid bunch of defensive lineman.

Line Backer is the teams weak spot. Wesley Watson is getting old and Leon Turpin shows signs of greatness but lacks conditioning to play every down.

Predictions

If the Stags survive the 6 road trips in the first half of the season they can again battle for division champs. The Defense needs to step up to the form that made them the best in the league just a few seasons ago. Since this is a league of dominant QB's the Stags have kept pace by keeping their secondary together. They even brought back Chester Mayberry for insurance. The Stags also have good depth at most positions.

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