By Gary Reasons, FSN Analyst -- What are the biggest questions heading into Week 1? FSN Analyst Gary Reasons takes a look, including how free substiution will effect game play, the tests ahead for two new head coaches who coincidentally meet this weekend and if the Chicago Rush can keep it up in 2007.
1. How will the new free substitution rule effect game play?
When the AFL rules committee adopted this rule back in September, every AFL team had to study the rule and set a new internal mindset of what types of players they would want on their rosters. The most obvious effect on game play will be the platooning of players on either offense or defense. Where in the past you essentially had 2 offensive specialists (QB & WR) and 2 defensive specialists (usually 2 DBs) dedicated to playing on that side of the ball, you will now have all 8 players on each side of the ball as specialists (starters). There certainly will still be the Ironman aspect of the game due to the limited roster size and you will see players continuing to play on both sides of the ball albeit in mostly reserve roles. I don’t think that you will see very many players starting on both offense and defense as players will definitely become more specialized.
The neat thing now is how coaches can utilize players in different situations. I’m sure you will see “Jumbo” packages for short yardage and goal line offenses. Conversely, defenses will have to adjust with a goal line defensive package. Coaches will certainly be more creative with personnel substitutions in different aspects of the game and I think this will make it an even more interesting game for the fans.
2. Which new head coach will enjoy more success this season: the Gladiators' Danton Barto or the Wranglers' Brian Partlow?
Both are experienced Arena Football coaches but both have taken different paths to their first year as an AFL head coach. Danton Barto is a former af2 head coach with the Memphis Explorers and has been the winningest af2 coach over the last 3 seasons. I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Coach Barto as part of our FSN preparation for the ArenaCup Championship game in 2005. I came to realize that Barto is a self-made Arena Football coach who knew little of the indoor game when he got started. He was a “sponge” seeking information about the game and he successfully channeled what he learned into an af2 championship. It will be interesting to see if Barto can translate his af2 success into the AFL.
In contrast, Brian Partlow is a veteran AFL coach (7 seasons) who has never been a head coach. Partlow has had a great mentor in Mike Dailey having worked his entire career under Dailey including the last 3 seasons in Denver as the offensive coordinator for the Crush. He, like Barto, has been on a championship staff as the Crush were winners of ArenaBowl XIX two seasons ago. He is a smart, aggressive offensive play caller that has brought a new signal caller to Austin in Adrian McPherson. While the offense will certainly be different for the Wranglers this season the biggest question will be how Partlow adapts to his new role as head coach and offensive coordinator.
The Gladiators have built their 2007 squad with several former NFL players and may wind up with one of the least AFL experienced squads. This will be an early challenge for Barto to get his players accustomed not only to each other but playing the indoor game. The Wranglers have plenty of experience and exceptional talent. WR Kevin Nickerson is entering his third AFL season and look for him to blossom further as an offensive weapon for Austin. I think Partlow will work well with McPherson and hopefully help him regain the form he showed in 2004 when he earned AFL Rookie of The Year honors for his play with the Indiana Firebirds.
I’ll get to see how things unfold for both teams firsthand as I will be in Austin this week for our FSN coverage of the Gladiators and Wranglers. My early take is that I expect the Wranglers to get out fast this year with the Gladiators taking the early part of the season to get acclimated to the indoor game.
3. How will Colorado fair losing their offensive coordinator and a key defensive assistant to Austin?
While Brian Partlow did a tremendous job with QB John Dutton over the past three years, look for Mike Dailey to become completely involved with the offense this season. Chris Boden is new to the Crush staff and will work with the QBs to assist Dailey. Offensively the key to the season is simple. Ride the arm of Dutton as he throws to perhaps the best receiver in the game today, Damian Harrell. Defensively the Crush are still in the capable hands of defensive coordinator Ernesto Purnsley. He understands that defensive stops and points allowed are the drivers for a successful defense in the AFL. To help achieve those goals he has one of the very best DBs in the league in Rashad Floyd who will again set the tone for a successful defensive year for the Crush.
4. Will Clint Dolezel enjoy the same success this season without Terrill Shaw and Diaello Burks?
Clint Dolezel may not have Shaw and Burks to throw to this season but the Desperados still have plenty of WR talent including Ironman Will Pettis and the offseason addition of Marcus Nash. Pettis may be one of the few players in the league this season who gets significant playing time on both offense and defense. He has tremendous skills and it’ll be hard for Will McClay to keep him on the sideline. As for Nash, he hopes to reestablish the league leading form he and Dolezel displayed while they were together with the Gladiators. Nash and Dolezel are great friends and Nash would like nothing better than to be the piece of the puzzle that gets Dolezel and the Desperados to ArenaBowl XXI.
5. Can the Chicago Rush keep the momentum going in 2007?
Scrappy. Resilient. Determined. Tough. These are all words that can be used to describe the 2006 Chicago Rush football team. In particular, I felt that Head Coach Mike Hohensee was the biggest reason that the Rush kept things together despite some early season, last play losses. Those experiences of losing close games and then finding a way to turn those experiences into wins later in the season was the story of Rush season in 2006. So, can they repeat in 2007? Certainly... It won’t be an easy task though as they will again be challenged by Division rival Colorado. The key pieces to the team return with QB Matt D’Orazio and WR Bobby Sippio. They found a unique chemistry late last season and they’ll need it again if things are to go the way of the Windy City.
Gary Reasons, a former Arena Football head coach, is entering his third season as an AFL game analyst for FSN. Reasons, a nine-year NFL linebacker (84’-92’) and two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, is entering his 14th year as a television broadcaster.
