Though the guys on the offensive side of the ball seem to get much of the notoriety in Arena Football, any coach will tell you that defense really does win championships.

Points will be scored, but a few stops here and there usually mean the difference between a win and a loss.

That’s why finding top-flight defensive standouts is such an important offseason task for AFL general managers.

Everybody wants to find the next Vic Hall – last season’s Riddell Defensive Player of the Year, who set an AFL rookie record for most interceptions in a season with 15.

The Chicago defensive back put together an impressive rookie campaign, leading the League in tackles and interceptions after 13 games of play and taking home Riddell Defensive Player of the Week honors twice last year. However, there are a handful of proven defenders around the League who could make a play for the award.

Three of them can be found in the Philadelphia Soul’s defensive secondary. With ball-hawking defensive backs Tanner Varner, Rayshaun Kizer and Micheaux Robinson patrolling the secondary, opposing quarterbacks will have a difficult time finding open receivers. Kizer, who won the Russell Defensive Player of the Week award in Weeks 3 and 19, recorded a League-record 16 interceptions in 2011, while Robinson, the Week 2 winner, defended 46 passes, another League record. The two will team with 2010 All-Arena holdover Tanner Varner, who set a League-record for tackles as a rookie with 129.5 two years ago.

Another contender for the award is Arizona Rattlers defensive lineman Cliff Dukes. Dukes was acquired in a blockbuster preseason trade that sent Second-Team All-Arena defensive back JC Neal to Kansas City. The 2011 Game Tape Exchange Defensive Lineman of the Year led the League in tackles for loss last season with 16.0 and recorded a League-high 21.5 sacks over the past two seasons. He won the Riddell Defensive Player of the Week award twice last season.

Certainly, there are many other candidates across the League, who exemplify the hard-hitting, big play ability the Russell Defensive Player award has become known for. Defensive lineman Anthony Hoke in Spokane could make a push with another strong season in 2012, as could Cleveland linebacker Tim Cheatwood, who shared the League-lead for sacks last season with Dukes. These players are just a few examples of how the Riddell Defensive Player of the Week award has become synonymous with winning football.