There was only one division that boasted three teams with eleven wins or more in the 2011 season, and that was the American Conference’s South Division, which also housed the 2011 ArenaBowl Champion Jacksonville Sharks. Those three teams – the Sharks, Georgia Force and Orlando Predators – all have significant turnover in the upcoming season, opening the door for the Tampa Bay Storm and New Orleans VooDoo, who may have extra motivation with their home stadium hosting the ArenaBowl XXV. Top to bottom, the American East looks like a wide open race, with four teams primed to challenge Jacksonville for not only the division title, but the league title as well.

Georgia Force

Coach:Dean Cokinos

2011 Record: 11-7

Outlook: You will not find many 2011 Force players among the leaders in conventional offensive categories, but a closer look will show you how Georgia found ways to win last season – minimizing mistakes and converting their opportunities. Holding their opponents to a mere 43.7 third down conversion percentage the Force also had the highest opponent penalty average, with over 68 yards given up a game. One player who was a breakout star last season was wide receiver Maurice Purify, who won the league’s offensive rookie of the year award in impressive fashion. In16 games, Purify scored 46 touchdowns, ranking fourth in the AFL in scoring and eighth in receiving yards per game.

Key Additions: DB Jamar Wall (Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Texas Tech), QB RJ Archer (Milwaukee Mustangs) and OL John Gianninoto (Carolina Panthers, Milwaukee Mustangs)

Player to Watch:   C.J. Johnson was one of the game’s leading ironmen last season, starring on both offense and special teams for Coach Dean Cokinos. Johnson finished the season second in all-purpose yardage and fourth in kick return average. Johnson also helped the team with five scores on returs, which tied for the league lead.

New Orleans VooDoo

Coach: Pat O’Hara

2011 Record: 3-15

Outlook: Near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, the VooDoo needed to add a scoring jolt this offseason to be able to compete in such an explosion division. The VooDoo added the pieces, now the question is whether coach O’Hara can put it together in such a quick fashion. Former Tampa Bay Storm QB Brian Zbydniewski has been assigned to play in “The Graveyard,” and is set to compete with former Cleveland Gladiators Kurt Rocco for the starting job. The VooDoo defense also looks improved, adding former McNesse State football standout Ladarious Key, who spent the last two seasons in the Canadian Football League.

Key Additions: DL Lolomana Mikaele (Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona), WR Quorey Payne (Spokane Shock, Southern Illinois), DB Gladel Brutus (Benedict College)

Player to Watch: With P.J. Berry gone to the Pittsburgh Power, a large void will have to be filled in both the offensive and special teams’ areas. Luckily the VooDoo signed seven year AFL veteran Josh Bush whose specialty is covering the same all-purpose role that P.J. Berry held up so well last season. Bush played with the division rival Orlando Predators last season, totaling a career high 2,008 all-purpose yards.

Orlando Predators

Coach: Brett Munsey

2011 Record: 11-7

Outlook: Defense will certainly be the calling card for the new-look Predators, who have changed in nearly all forms since 2011. New coach Brett Munsey is sure to bring a new sense of toughness to the group, and management has responded by giving him a litany of new, tough faces on the defensive side of the football. All-Arena DB Eddie Moten leaves the San Jose Sabercats to fill the same role in Orlando, teaming with Simeon Castille from the University of Alabama and former NFL first-round pick Ahmad Carroll. The predators also added DL Quinn Pitcock and former NFL linebacker Brandon Lang. With this side so improved, scoring on Orlando will be a daunting task.

Key Additions: WR Buddy Farnham (New England Patriots, Brown), WR Dwayne Eley Jr. (Milwaukee Mustangs, Stony Brook), OL/DL Anthony Carter (Colorado State)

Player to the Watch: Quarterbacks Colin Drafts and Trevor Harris have the hard task of replacing Nick Hill, who was signed by the Green Bay Packers earlier this season. With a new receiving core and not a stable signal caller, the new quarterback must not only match the high output of Hill’s arm, but also his leadership and confidence in the huddle. The team’s success will depend on it.

Tampa Bay Storm

Coach: Dave Ewert

2011 Record: 7-11

Outlook: Tampa Bay thought they had won the Nick Hill sweepstakes, until a team named the Green Bay Packers swooped in and stole their prized quarterback, sending the team into a frenzied search for a replacement. In a stunning trade, Stephen Wasil from Kansas City arrived in Tampa Bay, ready to lead the Storm back to the playoffs. Add that with former Texas Tech standout Richard Jones and the returning weapons from last season, including Amarri Jackson and the Storm look ready to wreak havoc again.

Key Additions: QB Trevor Vittatoe (Texas El-Paso), Mark Jones (Tennessee Titans, University of Tennessee), John-Kevin Dolce (Cleveland Gladiators).

Player to Watch: With the number one ranked passing defense in the league, it’s all about the quarterback. If Wasil can right the ship from a bad season, the Storm will find themselves in the hunt. Wasil was one of the leaders is passing efficiency last season, which is going to be crucial seeing that the Storm were a dead last in AFL turnover margin, with over -1 per game.

Jacksonville Sharks

Coach: Less Moss

2011 Record: 14-4

Outlook: Jacksonville returned from the ArenaBowl with a championship, but without the largest piece in their impressive victory – Aaron Garcia. The future Hall of Famer left for San Antonio, leaving a large void in an offense that ranked near the league leaders in almost every category. To replace him the team will look to two quarterbacks – Omar Jacobs and former NCAA national champion Chris Leak – to see which one fits the mold to return to the playoffs. With a defense that was ranked dead last in the league in pass coverage, the quarterback position will be increasingly important in how the team performs.

Key Additions: WR John Chiles (St. Louis Rams, University of Texas), WR/DB Robert Sewall (Brown), DB Ross Weaver (Michigan State)

Player to Watch: Jeron Harvey was the hero of the last ArenaBowl with his game-winning catch as time expired, and will need to take a more central receiving role this season. Without a proven quarterback, you must think receivers will receive tighter coverage’s, with more pressure to create open space.  If Harvey can blossom, it will greatly help the development of the new QB’s the Sharks will go with.