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Will open against Fayetteville Heat at Family Arena
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
River City Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt is busy making preparations and decisions regarding the Rage season opener on Saturday, March 26 at Family Arena. “The 22 man roster is never gonna be set until game day,” said Wyatt. National Indoor Football League rules require each team to submit a 25 man roster on the Thursday prior to game day; from that 22 players will be selected to dress.
Among the top returning veterans is Scott Pingel (6’1” 186 lb. WR), a 3 year indoor veteran and 2 time All Conference player from Westminster College where he won the Melberger Award, one of NCAA III football’s highest honors. Pingel led the NIFL in receiving yards in 204 with a NIFL record 1415 yards on a NIFL record 118 catches while finding the end zone 26 times. Pingel is joined in the Rage receiving corps by, what Wyatt calls “the world’s largest wide receiver” in Moses Regular, a 6’5”, 284 pounder. Regular hauled in 534 catches for 616 yards and 14 TDs in 2003. The Missouri Valley College product was converted to a tight end in the “NFL-Europe” and has been in three NFL camps.
Deciding which linemen to keep will be like working on a puzzle for Wyatt. Chase Denton (6’5”, 355 lb) and veteran center Gabe Dunkmann (6’4”, 325) are all but certain to anchor the offensive line. “It has yet to be determined if we are going to carry 4 O linemen or 4 D linemen,” Wyatt stated, “at least 1 lineman is going to have to be what we call a ‘swingman’ and be prepared to see action both ways.”
“Basically we keep 16 starters,” explained Wyatt, “there will be a back up quarterback and a kicker,” which puts the game day roster at 18 players, “which gives us 4 slots to fill,” Wyatt said. “Those 4 players will back up 14 positions, so a guy may be on the depth chart at defensive back, linebacker and running back.”
The Rage top newcomer is running back Rod Malone (6’2” 204 lb) from North Dakota State University. “Rod played in the Cactus Bowl last year, which is the Division II all-star game,” Wyatt boasts, “he led his team in rushing with over 1200 yards and scored something like 15 (17 to be exact) touchdowns.” Also being counted on in the backfield is SIU product JerMarsh Robinson (6’1”, 212). “We need to make some decisions on our backfield, and we need to do it quickly,” Wyatt conceded, “that might just be the area where will still need to sign a player or two.”
Defensively, the Rage will look to newcomer James Green (DL, 6’1”, 291) from the University of Southern Mississippi and a sack leader in 2004 for the Lubbock Lone Stars in the Intense Football League. Green will be joined on the defensive line by Western New Mexico University product Bruce Blue (6’1”, 264) who was his team’s defensive MVP while recording 25 tackles for losses to rank 2nd in the nation.
The Rage’s strong point would appear to be their defensive secondary where they will start 4 Division I starters. Heading the group is Mizzou Alumnus Clarence Jones (5’11” 205), who was 2nd team All Big 12.
The starting quarterback position has yet to be decided. “It will be between Clay (Groefsema) and Anthony Fisher,” tells Wyatt. Groefsema is returning for his third season of indoor action, where Fisher is fresh out of Southern University via the University of Miami. “If we have any questions as to who will be starting it will be at quarterback and running back,” Wyatt declared. “We hope to answer a lot of questions this evening as we go full speed.”
The Rage will open their season on Saturday, March 26 as they host the Fayetteville Heat with a 7 p.m. kick off. Individual ticket prices are $20 for front row, $15 for lower level and $10 for upper level. Season tickets are still available for $120, $90 and $60 respectively. Both can be purchased by calling 636-916-0132.
