Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 3, 2007 20:21:46 GMT -5
Freeze likely to keep Whitfield at WR
BY RON LEONARDI
ron.leonardi@timesnews.com
Published: February 03. 2007 6:00AM
Darmel Whitfield likely will remain at wideout when the Erie Freeze open the American Indoor Football Association season Friday on the road against the 2006 champion Canton Legends.
Whitfield, who set numerous offensive records as a quarterback at Gannon, was competing for the Freeze's starting quarterback job in training camp with Randall Secky, a former quarterback at the University at Buffalo, and Edwin Nelson, who played his junior and senior seasons in 2001-02 at Division III Brockport.
The quarterback spot was left vacant by the loss of former Erie quarterback and league MVP David Dinkins, who signed with the league's Pittsburgh RiverRats, after spending the past two seasons with Erie.
After watching Secky and Nelson in practice the past week, Freeze coach Dave Arnold said both have shown enough ability to run the team to allow him to use Whitfield, entering his third season with the Freeze, in multiple roles.
In his first two seasons, Whitfield has been used as a wideout, defensive back, kick returner and backup quarterback.
Arnold said he hopes to keep both Secky and Nelson, and probably won't make his decision on who will start and whether he'll retain both players until Wednesday, when the Freeze must reduce their active roster to the league-mandated maximum of 20.
"I'm going to try and keep both of them for the whole season and keep Darmel as a playmaker," Arnold said. "I don't have any problems or concerns starting either of those two (Secky and Nelson)."
Nelson, 25, lives in Harbor Creek and teaches health and physical education at Panama Central School in Panama, N.Y.
Nelson played his freshman and sophomore college seasons at Edinboro before transferring to Brockport, where he was a backup quarterback his junior and senior seasons.
Secky played at Buffalo from 2001-04.
RON LEONARDI can be reached at 870-1680 or by e-mail.
BY RON LEONARDI
ron.leonardi@timesnews.com
Published: February 03. 2007 6:00AM
Darmel Whitfield likely will remain at wideout when the Erie Freeze open the American Indoor Football Association season Friday on the road against the 2006 champion Canton Legends.
Whitfield, who set numerous offensive records as a quarterback at Gannon, was competing for the Freeze's starting quarterback job in training camp with Randall Secky, a former quarterback at the University at Buffalo, and Edwin Nelson, who played his junior and senior seasons in 2001-02 at Division III Brockport.
The quarterback spot was left vacant by the loss of former Erie quarterback and league MVP David Dinkins, who signed with the league's Pittsburgh RiverRats, after spending the past two seasons with Erie.
After watching Secky and Nelson in practice the past week, Freeze coach Dave Arnold said both have shown enough ability to run the team to allow him to use Whitfield, entering his third season with the Freeze, in multiple roles.
In his first two seasons, Whitfield has been used as a wideout, defensive back, kick returner and backup quarterback.
Arnold said he hopes to keep both Secky and Nelson, and probably won't make his decision on who will start and whether he'll retain both players until Wednesday, when the Freeze must reduce their active roster to the league-mandated maximum of 20.
"I'm going to try and keep both of them for the whole season and keep Darmel as a playmaker," Arnold said. "I don't have any problems or concerns starting either of those two (Secky and Nelson)."
Nelson, 25, lives in Harbor Creek and teaches health and physical education at Panama Central School in Panama, N.Y.
Nelson played his freshman and sophomore college seasons at Edinboro before transferring to Brockport, where he was a backup quarterback his junior and senior seasons.
Secky played at Buffalo from 2001-04.
RON LEONARDI can be reached at 870-1680 or by e-mail.
