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The Lansing Ogres first full season under new owner morellomre was 17 weeks of pain. Finishing tied for the worst record @ 4-12, it was a far cry from 2003's 11-5 playoff season. With such a dreadful season, ownership and management decided it was time remake the team.
The first such move was hiring of new coach Jake Lentz. At 36 years old, he is the youngest coach in the league. The front office believe Lentz will bring youthful ambition and inject the roster with some energy - much needed energy after a 4-12 season.
"We kept Floyd (Choate) around just to make me feel young" -Jake Lentz
As far as player movement goes, the moves this offseason demonstrated ownership inheritated a team ridden with players favored only by the old regime, as the roster was heavily reworked. Included in the purge were starters TE Deangelo Alvarez, WR Chris Camp, FB Richard Steib, G Tyree McKinney, LB Olin Kao, LB Geoffrey Trask, CB Alphonse Goodman, and CB Carl Grim who is not expected to be resigned. Also lost were key contributors ILB Jay March, RB Trenton Woodcock, and DT Josh Barns.
"Out with old, in with the new" -Jake Lentz
With the first overall pick as one of two first rounders in a deep draft, the Lansing got working. They moved down to #4 overall to pick up quality corner Anthony Autry who is expected to lead a revamped secondary. At #4 Lansing took QB Todd Terrell out of UCLA. With this pick, the team belives they have their franchise signal caller for the next decade. Next, Lansing moved up to #23 to take the talented Phillip Stai out of South Carolina, whos great combine numbers has people in the Lansing camp excited. He is expected to start the season at the nickel postion. Next came Isaac Wahl, the ncaa leader in key run blocks this past season, who will compete for the starting guard job. Lansing's first 3rd round pick Isaac Edwards is already being penciled into start a reworked linebacking core. The team hopes their other 3rd rounder, Casey Harding, develops into a better player then his much hyped teammate Gilbert Smith. With the rest of their picks Lansing addressed depth on the D-Line, O-Line, and at running back.
"We'll be young, yeah, but we'll be fun to watch" -Jake Lentz
With a boatload of young talent, and picks in the upcoming drafts (15 in 2006, 2 #1's in 2007) the only place left for Lansing to go is up.
The first such move was hiring of new coach Jake Lentz. At 36 years old, he is the youngest coach in the league. The front office believe Lentz will bring youthful ambition and inject the roster with some energy - much needed energy after a 4-12 season.
"We kept Floyd (Choate) around just to make me feel young" -Jake Lentz
As far as player movement goes, the moves this offseason demonstrated ownership inheritated a team ridden with players favored only by the old regime, as the roster was heavily reworked. Included in the purge were starters TE Deangelo Alvarez, WR Chris Camp, FB Richard Steib, G Tyree McKinney, LB Olin Kao, LB Geoffrey Trask, CB Alphonse Goodman, and CB Carl Grim who is not expected to be resigned. Also lost were key contributors ILB Jay March, RB Trenton Woodcock, and DT Josh Barns.
"Out with old, in with the new" -Jake Lentz
With the first overall pick as one of two first rounders in a deep draft, the Lansing got working. They moved down to #4 overall to pick up quality corner Anthony Autry who is expected to lead a revamped secondary. At #4 Lansing took QB Todd Terrell out of UCLA. With this pick, the team belives they have their franchise signal caller for the next decade. Next, Lansing moved up to #23 to take the talented Phillip Stai out of South Carolina, whos great combine numbers has people in the Lansing camp excited. He is expected to start the season at the nickel postion. Next came Isaac Wahl, the ncaa leader in key run blocks this past season, who will compete for the starting guard job. Lansing's first 3rd round pick Isaac Edwards is already being penciled into start a reworked linebacking core. The team hopes their other 3rd rounder, Casey Harding, develops into a better player then his much hyped teammate Gilbert Smith. With the rest of their picks Lansing addressed depth on the D-Line, O-Line, and at running back.
"We'll be young, yeah, but we'll be fun to watch" -Jake Lentz
With a boatload of young talent, and picks in the upcoming drafts (15 in 2006, 2 #1's in 2007) the only place left for Lansing to go is up.
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