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From the Charlotte Observer
Five years ago, GM/Owner Ken Argot made a decision to move the Reno Wolfpack to Carolina in 2023. Reno was struggling financially, and Argot’s hope was pinned on finding a larger market that was eager to host a new IFL team. Argot bypassed Phoenix to really mess up the division geographically, which has created a bit of a rift in the league. Since 2018, Reno’s attendance has been abysmal dropping from 58,000 a game to under 15,000 with the proverbial writing on the wall. Some fans burned Wolfpack jerseys, some tried to sell their season tickets until they found the value worthless. Last year only 11,000 people showed up and the stadium was torn down in February of this past year.
It’s not the same in Charlotte, where a new pristine stadium has been built and fans are hungry for football on Sundays. After discussing a couple of team options, including the possibility of keeping the Wolfpack, it was found that its correlation with NC State would be too awkward—not that this seems to bother the Pennsylvania Lions franchise. In a competition marketed by The Charlotte Observer, the name Catfish was selected with a heavy dose of Carolina Blue. Argot chose Gold and Yellow as secondary colors.
In 2018, Argot developed a new rebuilding plan trading away veterans McNeil, Castillo, Sweeney, Bauer, Burnett, Vitale, Fletcher, even the Kicker, Tatum for draft picks knowing that his days in Reno were numbered and that he must have a suitable team with promise by 2023.
He started by drafting Offensive Linemen. First was RG, Doug Clark. The following year he drafted LG Uusaltalo and hit on Center, Sammy Gilman. But it was 2021, when Argot pulled the trigger on franchise QB, Wesley May with the second pick in the draft when Little Rock went for CB Edwards. The Wolfpack were able to snag RT, Horace Lawless in the second round which almost completes the offensive line which should provide protection for May for years on end. The new Carolina team still lacks a pass blocking LT which has yet to addressed. Cuomo has been a bit of a disappointment over the years.
Rather than continuing to build the offensive line in 2022, Argot chose to build the Defensive line by taking highly accoladed Ron Cheung, also known as “The Big Panda”. They then landed Ken Stoffers at Nose Tackle.
Argot had the possibility of taking Defensive End Matthew Hardy in this year’s draft to seal the other end of the line but chose instead to take shut down Cornerback Gerald Larocque. Argot had hoped to pick up a Wide Receiver in this draft, but was somewhat disappointed when there was no gamechanger. They did however take Return specialist Matthew Urlacher who could be a playmaker that the Catfish will desperately need.
With a franchise Quarterback, the Catfish still lack the offensive weapons to win this division. “Hondo” Ackerman will mentor May as they let Robbie Kinney go. They grabbed aging RB, Conrad Gietka in Free Agency to be a power running change of pace to “Chucky”. The Catfish nabbed two rookie TE’s, Winters and Flynn in the draft, both of whom have run blocking ability, and Winters has good hands. WR, Wayne McCabe was brought in to mentor a new receiving crew, but only Urlacher was added to the team. Cuomo is still the only option at left tackle, but Clark, Gillman, Uusatalo, and Lawless will continue to meld.
Duane Holmes will join Cheung on the other side of the defensive line, as well as Ike Kendall who has still not hung up his cleats. Ike has been with Argot for most of his career both in Dakota, then Reno, and now Carolina. The linebacking corps is still a weakness, Bridges and Woods are still excellent in their hybrid WLB position, but they lack a strong middle. McDaniels and Fields will anchor the other side. Probably the weakest area is at Cornerback where everyone will be throwing away from Larocque. The injury to Will Carline in week 4 of last season seems to have destroyed his potential. Will was supposed to be the answer to their safety issues . Pete Nails will be the new blood back there who could surprise us with Clancy and Shapiro from last year.
The Catfish will be a great team to get behind, especially with the intial sales reports of May, Cheung, and Larocque jerseys, but this team is still a few years from being competitive until they can add some offensive weapons, a better pass rush, and improved secondary coverage.
Five years ago, GM/Owner Ken Argot made a decision to move the Reno Wolfpack to Carolina in 2023. Reno was struggling financially, and Argot’s hope was pinned on finding a larger market that was eager to host a new IFL team. Argot bypassed Phoenix to really mess up the division geographically, which has created a bit of a rift in the league. Since 2018, Reno’s attendance has been abysmal dropping from 58,000 a game to under 15,000 with the proverbial writing on the wall. Some fans burned Wolfpack jerseys, some tried to sell their season tickets until they found the value worthless. Last year only 11,000 people showed up and the stadium was torn down in February of this past year.
It’s not the same in Charlotte, where a new pristine stadium has been built and fans are hungry for football on Sundays. After discussing a couple of team options, including the possibility of keeping the Wolfpack, it was found that its correlation with NC State would be too awkward—not that this seems to bother the Pennsylvania Lions franchise. In a competition marketed by The Charlotte Observer, the name Catfish was selected with a heavy dose of Carolina Blue. Argot chose Gold and Yellow as secondary colors.
In 2018, Argot developed a new rebuilding plan trading away veterans McNeil, Castillo, Sweeney, Bauer, Burnett, Vitale, Fletcher, even the Kicker, Tatum for draft picks knowing that his days in Reno were numbered and that he must have a suitable team with promise by 2023.
He started by drafting Offensive Linemen. First was RG, Doug Clark. The following year he drafted LG Uusaltalo and hit on Center, Sammy Gilman. But it was 2021, when Argot pulled the trigger on franchise QB, Wesley May with the second pick in the draft when Little Rock went for CB Edwards. The Wolfpack were able to snag RT, Horace Lawless in the second round which almost completes the offensive line which should provide protection for May for years on end. The new Carolina team still lacks a pass blocking LT which has yet to addressed. Cuomo has been a bit of a disappointment over the years.
Rather than continuing to build the offensive line in 2022, Argot chose to build the Defensive line by taking highly accoladed Ron Cheung, also known as “The Big Panda”. They then landed Ken Stoffers at Nose Tackle.
Argot had the possibility of taking Defensive End Matthew Hardy in this year’s draft to seal the other end of the line but chose instead to take shut down Cornerback Gerald Larocque. Argot had hoped to pick up a Wide Receiver in this draft, but was somewhat disappointed when there was no gamechanger. They did however take Return specialist Matthew Urlacher who could be a playmaker that the Catfish will desperately need.
With a franchise Quarterback, the Catfish still lack the offensive weapons to win this division. “Hondo” Ackerman will mentor May as they let Robbie Kinney go. They grabbed aging RB, Conrad Gietka in Free Agency to be a power running change of pace to “Chucky”. The Catfish nabbed two rookie TE’s, Winters and Flynn in the draft, both of whom have run blocking ability, and Winters has good hands. WR, Wayne McCabe was brought in to mentor a new receiving crew, but only Urlacher was added to the team. Cuomo is still the only option at left tackle, but Clark, Gillman, Uusatalo, and Lawless will continue to meld.
Duane Holmes will join Cheung on the other side of the defensive line, as well as Ike Kendall who has still not hung up his cleats. Ike has been with Argot for most of his career both in Dakota, then Reno, and now Carolina. The linebacking corps is still a weakness, Bridges and Woods are still excellent in their hybrid WLB position, but they lack a strong middle. McDaniels and Fields will anchor the other side. Probably the weakest area is at Cornerback where everyone will be throwing away from Larocque. The injury to Will Carline in week 4 of last season seems to have destroyed his potential. Will was supposed to be the answer to their safety issues . Pete Nails will be the new blood back there who could surprise us with Clancy and Shapiro from last year.
The Catfish will be a great team to get behind, especially with the intial sales reports of May, Cheung, and Larocque jerseys, but this team is still a few years from being competitive until they can add some offensive weapons, a better pass rush, and improved secondary coverage.
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