Albany makes more roster changes
Castronova expected to start at QB but Smith could compete for reps
The Albany Empire’s lineup looks a little bit different this week.
The biggest change is at quarterback. Mike Fafaul, who started for Albany in a Week 1 loss against the Carolina Cobras, has gone back to the Jacksonville Sharks, where he played in 2021. The Empire got Warren Smith Jr. in exchange.
Sam Castronova, who led the Empire to a Week 2 win at Jacksonville, has the starting job for now, but coach Tom Menas said Smith reminds him of Ryan Fitzpatrick — a starting-caliber quarterback who’s also a mentor.
“When we were going to transition from Mike (Fafaul) to Sam (Castronova), I was looking for someone who is comfortable with the role of coming in and competing for the spot, but also being a great supporting role,” Menas said.
Smith, the 2017 National Arena League Most Valuable Player, has been playing arena league football since 2013. Last season, he had 167 completions for 1,561 yards and 25 touchdowns with the New Jersey Flight.
“Don’t get me wrong, Sam’s our starter, and I don’t call it a competition, but I call it performancebased,” Menas said.
▶
Castronova was voted the offensive player of the week after going 23for-35 for 319 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had a 4-yard rushing touchdown.
“I feel like I’ll do anything to win, whether it’s sit in the pocket and throw touchdowns, or run around and try to make a play. I’ll leave it all out there for my teammates,” Castronova said.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Buffalo native played at Albany last season with the Carolina Cobras.
“That was the most fans I played against last year,” Castronova said. “They were electric. So I was excited to be on the right side of that this year.”
Castronova made five starts with the Cobras and was released in late July.
He played basketball growing up and didn’t start playing football until seventh grade because his mother was worried about the injury risk. His initial plan was to play basketball in college, but that changed when football recruiters started showing interest in him.
“I wanted to go to school for free if I could, possibly,” Castronova said.
The end result was two years at a junior college and two years at NAIA Bethel University, where he was named an All-american his senior year after leading the Wildcats to an undefeated regular season.
“I was never the most athletic, but I was always able to just do enough to make a play happen,” Castronova said.
That was on display in Jacksonville, where Castronova twice scrambled to extend plays with defenders bearing down and finished by throwing for a touchdown.
In addition to the change at quarterback, the Empire signed linebacker Trevon Shorts (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) and defensive back Eddie Cheathamnorrils (6-0, 200 pounds) to bolster their defense.
Shorts, an all-nal player last season for Albany, is a Jack linebacker, a position unique to arena football. The Jack can cover the entire field laterally but has to stay five yards downfield of the line of scrimmage until the quarterback leaves the pocket or throws the ball.
In Ironman football, with players going both ways, the Jack is often played by a wide receiver. Shorts will take offensive snaps as a fullback, Menas said.
Cheatham’s addition is particularly timely with defensive back Kenneth Mcgruder, an all-nal selection for Albany last season, on 30-day injured reserve.
In their first game against Carolina, the Empire struggled with pass coverage, and Menas promised improvement
“as far as getting burned over the top or having mental errors in the back.
“I think Cheatham is the guy to help us do that quicker rather than later,” he said.
Albany allowed eight passing touchdowns against Jacksonville.
Menas also said receiver Antwane Grant is injured (knee) and will not travel with the team to Orlando this weekend, though he won’t require surgery. Grant leads the NAL with 266 yards on 16 receptions and has four touchdowns, behind only teammate Darius Prince’s six.