Albany looks to tighten defense
Empire have given up third-most points in the NAL this season
Without seeing the field in Week 4, the Albany Empire have scored and allowed the third-most points in the six-team National Arena League.
Their 190 points scored and 180 allowed led the league after Week 3. After last weekend’s games, the Jacksonville Sharks lead in points scored with 206, followed by the undefeated Carolina Cobras with 196. The Orlando Predators have allowed the most points (198) followed by Jacksonville (190).
Albany defensive back Dwayne Hollis said his position group has needed time to get used to playing together.
“It’s all about communication. You got a whole new DB core, so you got to just make sure everybody’s on the same page and executing,” Hollis said. “And then when you’re able to make a play, you got to make that play. You got to make it count.”
Part of the Empire’s defensive struggles can be attributed to the league’s Ironman rules, requiring wide receivers who haven’t played defense since high school to cover their counterparts.
“We built it to score every possession, and then we wanted to find athletes that could do both. But in the real world, you pay guys to score touchdowns and you pay guys to stop touchdowns. And so we’re getting the right mix now,” coach Tom Menas said.
Along with linebacker Trevon Shorts, who joined Albany for Week 3’s win at Orlando, Menas added defensive back Jabari Gorman, who was previously on the Sharks. Wide receiver Mar
quel Wade and lineman Miquail Harvey also joined the team this week.
“You just got to take the extra time just to make sure everybody’s on the same page. At the end of the day, it is all about repetition, so the more repetitions you get, the more smoothly things will go,” Hollis said of the additions.
Menas is also encouraged by the improvement of Farrean Toney, who had two tackles and an interception in the first three games.
“(Toney) has spent the entire bye week and (to) this point studying and getting better every day. He’s doing exceptional,” Menas said.
Hollis, who was playing through a minor ankle injury, is back to 100 percent, and Arthur Hobbs, one of the four players from last year’s championship team, “is starting to gel with the other guys in the back,” Menas said.
“It’s starting to come together right now, but you just want to be at your top peak by the end of the season,” Hollis said.
Kenny Mcgruder, who also played for Albany last season, sat out the Empire’s game at Orlando on 30-day injured reserve. He returned to the active roster this week, but will not play on Saturday against Jacksonville.
“I think when he comes back, we’ll probably have the best set of DBS in the league at that point,” Menas said.
One surprise on Albany’s defense has been wide receiver Darius Prince, who has two interceptions this season — tied for fourth in the NAL. He was named Ironman of the Week after the Empire’s second game.
On offense, Prince has 324 receiving yards and a league-high nine touchdowns. (Jacksonville’s Devin Wilson has five more yards but has played one more game.)
“Playing both sides is a lot on your body but I actually enjoy doing it,” Prince said.
Though Prince hasn’t felt particularly challenged by the defensive back position, he’s been taking tips from Hollis, his roommate. The two also played together on the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
“We’re always watching film, he’s always teaching me, coaching me up more. He’s being like an extra coach at the apartment,” Prince said.
The biggest piece of advice he has imparted is “stop thinking like a receiver,” Hollis said. “You can’t jump everything you see, even though you see it. Everything that glitters isn’t gold.”
Hollis played some wide receiver overseas after college and has six catches for 81 yards.
His goal this season, he said, is to score a touchdown on offense.