Are You Ready for Some (Arena) Football?

TULSA, OK--The turf has been laid in the amazing BOK Center and the cleats are laced up tight.  It’s time for Tulsa Talons arena football.

For the first time in their 10 year history, the Talons will take to Kia Field as a true major league entity as the Talons have become a true major league team.  Their former league, known as Arena Football 2 or af2, is a thing of the past and now the winningest team in that league is a charter member of the new Arena Football League.

Tulsa will play teams from Chicago, Arizona, Dallas, and Jacksonville while keeping the long standing turnpike rivalry with Oklahoma City.  The first team to face the Talons will be a former mainstay of the “old” AFL, the Tampa Bay Storm on Saturday night at  7pm in the BOK Center.

Head coach Mitch Allner recently finalized his roster for the 2010 campaign, mixing players familiar to Talons fans with a new batch of fresh faces.  

Under center once again will be veteran quarterback Justin Allgood.  Allgood will take the reins of the Talons offense this year and will look to follow up his astonishing 108 passing touchdown season he had in 2009.  Allgood finished the regular season completing 65% of his passes for 4312 yards and 108 touchdowns with only 17 interceptions. The Central Oklahoma product has been nothing but lights out ever since becoming the starter during the 2007 championship run. Allgood brings with him a record of 37-5 as the starting quarterback over the past 2 1/2 seasons and the Talons will look for much of the same from him this upcoming year.

Also returning to the Talons will be Jeff Hughley.  In the former arenafootball2 League last season, Hughley set multiple team and league records and was one of the major producers on the Talons record setting offense. Hughley finished the regular season with 140 catches for 1909 yards and 50 touchdowns. He also had 2,207 return yards and added another 5 touchdowns in the return game. For his performance, he was named the Ironman of the Year in 2009 as well as receiving 1st team All Conference honors. He will be looked at again this year to be major contributor in the Talons offense.

Donovan Morgan will once again suit up in his familiar #2 jersey and return after stints with three NFL teams to add to his impressive statistics as an arena football player.  Morgan was given the nickname Spiderman during his 1st stint in Tulsa because of his sure hands and the numerous acrobatic catches he made.  Morgan was a member of the Talons 2005 team where he was the af2 Rookie of the Year and set a franchise and league record with 346 points scored, the 1st player in league history to crack the 300 point barrier. Morgan went right from the Talons to the NFL where he spent time with the Houston Texans (2005), Kansas City Chiefs (2006) and Buffalo Bills (2007). Also in 2007, Morgan played in the AFL for the Chicago Rush where he was named AFL Rookie of the Year.

In all, 16 former Talons made the 2010 squad.  Coach Allner filled the remaining spots with former AFL players and players new to the Talons.  By and large, Allner is optimistic about his team.

“We’ve got a real good group of guys, very strong, very fast. It’s much improved from last year, but it’s hard to tell exactly how we match up with some of the other teams until we get on the field with them. But I like our team a lot,” said Talons Head Coach, Mitch Allner.

Tulsa Talons tickets for their 1st season in the top arena football league in the country are on sale starting as low as $10. Call the Talons office at 918.294.1000 for more information.  The Talons open the season at home against perennial AFL powerhouse the Tampa Bay Storm and conclude the 2010 campaign on the road against turnpike rival Oklahoma City on July 31st.  To follow the Talons on Facebook, click here.

2010 Talons Roster

Quarterbacks: Justin Allgood, 6’2, 235, Central Oklahoma, Michael Potts, 6’4, 221, William and Mary

Receivers: Carlese Franklin, 5’11, 190, McNeese State, Jeff Hughley, 5’8, 175, Averett, Donovan Morgan, 6’3, 225, Pearl River C.C.

Offensive Linemen: Jordan Bedore, 6’3, 305, Kansas State, Anthony Bolden, 6’3, 315, Temple, Antwan Floyd, 6’1, 300, Tulsa, Roderick Green, 6’6, 300, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Brett Rayl, 6’7, 345, Oklahoma

Fullback: Odie Armstrong, 6’2, 265, North Western Oklahoma

Defensive Linemen: John Scott, 6’0, 305, Jacksonville State, Gabe Nyenhuis, 6’4, 260, Colorado, Terrance Carter, 6’4, 260, Colorado State

Linebackers: Jamar Ransom, 5’11, 225, Oklahoma State, Byron Wilson, 6’4, 262, Jacksonville State, Steve Watson, 6’3, 255, Missouri State

Defensive Backs: B.J. Barre, 6’2, 215, Ohio State, Andre Burns, 6’0 190, Missouri Western State, Delenell Reid, 5’10, 170, Houston, James Sadler, 6’1, 215, Southwestern Oklahoma, Larico Stevenson, 5’11, 195, West Georgia

Kicker: Tony Dodson, 5’10, 175, Arkansas.


2010 Schedule (All times CDT)
4/3 Tampa Bay 7pm
4/10 Dallas 7pm
4/23 @ Arizona 9:30pm
5/1 @ Jacksonville 6:05pm
5/8 Alabama 7pm
5/15 @ Cleveland TBD
5/22 Oklahoma City 7pm
5/29 @ Bossier-Shreveport 7:05pm
6/5 Orlando 7pm
6/11 @ Dallas 7:30pm
6/18 @ Spokane 9pm
6/26 Cleveland 7pm
7/10 Bossier-Shreveport 7pm
7/17 @ Alabama 7:30pm
7/24 Arizona 7pm
7/30 @ Oklahoma City 7:05pm