The 2007 season ended in Los Angeles on Monday night with a playoff loss to the Avengers. But that doesn't mean it's time for vacation just yet for Utah Blaze coach Danny White. He's already thinking about the 2008 season.
"The first priority is to identify the nucleus that we want back next year," said White, who also serves at the team's general manager. "We need to get those guys signed. We have six or seven (key) guys that are already signed and we need to work on the priority list of players we want back to form that nucleus of the team for next year."
Many contracts in the Arena Football League are one-year deals, but the Blaze had a number of this year's players under multiyear pacts. Among the players who are still under contract heading into the 2008 season are record-breaking quarterback Joe Germaine, second-leading receiver Tom Pace, defensive lineman Steve Konopka, center Hans Olsen and kicker Steve Videtich.
The biggest name on the free agent list is wide receiver Siaha Burley, who set the AFL records for catches (116) and receiving yards (2,129) this season. Obviously, bringing him back is a priority, White said.
"There are six or seven (free agent) guys that are a real short-term priority" to sign, White said.
Some of the other 2007 Blaze mainstays that are free agents include linebacker Frank Carter, wide receiver/defensive back Orshawante Bryant, defensive lineman Chris Janek, wide receiver Aaron Boone, linebacker/wide receiver Ryan Dennard and defensive backs Leroy Smith and J'Sharlon Jones.
AFL teams have until Aug. 15 to sign their own free agents. There is a no contact period starting Aug. 15. Teams can then talk to players from other teams and start signing opponents' free agents on Nov. 1.
Utah should also be able to add a couple of quality players off of Austin's roster by Aug. 15 due to the "future considerations" the Wranglers gave up to acquire the rights to quarterback Adrian McPherson prior to this season from the Blaze. Austin will be able to protect two players, then the Blaze can select one man off the Wranglers' roster. The Wranglers can then protect one more player before the Blaze choose a second player off of Austin's team.
White had the goal for his 2007 team of earning a home playoff game and winning at least once in the playoffs. Neither of those happened. Causing White to call it "a disappointing year."
Others weren't so harsh in their critique.
"We had a good year," said Germaine. "We made the playoffs. Obviously we would have liked to have done better, but it was a good year and we did a lot of good things."
The Blaze won three of their first four games to take the early lead in the AFL's Western Division. After splitting their next two games to go 5-2, Utah was still atop the division and looking like a good bet to earn at least one home playoff game. Home playoff games — in addition to giving teams a better chance of winning — are particularly important to AFL franchises due to their financial implications. In fact, due to travel costs and extra pay to players, AFL teams actually lose money by playing road playoff games. So, from a purely financial point of view, an AFL team would be better off not playing in the playoffs than playing only on the road.
But a five-game losing streak — beginning at home against an Arizona team that was struggling and ending at home to Las Vegas, the worst team in the league — cost Utah a home game. To be fair, the Blaze were hit with a string of injuries during the losing streak. But as it turns out, just one more win would have given the Blaze Monday's home game against the Avengers instead of the other way around.
"We wanted to have a home-field playoff game and we wanted to win the ArenaBowl," said Germaine. "Those were our goals and we fell short of that."
Of course, the most heart-wrenching story of the year was the death of linebacker/wide receiver Justin Skaggs last month from complications of brain cancer. Skaggs, a member of the team for both years of its existence, helped Utah end their five-game losing streak with a win over Orlando on May 25. A few days later he first went to see specialists due to some numbness in his arms and three weeks later — just days after his first diagnosis — he passed away at 28, leaving behind a wife and two young children.
On a more positive note, Burley and Dennard given post-season honors by the league. Burley became the first Blaze player to be named first-team All-Arena, while Dennard was named to the league's All-Ironman team. Also, Germaine's 5,005 yards passing set an all-time, single season AFL record.
"It was a good run for us this year and we know what we need to work on for next season," said Bryant, a free agent who fully sounds like he plans on returning to the Blaze. "We just need to get some of free agents back and then get some pieces that are missing and we can be back stronger next year."
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com