BALTIMORE HAWKS Big Story for Season 30: Is Gimmy ready for the spotlight? @Frick_Nasty
Few draft picks excite fan bases quite like a Quarterback does, especially when those same fans are desperate for winning football. Since being drafted in the Season 29 Draft, Gimmy Fever has been sweeping the city of Baltimore (fun fact, since Jarappolo Jr was drafted, the names Gimmy, Gimmathon, and Gimmtrick have been the 1st, 2nd, and 6th most popular boys names in Baltimore County). Fans and media alike have been asking since he was chosen when the franchise would move on from interim starter Luke Skywalker, and it appeared that the pressure shook the veteran’s confidence, as Season 29 saw him post his worst statistical season as a starter.
Season 30, it seems, the fans are getting what they want, as it was announced as soon as Season 29 ended that Skywalker would not be returning to the team. In Jarappolo Jr, the team has a laser-armed signal caller and has done a good job of building a group of young offensive talent to help support him. The team has tried to temper expectations for the rookie, but Gimmy Season is in full effect in Baltimore.
Offensive Player to Watch: Wide Receiver Luke Quick @Bigred1580
From the moment that the Hawks drafted Jarappolo, there was one player who seemed the quickest to form a bond with him, and that was the former #1 overall pick, Luke Quick. Quick, a big-bodied pass catcher, burst onto the scene in Season 28 as a rookie when he went for over 1100 yards and six touchdowns. It was evident early on that he and Gimmy wanted to establish a rapport with them reportedly renting out a house near the Hawks’ practice facility this past off-season.
The hard work seems to have paid off as during drills at training camp the two looked to be on the same wavelength constantly, with almost perfect timing on their breaks and throws. What has the fans the most excited about this pair is not what they’re doing now, but what they’re capable of becoming, as both are very young and have many years to grow and learn.
Defensive Player to Watch: Defensive Tackle David Ramczyk @Shiny
Coming out of Tijuana in the DSFL, many saw Ramczyk as a bit of a project at Defensive Tackle – a kid with a lot of raw potential that needed the motivation and direction to fully harness it. When he came up he was a little on the smaller size for an interior lineman. One of the first things we noticed at Hawks training camp this season, however, was the total body makeover of the third year player. In Season 29, the Hawks had one of the worst run defenses in the league, with teams constantly running up the gut. To remedy this, Ramczyk knew he had to get bigger and stronger, and my oh my did he ever. Reportedly putting on 30 pounds of weight, Big Dave as they’ve started calling him, is ready to start plugging holes on the defensive front.
Potential Breakout Player: Running Back Busch Goose @infinitempg
Over the past few seasons there has been a paradigm shift in the way team’s run their offenses. Where once it used to be that teams lived and died by their running game, now teams look for a more balanced approach, while even some have leaned heavily into throwing the ball. Versatile players who can run and catch out of the backfield have become worth their weight in gold and few do it as well as the third year man out of Rutgers.
The Hawks have the benefit of not one, but two, young and talented running backs in Goose and second year man Dante King, but I think Goose will end up being the star this season, as his skills allow him to not only do damage carrying the ball (where he has 17 touchdowns in two season) but also lining up in the slot as a receiver.
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BERLIN FIRE SALAMANDERS Big Story for Season 30: How will they respond to losing the Ultimus?
I apologize for taking the low-hanging fruit with this one, but there’s no denying that losing the Big One has a tendency to cause issues for teams, and it all comes down to how the players choose to handle it. Berlin was truly dominant for most of Season 29, ending the regular season on a ridiculous eight game win streak, which propelled them to a 13-3 record, tops in the league. The team was great on both sides of the ball, but it was their defense that really shined, finishing as the top team in the NSFC in every team category.
Season 30, however, is a new season, and one smudge on the Salamander’s record is their age. As many of their top-tier players have started to regress, those teams just below them made strides in the off-season and are nipping at their heels. The fight for the title of Best Team in the NSFC is going to be a tough one yet again.
Offensive Player to Watch: Wide Receiver Cmon Skiuuup @"AirCrou"
Okay so it looks like I had to take the obvious option here twice in a row, but when thinking about the Fire Salamander’s offense, one player comes to mind – Season 29 All-Pro and WRoTY Candidate, Cmon Skiuuup. Skiuuup burst onto the scene last year, posting career best numbers in every receiving category, as well as finishing fifth in the league in receiving yards, as well as tying for the league lead in touchdowns. Berlin QB Nick Kaepercolin was also an All-Pro in Season 29, and a big reason he made the team was because he had such a reliable option to throw to in Skiuuup.
Defensive Player to Watch: Safety Jacob Raske @CLG Rampage
One of the reasons that Berlin finished Season 29 with a 13-3 record was the strength of their defensive secondary, and one of the biggest contributors in that department was Free Safety Eldrick Avery. Avery, however, was a cap casualty for Berlin this off-season, and they had to look internally to replace him. Luckily for them, they had a star-in-waiting playing in Minnesota of the DSFL, Jacob Raske. The Fire Salamander are bringing back two veteran Cornerbacks in Swantavius Jones and Jeeeeroy Lenkins, but it’s not secret that teams in the NSFC love airing it out, and having a player who’s able to roam and player center field on the defensive side of the ball is of the utmost importance. Berlin is hoping that the team will not miss a beat replacing Avery with Raske.
Potential Breakout Player: Defensive End Marlon Brando @Menace0528
If there is one specific position group in Berlin that you can consider old, it’s definitely the defensive line, with three starters all from the Season 22 draft class. While all three are still very strong players with a lot gas left in the tank, it’s hard to deny that they’re nearing the end. Brando, a full five years younger than the rest of his DL mates, has been one of the most promising young front seven players to come out of the DSFL in years. The quick edge rusher had a very impressive rookie campaign in Season 28 where he posted 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 safeties, but in Season 29 the team shifted defensive philosophies a bit, and Brando took a backseat to his squadmates. There we reports that he was working with legendary pass rusher Nero Alexander in the offseason, and he showed off some of what he learned at Berlin’s minicamp, winning many of the one-on-one matchups with his vastly improved first step. Brando spent his first two years as the low man on the totem pole, but this season he looks to be the top dog.
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CHICAGO BUTCHERS Big Story for Season 30: Who’s ready to step up as a leader?
Chicago is in many ways a team in a bit of a transition. Over the past two seasons they’ve seen a lot of their locker room and on the field leaders either retire or leave the franchise, and that has opened up not only a lot of holes, but also a lot of opportunity for younger players to prove themselves. This has left a lot in the Chicago media wondering who will be the one to step up. The obvious choice seems to former #1 overall pick, Linebacker Juan Domine, who by this point in his career is a household name in the Windy City. The team has had a bevvy of great draft picks over the past couple of seasons, and while many experts aren’t expecting big things out of the squad in Season 30, many believe that their so-called rebuild will be a short one.
Offensive Player to Watch: Running Back Madison Hayes @sve7en
The third year back out of Cambridge College, Hayes exploded on the scene as a Rookie in Season 28 where she racked up a ridiculous 11 rushing touchdowns to go with 720 yards. Season 29, however, she saw a bit of a decline in the touchdown numbers, as she only recorded 3 on the ground. Where she saw great improvement, however, was through her involvement in the passing game, where she more than doubled her receptions total and nearly doubled her yardage count (440 to 868) while also bringing in 5 touchdowns.
Coming into Season 30, Hayes is well-established as the feature back, and the Butchers will need her versatility and nose for the end zone if they hope to be a competitive squad. In Season 30, I expect the third year back to perform much closer to her rookie campaign.
Defensive Player to Watch: Linebacker Juan Domine @Maglubiyet
As stated in the introduction for the Butchers, Domine is now known as one of the stars of the Chicago defense. After a strong Season 27 in which he posted 15 sacks and three Interceptions, to go along with 96 tackles, Domine had more pedestrian seasons in 28 and 29, I think in part due to the number of strong players on the Chicago defense. This season, however, Domine is THE guy and I think he will have a season reminiscent of his Season 27 performance.
Potential Breakout Player: Running Back Madison Hayes
Okay, so this might be a bit of a cop out, but just looking at how the Chicago offense is structured, Hayes looks primed to have just an outstanding season. Their offensive line is still very strong. Their Quarterback is a few days shy of being called a boomer. Their wide receivers are still a little underdeveloped. These are the perfect ingredients for a do-it-all running back to have a monster season. It would not surprise me to see Madison Hayes ending the season on the Pro Bowl roster. That’s how confident I am in her.
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COLORADO YETI Big Story for Season 30: Will Caliban’s arm fall off eventually?
If one team has embraced the new ways of the ISFL-style offense, it’s hands down Colorado. Over the last three season no team has been more lopsided when it comes to running versus passing as Colorado, and Caliban has the wear on his shoulder to prove it. Since Season 27, Caliban has had seasons with 705, 775, and 724 passing attempts. Far more than any other Quarterback over that time.
To his credit, the team has posted very good records with this new pass-happy scheme, so I see no reason that they would look to change it now. The only thing against them is that Caliban’s favorite target, WR William Lim, has been showing his age a little, leading experts to ask if he’s even lost a step. Luckily for the Yeti, however, they have youngsters Ralphael Delacour and Cole Maxwell ready to pick up any slack.
Offensive Player to Watch: Wide Receiver Cole Maxwell @Alcott
A somewhat dubious omission from the Offensive Rookie of the Year ballot in Season 29, Maxwell posted staggering stats for a rookie – 101 receptions for 1404 yards and 3 touchdowns. While being the third option on the depth chart, Maxwell quickly struck up a rapport with Caliban, and by midseason was definitely becoming one of his more trusted targets.
His one knock last season was his curious case of drops, which he led the league in by a healthy margin. For help, Maxwell apparently spent the spring with teammate William Lim who helped him work on his hand-eye coordination. It also was discovered over the offseason that Maxwell’s colored contacts he liked to wear during the games was also blurring his vision slightly.
Defensive Player to Watch: Free Safety Joel Drake @Rusfan
I’m sorry to have to go with an obvious one here, but Drake has established himself to be one of the best Free Safeties in all of football, being named to the All-Pro First Team in Season 29, and I think he has a chance to even outdo himself in Season 30. The first thing that pops out at you when you look at the Yeti defense is that it is absolutely stacked. Their front seven looks ready to have another season teeing off on opposing Quarterbacks, and when QBs start hearing footsteps, they try to get the ball out faster than they should. Over the past few seasons, Drake has shown that if you try to do that in his airspace, he’s going to make you pay. Watch out for a Defensive Player of the Year-type season out of him.
Potential Breakout Player: Strong Safety SparkySparky Boom-Man @FleshBagSoup
The Boom-Man has made a name for himself in his short career for doing one thing – knocking the stuffing out of receivers and running backs. The sheer number of playmakers on the Yeti defense means that at any given time you just have to live with leaving someone unblocked. A lot of times, the player teams choose to leave alone is Boom-Man, and I believe that with how much he has developed over this offseason, if teams leave him unblocked too many times he will make them pay.
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PHILADELPHIA LIBERTY Big Story for Season 30: Can they finally hang with the big boys?
After what was a very public divorce between players and management following Season 25, the Liberty had a bit of a mass exodus of players and had to rebuild the team almost from the ground up. The new General Managers opted to try and build primarily through the draft instead of free agency, asking people for patience and to, “trust the process.”
Over the following four seasons, the team was constantly one of the worst in the league as it was consistently fielding one of the youngest rosters. They did, however, keep showing promise, as those losses started being by less and less points, including one score losses to the Yeti, Sailfish, Fire Salamanders, and Wraiths in the last six games of Season 29.
The current regime is now entering its fifth under new management, and to say that Liberty fans are getting hungry for a winning season is putting it lightly, with General Manager being named more hazardous to Philadelphians’ health than smoking.
Offensive Player to Watch: Quarterback Ryan Negs @"Ryan Negs"
Seasons 28 and 29, the first two seasons of Negs’ career, the Liberty apparently tried to protect their young signal-called, as the team led the league in rushing attempts both seasons. The choice to do so confused fans and experts in the media alike, with the Twitter hashtag #LetNegsCook trending midway through Season 29. To his credit, the team did allow Negs more freedom down the stretch and he performed admirably, including an heroic effort in their Week 13 win on the road against New York where he threw touchdown passes of 88 and 52 yards, respectively, in the game’s final minute.
“We didn’t draft a Quarterback in the first round to not have him throw the ball, and I think the fans here will be happy with how the offense looks this season,” stated General Manager Lip Stashe. Negs spent the off-season working with Hall of Fame Quarterback Micycle McCormick on his timing and release, and if his performance at Liberty camp means anything, he should be primed for a strong season, as his passes seemed to be coming out of his hand at just a much quicker and stronger pace.
Defensive Player to Watch: Free Safety Matt Cross @J0EB
One of the few defensive starters to remain on the roster after the Season 25 season was veteran Free Safety, Matt Cross. For the first couple of seasons of the rebuild, he was the leader of the defense, and it showed on the field, where he was constantly having to make up for other players making young, rookie mistakes. As the rest of the roster developed, Cross was able to take a step back on the field, and was allowed to focus as more of a playmaking Safety, instead of one who needed to be up near the line of scrimmage and chasing down players on broken player. This season, the Liberty defense is at the strongest level we’ve seen in five seasons, which will allow Cross to sit back and pick his spots.
Potential Breakout Player: Wide Receiver Tsuyu Asui @WildfireMicro
With the news that the Liberty will be looking to bring more balance to their team in terms of run versus pass usage, that means that their young pass catches will finally get the chance to prove themselves out on the field. One player to look at for a potential breakout is none other than Tsuyu Asui, a big-bodied receiver who has been a reliable receiver that improved greatly from her first season to her second. In the offseason, she reportedly spent a lot of time in the gym working on her agility and quickness, and early reports from training camp said that Asui looked like an almost different receiver, especially when it came to her ability to make plays after the catch.
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SARASOTA SAILFISH Big Story for Season 30: Does winning the off-season translate to winning in the season?
The biggest news coming out of the Sailfish camp was the signings of not one, but two, big name free agents – WR Jackson Kingston and LB Heinrich Kackpoo. These two signings quickly turned the Sailfish into a trendy pick for a NSFC championship run, with oddsmakers currently giving them the second-best odds in the league to end up as Ultimus Champions with preseason odds opening at +250. The biggest question surrounding all of these was how the current players would accept the new blood, especially on the offensive side of the ball, where the Sarasota receiving corps features reigning TEoTY James Angler, Season 29 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Saleem Spence, as well as Tre’Darius J’Vathon (fresh off a 1400 yard / 14 TD season) and Tight End Mario Messi, a young, promising player who looks to be taking over for Angler within the next couple of seasons.
Early reports show the Wide Receivers getting along swimmingly, with both J’Vathon and Spence sharing their approvals to take back seats to Kingston. “Winning the Ultimus in Season 27 was the best feeling ever, so I’m fine doing whatever I have to in order to help us get back to that level again,” stated J’Vathon when asked about Kingston’s signing.
Offensive Player to Watch: Running Back Chizuru Ichinose @Frostbite
A fixture in Sarasota for nearly a decade, Ichinose announced recently that Season 30 would be his last in the league. Now, it’s easy to look at this team’s weapons on offense and assume that it’s going to be a high-flying, show orchestrated by Boss Jr. While I think there’s probably a lot of truth to it, I also have a feeling that one person will benefit greatly from all of the attention the receivers are taking, and that’s the old man, Chizuru. Teams simply are going to have to pick their poison when it comes to stopping the Sailfish offense this year, and even if he’s a little long on the tooth, Ichinose still has more than enough left in the tank to make them pay when they choose poorly.
Defensive Player to Watch: Defensive End Demon Jaxson @LB3737
Let’s face it – this Sailfish defensive unit is so stacked that I could simply draw names out of a hat for player to watch and find good reason to. This season, though, I’m going with Demon Jaxson. For all of the excitement the signing of Kackpoo brought to … middle Florida (?) it’s also brought a lot of attention to their stellar Linebacking corps, including stars Michael Witheblock and Earnest Lover. Much like how all of the attention being focused on the passing game goes to benefit their Running Back, I think teams will pay so much attention to those linebackers that they will forget about the defensive line.
A steady player all three of his seasons in the league, Jaxson is yet to completely breakout, and I think this season you will be hearing his name a lot. You can’t block everyone, and Jaxson is too skilled of a player to not take advantage of miscues by the offense.
Potential Breakout Player: Cornerback Peter Patterson @slate
It might be weird to list a player entering his fifth year in the league as someone primed for a breakout, but when you consider that in many ways Patterson had more of a breakdown than a breakout Season 29, it makes a lot of sense. Coming into training camps, Patterson talked with reporters about his trouble last season stating, “I used to live in downtown Sarasota, and the fumes from all of the traffic, especially during rush hour, really affected my ability to concentrate. So, last February, I sold all of my cars and my condo, and moved out onto a houseboat on Sarasota Bay. It’s helped me clear my head, figuratively and literally.”
Watching Patterson at training camp backed up his notion, as he looked quick as ever. He even got some of his swagger back it seemed, as after one particularly heated 7-on-7 drill he and free agent signee Jackson Kingston got in a shouting match after Patterson reportedly yelled, “Tickets for Patterson Railways 2:15 to Tampa are all sold out, b****!” in Kingston’s face.
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Yellowknife Wraiths Big Story for Season 30: Has the window started to close?
Over their history, the Yellowknife Wraiths have been one of the true powers in the NSFC, and recently won the Ultimus in both Seasons 26 and 28. However, very similarly to Berlin, their roster is one composed of a lot of older players that are starting to show their age a little bit. The biggest question coming out of Yellowknife these days is if they think that the younger teams in the conference have finally caught up, or if their time as a force are coming to an end.
“Are people forgetting that I just won the MVP last season and was a unanimous First Team All-Pro, as was Kai Sakura?” questioned Wraith’s Quarterback Colby Jack when the question of their window closing came up this off-season. “Sure, we missed the playoffs last season, but we still won 10 games, even with the target on our back.” For all of the bluster, the team can’t ignore the fact that they have a lot of older players, especially on the offensive side of the ball, leading many to question if Jack’s confidence is nothing more than a swan song.
Offensive Player to Watch: Wide Receiver Mark Walker @deadlunatic
For all of the recognition that Sakura and Jack received in Season 29, there was one more Wraiths player on offense that, despite being an All-Pro and Pro Bowler, was talked about very little – WR Mark Walker. The sixth-year speedster out of Tijuana showed that good things come to those who wait, as he had a bona fide breakout season in Season 29, posting just shy of 1500 yards and 12 touchdowns as the team’s #2 Wide Receiver. Last season, teams looked to slow down Sakura, doubling him every chance they could, and Walker showed that he was too good for most CBs to cover one-on-one. This season, the Wraiths’ passing attack looks to be a dealer’s choice of pain, and Walker will be a big reason why.
Defensive Player to Watch: Linebacker Big Slammu @moonlight
Throughout his entire time in Yellowknife, the physically imposing Slammu, has taken a bit of a backseat to fellow Linebacker Douglas Quaid. This season, however, Slammu looks to be the big man on campus. With the Wraiths defensive line still sporting playmakers like Patrick Money and Season 29 Defensive End of the Year and First Team All-Pro, Leonard Taylor, Slammu should be set up perfectly to get a free run at both Quarterbacks and ballcarriers alike. Sometimes players don’t thrive under the pressure, but reports out of Yellowknife say that in the film room, Slammu is the one consistently calling out opposing plays and telling teammates where they need to be on the field.
Potential Breakout Player: Running Back Jay Cue Jr. @Opera_Phantom
With the Wraiths’ reliance on the passing game in Season 29, it meant that someone had to take a backseat, and unfortunately for Cue Jr, it was him. Even in his limited role, he still put up very respectable numbers in both the rushing and passing games, going for a combined 845 yards and 7 touchdowns, even while splitting duties with fellow RBs Acura Skyline and Nicholas Ayers.
Heading into Season 30, one thing is for certain – the backfield is Cue Jr’s and his alone. Ayers is gone and all reports have said that Skyline has lost favor with the team up in Yellowknife, meaning that the second-year back is primed for a breakout campaign. Yellowknife will almost certainly be a pass-first team, but I fully expect nearly 1,000 yards rushing out of Cue Jr this season.
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CLOSING STATEMENTS
LET'S PLAY SOME FOOTBALL!!!! SEASON 30 STARTS TONIGHT!!!
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