(S15) - Ultimus Week

[Air Crou]

1) DSFL Playoff Review. In the SFC, the 7-6-1 Solar Bears pulled of the upset against the 9-5 Tijuana Luchadores, winning 34-23, after a dominant 34-23 win. The Solar Bears were dominant at the 3rd, increasing their 17-10 half time lead, to a whooping 31-10, after TDs from Mako Mendonca and Ludicolo Bigby, sandwiching a Lamont McKinney pick. All within 103 seconds. Tijuana scored 2 garbage time TDs from their best player of the game, Forrest Gump, who had 142 rushing yards and 3 TDs, after 17 attempts. In the NFC, there is not THAT much to say. The Pythons dominated the Coyotes, beating them 31-7, with the Coyotes only scoring a TD 14 seconds before the end of the GAME!!! Grievous and Faux styled on the KC offense, having 13 and 12 tackles respectively. Faux had 2 sacks on top of that! Moving on to the Ultimini now. Palm Beach hosting Portland. The Solar Bears were known for being heavy runners. And they proved just that. They also added some passing as teh cherry on top. 37-17 win for the Bears, despite Portland's valiant effort to stage a late game comeback, after a 98YD rushing TD from Sam Torrenson, cutting the deficit from 13 to 6. PB just dropped 2 TDs to end the game and hoist their first Ultimini win since S5.
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3) Let's talk about the Ultimus QB matchup. We all know how the game ended and how opposite the two QBs' performances were. Hawks' Gambino went 28/50, FOR 421 YARDS, THROWING 5 TOUCHDOWNS AND NO PICKS, finishing the game with a 117.2 QB rating. Sure he led a stacked offence, but you need your QB to be a beast in games like that. It's not the DSFL, where you can just hand the ball over to your RB and pray he goes off. Gambino even ran the ball home once on his own! Talk about a godlike performance! On the other hand, Joilet Christ. He went 12/33, for 131 yards, no touchdowns and no picks. At least he didn't throw a pick. But he got sacked 4 times. One of them for a safety. Yeah, he didn't play well. But he didn't have as much of a stacked and talented offence to throw to, compared to Gambino. San Jose were a team led by their defence. Overall, Gambino OUTPERFORMED Christ, and is rightfully considered the Ultimus MVP. But again, a QB is as good as the weapons you put around him, and vice versa. Gambino was also luckier than Christ, so there is that.
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7) Why would the Wraiths win next year you may ask. First of all, their defence. They have seasoned vets, combined with a cool bunch of youngsters, with a chip on their shoulders, following the unfortunate ending to this season. Uchiha, Alexander, Leaf, and Kroustis. And don't sleep on Cooter Bigsby. Whoever says Cooter is bad, they are just haters! SHAME ON YOU! Not only him, but the whole Yellowknife offence. Even if their defensive unit will hog the spotlight more. The GM duo of Bigred and Daybe figured it out quickly enough, and they have a team full of youngsters, helping them avoid a disastrous future, following the expansion draft. The thing is, will all these guys mesh up well on the field and find the proper chemistry? On top of that, will any free agent signings to happen fit in? One thing is for sure though. The GM duo is extremely competent with building a team. They have already proven it. They know who to draft, how to build proper depth charts, how to entice free agents into signing with the team. They have that something every GM should have. They only need one thing now. Time. And Yellowknife will dominate in the foreseeable future.
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17) How were my teams robbed? Well, both Norfolk and Yellowknife were screwed over by some results. First off, both teams needed the division leader to win their matchup with the division 2nd placed team. Portland over KC and Baltimore over Philly respectively. Guess what happened. They both lost, mathematically eliminating NOR and YKW from their respective playoffs. Portland lost by 3 to KC, IN OVERTIME, after KC kicker Zac Korosec hit the game-tying FG with 9 seconds remaining, and the game winning one with 33 seconds left in the OT clock. Like, what the heck! Couldn't it just stay as is for another 33 seconds? Couldn't he just miss the FG at the end of regulation? SMH!!! Philly though, they crushed Baltimore, 30-17, after a poor performance from BAL QB Childish Gambino, who threw 3 PICKS! When did McCormick take over Gambino's body? The game was tied at 17 with 8:33 remaining on the 3rd. Then, Baltimore just crashed and burned. I suspect them being afraid of a potential meeting with the Wraiths in the playoffs. I mean, you don't want to face the team that spanked you in week 2. Sure, you ran over them in week 8, but Yellowknife could beat anyone in a good day. Dunno, I may just be crazy. shrugs
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[AlexF]

4. Are there any defensive beasts in the S16 draft that you hope to play alongside in a Hawks uniform?
That is a great question. I think Chad Maulolo (@Graciejj2000) would be an amazing fit for our defensive line and he’s a great guy overall. Another defensive lineman that I’d love to play alongside is Alberto McGwire (@kentuckycolonel). He only played 6 regular season games, but I think he has great potential to hold down the line in the NSFL immediately. Blake Faux (@AlexF) is one player that I think is very underrated because of Lanzer being on the Pythons, but he’s got amazing potential to be a stud linebacker in the NSFL right away. We would need someone like him to replace Charlie Trout next season.

[KingCollins]

Strategies

The Yeti are going to need to make a few changes to win the championship in the coming years.Part of that process is just waiting some time. We have a perfect young core of active players, including Future Yeti Wolfie McDummy, Mo Berry, Terry Taffy, and Tony Gabagool amongst others. We have multiple budding star veterans in James Bishop, and Logan Lejune. This young core will be able to reach their prime whilst our current stars are still in their prime.The next thing we need to do is score on this expansion draft which is easy, since we won't lose any players. This will even the playing field. With an expansion draft rapidly approaching that will see all of Yeti's desirable pieces protected they wont have to lose any players. Colorado's GMs would have to be be braindead if they somehow mess up that opportunity. There is also a draft where the Yeti hold the 3 OA pick in a decent top heavy draft which could be used to select one of the two tops prospect in the draft in Torrenson or Lavelle Jr. If the Yeti can strike gold in the regular draft, The yeti are a season or two away from hoisting that beautiful Ultimus trophy.

Playoffs Reviews: Kansas City Coyotes vs Portland City Pythons
The Coyotes are fresh off a 7-7 season, improving vastly since their disappointing 2-win season just a season prior. The Pythons, the defending champions, were largely seen as favorites as they were being led by one of the DSFL's most promising quarterbacks, Franklin Armstrong. Running back Sam Torrenson, another budding DSFL star and Smallwood-Chess secured strong offensive weapons for the pythons. Their defense also showed talent, containing Lanzer Grevious, Tigole Bitties, Xerxes Ridley, and Blake Faux. Lets talk about the Coyotes now. Led by another high-quality DSFL quarterback in Rose Jenkins. He certainly has quality players to throw to, including Joshua Palmer, Make Plays, and an improved Jay Quick that can run the ball and fill for the absence of Terry Taffy.

As for the playoff game, the Coyotes saw themselves being dominated. They only managed to score one touchdown off a 7 yard catch from J.N Nova. The pythons defense was just far too oppressive. Only the flip side, the Pythons offense dominated. With nearly 400 yards, the pythons put 31 on the coyotes defense. Smallwood-Chess had a huge game, getting 100 yards on 6 receptions. Armstrong didn't perform his best, putting up a rating of 50.8, but the rest of the offense was so good that they masked this unusual performance from Armstrong.

Trades

The Wraiths are in a very good position following their free agent signing of Danny Grithead. Yellowknife fans must be happy since they are poised for an ultimus run. With the youngsters Cooter Bigsby, Morgan Marshall, Nero Alexander, Logan Uchiha, and Ryan Leaf Jr., their core rivals that of fellow tanking team, the Colorado Yeti. They have impactful veterans and stars, including new addition Danny Grithead, Nate Swift, and Jerrod Canton. Morgan Marshall serves a pretty good insurance for the departure of Dick Wizardry. The future of team is in the hands of their young core as whether or not they can hoist the Ultimus depends on whether they can continue to get production and see them develops. Morgan Marshall has big shoes to fill as Dick Wizardry is one of the best running backs in the league. Ryan Leaf Jr. and Nero Alexander have the potential to create a very oppressive defensive line, whilst Uchiha could rack up picks alongside picks and broken-up passes alongside Grithead. In good time, they could end up becoming one of the most premier teams in the league and perhaps a team that was better than this year Hawks when they're all in their prime. They have a huge championship window fast approaching, so hopefully they can win some Ultimus' before regression takes this team out quicker than it began.

Head to Head Matchups

Probably amongst the most hyped head to head matchup is this years playoffs, none are as exciting as watching Fast Boija and Marquise Brown against each other. Both are amongst the best running backs to ever play in the DSFL, and one of them is building a HOF case. Despite their two differing paths since their days of the DSFL, it is always exciting to see past rivalries in such a big game. However, Fast Boija only saw 1 attempt. So suddenly the storyline shifted to see the youngster Vander Jones face off against established Hawks runningback Marquise Brown. It was quite a showoff. Brown proved to be more efficent, average 6 yards per carry as opposed to 3.8, and putting up 98 yards opposed to 123, with exactly half of the carries Jones had.

Both of these players were huge for their teams. Jones had a little over a third of his teams total yards. It's always exciting to see a youngster perform on such a big stage like this, as we are excited for the future. How Jones will continue to perform is a question mark, but it is always good to see him performing so well so early in his career.

[SabaDonutMan]

1) Playoff Review

In the Ultimini, which consisted of the Solar Bears and Pythons. The Solar Bears come off of defeating the Luchadors(34-23) who were the favorite to win the Ultimini. After picking up prospects off of waiver they were able to change their game plan completely. The Pythons dismantled the Coyotes by defeating them 31-7. Their blend of using the run game and pass game helped pave their way into the Ultimini. The Solar Bears started with the hot hand leading 20-7 by halftime. The Pythons started to warm up after getting a field goal in the 3rd quarter and a touchdown early in the 4th quarter. This narrowed the lead to 23-17. However, Cole Easton does what Cole Easton does best, win. He helped the Solar Bears turn on the heat scoring 2 touchdowns to seal the game. Cole finished the game with 230 yards and 0 TDs. What helped the Solar Bears win was their strong defense and good wr core to help complement Cole Easton. If the Pythons could go back in time they would definitely change their defense to focus more on pass defense. When it's all said and done, the better team came on up on top. Final Score: 37-17 Solar Bears

3) All about QBs

The QB matchup between Childish Gambino and Joliet Christ was one people were hyping up. However, it turned out to be very one sided. Although, Joliet threw a decent game for 131 yards 0 ints and 48.9 passer rating he threw for 0 touchdowns. Gambino on the other side threw for 421 yards, 5 TDs, 0 ints, and a 117.2 passer rating. Gambino blew Joliet out of the water and helped secure his team(Baltimore Hawks) the Ultimus. It is an excellent way to cap of a career. This will be his second Ultimus(he won his first in Season 10). He excelled in many different areas and was always one of the league’s top qbs. He was the best qb I have seen in both DSFL and NSFL ever(I am fairly new). Many wish they had is talent. However, he originally was drafted as a DE and his position was changed to qb. In both DSFL and NSFL he was one of the top 5 picks (3rd in DSFL and 4th in NSFL). He will be greatly missed by all his teammates, coaches, and fans as he heads off into retirement after a 7 season career.

13) Sit-down with a fan (@idkman)

What was the mood like when you were watching the Ultimus and Ultimini?

I think the mood in the air was tense, and very excited with everyone on the edge of their seats for most of the game. The ultimini may not have been that close in the late stages but both teams are amazing so a comeback could happen at any time. The two most importnat games in NSFL (and DSFL) had a very excited atmosphere, some parts had extremely loud cheering, and some parts had the crowd holding their breath to see what would come next.

Was there any player or players that stood out to you?

Well I mean, I was mostly having fun watching my brother on the big stage that we dreamed about all our lives, but obviously the players who had big performances caught my eye, or other players such as the one guy Torrenson in the Ultimini who had the really long rushing touchdown, and that was especially cool because you know players like that will have a great career in the NSFL after their performance.

Which team do you think is going to win it all next season?

Well, I don't know much about the league so far but in the NSFL, I know about some star players such as Childish Gambino, however I do know he will be retiring so Baltimore might have a difficult situation, however if they can strike gold in the draft with a good quarterback they will defenitely be contenders with their strong all around team. And for the DSFL, my simple answer is, the team that drafts me.

If your an expansion team what should you be doing after these games?

If I was an expansion team, I would be looking in young talent in DSFL and the upcoming draft to try and develop my team to compete in a few years. Obviously today's league is stacked with talent, so getting young players to develop is a prime strategy for any expansion team. There are also great talents in DSFL that you can bring up as well.

14) Magical Moment

With 13 minutes left in the 4th and down 23-10, Portland hands the ball off Torrenson who blazes past of the opposing Solar Bears defense for a 98 yard touchdown. He put the Pythons in the game and gave them an opportunity to come back and clutch up the game. This play turned out to be the longest play in the Ultimini including both runs and passes. Torrenson's blazing speed and endurance was evident in this play and the scouts must have had their jaws hanging. It's not only pure talent that you need to amass a play like that, you also need confidence. If you don't have the confidence and you believe that they will tackle you, energy will be lost, you slow down and eventually get tackled. Torrenson had the confidence needed to complete the play and push through all the dpubts in his head. He definitely turned a couple of heads and this might have raised his draft stock by a little. This play will be saved and treasured for the rest of DSFL and it will even carry on into NSFL. In my opinion, he will become one of the next great rbs in the NSFL and will hold a spot in the record books.

[Fordhammer]

1) Playoff Review
Championship game:
Where to begin. I would need to go back and look, but I'm going to guess this was the biggest blowout of all time in an Ultimus. 49-0 almost seems impossible. The Hawks were heavy favorites this year, but I don't think many saw this outcome coming. The Hawks started off strong in the first quarter, going up 14-0. Marquise Brown continued his excellent season with a 13 yard touchdown reception from Childish Gambino. Later in the quarter the Hawks capped off a drive with a touchdown pass from Childish Gambino to Verso L'Alto (recently taken in the expansion draft). The Sabercats defense really stepped up the next two quarters, allowing only 12 points despite their offenses' inability to move the ball. The Sabercats' offense was abysmal for the entire game. Joliet Christ was 12/33 for about 130 yards. Part of this can be attributed to his poor play, but a huge amount of credit goes to the Hawks defense for stifling him at every turn. Gambino on the other hand, played a nearly perfect game. 5 touchdown passes, for 400 yards and a QB rating of 117. He came to play in the championship game, and the Sabercats had no answer as they poured on 23 points in the 4th quarter for a victory.

2) All about the QBs
Let's talk about the two quarterbacks in this game. This was really a complete opposite set of performances from these two. Both Childish Gambino and Joliet Christ had had excellent seasons up until this point, but one rose to the challenge and the other caved under the pressure.
Let's start with Childish Gambino. He came out slinging and basically never stopped. He was 28/50, which is an impressive number given his yards per completion of 15. He threw touchdowns to 5 different receivers. The Sabercats couldn't focus on just one option, because he really spread the ball around. Stud receiver Valentine had a solid 5 catches for 100 yards, and Harp and Maddox all contributed. Childish really carried this team on a day when Marquise Brown struggled with being very efficient. The Sabercarts dared Gambino to beat them by stacking the box, and he did.
Joliet Christ was another story entirely. This game will go down as a low point for him. His receivers didn't help too much, as they were blanketed the whole game by the Baltimore secondary. The running game had a decent average, but couldn't get going much at all. Joliet will be hoping for some improved options to throw to next year, and it seems warranted. Look for him to rebound next season.

3) Spotlight on Youth
I'm going to spotlight Fatih Terim in this section. The dude has been lighting it up in the league. He's revamped a lot just on the forum side, but his player's impact cannot be overstated. He led the team in tackles with 7, an impressive number for a safety. He also forced a fumble on a Joliet run that would have had them in Hawks' territory. The fumble was recovered by another young stud in Walt Green. He was a high draft pick, and it paid dividends for them. This young corps really helped take the Sabercats receivers out of the game. The tight ends, Olsen and Wright, combined for only 7 catches for 40 yards. Their wide receivers fared even worse. Totaling just 91 yards, with an abysmal catch rate. Fatih Terim can really be proud of this season. He put in the work and has been a near-top TPE earner since joining the league, and it really paid off for him with an Ultimus in his first year in the league. Look for him to have a lot of success going forward as he and the Hawks are setup for probably more championships in the coming years, and I'm sure Fatih will be an anchor of the secondary during that time.

4) Next Year
The Philadelphia Liberty will be contenders next year. Yes, I know this might be considered somewhat of a hot take, but hear me out. The Liberty did lose quite a bit of talent to free agency, that can't be denied. But they've got 3 top earners that they drafted last season that are really ready to come in to their own this next season. Emondov Emoji has been a big earner this season, and will be a force for years to come. Combine that with another max speed player in Richard D'Attoria, and the pain of losing Barnes to free agency is at least lessened. Those two can pick up the slack this year and try to fill some of the void left by Barnes departure back to Arizona.
On the offensive side, Nacho Varga, Vander Jones, and Fast Boija will be able to keep earning, and should give defenses fits. Falconi is returning for another year, and she is at her near peak, TPE-wise. The offense should pick up right where it left off, with staples Jordan Von Matt and Brannigan making another run at things. Things might be tougher next year, but I don't see a reason why this team can't make another run at things, with a strong young core, and some vets reaching their peak.

[Eco]

1) Playoff Predictions, Reviews


3) All about the QBs


15) Going to Disneyland!


18) Banner

[YoungTB]

https://soundcloud.com/jiggly-carollo/natio...bcast-episode-1

To whoever grades this; I’m so sorry

[MaxGnarland]

Task 1: The Ultimus game between Baltimore and San Jose started off with San Jose receiving the opening kick-off and almost immediately being sent off the field following a 3 and out. Baltimore's first drive was efficient and successful ending with a touchdown to give Baltimore a 7 - 0. San Jose had a nice kick return going for 46 yards before their offense once again sputtered leaving them just outside field goal range forcing them to punt once again. Baltimore's offense once drove down the field once again to score putting them 14 points ahead of San Jose. The second quarter really showed off both teams' defense as there were only a total of 5 points scored, a field goal and safety for Baltimore. Going into half time Baltimore had a comfortable 19 point lead but San Jose still had plenty of time to come back if their defense could hold and their offense could find it's groove. The second half started with Baltimore returning the kickoff 44 yards but couldn't keep the momentum going and had to punt. San Jose had a promising drive down field but Baltimore's defense stiffened up and forced a punt... which was blocked giving Baltimore the ball near midfield. Baltimore took advantage of this great field position by scoring another touchdown. After another fairly unsuccessful drive by San Jose, Baltimore went on to score another touchdown. About mid-way through the 4th quarter Baltimore's defense once again showed why they were deserving of being the Ultimus champion when they forced a fumble once again giving their offense the ball near the 50. San Jose's defense held strong though forcing Baltimore to have a 3 and out. Having to go for it on 4th down, San Jose was unsuccessful giving Baltimore a very short field which they capitalized on with another touchdown. The rest of the game was comprised of San Jose trying their best to score some points but were unsuccessful making Baltimore the NSFL Champions.

Task 7: The Colorado Yeti are in a good position to win next year's Ultimus despite their poor record of 2-12 this season. There is an old saying that goes "defense wins championships" and Colorado is building their team with that mantra in mind. They have a core of promising young defensive players coupled with talented veterans that can potentially shut down an offense. Their linebacking corps of Mo Berry and Tony Gabagool are already playing well and will continue to improve making running against this team difficult. Their secondary is filled with veterans like Logan Lejune and Beau Montgomery who continue to be staples and young players like Quentin Sinclair, Caleb McCoy and newly acquired Knute Knurtsson who can step into larger roles on the defense as they continue to grow. The offense has a great young running back in Terry Taffy that can be the workhorse running back that a dominant defensive team needs to keep the offense on the field and scoring enough points to get wins. Their wide receiver James Bishop has the skills to help out whoever throws him the ball and keep the offense on the field in 3rd and long situations. Colorado also has the 3rd overall pick thanks to their lackluster record. There have been rumors going around that they are planning to use this pick on newly converted Quarterback Wolfie McDummy. Although he may not be extremely polished being relatively new to the quarterback position he is better than nothing.

Task 8: In order for the Colorado Yeti to become more competitive they need to get more talented and active players, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The defense is looking to be in a good place as they have young talented players that will continue to grow and gel as well as a stable of competent veterans making a possibly great unit but could always use some more talent to make it Dominant. Despite their obvious need to improve their offense the Yeti seem to be focusing their attention on the defense trading for wide receiver converted defensive back Knute Knurtsson from Yellowknife. They need to add more offensive players to their team regardless of if they plan to rely on their defense as star wide receiver James Bishop won't be this good forever. Although they have a promising young running back in Terry Taffy, they don't have anyone to throw the ball which is arguably the most important part of an offense. The Yeti hold the 3rd overall pick in this upcoming draft putting them in prime position to grab a promising offensive player, possibly Quarterback Wolfie McDummy. The yeti also have a good amount of cap space that they can hopefully use to grab some free agents to help build their offense

[AdamS]

https://youtu.be/wWPVd3fhoFQ

a surprisingly on topic ultimus cast

[moonlight]

3, All about the Quarterbacks

This year’s Ultimini championship featured the reigning champions Portland Pythons versus the Palm Beach Solar Bears. The matchup featured another big quarterback showdown as defending MVP Franklin Armstrong went up against this season’s probably MVP winner Easton Cole.

Cole threw 2266 yards with league best TD/INT ratio 17/9. His completion percentage led the league at a mighty 64.2%. He also sported the league best passer rating of 88.1. Armstrong on the other hand did not quite reach the heights he reached in his previous season. He had 2322 yards, with a TD/INT ratio of 14/9. He had a 57.7 completion percentage and a 77.1 rating.

While a disappointing year for Armstrong compared to his season 14 performance, this was still a QBotY performance outside of Cole beating him in most categories. Both teams sported similar records of 7-7 for the visiting Pythons and 7-6-1 for the Solar Bears. Armstrong has struggled on the road, losing nearly every game but on the flip side nearly winning all home games. The Pythons are up for a tough matchup as they have lost to the Bears in both previous matchups this season. This matchup of Armstrong and Cole is one of the best in recent Ultimini memory and it’s nearly a sure thing that this game will feature epic quarterback performances from both.


8. Strategies

The number one strategy for the Pythons to get back to the Ultimini involves good drafting. The main purpose is to replace some pieces that will inevitably be lost in the offseason. Such as top tier talents like Lanzer Grevious and Xerces Ridley. The amount of talent leaving the team from the S14 Championship season continues to increase. Franklin Armstrong has been told that he’ll be playing in his last DSFL season before he gets called up to the NSFL to play for the Otters. To lose your starting QB at any level will be tough and S16 might be the indication of the Pythons windows closing for a couple seasons. Outside of Armstrong, the Pythons should double up on some WRs and TEs. The Season 15 team just had a hard time moving the ball up and down the field and the issue reared its ugly head again in the Ultimini against Palm Beach. It was a painful loss cause the road only gets harder from here.

Another thing the Pythons could improve is their composure on the road. Their road games this season were generally full of turnovers and mental errors which led to them nearly losing every single road game last season. This of course also played a part in losing the Ultimini this season as it was yet another road game where dumb mental errors were made.


12. Sit-down with a fan with @PDXBaller

1. How would you compare your sophomore season to your rookie season in the DSFL?
My rookie season was hard to top. I won pretty much everything. An Ultimini victory, Season 14 DSFL Quarterback of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable player. This season has been more of a struggle with have a 7-7 team and eventually losing in the Ultimini against the Polar Bears.

2. What went wrong in the Ultimini Game against Palm Beach
The Ultimini came down to the Portland Pythons simply being outmanned. On the offensive side of the football we just didn’t have much to go off. Our wide receiving core had been hurt from call ups and we just couldn’t get a rhythm going. The turning point was at 17-24 with a chance to tie the game and we ultimately bungled it and turned over the football. This has been generally the theme of the season for us in S15.

3. Have you signed with an agent or are you considering one?
I did sign with an agent. I don’t need one currently but I thought it might be smart to have one after my initial contract is up. Considering I negotiated a 16 million dollar deal on my own, I probably don’t need the help to be fair.


4. What expectations do you have for next season if you come back to Portland?
Next season will be my last in a Pythons uniform. I intend to get back into the Ultimini and try to win it. I’d like to end my DSFL career on a high note. I am itching for a chance to get into the NSFL though. Being the quarterback of the future for the Orange County Otters is an honour.


13. Sit-down with a star with @PDXBaller

1. What went right in the S15 playoffs for the Hawks to win the championship?
Everything! Everything went right with the Hawks this season to get us where we wanted to be and to win the Ultimus. Our offense was the best this season and I think a big part of that was Gambino’s passing ability and our receiver depth that we had. On the defensive side of the ball, we had the best that the league had seen. Everything just clicked this season and it was easy to see how smoothly things were going.

2. How does it feel to be the S15 ultimus champions?
Losing in the NSFC playoffs last season made this all the sweeter. Beating the Liberty gave us our redemption and shutting out the SaberCats was a massive boost to our morale. Being the S15 Ultimus champion is one of my career’s defining moments. This is a unique team that proved to everyone that they were unstoppable and I’m happy to be a part of it all.

3. What is the expectation in the Hawks locker room on how you guys can get back to the big game in S16?
We’ll have to see how the expansion draft pans out for our team. I’m certain we won’t have the impact players we had last season because of that and with Gambino retiring there’s a lot of things in the air right now on the offensive side of the ball. I think that if Harvan can perform close to Gambino’s level last season and we retain most of our defense that we have a great shot at getting back to the Ultimus game again and (hopefully) going back to back.

4. Are there any defensive beasts in the S16 draft that you hope to play alongside in a Hawks uniform?
That is a great question. I think Chad Maulolo (@Graciejj2000) would be an amazing fit for our defensive line and he’s a great guy overall. Another defensive lineman that I’d love to play alongside is Alberto McGwire (@kentuckycolonel). He only played 6 regular season games, but I think he has great potential to hold down the line in the NSFL immediately. Blake Faux (@AlexF) is one player that I think is very underrated because of Lanzer being on the Pythons, but he’s got amazing potential to be a stud linebacker in the NSFL right away. We would need someone like him to replace Charlie Trout next season.