Trae Johnson among three new Bandits acquisitions

By Jerry Giese Journal sports writer | Posted: Saturday, May 12, 2007

Reunited and it feels so good.

Trae Johnson will hook up tonight with his former quarterback, Craig Fobbe as the Sioux City Bandits play an old nemesis in United Indoor Football at the Sioux Falls Arena against the unbeaten Sioux Falls Storm.

Johnson, who caught 81 passes for 1,910 yards and 21 touchdowns at Morningside College in 2005, is one of three new acquisitions for the Bandits (2-4), who fell 44-29 to the two-time UIF champions at the Tyson Events Center April 6.

Sioux Falls has won 26 straight games and is 6-0 this season.

Johnson, who came to the Bandits after starting the season with af2's Cincinnati Jungle Kats, will start tonight along with new running back Andre Raymond. Bandits interim head coach Roger Jansen saw Johnson and Raymond in practice Thursday and also expected 6-3, 255-pound defensive lineman Freddie Weinke to arrive Friday.

Johnson and Fobbe helped lead Morningside to a 12-1 record their senior year. The 6-3, 205-pound Johnson averaged 23.6 yards per catch and 147 yards receiving to earn first-team All-America honors for a team that advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA national playoffs.

Johnson had 350 yards receiving and caught six touchdown passes for the Jungle Kats, who had a 1-4 record.

"Johnson and Fobbe put up unbelievable numbers," said Jansen. "It'll be interesting and fun to watch because he's a big target.

"Something happened in Cincinnati and we were fortunate to find him. Craig and the other Morningside guys here helped us to get him here. All we're concerned about, we got him and we're going to put him to good use."

Johnson will fill a void tonight because his former Morningside wide receiver teammate, Kyle Ortegren (6 catches, 39 yards) will miss the game because of business commitments. One of the Bandits' hottest receivers as of late, Rashaun Sanders (9 catches, 142 yards, 4 TDs) will miss the game because of a funeral.

Johnson adds to the depth at wide receiver, a position led by Johnnie Ostermeyer (34 catches, 384 yards, 4 TD), who caught seven passes for 68 yards in last Saturday's 36-29 win over Omaha. Ronnie Thomas (6 catches, 33 yards, 2 TD) and Sean Henley (2 catches, 24 yards, 1 TD) each caught scoring passes in the victory.

Raymond, a 6-foot, 220-pounder, will start in place of former Wayne State standout Zach Molacek, who was injured in the third quarter of last Saturday's game. Molacek, who rushed 12 times for 59 yards, will be out two weeks with an abdominal strain.

Raymond, a former teammate of Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo while at Eastern Illinois University, rushed for 580 yards and three touchdowns in his senior season.

"He practiced with us Thursday night," said Jansen. "He's short and stocky, but he has speed. We'll be able to pound him inside. He'll also get off the edge and that'll bring an added dimension to our offense."

Weinke comes to the Bandits after starting the season with the Springfield (Ill.) Stallions of the Continental Indoor Football League. The Springfield team, 0-5 at the time, ceased operations a week ago.

A cousin to former Carolina Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke, Freddie Weinke played tight end for the Marion Mayhem of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League in 2006, then played defensive end for the af2's Central Valley Coyotes to start 2007.

"We've been trying to get him the last two years," said Jansen, who credited Bandits' managing partner and owner Bob Scott and offensive coordinator for the latest signings.

"I tell you what, Bob Scott has a lot of connections. This week, Bob decided we need to go out and find impact players and he made calls. Coach Stevens made calls and we're able to find these guys. I feel fortunate at this point of the season to find quality guys like these."

BANDITS BULLETS: The Bandits also announced the release of several players. Defensive end Rudy Foye, who returned an interception for a touchdown in a 54-30 loss to Colorado on April 13 was released along with kicker Cody Butler, defensive lineman Raymond Moore and quarterback Ricco Watkins. Jansen, who has no other quarterbacks on the roster, said Ostermeyer will be Fobbe's backup. Zac Gradoville, the new Sioux City kicker, has made four field goals in two games...

Ostermeyer had a team-record 11 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown in the Bandits' 44-29 loss to Sioux Falls on April 6. He has had some of his best games against Sioux Falls, catching eight passes for 79 yards and one touchdown in a 50-43 win at Sioux Falls in 2005. He also had seven-catch games against the Storm in 2002 and 2006. He has 61 catches for 826 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games against the Storm ....

Jansen said noseguard Marvin Campbell is now at a two-day tryout for the Arena League's Chicago Rush. Campbell, who along with Foye, came in the trade from Evansville for backup quarterback Haven Mosley, had been at a tryout camp for the Washington Redskins. Campbell has 10.5 tackles and two tackles for loss ....

Sioux Falls quarterback Terrance Bryant (1,291 yards passing, 27 TD passes) has guided his team to six straight wins over the Bandits. It all started for Bryant in the 2005 UIF title game, when he completed 17 of 25 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-38 win over the Bandits. Bryant has thrown for 864 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career against the Bandits ....

Sioux Falls features five UIF leaders. Running back Marques Smith, who has rushed for 359 yards and 16 touchdowns, tops the league with 96 points. Other league leaders for the Storm are defensive end Nate Fluit (10 sacks), linebacker Mark Blackburn (55.5 tackles), wide receiver Leon Hall (7 missed field goal returns) and kicker Adam Hicks (12 field goals).