Bandits add three to roster for game at Sioux Falls
By Jerry GieseJournal sports writer | Posted: Saturday, May 03, 2008
There's another Cornhusker on the roster of the Sioux City Bandits.
Brandon Johnson, a 6-3, 315-pound defensive lineman who played in 13 games for Nebraska in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, is one of three new Bandits who will see playing time tonight at the Sioux Falls Arena in a 7:05 United Indoor Football game against the Sioux Falls Storm.
Bandits' head coach Jarrod DeGeorgia also announced the signings of free safety Bruce Johnson and cornerback Ronnie McDougle. The three newcomers will be introduced to a heated series that has seen the Interstate 29 rivals meet 21 times in the last eight seasons.
Sioux Falls (5-2), a 45-34 winner over Sioux City (3-4) on April 12, has won the last nine games in the series and was led on that date by quarterback Terrance Bryant (946 yards passing, 13 TDs), who threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandon Johnson has two former Husker teammates playing for the Bandits, defensive linemen Andy Poulosky (14 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and Jordan Picou (6.5 tackles, 0.5 sacks). Johnson recorded three assisted tackles as a senior, one each against Texas A&M, Texas and Kansas. He also saw action as a blocker on extra-point and field goal units.
"He's quick, he has good hands and his feet are very strong," said DeGeorgia. "He's a bullrush kind of player who will put pressure on the quarterback and collapse the pocket. We look for him to do that on Saturday night."
The Bandits' newest additions to the secondary have af2 experience, Bruce Johnson (5-8, 190) with the Lexington Horsemen and McDougle (6-1, 195) with the Quad City Steamrollers. Johnson is taking over this week for free safety John Zevenbergen (32.5 tackles, 1 interception), who bruised his tailbone while recording 5.5 tackles and his 12th career interception in last Saturday's 53-49 loss to Bloomington.
"McDougle is a good cover guy who knows the game well," said DeGeorgia. "He's tall, lanky, fast and gives us a chance when teams look to go to the outside against us.
"Bruce isn't the biggest guy in the world, but he's physical and plays like he's 10 feet tall when he jams receivers. He reads offenses well."
Johnson, who played at James Madision University, and McDougle, a former University of Sioux Falls standout, have meshed well with their established Bandit teammates in the secondary, a quartet that includes five of the team's top six tacklers, including cornerback Alex Ardley, second on the team with 35.5 stops.
Ardley returned seven kickoffs for 163 yards against Bloomington, topped by a 48-yarder in the second quarter that led to a 25-yard field goal for kicker Mitch Lynch.
Ardley, who returned 33 kickoffs for 598 yards last year, got his first kick return duty of the season, taking over for Steven Rush, who was released by the Bandits. Rush is now with the River City Rage, where he's hoping for playing time as a quarterback, something that didn't happen in Sioux City with Chad Kapanui (1,217 yards, 18 TDs) at the controls.
Rush had returned 20 kickoffs for 342 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown in a 72-38 loss at Billings on March 22.
Ardley had a 39-yard kickoff return to the Bloomington 14-yard line in the third quarter that led to a one-yard touchdown run for running back John Bentley (163 yards rushing, 4 TDs). A 25-yard return to midfield in the fourth quarter launched a six-play drive that saw O.J. Simpson (41 catches, 442 yards, 5 TDs) score on a seven-yard touchdown catch.
"Alex didn't do anything to lose that position," said DeGeorgia. "He did everything to give us the best field position we've had all year. He was shiftier than I thought. He had the ability to make people miss."
Sioux Falls also features a kick return specialist in Bryan Alberty, who has 31 for 631 yards and one touchdown.
DeGeorgia feels the Bandits have good kick return coverage. Robert Tiff had three special-teams tackles against Bloomington.
"Robert was excellent on kickoff returns with three tackles inside the 10," said DeGeorgia. "He was every bit as effective as Ardley."
Brandon Johnson, a 6-3, 315-pound defensive lineman who played in 13 games for Nebraska in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, is one of three new Bandits who will see playing time tonight at the Sioux Falls Arena in a 7:05 United Indoor Football game against the Sioux Falls Storm.
Bandits' head coach Jarrod DeGeorgia also announced the signings of free safety Bruce Johnson and cornerback Ronnie McDougle. The three newcomers will be introduced to a heated series that has seen the Interstate 29 rivals meet 21 times in the last eight seasons.
Sioux Falls (5-2), a 45-34 winner over Sioux City (3-4) on April 12, has won the last nine games in the series and was led on that date by quarterback Terrance Bryant (946 yards passing, 13 TDs), who threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandon Johnson has two former Husker teammates playing for the Bandits, defensive linemen Andy Poulosky (14 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and Jordan Picou (6.5 tackles, 0.5 sacks). Johnson recorded three assisted tackles as a senior, one each against Texas A&M, Texas and Kansas. He also saw action as a blocker on extra-point and field goal units.
"He's quick, he has good hands and his feet are very strong," said DeGeorgia. "He's a bullrush kind of player who will put pressure on the quarterback and collapse the pocket. We look for him to do that on Saturday night."
The Bandits' newest additions to the secondary have af2 experience, Bruce Johnson (5-8, 190) with the Lexington Horsemen and McDougle (6-1, 195) with the Quad City Steamrollers. Johnson is taking over this week for free safety John Zevenbergen (32.5 tackles, 1 interception), who bruised his tailbone while recording 5.5 tackles and his 12th career interception in last Saturday's 53-49 loss to Bloomington.
"McDougle is a good cover guy who knows the game well," said DeGeorgia. "He's tall, lanky, fast and gives us a chance when teams look to go to the outside against us.
"Bruce isn't the biggest guy in the world, but he's physical and plays like he's 10 feet tall when he jams receivers. He reads offenses well."
Johnson, who played at James Madision University, and McDougle, a former University of Sioux Falls standout, have meshed well with their established Bandit teammates in the secondary, a quartet that includes five of the team's top six tacklers, including cornerback Alex Ardley, second on the team with 35.5 stops.
Ardley returned seven kickoffs for 163 yards against Bloomington, topped by a 48-yarder in the second quarter that led to a 25-yard field goal for kicker Mitch Lynch.
Ardley, who returned 33 kickoffs for 598 yards last year, got his first kick return duty of the season, taking over for Steven Rush, who was released by the Bandits. Rush is now with the River City Rage, where he's hoping for playing time as a quarterback, something that didn't happen in Sioux City with Chad Kapanui (1,217 yards, 18 TDs) at the controls.
Rush had returned 20 kickoffs for 342 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown in a 72-38 loss at Billings on March 22.
Ardley had a 39-yard kickoff return to the Bloomington 14-yard line in the third quarter that led to a one-yard touchdown run for running back John Bentley (163 yards rushing, 4 TDs). A 25-yard return to midfield in the fourth quarter launched a six-play drive that saw O.J. Simpson (41 catches, 442 yards, 5 TDs) score on a seven-yard touchdown catch.
"Alex didn't do anything to lose that position," said DeGeorgia. "He did everything to give us the best field position we've had all year. He was shiftier than I thought. He had the ability to make people miss."
Sioux Falls also features a kick return specialist in Bryan Alberty, who has 31 for 631 yards and one touchdown.
DeGeorgia feels the Bandits have good kick return coverage. Robert Tiff had three special-teams tackles against Bloomington.
"Robert was excellent on kickoff returns with three tackles inside the 10," said DeGeorgia. "He was every bit as effective as Ardley."
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