Dustin Evans, Outlaws' rookie wide receiver, had a few choice words about the notion floating around the media and the league alike, that the Outlaws defense, season one's finest, isn't enough to carry them back to a repeat Ultimus title. Coming off a relatively successful first three preseason games, Evans posted a combined fourteen receptions for one-hundred-thirty-three yards and a touchdown. Looking to improve in his final game Friday, however, he's issuing a warning to the critics for the upcoming season: don't sleep on the offense.
With training camp over and us nearly upon the regular season, the only positive light is still being shone on the defense. Being at the top of the NSFL last year, it's not exactly a surprise that people are excited to see where it can take them after an offseason worth of practice and the draft bringing in new blood, like safety Allen Davis and Linebacker Luke Luechly, both of whom have the potential to be stars.
“None of those guys, not in the media, not on the Otters, or the Wraiths, whatever, have as good an idea of what's going in this offense as I do,” Evans said. “Our defense is great, it's championship caliber, yeah, so I and the rest of my teammates appreciate the recognition, but the offense is prepared to carry our own weight. Those games when the defense makes a mistake, and yeah, it'll happen, we'll be ready to pick up the slack just like the defense will do for us if we get in trouble.”
“All I'm saying is we're not going to be carried. I don't care if we have the best defense in the world, we have great coaches and great players over here working their asses off and you're gonna see some real production out of us this year.”
Arizona's defense finished first in defensive touchdowns, safeties, interceptions, sacks, tackles, and tackles for losses last year. Nearly every meaningful statistic was dominated by the Outlaws' defense so it's understandable that fans and pundits alike would be liable to let the offense sink under the radar.
Furthermore, I'll even agree that the majority of their question marks do lie on the offensive side of the ball, however, nearly all of their open positions have been filled by capable players. Mayran Jackson, veteran safety, converted to wide receiver this year and has already demonstrated his prowess by scoring twice in game one of the preseason and Chester Arthur Chess has turned on the heat so far catching a couple deep balls early on, which will serve to really take the top off of defenses this year. King Bronko is primed to compete alongside the other great quarterbacks like Orosz and Noble, and they've brought back Tim Pest, star offfensive lineman to play alongside the upgrade rookie, Scotty Timlin.
Arizona undoubtedly has some kinks to work out before the regular season officially begins, but from here it's looking like an awfully bright future is ahead for the Outlaws and the players on the field are apparently seeing the same thing, especially Evans.
“Coach Dwyer has faith in us and we're not going to let him down. He brought guys like myself and Chess in here to make plays and that's what we're going to do. I heard Tuck had a big say in it, too, actually, and I'm pretty excited about that,” Evans said. “Having a guy like that who can make plays all game seeing something in you and believing you can contribute to a great team like this, it feels good.”
“We trust Bronko and we're working on building chemistry, you know. A couple of us went over to his house this weekend and had a cookout and just chilled by the pool with the girlfriends, the wives, and the kids. It was fun.”
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With training camp over and us nearly upon the regular season, the only positive light is still being shone on the defense. Being at the top of the NSFL last year, it's not exactly a surprise that people are excited to see where it can take them after an offseason worth of practice and the draft bringing in new blood, like safety Allen Davis and Linebacker Luke Luechly, both of whom have the potential to be stars.
“None of those guys, not in the media, not on the Otters, or the Wraiths, whatever, have as good an idea of what's going in this offense as I do,” Evans said. “Our defense is great, it's championship caliber, yeah, so I and the rest of my teammates appreciate the recognition, but the offense is prepared to carry our own weight. Those games when the defense makes a mistake, and yeah, it'll happen, we'll be ready to pick up the slack just like the defense will do for us if we get in trouble.”
“All I'm saying is we're not going to be carried. I don't care if we have the best defense in the world, we have great coaches and great players over here working their asses off and you're gonna see some real production out of us this year.”
Arizona's defense finished first in defensive touchdowns, safeties, interceptions, sacks, tackles, and tackles for losses last year. Nearly every meaningful statistic was dominated by the Outlaws' defense so it's understandable that fans and pundits alike would be liable to let the offense sink under the radar.
Furthermore, I'll even agree that the majority of their question marks do lie on the offensive side of the ball, however, nearly all of their open positions have been filled by capable players. Mayran Jackson, veteran safety, converted to wide receiver this year and has already demonstrated his prowess by scoring twice in game one of the preseason and Chester Arthur Chess has turned on the heat so far catching a couple deep balls early on, which will serve to really take the top off of defenses this year. King Bronko is primed to compete alongside the other great quarterbacks like Orosz and Noble, and they've brought back Tim Pest, star offfensive lineman to play alongside the upgrade rookie, Scotty Timlin.
Arizona undoubtedly has some kinks to work out before the regular season officially begins, but from here it's looking like an awfully bright future is ahead for the Outlaws and the players on the field are apparently seeing the same thing, especially Evans.
“Coach Dwyer has faith in us and we're not going to let him down. He brought guys like myself and Chess in here to make plays and that's what we're going to do. I heard Tuck had a big say in it, too, actually, and I'm pretty excited about that,” Evans said. “Having a guy like that who can make plays all game seeing something in you and believing you can contribute to a great team like this, it feels good.”
“We trust Bronko and we're working on building chemistry, you know. A couple of us went over to his house this weekend and had a cookout and just chilled by the pool with the girlfriends, the wives, and the kids. It was fun.”
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