‘It’s very humbling but that is the standard in Columbus’: Lions in 4th straight championship
Columbus Lions Head Coach and Director of Football Operations Jason Gibson sighed as he watched his team’s final full-speed practice of the year ahead of the National Arena League’s championship game against the Carolina Cobras in the Greensboro Coliseum Monday at 7 p.m.
“These guys have been practicing 21 straight weeks, other than two bye weeks during the regular season and one last week, including training camp,” said Gibson. “How much difference practice makes at this point, I really don’t know. They’ve pretty much gotten it all down long ago.”
What Gibson didn’t mention was that he’s had to create somewhat of a patchwork-quilt remake to his roster since a slew of preseason and in-season injuries decimated the Lions to where six men were on crutches at one point. Lost for the season were key defensive lineman Kendrick Washington, defensive back Marte Sears, former Auburn linebacker Greg Hall Jr., wide receivers Tristan Purifoy and Durron Neal (left the team for personal reasons).
In addition, hobbling for portions of the season were the NAL’s leading receiver, Jarmon Fortson, last year’s all-league quarterback Mason Espinosa, former Georgia running back Quayvon Hicks, ex-Seattle Seahawks center Nate Isles and defensive back Robert Sands. Gibson even lost his player personnel director with whom he had links dating back to his playing days with the former Greensboro Prowlers, who competed in arenafootball2, the same league in which the Columbus Wardogs played from 2001-04.
Nonetheless, Gibson rebuilt his roster with several shrewd moves, including the signings of former Ohio State defensive linemen Steve Miller and Sevon Pittman (“absolute beasts,” in his words), ex-Idaho State kicker Tyler Rausa, who more than doubled the team’s point production from that position, veteran Arena Football League receiver Darryl Thompson and former Lions star receivers London Crawford (2014) and Terrence Ebagua (2015 MVP of the Professional Indoor Football League, PIFL).
Additionally, Gibson crafted a game-plan for the Lions’ first-round playoff road win over the Massachusetts Pirates two weeks ago that allowed backup QB Jeremy Johnson, another former Auburn star, to shine with a 70 percent passing completion, four rushing touchdowns and no turnovers, a big concern going into the game. That win propelled the Lions into an unexpected slot in the NAL championship game against Carolina, which easily downed the defending champion Jacksonville Sharks to earn the right to host the title game.
Seven of 18 positions were claimed by Lions on the NAL All-Offense teams announced Friday, with first-team selections Espinosa, Fortson, Hicks and Nate Isles. Espinosa passed for 3,132 yards and 66 touchdowns with just 7 interceptions, a p64.3 percent completion rates and ran for 12 touchdowns as well. Fortson, a former Carver star, caught 104 passes for 1,029 yards with 31 receiving touchdowns and another one rushing.
Hicks, an ex-Georgia Bulldog, ran for 305 yards on 81 carries, scoring 12 TD’s, while adding three more on 15 receptions good for 119 more yards. Nate Isles, a former Seattle Seahawk, led an outstanding offensive line that allowed just 19 sacks all season. Isles and 2nd team lineman Dion Small both caught key surprise passes during the season for lengthy gains, and were joined on the second team by Lions center Rony Barrow, a rookie in 2018.
In news released Thursday by the NAL office, Lions defensive back Chris Pickett was named to the second team, All-NAL Defense, having accumulated 53 solo and 21 assisted tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 22 pass breakups and 4 interceptions for 85 return yards.
Though puzzling that Columbus claimed only one of 18 positions named on the All-Defensive teams, this is partly explained by the fact the Lions played winless Lehigh Valley (0-15) less often than anyone else in the very competitive NAL regular season, in which the top five teams were separated by just 3 ½ games in the standings. Also, a number of key contributors were not on the Lions’ active roster for the full season, due to the roster shakeup detailed above.
NAL Championship weekend will include Media Day activities open to the public from noon till 1:30 p.m. Sunday, and the league’s invitation-only championship awards dinner at 7 p.m. Several Lions are in contention for such awards as Most Valuable Player, Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year; Head and Assistant Coaches of the Year and Rookie of the Year. A live stream of the Banquet will be posted on the National Arena League Facebook Page.
Both events will be held at the Greensboro Coliseum complex. Practice schedule for the teams on Monday have not yet been announced.
The Lions-Cobras championship game will be televised on YouTube and shown locally on CTV-BEAM Channel 7, to its Phenix City-area subscribers. Links to the telecast can be found on the Lions, NAL and CTV-BEAM’s website, as well as at www.facebook.com/lionsfootball. A viewing party will be held, as they have throughout the season, at Sapo’s Mexican Cocina on Manchester Expressway. There is no admission charge, and televisions in several rooms of the restaurant will be set to the game.
Notes
COACH JASON GIBSON: (He is 111-54, a .673 winning percentage in 12 seasons with the Lions (2007-18). Only head coach the franchise has ever had. Also coached the Chattahoochee Valley Vipers (8-6) in 2006.
- On appearing in four straight championship games, and the Lions’ sixth in 12 seasons: “It’s very humbling but that is the standard in Columbus.”
- Facing Carolina on the road for third time this season: “I haven’t really thought about it, but Greensboro is like a second to me and so is the Coliseum.”
- Lions’ team health and chemistry right now after 16 games in 19 weeks, plus three weeks of training camp: “We are definitely peaking at the right time. Health-wise we are not where I would like to be but you can’t complain, just keep moving forward.
- Importance of veterans vs. rookies in a league championship game: “It’s a huge advantage to have veterans — they know the magnitude of the game and understand the highs and lows.”
- How have mid-season and late season acquisitions helped? “We are so banged up that without adding the London Crawfords, and David Washington and Darryl Thompson, we would be in a tough spot but their experience doesn’t allow us to drop off.”
- Do you expect a high -scoring shootout or defensive battle on Monday? “I will try to keep it under 70 points, both teams combined.” (Note: The Lions’ average scoring margin this season was 51-47, much closer to 60 point on offense till late in the season.)
WIDE RECEIVER JARMON FORTSON:
“This has been my longest season as a professional, but I feel good enough to play another six games if we had to. A few of my friends challenged me to be the best receiver in the league, and I played my heart out in hopes of making that happen. I think that great concentration this year has been the key. Winning’s in my blood, and I feel like a lot of guys on this team play the same way.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2018 at 10:37 AM.