Lions counting on trio to replace league MVP

Through 10 seasons of indoor football, in the World Indoor Football League, the American Indoor Football Association, the Southern Indoor Football League, the Professional Indoor Football League, and back to American Indoor Football this season, the Columbus Lions have prided themselves on having an outstanding cast of wide receivers and defensive backs.

This season is no different.

The Lions have made cuts in training camp and prepare to host the Georgia Firebirds in the season-opener at the Columbus Civic Center at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Coach Jason Gibson said that despite the loss of wide receiver and league Most Valuable Player Terrance Ebagua to the Arena Football League, who stole the show at times on offense last year, the team has the usual strong core of receivers heading into this season.

“I’m not going to say last year was a one-man show, but it was a one-man show,” Gibson said. “I think everyone else complemented Terrance. There were so many games where we just threw the ball up and he carried us through.”

Gibson will look to veteran receivers such as Jarmon Fortson, John Harris and Michael Reeve to lead the pack this season.

“I thought the last three games last season, Fortson came on strong, and (Reeve) came into the picture,” Gibson said. “It made for a better offense. We started scoring a lot of points because we weren’t so single-minded. This year, I’d like to say we’ll be more that way. I have six good receivers on my football team, and I’ll run with any of them.”

Specifically, Gibson raved about Harris, who will be playing in his seventh season of indoor football this year. He joined the Lions last season after stops elsewhere in the state with the Albany Panthers and Georgia (Rome) Fire.

“He’s as fast as I’ve seen him in five or six years,” Gibson said. “I’ve got certain plays for John this year that he runs best.

“We’re not running a specific offense, we’re running an offense specific to the talent we have.”

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions return two veterans — Damian Daniels and Roshawn Marshall — who are among the best at their craft. Daniels is the all-time indoor football leader in interceptions, earning multiple Defensive Player of the Year honors.

“That helps. You don’t realize how big it is having veterans back there,” Gibson said. “Having Damian and Roshawn back there understanding angles, the college hashes and the pro hashes, where to play, is huge.

“The thing that veterans understand in indoor football are combination plays. You can recognize the package based on a certain route. They already know what’s coming based on the combination; you can only do so many things in indoor football. They understand what’s coming, how to jump it, what’s the best angle.”

Two years ago, Columbus signed running back Kendrick Perry from the defunct Louisiana Swashbucklers. After leading the league in rushing yards in 2014, Perry and the Lions’ running game regressed last season. Gibson said, however, the lack of a running game was by design to allow rookie quarterback Casey Kacz and the passing game to flourish. This season, he plans on inserting 340-pounder Aaron Wheeler, usually an offensive linemen, into the mix as a fullback to either block for a Kacz passing play or take the football himself.

“One game last year against Nashville, Casey was taking a beating,” Gibson said. “They just had too much pressure. The next time we played them, we put Aaron back there (as a blocking fullback), and (Kacz) didn’t see any pressure. It changes the game.

“Aaron will carry the ball. We’ll get 3 yards, and the fans will love it. It’ll be like William ‘Refrigerator’ Perry in the backfield. The main thing is protecting the quarterback, but Aaron has great hands. He can catch and run, and I tell you what, at 340 pounds, you’re not going to tackle him high.”

Gibson says he and the Lions haven’t lamented over not having the chance to defend their championship from last season after the demise of the Professional Indoor Football League. At the same time, he acknowledges the Lions’ reputation as a traditional indoor football power precedes itself.

“I know everyone else puts us on their resume,” Gibson said. “We’ve earned that right. That PIFL championship was an entirely different team, though, and we’ve got a new road to travel with a new group of guys.

“We’ll make a new journey and work to put another alphabet (league) trophy in our office.”

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 9:54 PM with the headline "Lions counting on trio to replace league MVP."