SWARCO Raiders' Imports
March 12, 2009
By Sebastian Stolz
It’s springtime and, until the Draft, the football world’s focus can shift over to Europe for some game action. The new season is just around the corner. The reigning Eurobowl champion SWARCO Raiders kick off their new season in the Austrian Football League on March 28. Last Saturday the Tyroleans introduced their new import players and assistant coaches.
Head Coach Santos Carrillo poses for a photo with Nick Comly, Alexander Hoad, Matt Epperson and Jason Johnson.
Schellhorn
Head coach Santos Carrillo, who took over from Geoff Buffum as the man in charge on the SWARCO Raiders’ sideline just last summer, presented the team’s new weapons from North America for the upcoming season at a press conference. The SWARCO Raiders will be led in 2009 by quarterback Jason Johnson. Matt Epperson will be one of his receivers. On defense the Tyroleans signed defensive back Alexander Hoad and defensive lineman Nick Comly.
“I’m very excited about the players and coaches we were able to sign to help us in the upcoming season,” said Carrillo. “Due to a new rule regarding the import players it was very important to us to bring in versatile players. Matt, Alex, and Nick all can play different positions. They also have a lot of speed. Jason is a natural leader and he’s willing to learn and helps everyone on and off the field. I’m glad we were able to sign him.”
After the Austrian football federation and the teams have ruled on a new import player regulations, teams are allowed to bring in only four instead of six foreign players. The new rule led to a severe youth movement within the 49-man roster of Europe’s number one squad. The SWARCO Raiders’ average age this season is 24.3 years per player. More than 90 percent of the players originally started their career with the team’s own junior program and eight players are still juniors.
With a young team like that Carrillo’s main focus was on hiring experienced assistant coaches. Along with longtime assistants Nicholas Johansen and Rush Bowers, Carrillo brought Carl “Duke” Iverson in as the new offensive coordinator, Brian Avery is the new defensive line coach and Menyada Watson will coach the running backs.
“Bringing in experienced coaches was my main priority. Especially Iverson is a tremendous upgrade for our team and I like that we won’t have to switch to a new offensive system. Watson is the first running backs coach in team history and he’ll be a great help. Avery takes over the position I coached in the past. I think this will bring some new energy to our guys”.
Jason Johnson | QB | 6'2" | 215 pounds | Arizona
Johnson (30) played from 1998-2002 at the University of Arizona und broke several passing records. He threw for a total of 5,749 yards with 35 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. In 1998 Johnson led the Wildcats to their best season in school history, winning 12 games, beating Nebraska 23-20 in the Holiday Bowl and finishing the season #4 in the poll. He was twice named First Team All-Pac 10 Academic and was awarded the 2002 Woody Hayes Award as the Top Male Scholar-Athlete in Men’s Division I sports. He was signed by the NFL’s Buffalo Bills before playing three years in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos, where he was a member of the 2005 Grey Cup championship team. Last season Johnson moved on to Europe to play for the Catania Elephants. He set Italian Football League records by directing his offense to 51 points-per-game average and by throwing 45 TDs.
Matthew Epperson | WR | 5'11" | 180 pounds | Arizona
Epperson (26) went to Hardin-Simmons University from 2001-2005. He excelled as a receiver and return specialist. He was an All-Conference receiver and won the Jimmie Keeling Award, a team-voted award and the only award given out to the Hardin-Simmons football team. In 2005 he won the Blair-Cherry Award for the Top Collegiate Football Player out of Amarillo. Epperson moved on to Finland where he accounted for 1,600 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns and was named Player of the Year and Offensive MVP as member of the Kouvola Indians. In 2008 he played alongside QB Jason Johnson for the Catania Elephants in Italy. In only 9 games Epperson had 75 catches for 1,268 yards and a total of 2,128 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns.
Alexander Hoad | DB | 5'9" | 182 pounds | University of Ottawa (Canada)
Hoad (25) was born in England, but grew up in Canada. From 2004-2007 he was a starting cornerback at the University of Ottawa. In 2006 he led the team to a Yates Cup Conference Championship and the national semifinals. After finishing college Hoad signed with the Quad City Steamwheelers of the Arena Football League 2 (af2). Hoad can play defensive back as well as running back.
Nick Comly | DL | 6'3" | 280 pounds | Acadia University (Canada)
Comly (29) played for Acadia University from 1999-2004. He was an All-Conference and All-Canadian-Player in 2003 and 2004. He later signed with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers (20004-2005) before moving on to Italy to play for the Lazio Marines in 2005. Last year he played in Belgrade, Serbia. Comly also works as a coach. From 2005-2007 he was responsible for the defensive line at Arcadia University. In 2008 was the school’s defensive coordinator.
Carl “Duke” Iverson | Offensive Coordinator
Iverson brings more than 40 years of coaching experience to Innsbruck. He spent 35 of those years in the college ranks. He was a head coach for a combined 22 years, spending 13 of them at Western State College of Colorado seven more at Western Oregon University. As an assistant he worked for one season at BYU among others. Iverson won more than 20 championships at the college and high school level.
Brian Avery | Defensive Line Coach
Avery’s last stint before joining the SWARCO Raiders was the Central Washington University, where he coached the defensive line. Prior to that he was at the University of Puget Sound for three years, working as defensive line coach for two years before taking over as linebackers coach in 20007. Avery started coaching at a high school, where he worked for two seasons.
Menyada Watson, M.S. | Running Backs Coach
Watson comes to Innsbruck with a resume of 10 years of coaching. He also worked as an adjunct instructor in the Physical Education Department at Santa Barbara Community College since 2006. Watson served as an assistant coach/strength and conditioning coach for Hartnell College, Southern Oregon University, and New Mexico Highlands University. As part of his professional development he has had the opportunity to work with the NFL’s New York Giants, under former head coach Jim Fassel, father of The Oakland Raiders’ special teams coordinator John Fassel.
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