Non-draftees af2 prospects

Spokane Shock coach Adam Shackleford has a standing message for his team.

“We’re always searching for a better player,” Shackleford said. “I tell our guys it’s business, it’s not personal.”

It’s personnel. Roster churn is part of life in arenafootball2. Spokane is 3-0 and ranked No. 2, but the search for new talent doesn’t stop. Even with the Shock en route to winning the ArenaCup in their inaugural season in 2006, the team changed quarterbacks late in the regular season and added a defensive lineman the week of the title game.

The demise of NFL Europe and the All American Football League, which called off its 2008 season before teams could even stage a practice, has deepened the employment pool.

“The bottom line is there are a lot more players looking for a place to play and still a bunch of guys who just finished college and want to play,” Shock general manager Adam Nebeker said.

The Shock will keep an eye on the NFL draft this weekend and a closer eye on the waiver wire over the next few weeks and months.

“There’s going to be a crop of 300-400 guys that don’t have NFL Europe as an option,” Shackleford said. “They have to get on the field somewhere and the AFL is almost done and af2 has about half a season left.”

The AFL starts roughly a month earlier than af2. The schedule for NFL Europe, which folded in June, typically ran from April through June.

“Ryan (Rigmaiden, director of player personnel for the Shock) has a draft board and we have a list of guys,” Shackleford said. “Obviously, the top 30-40 guys at each position we’re not looking at. We’re looking at the guys probably 45-80 – the guys that probably aren’t going to get drafted, probably will go to minicamp but not beat out a veteran, and they’re going to be available in May and these teams aren’t going to have the option to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to send you to NFL Europe next year if you hang tight.’

Shackleford said the quality of play in af2 and AFL has benefited from the decreasing number of choices for players. Conversely, it’s becoming tougher for af2 players to graduate to the AFL. Spokane had nine players sign AFL contracts after last season and only three stuck.

New addition

Speaking of new faces, offensive lineman Kyle Young is expected to make his Shock debut against Central Valley in Fresno, Calif., on Saturday. Young, who started 47 straight games at Fresno State, practiced with Spokane for the first time Tuesday. He had a six-week stint with Arizona in the AFL.

“We liked what we saw, but it’s going to take some time,” Shackleford said. “He has to learn the system and he hasn’t been doing this for about a month and a half.”

Offensive lineman Palauni Ma Sun injured his ankle against Tri-Cities on April 13 but is expected to play. Fullback Katon Bethay, who is returning from knee surgery, is probable. Defensive lineman Rod Wright could debut Saturday.

Grad report

Former Shock quarterback Andrico Hines, who signed with South Georgia a week ago, teamed up with ex-Spokane receiver Antwone Savage for the deciding touchdown with 42 seconds left in a 55-48 win over Green Bay.

“Ex-Shock Justin Rummell’s stint as Manchester’s starting quarterback didn’t last long. Rummell, who backed up Hines last year and lost out to Jason Murrietta for the starting job in training camp, abruptly quit after getting pulled from a recent game.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that before (where) a guy loses, doesn’t play a good game and leaves,” coach Danton Barto told the New Hampshire Union Leader.

“Kyle Rowley, who quarterbacked Spokane to the ArenaCup title in 2006, has landed with Arkansas and former Shock coach Chris Siegfried. Rowley has 10 touchdown passes and two interceptions for the Twisters (1-2).

“Rob Keefe, a Spokane fan favorite in 2006 and 2007, was activated by AFL Philadelphia and credited with an assisted tackle in a 76-55 win over Columbus on Monday.