Shock coach Olson believes changes may spark team
The Spokane Shock players and coach believe the team has the talent to win. But the team is running out of chances to secure a chance to extend its season.
Coach Andy Olson said this week that he likes his team’s attitude despite a 3-8 record and dropping four of its last five games. As a result, Olson hinted that the team may make changes at key positions to find that spark.
“When you are 3-8, every job is up for grabs,” Olson said. “Changes need to be made. We are allowing the young guys to make those changes.”
The Shock play Sunday at 7 p.m. at Portland (3-8) which is fighting with Spokane for the final playoff spot in the Arena Football League’s Pacific Division of the National Conference. The Thunder beat Spokane 47-43 in Portland on April 9.
Warren Smith has been the starter, but backup Carson Coffman appeared to be getting the first reps with the offense in a practice Wednesday that was open to the media. In addition, the team added 6-foot-5, 225-pound Arvell Nelson this week from the failure-to-report list.
Nelson got equal reps at quarterback with the offense and most of the plays in the red zone, which Olson said could be key because Nelson gives the team a running option out of the backfield in those short-yardage situations.
“Arvell is a winner. He’s just one of those guys you want on the football team,” Olson said. “Whether he is playing Jack (linebacker), quarterback, kickoff return or receiver, it doesn’t really make a difference. He brings a winning attitude. That is something that is irreplaceable in this game.”
Nelson opted to pursue a fulltime job earlier this year and did not report to the team. But he previously played for the Shock in 2013 and backed up Erik Meyer. In limited duty, Nelson completed 16 of 20 pass attempts for 162 yards and nine touchdowns.
Last year, Nelson started 14 games as a Jack linebacker for the Pittsburgh Power and recorded 60 tackles.
The players agree with the coach that the Shock have all the ingredients for success. But they also acknowledge that untimely turnovers and penalties have crippled their chances.
“No one on this team is a loser, so we don’t have the loser mentality to where you lose a few games and we fold,” lineman Terrance Taylor said. “We always go in with the mentality that we are the best team.”
But so many times the Shock lost late leads or failed to score late in the game to secure a victory.
“We haven’t been able to have that quarterback or receiver that just throws the team on their shoulders on third down or fourth down when a play needs to be made,” Olson said. “That has been the difference maker … for us for the wins and losses.”
Rookie receiver Jabin Sambrano, a 5-11 185-pounder from Montana, said the team had a talk “amongst the boys” about playing with that spark throughout the game.
The team has to “do what Shock do: keep running, out-hustling people and making plays,” he said. “You can just see the talent, but penalties will kill you. That’s something we definitely need to work on a little bit.”