Shock must come up with new QB, starting lineup

With music blaring and defensive linemen fighting through blockers, the Spokane Shock entered the second day of practicing with pads Tuesday as the team tries to find starters, including a new quarterback, before the season begins on March 28. The Shock, who finished 11-7 last year, enter the fourth year under coach Andy Olson and without former Eastern Washington quarterback Erik Meyer, who signed to play for San Jose along with receiver Adron Tennell. But Olson said he’s encouraged by what he has seen from the younger players on the roster. “The competition is fantastic to watch,” Olson said. “This is the best rookie talent that we’ve had here since I’ve been head coach. There are a lot of guys hungry to be on this roster.” One familiar face, and a smiling one at that, is defensive tackle Terrance Taylor. The Michigan product finished with 19.5 tackles and six sacks last year. “I’m happy to be back. We are looking strong, especially on defense,” he said. Listed on the roster at 320 pounds, Taylor said he dropped about 40 pounds in the offseason. “Playing with pads is really nice. It feels like it took forever,” he said. “It feels good to hit somebody.” Count James Ruffin, the reigning AFL defensive lineman of the year, among those happy to put on a helmet and shoulder pads. “It feels great to get out there and get some contact,” said Ruffin, who had 38.5 tackles and led the league with a franchise-record 14 sacks last year. “In the first few days, we are just trying to see what everybody else is made of. Staying healthy is the biggest thing.” Besides remaining healthy, the Shock must find a quarterback to replace Meyer. The candidates are Jarrett Brown, a former backup for the Canadian Football League’s B.C. Lions; Warren Smith, who played the last two years with the Trenton Freedom of the Professional Indoor Football League; and Carson Coffman, who threw for 2,970 yards and 53 touchdowns last year for the Iowa Barnstormers. “I feel like it’s very competitive,” said Coffman, who played at Kansas State. “It makes us all better. It’s been a good battle.” As for his impression of Spokane, Coffman said he traveled here twice before to play the Shock. Both times it rained. “I thought it was like Seattle,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about it. I like it a lot.” Olson has been splitting reps between the three. The team had hoped for a fourth quarterback, but former Shock backup Nelson Arvell remains on the refuse-to-report list. “Every day a new guy asserts himself. I have confidence in all three,” Olson said. “But … I couldn’t say which one is the guy.” Until then, the team will continue to practice and search for starters as the first round of cuts looms on Saturday. The Shock currently have 10 or 12 workout guys along with 35 signed players. The team needs to drop that number to 28 before it opens the season with 24 players on the active roster. Olson said depending on numbers, he sometimes has to cut more gifted players if the team is thin at a certain position. “It’s hard to say there is a formula,” he said. “I want to make sure we have enough backups at each spot and see who has the potential to be starters.” The Shock open on March 28 at defending-champion Arizona. The home opener is April 4 against Philadelphia. “I love camp,” Olson said. “It’s my favorite time of the year.”