Shock bulk up roster, sign two players with local ties

Corey Taylor figured he was finished with football when he relocated to Coeur d’Alene in March to operate a fitness training business.

His outlook changed when Spokane was awarded an arenafootball2 franchise in August. Taylor, who has experience in NFL Europe and arena football, recently signed with the Shock, along with former Eastern Washington University defensive end Brandon Moore.

“My job is my No. 1 thing – that’s why I came to this area – but this opportunity just landed in my lap and I’m going to run with it,” Taylor said.

Taylor and Shock coach Chris Siegfried played against each other in 2000 when Taylor was a running back/linebacker for the defunct Tallahassee (Fla.) af2 franchise and Siegfried was a receiver/defensive back for Augusta (Ga.).

“He sent some information to us,” Siegfried said. “I remembered his name, but he’s a big guy and I’m a little guy. The offensive coordinator at Wilkes-Barre is a friend of mine and he said he would have started for them.”

Through football, the 29-year-old Taylor has seen a lot of the country and the world.

The Louisville, Ky., native played at the University of Connecticut before transferring to NAIA power Georgetown (Ky.) College.

Taylor said he was set to join the AFL Buffalo (now Columbus) Destroyers in 2001 but was drafted by the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe.

After one injury-shortened season overseas, he joined Louisville in the af2.

“I got a call from the (Green Bay) Packers and they were interested in bringing me up (for a tryout), but prior to getting up there I ruptured my Achilles’ working out,” Taylor said.

A first surgery didn’t fix the injury, so he underwent a second procedure. He had a tryout with Edmonton of the CFL before landing with the Odessa Roughnecks of the NIFL in 2004.

“After that I thought about putting football behind me and I ended up in sport specific training of athletes,” Taylor said. “Some other teams talked to me, but I started a business here with two other partners and I couldn’t leave. This works perfectly with my business. I know what it takes to get athletes in shape and I have to lead by example. I’ve stayed in pretty good shape. I’ll be ready to go.”

Moore, a Medical Lake High graduate, was All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention in 2001 and 2002. The former EWU defensive end had 15.5 sacks while starting 23 of his 36 career games.

“He has a background obviously as a defensive lineman, but we’ll get him coached up on offense, too,” Siegfried said. “We’ve got a great line coach (Travis Crusenberry).”

Spokane has 14 players under contract and plans on bringing 35 to training camp in March.

The Shock were interested in former EWU quarterback Josh Blankenship, but he has signed with af2 defending champion Memphis.

Spokane has signed J.J. Raterink, who was a backup quarterback at Wyoming from 2001-2004. As a senior, Raterink replaced injured starter Corey Bramlet and passed for 227 yards in a triple overtime win against UNLV. Raterink was 37 of 64 for 373 yards in 2004.

Siegfried expects to have three quarterbacks in training camp.

“I worked out (Raterink) in Denver on my way (to Spokane) and he’s pretty good,” Siegfried said.