2007 Season Preview
Expectations could not be higher this year, as the Oregon Ice make a push to get deeper into the playoffs. Coming off a successful 11-5 division winning campaign last year, the Ice got the defensive line help they needed in the offseason, and kept the team’s high-octane offense intact.
The big question will be whether starting quarterback
Thomas Kuhn will be able to repeat his incredible performance from 2006.
Opening Day Roster
Player # Pos Start Exp Rating
Kuhn, Thomas 11 QB QB 13 36/36
Creveling, Walter 9 QB 3 12/47
Upshaw, Jesse 8 QB 1 11/28
Thomas Kuhn was one of the best in the league over the second half last year.
Saunders, Richard 22 RB 6 29/32
Treadway, Dan 49 RB RB 1 25/34
Malone, Alan 47 RB 1 26/35
##Blades, Luke 24 RB 1 19/29
Savoy, Emanuel 42 FB 10 57/57
Sweeney, Bubba 21 FB FB 1 53/79
Rookie
Dan Treadway will get the starting nod, but the Ice backfield will be running back by committee this year. Rookie FB
Bubba Sweeney will get a lot of carries.
Begin, Newton 89 TE TE 14 65/70
Montgomery, Jerry 13 TE 1 18/36
Brunner, Matt 87 FL FL 10 58/58
Webster, Cornelius 85 FL 1 31/48
Bibla, Ted 5 FL 1 16/36
Dillon, Kendrick 83 SE 9 27/29
Roy, Alden 86 SE SE 14 55/58
The Ice are loaded at receiver and rookie WR
Cornelius Webster has star potential. Given Oregon's wide-open offense, everyone should get plenty of balls thrown their way.
Ludwig, Korey 54 C C 10 67/71
Elliott, Kendall 58 C 5 27/43
Honeycutt, Kim 77 LG LG 9 87/91
Stoy, Deon 79 LG 1 10/34
Eaddy, Richard 75 RG RG 7 42/49
Wynn, Andre 73 RG 4 20/47
Klein, Chris 68 LT LT 12 51/51
Harris, Dominic 69 LT 1 12/34
Stallings, Marvin 62 RT RT 4 27/43
Covington, Marty 64 RT 1 28/48
Perennial All-League LG
Kim Honeycutt should improve the running game and cut down on sacks.
Shehee, Jay 7 P 4 94/94
Schanding, Craig 1 K 3 94/94
The best kicker-punter combo in the league, hands down.
Diggs, Fredric 97 LDE LDE 8 60/63
Flannery, Wendell 91 LDE 3 29/43
Zwillinger, Kerry 92 LDE 1 22/34
Vanegas, Brian 76 RDE RDE 13 71/76
Weatherly, Floyd 98 RDE 2 38/48
Munro, Everette 90 NT NT 5 50/64
Penman, Gilbert 78 NT 1 33/53
This group is very solid and could develop into one of the best in the league this year.
Pinard, Jerrell 50 SILB SILB 11 60/63
Molloy, Damon 95 WILB WILB 16 54/58
Thompson, Terrance 93 WILB 1 21/39
Macaluso, Brian 53 SLB SLB 9 55/69
Beane, Daniel 51 WLB WLB 8 67/71
Lance, Ken 99 WLB 12 34/38
Gunn, Calvin 56 WLB 1 17/35
This group isn't flashy, but gets the job done.
Pilcher, Orlando 33 LCB LCB 12 69/69
Trippi, Craig 31 LCB 2 21/39
Adrine, Brant 41 LCB 1 12/27
Reagan, Tommy 30 RCB RCB 9 43/43
Allen, Warren 44 RCB 1 18/40
Jefferson, Wally 38 RCB 1 12/31
Twombly, Alphonso 35 SS SS 9 77/77
Clarkson, Matthew 46 SS 12 47/47
Lerma, Donnell 26 FS FS 17 53/53
Huth, Rodney 23 FS 9 44/44
Gerhardt, Geoff 37 FS 1 25/51
The Ice look solid at safety, but due to cap constraints and poor draft picks the team is again in trouble at right corner.
Salary Cap Status
Salary Cap: $92,600,000
Cap Room: $1,380,000
Maximum for New Player: $1,380,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $9,630,000
Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $3,970,000
Cap Room Required Next Year: $94,260,000
Schedule
The Ice schedule this season is going to be particularly brutal.
The team plays nine of its 16 games against clubs that finished last year with at least 10 wins, and must also play a greatly improved Anchorage team that could challenge for the division title.
Moreover, Oregon must play the reigning CFL champions, the Honolulu Blue Pacific, as well as the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Vampires, on the road.
Here is the complete 2007 schedule:
Week 1 at Anchorage Wolfpack
Week 2 CHICAGO HITMEN
Week 3 at El Paso Rockets
Week 4 TUCSON TOROS
Week 5 at Honolulu Blue Pacifi
Week 6 at Las Vegas Rounders
Week 7 at Boise Stampede
Week 8 ANCHORAGE WOLFPACK
Week 9 ARIZONA OUTLAWS
Week 10 OPEN
Week 11 at Seattle Thunderbirds
Week 12 ALBANY (NY) CROWS
Week 13 SACRAMENTO DRAGONS
Week 14 at Cleveland Flats
Week 15 SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS
Week 16 at Detroit Vampires
Week 17 BOISE STAMPEDE
Author's Goals
Given the difficulty of the Ice schedule, I have just one goal this year: make the playoffs. Another division title would be sweet, but that’s a bit of a reach.
I’m hoping I can get a wild card with a 10-6 record, which is a realistic possibility if I don't have any major injuries.