The National Football League may have reached its climax, but there’s still plenty of good football to be watched. On Saturday, February 9th, the Alliance of American Football will officially make its’ debut. The first-year league will kick off their season with the Orlando Apollos vs the Atlanta Legends. Here’s what to watch for in seasons’ opening week.
Orlando Apollos vs Atlanta Legends: What to Watch For in Alliance of American Football Opening Week
The Quarterbacks
The Apollos and Legends will send out a pair of quarterbacks who might sound familiar to any diehard NFL fans. Orlando Apollos quarterback Garrett Gilbert has some experience in the National Football League. The 27-year old quarterback initially entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 Draft. Since then, Gilbert has played for the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, and Carolina Panthers. Interestingly, the quarterback was actually signed by the Panthers after he reached an agreement with the Apollos. Gilbert made one appearance with Carolina, completing two passes for 40 yards. With Carolina missing the playoffs, Gilbert had plenty of time to return to his team and prepare for the season opener.
On the other side of the field is former New York Jets quarterback Matt Simms. Simms entered camp as the backup quarterback behind the heavily-favored Aaron Murray. However, an impressive preseason earned Simms the job. Murray has a brighter resume as well as a litany of support from the home team. If Simms struggles, it will be interesting to see if the team opts to make the switch to Murray.
The Coaches
Despite the newness of this league, both the Orlando Apollos and the Atlanta Legends have big-name coaches at the front of their staff. The Orlando Apollos are led by the great Steve Spurrier. Spurrier is famous for his time with South Carolina and Florida, but the 73-year old also coached Duke, Florida, and the NFL’s Washington Redskins.
Spurrier compiled a 228-89-2 record in the collegiate ranks, winning SEC Coach of the Year honors on seven separate occasions. Additionally, he also won ACC Coach of the Year twice and is a six-time SEC Champion. Spurrier hasn’t coached since 2015, but nobody should question his passion for the game. Spurrier was the first person – player or coach – to sign with the AAF, and football fans everywhere should be thrilled to see Spurrier back in the coaching world.
Going up against him is Atlanta Legends head coach Kevin Coyle. Coyle is a defensive-minded coach who served as defensive coordinator for Holy Cross, Syracuse, Maryland, Fresno State, and the Miami Dolphins. Coyle was most recently the defensive analyst for LSU before taking the head coaching position with Atlanta. Coyle, a defensive-minded coach, will be calling the offense after the recent departure of offensive coordinator Michael Vick.
What Else To Watch For
Aside from the quarterbacks, both teams have a series of players who have some NFL experience. On the Apollos side, there’s wide receiver Frankie Hammond. Hammond bounced around the NFL for a few seasons, notably spending two years on the Kansas City Chiefs active roster. A high jumper in college, Hammond’s athleticism should play well in the AAF.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Legends will send out an interesting weapon in Denard Robinson. Robinson’s listed as a running back, but he can do a lot more than that. As a fifth-round pick back in 2013, the Jacksonville Jaguars famously listed him on the depth chart as an “offensive weapon”. His versatile skill set never played out at the NFL level, but the 28-year old could be one of the most interesting chess pieces in the AAF.
The last thing to watch for is the attendance itself. The NFL has a stronghold over the professional football landscape and several teams have tried and failed in the past. However, the AAF has proven success in former owner Bill Polian along with a relatively bright spotlight. This league has the best chance of sticking around since the USFL, but it all starts with fans tuning in and showing up at the stadium.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
