Here come the War Cats : Rogers-based football team starts season tonight in Oklahoma
Posted on Saturday, May 31, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/Sports/62329/
ROGERS — Derek Van Voast was told northwest Arkansas would be a hotbed for football.
He’ll find out soon enough as the new Arkansas War Cats start their season today.
Based out of Rogers, the War Cats are one of nine teams in the resurrected World Football League.
The War Cats’ home opener against the Texas Bulldogs on June 7 — at Rogers’ Gates Stadium — is being touted as the first professional outdoor football game in Arkansas.
Tickets will be on sale today from 8 a. m. to 2 p. m. at Gates Stadium for that opener and the War Cats will meet fans between 10 a. m. and noon before leaving for their season-opener against Tulsa’s Oklahoma Thunder.
The first 50 fans to purchase season tickets receive a War Cats T-shirt.
“ It can’t get here fast enough, ” said Van Voast, the War Cats’ general manager and quarterback, of the new season.
“(I was told ) the hotbeds for football right now are Las Angeles, Calif., and northwest Arkansas. Because they both have money, they both love football and there’s no teams there. ”
Van Voast is no stranger to semi-professional football or northwest Arkansas.
After graduating from DeQueen, Van Voast was at the University of Arkansas during Houston Nutt’s first season. He later transferred to Arkansas Tech before returning to the Razorbacks but finished his final year of eligibility as a backup to Ahmad “ Batman” Carroll.
Van Voast then played minor league football for several years. He was named the North American Football League’s athlete of the year and was inducted into the Minor League Football News Hall of Fame last year.
There are several more Razorbacks on the inaugural roster as well as on the sidelines — including War Cats’ head coach Raymond House and assistant coaches Dahron Moss and Lucas Jackson.
Former Razorback running back Brandon Kennedy is part of the War Cats’ powerful backfield.
Arkansas’ Wes O’Neal will lead the linebackers while Stephen Agnew (University of Central Arkansas ) is a “ force to be reckoned with” in the backfield, House said.
“ We’re still trying to get a feel for it and find the best combination as far as scheme, ” House said. “ Things may change and we may put guys in different positions. ”
House is returning to football after taking a year off.
An All-State player at Little Rock McClellan, he played defensive tackle at Arkansas and signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003. He made the roster at the end of that season but was released in 2004. He then played one year for the Ottowa Renegades in the Canadian Football League.
He was the head coach for the short-lived Arkansas Stars, an indoor football team based in Fayetteville that lasted only a season.
Moss, who played in the CFL and Arena 2 after college, is the War Cats’ defensive coordinator and Jackson will coach the linebackers.
Shawn Bradford, who has experience coaching in the semi-pro level, is the offensive coordinator and Ken Peacock will assist him.
The War Cats hope a successful season — on the field and in building a fan base — this first season will help them remain in northwest Arkansas.
That goal is more important than making it to the league championship game — dubbed the World Bowl.
“ I would be lying if I said we weren’t shooting for that championship, ” Van Voast said. “ But I do know as a GM my ultimate goal — I don’t care if we’re 0-10 — is to have a quality showing, good fan base and to be professional. That’s what’s going to survive.
“ Our hope this year is to keep the stadium full and build a good fan base and keep it professional all the way around. ”