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You won’t find many Michael Vicks or Daunte Culpeppers in the Arena League. Because you only have three offensive linemen trying to block three down linemen and two linebackers, running often proves to be futile.
“We don’t want the quarterback running with the football in our league, unless it’s around the goal line,” Porter said. “Because of the constraints of the field and because of the rules, you really want to keep (your quarterback) in the pocket.”
Porter says the main reason that height matters in the NFL is that the linemen are so big — just look at former Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long, who’s 6-7, 315 pounds and was selected first overall in the NFL draft last week.
Although arena offensive linemen have grown taller and wider, thanks in large part to the free substitution rule that displaced the league’s longstanding culture of “Ironman” football, where players had to play on both offense and defense, the offensive nature of the game allows for shorter quarterbacks, as long as they can make good, quick decisions with the ball.
Porter says that on any level, a good quarterback must have one thing.
“A guy has to have great leadership ability,” Porter said. “You’re out there with (six) other guys who are counting on you to do what you’re supposed to do so they can do what they are supposed to do.
“It’s the same (in this league). You’re the guy that has to deliver, all the time.”
That’s something that Bryant and backup quarterback Matt Kohn are currently trying to do. During the Brigade’s miserable 1-7 start, the two have combined for 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions — the latter number is way too high for Porter’s taste.
But that doesn’t mean Bryant will stop reaching for that status. Although he believes he has come a long way since his initial tryout with Indiana, he also knows he has a long way to go.
In fact, Bryant counts Philyaw — the Arena League’s career leader in touchdowns-to-interception ratio (nine-to-one) — as one of the quarterbacks he tries to emulate.
“He’s a guy I look at and try to pattern my game after,” Bryant said. “I’d like to put together a nice career.”
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