In salvaging Savage, Shock find standout
Antwone Savage thought it was an early April Fools’ joke. Spokane Shock head coach Chris Siegfried thought it was a misprint.
But there it was on the arenafootball2 transaction list March 21: Savage placed on reassignment by South Georgia Wildcats.
Siegfried coached the Wildcats – and Savage – for 10 games in 2005 before he was sent packing by the team. South Georgia actually hired Siegfried’s successor before he coached his final game, an indication of the turmoil surrounding the franchise based in Albany, Savage’s hometown.
Fast forward to Wildcats training camp last month.
“We were only in practice for a week and we had only put the shoulder pads and helmets on for one day and they released me the following day,” Savage said. “It was a real big shock because I was born and raised there.”
Siegfried knew Savage wouldn’t stay unemployed for long, but there was a potential sticking point. Spokane was behind Everett and Stockton in the af2’s claim order.
“We won the claim and I was blown away,” Siegfried said. “It’s not every day a team cuts their best player.”
Savage, an offensive specialist, joined the Shock four days after he was released by South Georgia. He wanted to continue playing, but he was torn about leaving his hometown and his job at an elementary school.
“It’s a long way from home, but I still feel I have an opportunity to go where I want to go, the AFL or NFL,” said Savage, a former University of Oklahoma receiver whose younger brother, Aairon, is a cornerback at Auburn. “I don’t think my shot is lost yet.”
Savage leads the af2 in yards per reception (22.6) and is fifth in all-purpose yardage (144 per game).
In the Shock’s inaugural game, Savage had two touchdown receptions in a win over Stockton. In last week’s victory over Bakersfield, Savage had three catches for 73 yards and returned a kick 37 yards before his afternoon was cut short by a concussion.
He has returned to practice and is expected to play against Everett tonight. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has good speed, but speed alone doesn’t make for a successful transition to arena football. And nothing can prepare return specialists for handling kicks that bounce off large nets.
“This game isn’t about speed because it’s not a big field – it’s more about technique,” said Savage, who had a touchdown reception in Oklahoma’s 34-14 victory over Washington State in the 2003 Rose Bowl. “At first I wasn’t very fond of returning kicks, but as the season progressed I learned how to catch the ball off the net and I started liking it. You can make one move and be gone to the house.”
Savage’s home at present is Spokane. He makes the standard af2 rate of $200 per game and an additional $50 per win, but he still has a foot in the game.
“You live a real budgeted life and most of us have part-time jobs,” said Savage, who just took a job as a valet driver for a casino. “This was an opportunity I felt I needed to take a chance on.”
Asked if Savage’s arrival were a form of severance pay from South Georgia, Siegfried said, “If it is, I’ll take it.
“I’m going to send (the Wildcats) a thank-you note,” Siegfried added. “Really.”
Notes
As of Friday morning, about 500 tickets remained for tonight’s game. Spokane has sold more than 4,000 season tickets. … Spokane has activated wide receiver/defensive back Chris Stallworth from the short-term injury list to replace Kevin Beard, who is in Miami after the birth of his son last weekend. … Everett signed former Shock lineman Chuck Jones on Thursday. Jones blocked a PAT in the fourth quarter of Spokane’s 41-40 season-opening win over Stockton.