In this week’s edition of Beyond the Wall, AFL Communications sat down with San Antonio Talons wide receiver Robert Quiroga. Quiroga was the second player to be assigned to the new franchise on September 29, 2011, two days after legendary AFL quarterback Aaron Garcia.

Quiroga spent the last two seasons with the Orlando Predators. In 2011, his on-field production nearly doubled in every category. Quiroga led the Predators with 126 catches and 1,553-yards. He also hauled in 26 touchdowns.

The Baylor University alum began his AFL career with the Los Angeles Avengers in 2006.

EDITOR: What will it be like playing in your hometown of San Antonio?

ROBERT QUIROGA: I think it is going to be great because I will have the opportunity to play in front of my family and friends. I have been able to represent my city of San Antonio in the other places that I have played. Now I will be able to show my skills in front of the home crowd and get that appreciation. I think it will be huge and a very cool experience.

ED: What was your initial reaction when you found out San Antonio would be getting a team? What desire did you have to bring your talents back to San Antonio?

RQ: When I first heard the rumors, I was very patient. I wanted it to solidify first. When the team made the announcement, I was contacted to play here for the San Antonio Talons. I felt like it was truly a blessing to be able to play at home. It was great.

ED: How have you solidified yourself as a number one receiver in this League? How will the addition of Aaron Garcia help you?

RQ: It is all about getting to work every day and doing what I know how to do out on the field. Everything is going to work itself out and I feel like a lot of people have seen all of my abilities and capabilities that I was able to do out on the field. It’s just being able to prove display that I truly am one of the top number one receivers in the League. To be able to have the opportunity to play with Aaron Garcia, one of the best quarterbacks in AFL history, will definitely set up for a great season and success on the field, both for he and I.

ED: With TT Toliver and Bobby Sippio in Orlando, you were tagged as the third receiver. Last season, however, you led the Predators with 126 receptions and 1,553-yards. Where did that production come from?

RQ: I kind of got stuck in an unfortunate situation in the 2010 season.  We had a lot of great wide receivers and there was a period of time where I wasn’t on the field and I wasn’t playing. For whatever reason that was, I was still able to step in later in the year and make some plays. Once that happened, I started to catch fire and that led up to everything that I was able to do this previous season. I never felt at any time, that I didn’t have any confidence. I always knew what I could do out there on the field and I was able to show that.

ED: What does it mean to be at the forefront of this new San Antonio team and how big of a factor was it for you?

RQ: I think it is huge for the players to have the opportunity to be at the forefront of any organization and any movement. I think it speaks highly of the organization as a whole. Letting those players have a voice within the team is really great. I think the ownership group that we have is by far one of the best I have ever been involved with. 

ED: You played with Lee Johnson during your tenure in Orlando. What is it like having Lee Johnson back and coaching you?

RQ: I think it is great. I have always gotten along great with LJ and he is just phenomenal coach. Being a former player himself, he is definitely a player’s coach. He gets fired up for every game and really knows and understands the game. He really takes pride within himself, the team and everything that he does himself. You can’t help but to feel inspired and play hard for a coach like that.

ED: What is it like playing both offense and defense?

RQ: It really brings you in tune to the game. You get to know it intricately on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. A lot of the things that you learn from one side can help you carry over to the other side of the ball. It really gets you into the game. Unlike anything else, you get the opportunity to play on both sides of the ball and you are always in the game. Being able to stay focused and knowing that there is going to be points where you will get tired is very important. It is all about staying within yourself and doing what you are supposed to do and not having to overextend.

ED: Do you like playing offense or defense better?

RQ: Obviously, I love playing offense. That is what I am as a wide receiver. I’m a physical wide receiver, so I enjoy hitting and I am not afraid to take a hit either. Those defensive backs know that they are going to get hit coming up to hit me.

ED: How involved are you with the recruitment process of the San Antonio team?

RQ: Right now, I am very involved with the team in all of the aspects. I think it is a great opportunity that I have to really be involved with this ownership group and helping bring everything together for this upcoming season.

ED: What are your thoughts about the San Antonio market? What is it going to be like to play your home games in the Alamodome?

RQ: The great thing about San Antonio is that it is a football town. Everybody here loves football and everyone knows what Texas football is all about. There is a big passion for that and it’s a great opportunity for us to bring another kind of excitement in the football world to this great city of San Antonio. We are just really looking forward to having the support of the city behind us. We have a great opportunity to set the record for attendance. We have the capacity of nearly 30,000 in the Alamodome and we are looking forward to seeing the great crowd on opening night.

ED: What goals have you set for yourself and this team this season?

RQ:  Obviously, like any team that you play on, the ultimate goal is to go the ArenaBowl and win. That is what we want to do. We want to set ourselves up to win in our first year and that is the reason we are going out and trying to surround ourselves with the kind of guys that we can accomplish that goal. For myself, I want to up myself from what I did last year and I am looking to do better in all categories with receptions, yards and touchdowns. One of my goals is to hit 2,000-yards receiving this next year.

ED: What have you been doing this offseason?

RQ: One of the things that I have been doing is staying involved with everything that is going on with the team and front office. I have been trying to get everything going so that when we hit March, we will be a successful franchise, both on and off the field. I have been working hard with those players and coaches and been trying to create those opportunities for ourselves around this great city.

ED: What kind of flavor does San Antonio, Texas have?

RQ: Texas is a football state and with this passion in San Antonio with so many different Leagues, from Little League and on up to High School and the collegiate level, there is a lot of opportunity for us to really make a difference and really show what Texas football is all about. I think the passion in the city of San Antonio that they have for their sports teams is really going to open the eyes of the League and show what the support is going to be like, having the community behind the team 100 percent.