HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Alabama Vipers continue to get stronger as the 2010 Arena Football One season approaches.
The Vipers have been assigned four more players by AF1 and all have a wealth of experience in the NFL, Arena Football League and NFL Europe. Wide receiver CJ Johnson, wide receiver/jack linebacker Jason Geathers, defensive back Travis Coleman and defensive lineman Prentice Purnell are the team’s latest additions.
"With these signings our team just got better,’’ said Alabama coach Dean Cokinos, whose team opens training camp in early March and plays its first game April 3 at Bossier-Shreveport. “These are proven AFL veterans who are still in the prime of their careers. They are all explosive and productive players at their positions and will give us veteran leadership as well."
Johnson (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) is a three-year AFL veteran and had 67 receptions for 989 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Columbus Destroyers in 2008 after stints in Nashville, Philadelphia and Chicago. He was a first-team All-OVC selection at Tennessee State and is the school’s all-time leading receiver.
Geathers (6-4, 225) was a member of Miami’s 2001 BSC national championship team and the three-year AFL vet had 37 catches for 365 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 22 tackles. He was named to the AFL’s All-Ironman team in ’07 and spent the ’04 and ’05 NFL seasons with the New York Giants.
Coleman (6-0, 185) collected 168 tackles, 16 pass breakups and six interceptions with a touchdown for the Kansas City Brigade from 2006-08. He played in seven games for the Chicago Bears in ’02 starting on special teams in kick-off and punt-return coverage. The former Hampton standout played for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe in ‘03 before af2’s Albany Conquest in ’04 and ’05.
Prentice (6-3, 320) had 17.5 tackles and one and a half sacks for Columbus in 2008 after spending the three previous seasons with the Georgia Force. He was an All-Gulf South Conference selection at West Georgia in ’04.
