Eskimos bring AJ Harris back

Esks bring back two familiar faces (Edmonton Sun)

Needing to kick-start the running game, the Edmonton Eskimos have brought back two familiar faces - running backs AJ Harris and Ron McClendon.

Both players were cut at the end of training camp but added to the team's roster today.

Harris is on the 46-man active roster. McClendon is on the practice roster.

"These are two individuals when we had to let them go at the end of training camp we didn't have any place for them," said Edmonton head coach Danny Maciocia.

"Now we have got a couple of openings and we are bringing them back."

Damien Anderson - Edmonton's starting running back through the first two games of the regular-season - has struggled to gain serious yardage through handoffs.

A 2.4-yard average on 12 carries in last Thursday's win over Calgary left Maciocia to state the running game needs to get better.

Based on the practice roster rules, Harris or McClendon could be activated for Thursday's home game against Toronto.

At this point, it's unclear who will be the starting tailback for the Esks in Week 3.

Time for some AJ Harris up north! The opportunity is there to preserve a starting spot for the Edmonton Eskimos CFL team.

In Arena FB news, former NIU kickers Steve Azar and Chris Nendick were both eliminated from the playoffs this weekend for NY and Chicago respectively.

Huskies currently in the pros

First of all...



It's sometimes hard to follow where some of these guys go, as alumni seem to appear and disappear year in and year out. I've been able to find the whereabouts of all these former Huskies:

Pro Baseball

LHP Matt German - Clearwater Threshers (High A League)
RHP Trevor Feeney - Oneonta Tigers (Short-season A League)
SS Bobby Stevens - Bluefield Orioles (Rookie League)

Bobby Stevens is sometimes referred to as "Robert Stevens"


NFL

TE Brad Cieslak - Cleveland Browns (Backup)
OT Ryan Diem - Indianapolis Colts (Starter)
OT Doug Free - Dallas Cowboys (Backup)
WR Sam Hurd - Dallas Cowboys (Backup)
WR Justin McCareins - Tennessee Titans (Projected Starter)
TE/FB Jake Nordin - Baltimore Ravens (Backup Fullback)
DT Hollis Thomas - New Orleans Saints (Projected Starter)
RB Michael Turner - Atlanta Falcons (Starter)
RB Garrett Wolfe - Chicago Bears (Backup)

Arena Football

K Steve Azar - New York Dragons (Starter, AFL)
K Chris Nendick - Chicago Rush (Backup, AFL)
DE Quince Holman - Bloomington Extreme (Starter, UIF Arena League)

Canadian Football League

DB Randee Drew - Montreal Alouettes (Starter, CFL)
RB AJ Harris - Edmonton Eskimos (Starter, CFL)
WR/KR Dan Sheldon - Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Backup, CFL)

RB AJ Harris cut from CFL team

Per the Edmonton Journal:

Tailback A.J. Harris flew back to Illinois on Saturday with the knowledge he did all he could to impress the coaching staff.

Even so, the Eskimos opted to go with former Arizona Cardinal Damien Anderson as their starting tailback for the 2008 football season.

"I'm actually surprised," Harris said. "I know they had to pick someone, and I guess they thought they had a better match with D.A."

Harris hopes to catch on with another CFL team, or possibly land on the Eskimos practice roster. He carried the ball seven times for 40 yards against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.

I'm pretty disappointed Harris (2004-05) didn't get a chance to show off his skills in the Canadian Football League this year, so hopefully he can latch on to another team and perform. Former Northwestern standout Damien Anderson is a hell of a player as well and its a shame the both of them had to butt heads.

K Chris Nendick lands backup job with the Rush

From the Chicago Tribune
By John Mullin |Tribune reporter

With the help of another familiar local name, the Rush are addressing their suddenly in-flux kicking game not once, but twice as they prepare for Sunday's game against the Dallas Desperados and the Arena Football League playoffs two weeks off.

The Rush are expected to sign former Philadelphia Soul kicker Todd France to replace injured ex-Bear Paul Edinger. Former Northern Illinois kicker Chris Nendick also worked out for the Rush Friday and impressed coach Mike Hohensee and his staff enough to be lined up as the first alternate in case something happens to France.

"I'm excited about the possibilities," said Nendick, who went undrafted but is expected to work out for the Minnesota Vikings next week. Nendick scored a point in every game of his career.

France, who played at Toledo, has had preseason stints with the Vikings, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I'm really happy to see Chris latch on somewhere. There have always been those stories of Arena guys making it big in the pros...