Outlaws begin preparations for 2010 season

Looking to fill their 25-man roster with the best and brightest local talent, the Mid-Missouri Outlaws kicked off their preseason workouts with 10 returning players and four newcomers taking the field Saturday in Mathewson Exhibition Center.

The Outlaws, fresh off three straight Central Plains Football League championships, will compete in the American Professional Football League this spring after a storybook 2009 season.

The Outlaws finished 12-0 in the semi-pro league, before traveling to face the APFL and Great Lakes Football champions in back-to-back contests.

The Outlaws kept the undefeated season intact, defeating the Iowa Blackhawks 54-49, followed by a 33-13 win over the East Central Missouri Eagles.

This season, playing in  the fairgrounds’ venue that seats up to 3,400 people, the Outlaws are looking to continue the winning tradition against a league that features the Kansas Koyotes, Iowa Blackhawks, Nebraska Wildcats, Denver Titans and the Springfield Wolfpack.

“I mean, better competition makes you stronger and play better,” Outlaws wide receiver Eric Brown said. “This is a great team that’s played against the best, and we’ve got guys returning and some great new guys looking to make an impact.”

Equipped with a strong core of returning starters, including quarterback Kyle Middleton, running back Marcus James, wide receivers Ben Lyles and Brown and defensive back Chad Jackson, the Outlaws are looking for experienced players that fit into the system.

The list of newcomers includes former University of Missouri basketball player Jason Sutherland, former MU defensive end Marvin Williams, former Missouri Valley standout receiver Jacob Cahill and All-American defensive end Daniel Tuiono, who joined the Outlaws for their final game last season because he “wanted to play for a proven winner.”

Outlaws head coach Travis Jobe, co-owner and former linebacker, believes the team’s 33-3 record over the past three years is the best selling point for recruiting.

“They wanted to come to a program that treats its players right and has a winning tradition,” Jobe said. “We’re bringing in the best of the talent in the surrounding colleges, and this workout is just the start of the offseason.”

The Outlaws will hold two or three more preseason workouts before the official tryouts begin Jan. 18. At that time, the Outlaws will have to trim the roster down to 25, considerably less than the 32-player roster the CPFL allowed.

The decline in numbers will limit the team’s depth but the “trimming of the fat” will help foster competition and bring out the best in their players, according to Jobe.

“We have a long road ahead of us before the season starts,” Jobe said. “We’ve got so much to do in such a little amount of time, but this is a good practice where we can begin to establish the chemistry. We’re in the process of putting together another great team that Sedalia can be proud of.”