Jacobs returns at critical time for Phantoms

FLORENCE — The Florence Phantoms’ locker room has been re-energized with Omar Jacobs’ return to the team.

Now comes the hard part. Jacobs and the Phantoms take on Columbus tonight at the Florence Civic Center in a contest that already has huge divisional implications.

“We’ve been negotiating to get Omar back for a couple weeks,” Florence coach Mike Watson said. “He is a super quarterback and I am ecstatic about his return.

“... Columbus is a team loaded with talent. If the fans are looking for a good show, (tonight’s) the night.”

Despite being just a game out of first in the American Indoor Football Association’s South Division, Florence (1-1) already has one loss within the division. The Phantoms can ill afford to lose another.

“We have three games with Columbus but (tonight’s game) is the only one we have at home,” first-year Phantoms offensive coordinator Terrell Stewart said. “We need this game.”

“Columbus is a great team,”  Florence vice president of player operations Bennie King said. “Coach (Jason) Gibson does a good job putting together a strong indoor football team.”

Despite strong opposition from the Lions, Florence feels it has an edge with Jacobs back on the team. The Phantoms hope to end the offensive woes that plagued them in their first two games.

“We should be able to score now. Our offense should be working together on the same page now,” Watson said. “He reads defenses extremely well. The game just comes to him.

“Once he gets comfortable, we should get back to the rhythm offense we had last year.”

Jacobs shouldn’t have much trouble establishing a rapport with his two star receivers. With high-school teammates Tres Moses and A.J. Bennett back in the fold, the Phantoms expect the kind of offense
that led the team to 10 consecutive wins and the AIFA title last season.

“Omar has an affiliation with Tres and A.J. dating back to middle school (in Florida),” Stewart said. “He needs to (also) get on the same page with the other receivers.

“We got a couple of extra practices in to get him acclimated to the new receivers. Hopefully, we’ve gotten him up to speed.”

No group is happier to have Jacobs back than the Phantom defense. The unit has carried the team in its first two games, including a game-saving interception by defensive specialist Larry Thompson in a
win over Harrisburg on March 14.

“There’s no denying how well our defense has played,” Watson said. “Hopefully, they’ll play with even more intensity because they know Omar will turn their big plays into points.”

Note
Phantoms defensive lineman Cory Groover, who was arrested last week on criminal domestic violence charges stemming from a nightclub altercation, will start tonight’s game.