There was an interesting diversion to the offseason for Colorado Crush quarterback John Dutton.
In early December, Dutton and a handful of other Arena Football League players were called to Mexico through Athletes in Action and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organizations to put on a clinic for a fledgling league that plays its games in accordance with arena-league rules. The difference is, in Mexico the games are played outdoors.
“It was a two-day clinic on the field,” Dutton said. “We didn’t know what the level of play was, but we found out they were playing our game. We showed them the details of the rules and some of the ins and outs of the game. We taught some techniques and really had a good time.”
This week, it’s back to business as Dutton and his teammates enter training camp and begin work on the Crush’s sixth season, but its first without Damian Harrell. The stellar free-agent receiver went from the Crush to the Chicago Rush.
Coach Mike Dailey is faced with the challenge of filling a big hole in the offensive game.
Harrell scored 229 receiving touchdowns in five seasons with the Crush and was twice named the league’s offensive player of the year. Sparked by the Dutton-to-Harrell combination, the Crush won the ArenaBowl in 2005.
“The hard part of this business, you go through so much with your teammates, you get to know them really well, and then the business side comes into it and people leave,” Dutton said. “Damian has been so productive for us. He’s been the best receiver in the league the past five years. We have to move on.”
The big challenge for the Crush, 9-9, including playoffs last season, is to climb back among the elite teams. Dutton expects holdovers Willie Quinnie and Brad Pyatt and newcomer Ben Nelson to be his main targets.
“We won’t have one player catching six touchdowns as in the past,” Dutton said. “All of them will have to catch a couple of touchdowns a game, and I think they’re capable of doing it.
“Last year was a tough year. I have to step up. I played maybe my worst season in terms of turning the ball over. I have to hold on to the ball.
“We have the talent to get back up into the elite group.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
2008 Crush schedule
March 2 Columbus 2 p.m.
March 17 at Dallas 6 p.m.
March 22 at Chicago 6 p.m.
March 30 New Orleans 2 p.m.
April 4 Los Angeles 7 p.m.
April 11 at Cleveland 5 p.m.
April 19 at Kansas City 4 p.m.
April 25 Chicago 7 p.m.
May 2 Grand Rapids 7 p.m.
May 10 at Utah 7 p.m.
May 17 Cleveland 6 p.m.
May 24 at San Jose 8:30 p.m.
June 2 New York 8:30 p.m.
June 7 at Grand Rapids 5 p.m.
June 16 at Arizona 8 p.m.
June 21 Kansas City 6 p.m.
All times Mountain
