New rush of Thunder

By Tom Williams

Rookie standout Kellen Driscoll

leads the defense

YOUNGSTOWN — Despite growing up in hockey-rabid Minnesota, Thunder rookie linebacker Kellen Driscoll would choose to watch the NBA’s inept Minnesota Timberwolves over the NHL’s Minnesota Wild (playoff qualified).

One reason is because Driscoll, who finished his collegiate football career at St. Ambrose (NAIA school in Minnesota), began it at Division II Minnesota State.

The reason? He wanted to play both football and basketball at the collegiate level.

“I went there mostly to play basketball,” Driscoll said.

But an injury during his freshman season essentially ended his basketball career, allowing the 6-foot-4, 260-pound athlete to concentrate on football.

“If you had asked me in high school if it would have been a surprise to give basketball up after a year, I would have said yes,” Driscoll said.

In college, Driscoll discovered that playing football into November while the basketball players were practicing since October increased pressure.

“[I was] behind about a month as far as getting into basketball shape,” Driscoll said.

The native of Waseca, Minn., transferred to Southwest Minnesota State where he did not play either sport. Another transfer, to St. Ambrose, renewed his hopes of pursuing a professional football career.

In college, he played free safety. But Driscoll and his coaches knew that for him to continue at the next level, he’d need to become a linebacker.

“I knew my future was not at safety,” Driscoll said. “I knew that to make it in the pros I would have to convert to linebacker.”

That conversion eventually led him last fall to Grand Rapids, Mich., for a tryout with the Arena Football League.

That’s where Thunder coach Mike Hold spotted him.

“He was outdoor free safety playing linebacker,” said Hold commenting on Driscoll’s speed. “He’s extremely athletic and we’re lucky to have him.”

Driscoll’s hopes were to land a job with an AFL team, but he said he kept Hold’s invitation in the back of his mind.

“I knew I wanted to prepared with a plan in case [the AFL] fell through,” Driscoll said.

So when other af2 teams began expressing interest, Driscoll kept the Thunder on the top of his list.

Two games into his af2 career, Thunder fans can see why. Despite learning a new position, Driscoll had four quarterback sacks in the Thunder’s win over the Albany Conquest and loss to the Manchester Wolves.

Those sacks made him league co-leader.

Hold said linebackers “normally aren’t that athletic. Kellen can rush the passer well. He’s a heckuva talent and he’s only going to get better once he learns the nuances of the indoor game.”

Driscoll admits he’s loves hitting any quarterback indoors or outdoors,

“This is a different type of hitting,” Driscoll said of playing indoors. “At safety, there was a lot more open field [to work with].

“At linebacker, there’s more scraping off offensive linemen,” Driscoll said. “The biggest adjustment to me is getting used to limited space.

“And thing happen so much more quickly in this game because quarterbacks get rid of the ball so fast,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll said living in Ohio isn’t too much different from Minnesota.

“It’s a little warmer here,” said Driscoll who noted that his home state had area hit with 8-9 inches of snow last weekend.

“In Ohio, football is a lot bigger,” Driscoll said.

So is the Thunder’s game this week against the expansion Lexington Horsemen (2-1). The Thunder (1-2) are hoping to rebound from two straight losses.

williams@vindy.com