Thunder to start Powers at QB

The former Big 10 QB will start against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

NILES — In making his biggest decision of the young 2009 af2 season,

Mahoning Valley Thunder coach Mike Hold did not respond with a kneejerk reaction to a 34-point loss.

Instead, the Thunder’s third-year coach took some time to weigh options before deciding to change starting quarterbacks for the fourth game.

Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Blake Powers will replace Davon Vinson under center when the Thunder (1-2) play the Pioneers (2-1) in a East Division showdown.

A rash of turnovers in the Thunder’s first three games prompted the move.

“We know Davon is a great quarterback,” Hold said after Tuesday’s practice at the Infante Wellness Center. “He’s proven that.

“But the bottom line is that we have turned the ball over 12 times at the quarterback position,” Hold said. “And it’s just gotten worse and worse and worse each game.”

Hold called the decision “a tough one for me. It wasn’t something that I walked off the field and said, ‘Blake is starting.’ ”

The Thunder are preparing for the Pioneers, a team that has dominated the East Division in the three seasons that the Thunder have played.

“I’ve got to do something to try and change it up,” Hold said. “We made the decision early so Blake can get ready, so Davon knows his role. I don’t like playing games with them mentally.”

After opening the season March 27 with a 44-34 win over the Albany Firebirds at the Chevrolet Centre, the Thunder lost to the Milwaukee Iron (59-39 at home) and the Tulsa Talons (79-35 in Oklahoma).

Powers, who played 28 games at quarterback for Indiana University, opened the season with the Spokane Shock, then joined the Thunder two weeks ago. He saw his first action in Saturday’s loss at Tulsa, taking over for Vinson in the third quarter.

“It was a really good learning experience and I took a lot away from it,” Powers said. “Just to get those first game jitters out of the way is definitely helpful.”

The former Hoosier admits he’s “really laid back. People always tell me on the field that [I’m] real calm and poised. I guess that’s just the way I come across. But there are a lot of emotions going on inside.

“If you don’t feel some sort of nervousness and anxiety, then you’re not human,” Powers said. “It definitely can be nerve-wracking.

“I’ve played in some of the most hostile environments in the country — Ohio Stadium, Michigan Stadium, Camp Randall Stadium at Wisconsin. Playing in those type of environments can prepare you for anything.”

Hold is anxious to see what the former Big 10 quarterback can do from the start.

“Blake made a couple of mistakes early, but he played well,” Hold said. “He threw the ball well and he made good decisions.

“I think Blake is a very, very capable quarterback, that’s why we brought him in,” Hold said. “We needed two good quarterbacks and we feel like we’ve got two good quarterbacks.”

The Thunder are doing all they can to avoid a repeat of last season’s seven-game losing streak that began after a season-opening win over Albany. The Thunder finished 3-13.

They have their work cut out for them. After visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Thunder will return home to play Tulsa (2-1) on April 25 at the Chevrolet Centre.

“We know we can win,” Hold said. “We have got a potentially good football team, [but] I told them today that we’re not a good football team because we haven’t won the games. We’re not playing well at the quarterback position so we’ve got to change that up.”

williams@vindy.com