QBs glance back, lunge forward

Talons at Thunder

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Clips from the Tulsa Talons vs. Mahoning Valley Thunder game at the Chevrolet Centre Saturday, April 25.

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GOOD WORDS - Mike Hold talks with QB Davon Vinson during second quarter action - at the Chevy Centre Thunder opener.

By John Bassetti

Blake Powers and Davon Vinson are two players directly affected by coach Mike Hold’s departure.

YOUNGSTOWN — Blake Powers and Davon Vinson are two of the Mahoning Valley Thunder players directly affected by coach Mike Hold’s firing earlier this week.

Why?

Because Hold was also the offensive coordinator for the team that’s 1-4 heading into Saturday’s game in Albany.

“Management did what it thought was best and best for the team,” said Powers, who took over as the team’s starter in the fourth game on April 18.

“We all liked Coach Hold and thought he was a good coach, but they felt a change had to be made,” said Powers, who played college football at Indiana University.

To fill the void created by Hold’s departure, new head coach Brennen Booth has called in Andy Kelly.

“From what we heard, Kelly knows the game and will be a good offensive coordinator,” said Powers. “He should be a really good coach, so we’ve got to listen to him.”

Vinson’s said his return to the Thunder for 2009 was proof that he had no problem with Hold’s style.

“I like Coach Hold, I like his offense,” he said. “As a team we weren’t playing well enough and it just happened to fall in his hands because he was our leader. Now we have to move on and get better.”

Vinson said he didn’t think there was a lack of communication between Hold and the players.

“Hold did a great job of coaching. Maybe we weren’t taking the concepts and learning them fast enough or we weren’t making the plays,” he said. “We’d make three good plays, then make three plays that hurt us. We didn’t get beat by other teams. We beat ourselves — with turnovers.”

Vinson started the first three games of the season, but said he’s “going to do my part. I came all the way from Texas, so, if I’m a backup, I’m a backup. It’s a long season. I’ve been on teams before when backups got their chance, so I’m going to play my role and whatever happens, happens.”

Of Kelly, Vinson said that he’s going to try to use the same terminology.

“He’s going to run the same plays, but we’ll have some tweaking here and there.”

Vinson said he doesn’t think the Thunder’s season could get any worse.

“I think we can only get better from here. We got a change and sometimes change is good, so we’ll see what happens.”

Hold was a quiet leader, Powers said.

“He was the true definition of a player’s coach and players really respected him for that. He’d been a player before and understands the way to approach you. He won’t cuss and scream, but he got his point across in a positive way. He’s really good friends with everybody off the field as well.”

Booth has a different approach.

“I think he’s a little more stern and likes to yell and scream,” Powers said, “but it’s just because he cares about his job. That’s his way of getting his point across. We’ve just got to trust and believe in him. As a team, we have to buy into the system and we have to start making plays. That’s what is going to turn things around.”

Of 64 pass attempts in 21‚Ñ2 games, Blake has completed 40 for 453 yards. He has thrown eight touchdown passes and has been intercepted three times. He has four rushing TDs, same as Vinson.

Powers was acquired from the Spokane Shock via trade, but didn’t arrive until after the season opener on March 27.

During the first road game at Tulsa, he took over for Vinson during the third quarter. He started the following week at Wilkes-Barre and also against Tulsa at the Chevy Centre last weekend.

Powers’ last college playing season was 2007. As a sophomore, he broke Antwaan Randle-El’s school record for single-season passing TDs (22).

After an injury his junior year, Blake wasn’t given an opportunity to regain the spot. He was moved to tight end, then went back to quarterback but didn’t play his senior year. He graduated from Indiana in June 2008, then worked out with AFL teams last fall. The af2 rookie signed with the Shock and stayed in its camp before being traded to the Thunder for future considerations.

At Indiana, Powers was friends with a teammate, Matt Kurz — son of af2 president Jerry Kurz.

Blake, a native of Brandenburg, Ky., turned 24 on March 12.

Vinson filled in when Powers was injured in the last Tulsa game. Powers said he’ll start against Albany if his shoulder is ready.

“It’s day-to-day. If the shoulder is ready, I’ll play.”

bassetti@vindy.com