LIVESTREAM Germany: Saarland Hurricanes @ Allgäu Comets, May 21, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 9 am EDT)

AFI | Allgau Comets | 05/21/2023

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

By Brad Duff

The Saarland Hurricanes will open their German Football League season with a journey to Kempten to take on 2022 GFL semifinalists, the Allgäu Comets.

In the only meeting between the two teams in 2021, Allgäu edged the Hurricanes 43-42 in the last regular season game of the yearto clinch the final playoff spot and eliminate Saarland from the post season.

Allgäu head coach Elias Gniffke will lead the Comets out with a new-look roster headlined by quarterback Javarian Smith out of Lake Erie College (NCAA DII). The 26-year-old dual-threat was the Prague Black Panthers’ MVP last season, passing for 28 touchdowns with just one interception over eight games.

Smith will be looking to form a connection with his new receiving corps, particularly fellow US-import Nate Stewart (Montana State, NCAA DI).

Pushed out of bounds and still able to go 64 yards to the 🏠

Tommy Mellott and Nate Stewart put Montana State on the board! pic.twitter.com/oicWRnFuZ7

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 18, 2021

The defensive unit will feature a familiar defensive backfield of the likes of Eric Eichhorn and Simon Walch, while being joined by new faces such as linebacker Matt Barrett (St Norbert, NCAA DIII, Krakow Kings), defensive lineman Fritz Rupp (Germany, Ravensburg Razorbacks) and linebacker Ata Han Atilgan (Turkey, Istanbul Rams, ELF).

After going 4-6 last season, the Saarland Hurricanes will experiment with a dual-head coach system of Hendrick Voss and Jakob Lawrence, who will split responsibilities throughout the season.

DIII National Championship winning quarterback Kyle King will be under center for the Hurricanes, coming fresh from an impressive career with the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders which saw him pass for almost 7,000 yards and 82 touchdowns over 31 games.

King will be throwing to a largely unchanged WR room, with the addition of Andrew Kamienski (USA, North Central College, NCAA DIII).

Mary Hardin-Baylor teammate Mikkah Hackett will be playing on the other side of the ball for the Hurricanes, joined by former Air Force defensive back Marquis Griffin and Josh Wünsch out of Albion College (DIII).