[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
The Serbian Srpska Asocijacija Američkog Fudbala (SAAF) top league kicks off its 2015 season this weekend!
The biggest difference this year will be a new name for the league. The former Serbian Superleague will now become the Serbian First Division. Full schedule and standings can be found here.
The league format will remain unchanged. Eight teams will play against each other in seven rounds, and with Belgrade Vukovi as the defending champions, they will have a target on their backs. They will be hard pressed though to repeat last season’s success when they won the Serbian Bowl, the CEFL Bowl and made the finals of the IFAF Europe Champions League.
The league kicks off March 28 when Vukovi starts their defense of the title against the Sirmium Legionaries, the first team founded in Serbia. The playoffs are scheduled for June 21, and this year’s Serbian Bowl is scheduled for July 4.
Four teams have won the Serbian Bowl since its inception. It seems as if both the Kragujevac Wild Boars, former EFAF Cup finalist (2011), and Novi Sad GAT Dukes have done a great job recruiting in the off season and intend to challenge Vukovi for the crown.
Football fans in Serbia are ready and they can’t wait for the season kick off.
Serbian Bowl 2014
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvU_Fc1IVas
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]SBB Vukovi Beograd[/tps_header]
The Vukovi Beograd has dominated Serbian league for the last four seasons. During that period they have been undefeated and they won five championships in row.
Last season was the most successful after winning the Serbian Superleague, CEFL (Central European Football League), but mostly after reaching IFAF Europe Champions League finals. They lost in last 10 seconds in the game against Finland’s Helsinki Roosters, but got a big morale boost for this season.
SBB Vukovi have signed a new coach, Bryan Mayper, who will try to push his team to achieve the best possible results. After losing 10 players, mostly starters, they did great job and signed 10 new players, mostly very talented and members of national team of Serbia.
They decided to bring back wide receiver Tony Washington, who will be teamed up with wide receiver/quarterback Myles Gates from San Francisco City College and West Georgia University on the road to the new championship title. With the starting quarterback of the Serbian National team, David Hanomihl Lukic, throwing the ball, they will be a tough challenge for every defense they face.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_title]Kragujevac Wild Boars[/tps_title]
For the past four years the Kragujevac Wild Boars have been trying to regain the Serbian title, but with no success. As the only other team than Vukovi to have won the Serbian championship in (four times), they were Vukovi Belgrade’s toughest opponent but also lost in the Serbian Bowl.
The team from Kragujevac has not signed an import quarterback this season and that is the biggest difference compared to previous seasons. They decided to give Stefan Stefanovic, a chance. He has returned after playing for the Nis Imperators. The club has high hopes for division one running back James Langford, who is also great as a kick returner. Ken Hale (defensive back), who did great job last year, earning special status has returned to the Wild Boars family, and will be the team’s second import this season.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_title]Novi Sad GAT Dukes[/tps_title]
Novi Sad Dukes have been just one step away from the Serbian Bowl in last few years, but they did not make it.
Three players left the team, but 15 new ones will be donning the colors of the Novi Sad Dukes and that is the best indicator of their ambitions in next season. They entered the CEFL in place of the Kragujevac Wild Boars, but also are ready to take their place in Serbian Bowl at the end of the season.
They have signed contracts with quarterback Alexander McKean and wide receiver Will Powell, both of whom have played previously in Germany (Kirchdorf Wild Cats and Schwabisch Hall Unicorns).
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Nis Imperatori[/tps_header]
Although the Serbian League has changed its import rule this season only allowing two imports to play in one game, the Nis Imperators have signed three players from the USA. That moves shows how they determined are to reach playoffs for the second year in a row.
Jovic will have a tough decision before every single game – he will have to decide between quarterback Caleb Price, wide receiver/defensive back Richard ‘Sweetfeet’ Samuel and running back Joel Lay, who will also serve as the team’s offensive coordinator. One of them won’t be able to help his teammates on the field.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Pancevo Panthers[/tps_header]
For the first time in team history, the Pancevo Panthers have signed a American head coach.
Cory Hoopingarner is young and talented, and he declared when he arrived: “I intend to win the Serbian Bowl”.
Coach Hoopingarner will have Bojan Milic and Predrag Durlic Vujic, as assistants with experience from the Serbian national team.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Indjija Indians[/tps_header]
In their first season in the elite Serbian Division last year, the Indjija Indians survived with a record of 2-5, but this year they do not want that kind of stress. So the Indians’ management did good job by signing James Fayed III an American coach, who has had great experience in football coaching and scouting all over the world (NFL, Arena Football, Europe, CFL).
He will try to help the Indians to change their way of thinking and playing. Satisfied with his offensive line, the two running backs with extraordinary speed, a dual threat quarterback and an offensively-oriented defensive squad, Fayed is looking for more wins in next season.
The Indians signed quarterback Charles Babb from the USA and three players from Australia: running back Troy Wykes, defensive lineman Jordy Kickett and linebacker Scott Savage. With young and very talented Serbian players and with year’s experience behind them in the elite Serbian division, the Indians are counting on a better year in 2015.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Sirmium Legionaries[/tps_header]
The first team team founded in Serbia, the Sirmium Legionaries from Sremska Mitrovica, returned to the Elite division after a few years of playing in the Serbian second division. After dominating in D2 the North Legionaries will try to stay in the Serbian first division.
The second key player is Pat Riley, who also decided to come back to Legionaries. As an experienced quarterback he will try to use his solid wide receiving corps, which is led by Miloš Kolibar.
[tps_title]2015 Serbian Preview[/tps_title]
[tps_header]Cacak Angel Warriors[/tps_header]
With winning the Serbian second division with a record of 6-0 and scoring 402 points while allowing only 42 points, the Cacak Angel Warriors staged a furious return to the Serbian top division. But since they dropped out of the first division two seasons ago they have lost all but two starters, making them a brand new team.
With Samuel Bautista (defensive line/tight end) from Friend University and running back/linebacker Robert Frinks from El Camino Community College, the Angel Warriors will be much more competitive. Their advantage may be that most teams will under estimate them, but the Angel Warriors have a reputation in Serbian football as a team that plays hard until the final whistle blows, so their goal of staying the the elite division is very realistic.