The best news for anyone who is following the Memphis Showboats through their training camp in Arlington, head coach John DeFilippo reports they have come this far without any players suffering a major injury.
“Our injury report looks long, but it’s really just some bumps and bruises. We don’t have anybody right now that’s going to potentially miss our first game,” DeFilippo reported. The coach was sure to add a obligatory, “Knock on wood.”
DeFilippo is positive about his quarterback room, especially now that the Brahmas have brought in Josh Love. However, DeFilippo isn’t saying which player, Josh Love, Case Cookus, or Troy Williams, will come out on top, and with the Showboats playing their first game against the Roughnecks, there was a notion in the Houston camp they should be preparing for Case Cookus.
“I’m sure Case (Cookus) will be on the bus. Whether he’s playing or not. We’ll find out,” DeFilippo said.
Josh Love has spring league experience, starting nine games for the Michigan Panthers in 2023, throwing for 1,556 yards and 13 touchdowns with ten interceptions. In 2022, he played for the Panthers and the Pittsburgh Maulers, finishing the year with 791 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions. At San Jose State, Love started 26 of the 41 games he played with the Spartans, throwing for 7,206 yards and 43 touchdowns with 29 interceptions.
Although, many think Case Cookus will win the starting job. DeFilippo went on to say the evaluation process was still occurring, and they really hadn’t had a chance to see Josh Love in action yet.
“We have two guys that can really move, and I haven’t seen Josh on the field a lot yet, we just got him,” DeFilippo said. “We got guys that can really extend plays with their legs.”
The coach pointed out how Troy Williams was having a good camp. “Troy just keeps getting better, and better, and better, and better. Being in this style of offense, it’s a little bit new to him, which is cool. It’s fun to watch him grow,” DeFilippo said.
Coach DeFilippo went on to describe the kind of experience Case Cookus and Josh Love had, and how they have had success on the football field.
“It’s an exciting time, it really is,” DeFilippo said. However, he made the point that their work in training camp was just getting started. “It’s exciting to get going. We need this week to iron things out and I’m glad we have a second week of training camp to get into the game.”
The Memphis Showboats play their first game on Sunday, March 31 at 3:00 PM (ET) on the road against the Houston Roughnecks.
