From not even playing football until halfway through high school, to being one of the first players invited to the XFL draft, Andrew Erbes has had a very unique football career. Attending Saguaro High School in Arizona, Erbes did not even play football until his junior year. Instead, Erbes spent his time playing baseball and basketball.
“We knew who he was. We were just wondering what he was doing playing baseball,” said Saguaro High O-line coach Chris Chick. “He had great potential in football because he was 6’1 240 lbs. and light on his feet before he even started lifting.”
Erbes would go on to play football his junior year and start to hit the gym a lot more. He turned into a gym rat, and buffed up to 275-280 lbs. instantly after he started lifting. “He was non-stop in the weight room,” said Chick. “I had to tell him to stop. To go home.”
However, it was not all sunshine and roses for Erbes early in his high school career. Erbes did not start until his senior year in high school, and most of that was due to his lack of football knowledge and experience. Most of the kids at Saguaro had been playing Pop Warner since 3rd/4th grade and some had even been running the same offense as the high school . Erbes, on the other hand, did not even understand zone running concepts, and would often ask very basic questions. “He asked questions like a third-grade kid in Pop Warner,” said Coach Chick. “The whole room would laugh at his questions.”
Erbes did not let this stop him, as he ended up starting his senior year and turned into a pretty good Offensive Lineman per Coach Chick. “You have to have great feet, great technique and have to be nasty,” said Chick. “He had all three.”
Erbes went on to walk-on at Arizona State University followed by a stint at Mesa Community College where he earned all-conference honors instantly. After that, Erbes went to UNLV and graduated with a degree in higher education.
Coming out of college, Erbes did not have a lot of tape, but ended up getting inadvertently scouted by Zen Bliss. Bliss was watching tape of another player at the University of Nevada when Andrew stood out to him. “His aggressiveness and quickness really stood out to me,” said Bliss. “He plays to the whistle and will hit you.” Bliss got Erbes hooked up with coach, former NFL first-rounder Marv Jones, on the IFL team ‘Cedar Rapids Titans’ where he played 3 games against NFL competition and got some better film to give to some teams.
Erbes handed out his film from the IFL at his Pro Day to 15 NFL teams, and a few CFL teams as well. Erbes received interest from the Jets, but ended up going to a Calgary Stampeders mini-camp in Florida. After that did not work out, Erbes played in the Arena Football League, but his ‘big break’ came when the Montreal Alouettes called and signed him to their practice squad. At the end of the season, Erbes got a 2-year contract with the Alouettes and trained hard over the off-season. He came into camp the next year but was cut due to unfortunate injuries that forced the Alouettes to reallocate their American players. This is a rule in the CFL that caps the number of American players on the roster, and Erbes said, “It is rules like this in the CFL that makes guys like me (interior OL) look at the XFL as a much more realistic option.”
However, when one door closes another one opens. Erbes’ agent Brian Brundage urged him to go to the XFL Summer Showcase in Seattle shortly after he was cut, and he took his advice and attended. Erbes was glad he did, as he thought he performed very well at the combine. He was happy with the numbers he got in the combine drills, but he thought the one-on-one portion was where he separated himself. Erbes won all 12 of his reps, getting a few at Left Tackle, Center and both Guard positions. This effort got the attention of Seattle O-Line coach Steve Smith who pulled Erbes aside. Erbes said Smith told him, and a few other O-Linemen, that he was going to advise Seattle to take them in the inaugural XFL player draft in October.
Erbes had a lot of good things to say about Smith as well. “He was awesome,” Erbes said. “I can tell he is a coach that I would love to play for.”
On August 8th, Erbes tweeted that he had received his XFL draft invitation.
My football journey has at least one more page to be written… Thank you @xfl2020 ready to play some ball soon…….🙌🏽🏈 pic.twitter.com/KfjloS9kao
On the field we have seen what Andrew Erbes can do, but off the field, Erbes shines as well. Ron Sowers, a friend of Erbes, said, “On the field, he is a mean son of a gun, but off the field he is the nicest guy ever.” He described Erbes as a character, and a real funny dude.
Erbes believes his relentlessness stands out the most, and he certainly has a case. Playing in three different colleges and multiple pro leagues, and not always getting the results you want can be difficult, but Andrew has been patient and is not giving up. That “relentlessness” has led him to the XFL where everything is (of course) uncertain, but he is looking to have a decent shot to stick with a team.
When it comes to the XFL, Erbes is hoping to get a “full season of film, played against great competition.” A west coast team would be easier for him and his family, but he would be thrilled to play for any of the eight franchises.
Erbes says the final goal is indeed the NFL. “That would be the final validation of all the hard work,” said Erbes. “It is like receiving a PhD in football.”
Right now, Erbes is currently a long term substitute teacher, and is helping former coach Chris Chick coach at Chandler High School in Arizona while he waits for the XFL. Coach Chick raves about Erbes’ coaching. “Ever since I have had him coaching the JV the kids are coming up to me (on varsity) a lot more prepared,” said Chick. “After football, he could really be a good coach.”
Erbes has tons of great opportunities ahead of him, both inside and outside of football. But, that final goal of the NFL is what he is focused on right now, and you better believe he will tear up the XFL to get there.
