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Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH --
Instant turnaround, just add water?
The
Daytona Beach ThunderBirds (0-2) are hoping so, as they try to
overcome a slow start at the Ocean Center at 7 p.m. tonight against
the South Georgia Wildcats (1-1).
After dropping the first two games in their first season in
Arena Football2, the ThunderBirds have taken drastic measures to
try to turn things around.
Daytona Beach fired head coach Herkie Walls and replaced him
with former Arena League star Gary Compton on
Thursday.
"It's a hard task," said Compton, who coached the
Bakers-
field (Calif.) Blitz for two seasons. "If we didn't
feel like we were able to come in and do some things to make this
thing work, me and my coaching staff wouldn't have taken the
job."
Compton said he and his staff have been working nearly 20 hours
a day since he arrived in the area, and his staff and players are
taking a crash course on getting to know each
other.
"The players have been tremendous," Compton said.
"They've responded quite well to it. We've been
working very hard in the few days I've been here. Things are
now very well organized, and everybody knows what's expected of
them."
Compton said one of the things that is expected of them is
winning.
"I told the guys if we're not 1-2 by the end of Monday
night, I will feel like I've failed,"
Comp-
ton
said. "I let the players I know it's tough for them to
have these changes, but there's nowhere for them to go but up
from here."
Compton said tonight's game will serve two purposes. While
he expects to win, he will also be evaluating the team's
talent.
"The truth is, I don't know any of these guys,"
he said. "They can't be complacent. After watching them
play tonight, I might have a change of heart.
"I haven't had one player complain about the
situation, and that's a tribute to the players and what the
former staff put together. They realize that professional football
is a business, and it's not personal. If you're not
performing at an effective level, there's a chance somebody
else will get a chance to take your job."
Compton said it's hard to tell what kind of team he has
inherited.
"From what I've seen, the thing that jumps out at me
is the defensive line," Compton said. "They look like
they'll get after the passer. They're further along than
the offense. That's where we need some
help."
Compton said most Arena offenses are similar, and the biggest
change his players can anticipate is in
terminology.
"They pretty much have to erase what they knew, and learn
the new terminology," Compton said. "So far, they're
working hard to do it."
Another thing Compton and the ThunderBirds are hoping to erase
is the goose egg in the win column.
randy.rorrer@news-jrnl.com
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