NASHVILLE KATS CLOSE TRAINING CAMP; ATKINS NAMED STARTING QUARTERBACK

NASHVILLE KATS CLOSE TRAINING CAMP; ROSTER SET FOR SEASON OPENER SATURDAY VS MINNESOTA MYTH; ATKINS NAMED STARTING QUARTERBACK

The Nashville Kats closed training camp Sunday and set their final roster heading into their season opener Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. at historic Municipal Auditorium versus the Minnesota Myth.

The Nashville Kats kicked off their inaugural training camp of 14 practice sessions at Lipscomb Academy on Saturday, April 6 with 35 players reporting and vying for 25 roster spots.
 
“We assembled a very talented and competitive roster as training camp opened,” Kats head coach Dean Cokinos said. “And as expected, we had to make some difficult roster decisions. That is a good thing. The competition in training camp prepared us for this week of getting ready for the season opener.”
 
The stiffest competition came at quarterback between former Baylor and Liberty standout Charlie Brewer and former New Mexico Highlands standout and professional indoor football veteran Ramone Atkins. As camp closed, it was Atkins getting the nod as starting quarterback for the season opener.
 
Atkins was the 2022 Indoor Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Duke City Gladiators and was Tucson's starting QB in 2023, leading them to the third seed in the West.  Atkins was a steady force for the Skulls in 2023, starting in all 16 games and finishing tied for third in completion percentage at 65.1. In 2023, he totaled 37 touchdowns and accumulated 1,984 total passing yards.
 
“A highly competitive guy with an incredible skill set, Ramone has a full set of tools to play the QB position,” Cokinos said. “He is a big, strong, athletic, tough guy who can beat you with his arm from the pocket or with his legs if the play is extended. Ramone is a man of high character and a leader of men, which is invaluable. We are very excited to have him represent the Nashville Kats.”
 
The roster leans heavily on players with area and regional ties, including former Tennessee DL Ja’Quain Blakely, Vanderbilt OL Saige Young, Western Kentucky DB Trae Meadows, UT Martin DB Jay Woods, Kentucky Wesleyan DB Shedrick Kirk, North Alabama WR Charlie McClain and West Alabama DB Sedevyn Gray.
 
Other roster notables include former Mercer WR Marquise Irvin, Texas WR Cade Brewer, Texas A&M DL Zay Henderson, West Virginia DL Ezekial Rose, Ole Miss DB Derrick Jones, Kansas DL Vaughn Taylor, Washington OL/DL James Atoe, Buffalo kicker Pat Clarke and Maryland WR Carlos Carriere.
 
Irvin has been named one of two Arena Football League players to receive the league’s inaugural “Gamebreaker” designation.
 
The honor goes to players who enter the league with a depth of quality experience and production on both the professional and collegiate levels and are projected to be possible stars in the new AFL.
 
A former multiple all-conference performer at Mercer and native of Huntsville, Ala., Irvin (6-3, 215) set the program record in receiving yards in a season as a junior to only break his own record the following season as a senior with 816 yards.
 
“I am so excited for Nashville Kats fans to not only watch Marquise play,” Kats coach Dean Cokinos said, “but also get to know him off the field and in the community. He’s a game changer who brings versatility and athleticism with a proven resume of production.”
 
The Kats will play 10 regular-season games this season with five home games at historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The season opener versus the Minnesota Myth is slated for Saturday, April 27. The Kats also play the Georgia Force on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18 at the new F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville.
 
Visit TheNashvilleKats.com or call 855-550-KATS for more information on single game and season tickets.