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The ex-Bucs QB says he has adjusted his game and he is ready to play in the Arena League.
By FRANK PASTOR
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 31, 2002
When Shane Stafford was named to replace injured Storm quarterback John Kaleo last month, backup Scott Milanovich took the decision in stride.
"It's a long season," Milanovich said at the time. "There's 14 games, the playoffs, and it gives me more time to watch and learn from the sidelines. Then, if I do get a chance on down the road, hopefully I'll be better prepared for it."
Milanovich gets that chance tonight at Indiana, when he makes his first Arena League start.
Coach Tim Marcum said Milanovich's preparation during the week convinced him the former Buccaneer could be the spark to ignite the league's second-worst scoring offense.
"It's a tough decision," Marcum said. "It's a tough thing when you have to make these kinds of calls. You understand it affects their life. But I try to do what I think is right for this team to win and, right now, I don't think it can hurt.
"Certainly, if Scott stumbles, then we've got an adequate backup."
Marcum said Stafford, who threw six touchdowns in Saturday's 49-45 loss to Carolina, is not throwing the ball quickly enough.
"It's not a personal slam on Shane," Marcum said. "Statistically, he had a good game the other night. He moved out and made plays and made some things happen. But we're not throwing things on time. You have to do that in Arena Football."
Stafford was surprised by the change, despite the team's 1-5 start.
"It's very frustrating," he said. "As quarterback, you get all the glory when you win and get all the blame when you lose. And we're losing right now."
Milanovich, 29, was named the backup out of camp but was passed over when Kaleo suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game. Stafford, 26, started two games after Kaleo separated a shoulder last season, and Marcum said that experience gave him an advantage.
Milanovich replaced Stafford in the third quarter of a 46-36 loss May 4 at Carolina and passed for three touchdowns. But Stafford retained his job and started the next three games.
In five starts, Stafford was 110-for-174 for 1,245 yards, 18 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Milanovich was 5-for-13 for 90 yards and an interception in two games.
After a month of splitting snaps with Stafford in practice, Milanovich said he feels "considerably more comfortable" with the Arena game, which requires different throws and quicker decisions than conventional football.
"When you've played in a game for 20 years or whatever and you're programmed to throw it a certain way, it takes time to reprogram it," Milanovich said.
He also will need time to adjust to a new set of receivers.
Jahine Arnold, inactive early in the season, made his first start at offensive specialist last week and will move to receiver to replace the injured Lawrence Samuels. Gunnard Twyner and David Saunders, signed late last week, were joined on the roster by 1998 offensive player of the year Calvin Schexnayder this week.
"(The lack of familiarity) is the negative," Milanovich said. "The positive is, we've got guys who can play."
Ironically, Stafford lost his starting job the last time Tampa Bay faced Indiana. Kaleo returned from his shoulder injury to start last season's playoff game, throwing three interceptions in a 68-31 loss.
Tampa Bay cannot afford a similar effort tonight.
"This is a proud organization," Milanovich said. "They've been to the playoffs, and everybody wants to talk about playoffs. Really, with the situation we're in right now, we can't be thinking playoffs.
"We're playing for our jobs, playing like we did when we were in high school on Friday nights, just going out and having fun and not being afraid to make mistakes. You get a couple wins in a row, you can start talking about (playoffs). But right now, it's a one-game season, as far as I'm concerned."
WHEN/WHERE: 8; Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis.
TV/RADIO: Sunshine; WDAE-AM 620.
RECORDS: Storm 1-5, Indiana 3-3.
COACHES: Tampa Bay -- Tim Marcum (137-47, 14th season); Indiana -- Mike Dailey (53-31, sixth season).
SERIES: Storm leads 8-6.
NOTES: Under other circumstances, avenging last season's 68-31 playoff loss -- the most lopsided in team history -- might have been the Storm's focus. But, off to its worst start and slipping closer to missing the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons, Tampa Bay is more concerned with turning its season around. The Storm signed offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder and will start Scott Milanovich in place of Shane Stafford at quarterback in an attempt to improve one of the league's least productive offenses. Receiver/defensive back Kusanti Abdul-Salaam was waived to make room for Schexnayder on the 24-man roster. Receiver/linebacker Lawrence Samuels (high ankle sprain), fullback/linebacker Nyle Wiren (knee), fullback/linebacker Deryl Lane and offensive/defensive lineman Juaquin Feazell will not play. Indiana offensive specialist Eddie Brown, who ranks fifth in the league in scoring (90 points), missed last week's 40-37 loss to Orlando with a knee injury. He is day to day. Indianapolis Colts and former Bucs coach Tony Dungy will handle the pregame coin toss.