Arena League

Dell plays role on field, on screen

After hanging out in Hollywood, receiver Clif Dell has been a key figure for the Storm.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published April 9, 2005

TAMPA - Coming May27 to a theater near you: a remake of The Longest Yard, not starring Clif Dell.

As a football double for actor Nick Turturro, Dell runs a slant and gets his helmet knocked off. He fills in at quarterback and has his fillings knocked loose.

The Storm receiver/defensive back's face doesn't appear on screen. His name isn't displayed prominently in the credits. His character, Brucie, isn't particularly likable, let alone the star.

But that's not Dell's style. Or his role.

In that respect, staged football isn't much different from the real thing.

"His role is to be the backside guy," Storm coach Tim Marcum said. "Not to be the No.1 carrying-the-offense role."

Not the biggest or fastest player on the field, the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder nevertheless has carved out a seven-year career in the Arena league by running precise routes, getting open and catching almost everything thrown his way.

Given an opportunity, the graduate of USF and King High in Tampa makes plays, usually big ones. Of his 40 receptions this season, an eye-popping 18 (45 percent) have gone for touchdowns, including two in a 48-38 victory April2 over Georgia.

"It's probably a little coincidence," Dell said. "This year, being the offensive specialist for three or four games (when Freddie Solomon was injured), you get a lot more balls. So I had more opportunities in the red zone.

"Even though we bring three great receivers (including Solomon and Lawrence Samuels), when it comes into the red zone, someone's going to have to come open. Luckily, it's been me."

With the trade of receiver/defensive back T.T. Toliver to Nashville last week, Dell, 29, should get more opportunities the rest of the season, including tonight against the Orlando Predators, his former team.

On the field for one or two more offensive series per half, Dell will have more chances to make plays as the Storm (5-4) tries to keep pace with the Predators (7-3), Georgia (7-3) and New Orleans (6-4) in the Southern Division.

"This year, the playoffs are different," Dell said. "Either you've got to win your division or be one of the other top two teams (in your conference). Right now, we're sitting at that spot where either we've got to beat Orlando, beat Georgia and beat New Orleans and win the division or have help from someone else, and we'd rather do it ourselves."

Dell accepts his role as the backside receiver, where he often is quarterback Shane Stafford's third option behind Solomon and Samuels, the Z receiver. But when asked to fill a bigger role, including when Solomon was injured early in the season, Dell delivered.

He tied a career high with three touchdowns in a 48-42 loss Feb.25 at New Orleans and found the end zone in the first seven games this season and nine in a row dating to last season. In a similar way, Dell stepped in for Turturro when the actor injured an ankle while attempting to sack actor Adam Sandler during filming. Dell performed all of Turturro's football scenes, including the spectacular one from the movie trailer in which a safety hits Dell as he catches a slant and Dell's helmet is sent flying.

"It's supposed to be one of the best hits out there," Dell said. "All the producers love it, and Adam Sandler thought it was the greatest thing ever."

While Dell might not be the greatest thing to happen to the Storm, he's one player the team can't bear to be without. Marcum thinks enough of his backside receiver that he turned down Orlando coach Jay Gruden's trade offer after former Predators offensive specialist Travis McGriff was injured last season.

"We're just glad he's here," Marcum said. "He was a valuable part of what we do. We didn't want to play against him."

No matter what his role.

[Last modified April 9, 2005, 07:10:29]