The Marburg Mercenaries will host the Allgäu Comets in this first Sunday of football in the 2021 German Football League season.
Fans should expect a high energy game as both of these teams are eager to set the tone for a comeback season.
The Mercenaries enter the new season with German quarterback Sonny Weishaupt as their starting signal caller. The veteran German passer returns to a starting role after spending the 2019 season as a backup with the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions championship squad. Weishaupt will be handing off to former all-conference running back Marcus Cox (Appalachian State D1 FBS) who brings speed and an impressive collegiate career to Germany. In the passing game, versatile receivers Reuben de Ruyter and Aaron Seward should provide Weishaupt some open targets to throw too.
Defensively, Marburg brings back defensive lineman Nico Koch and linebacker Tim Göckus. The two veterans are joined by linebacker Robert Heyward (Appalachian State D1 FBS) and defensive back Marvin Hart (Stony Brook NCAA D1 FCS). Italian defensive back Alessandro Fantin and the versatile Belgian Reuben de Ruyter should make this secondary a tough group to throw against.
Allgäu Comets @ Marburg Mercenaries, June 6, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10:00 am ET)
Marburg’s Reuben de Ruyter on the matchup:
“We are looking good, our defense is coming together nicely. Everybody is excited and I think we are in good shape for our first game. We’ll see what we come up against and make adjustments on the fly.”
Allgäu goes into the 2021 season with veteran coach Hesham Khalifa at the helm. Khalifa returns along with experienced dual passport linebacker Niall Padden. Padden’s defense projects to be one of the better groups in the GFL as linebacker Jonell Pelie and defensive lineman Johannes Wagner, Pidi Atotherentsen, and Christian Leobold all return to make this a intimidating defense to line-up against.
New edge defender Jermaine Guynn joins the Comets defense this year, in a surprise move out of retirement. Guynn was most recently seen by fans as head coach of the Stuttgart Scorpions in 2018. The former Purdue University Boilermaker (NCAA D1) has had a long career in Europe that features successful seasons with the Swarco Raiders, Saarland Hurricanes, Stuttgart Scorpions, and Tyresö AFF Royal Crowns.
Offensively, the Comets will integrate some new talent, as former Texas Tech & Rutgers University quarterback Mclane Carter takes over under center. Joining Carter in the backfield will be British running back Glenn Toonga, a tough and experienced back who ran for a total of 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Dresden Monarchs in 2018 & 2019. Versatile receiver and running back Brandon Kohn is also back for the Comets after spending 2019 with the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns. Expect the Comets to run the ball often behind an experienced offensive line led by Nenad Stojic and Timo Schuessel.
New Comets running back Glenn Toonga on finally returning to play:
“Everyone is excited to be able to play contact football after about 90 weeks out. With everything that’s happened it’s great to finally be able to display all the hard work the guys have been putting in individually and as a team. I’m excited to show everyone Comets football in 2021.”
Fans should expect a fantastic game as these two teams both project to be in the playoff hunt int eh competitive GFL South. Both teams have brought in new key pieces that will have to mesh quickly with an experienced core.
Watch the game live here. Allgäu Comets @ Marburg Mercenaries, June 6, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10:00 am ET)
Marburg Mecenaries roster
