QB looks to resurrect career with RGV

HIDALGO - Quarterback Travis Cole wanted to start, and he's been given that opportunity with Rio Grande Valley.

A confident Cole said he needed a place to demonstrate his abilities, and Dodge Arena will serve as his stage this season.

"I hope (this season) goes great for us as a team and as an organization, and obviously individually, for myself," Cole said. "I just want to win and be down here and compete. Hopefully, I could be (in the AFL) next year."

Cole, who started for Minnesota in college and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2002, has seen limited action during his five years as a backup in the AFL with the Arizona Rattlers and Utah Blaze.

Earlier this year, Cole tried out for the AFL's Kansas City Brigade only to be cut.

"I felt like I was winning the job or at least competing for it," Cole said about his time in K.C. "(The Brigade) made their decision. I could have gone to a couple places and just been a backup but I figured this late in my career, I really want to play and I feel like I am good enough to play at the next level. I wanted to come down and play a bunch of games and see where it goes from there."

The starting job for RGV might be the break he has been looking for since his college days.

Former Minnesota quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq struggled during a game in 2000 against Purdue and Cole replaced him late in the first half, playing well enough to earn the starting job for the rest of the season and the following year.

His pro career, however, has been a struggle. He admits he was a long shot with the Steelers, and he was a backup to AFL standout Sherdrick Bonner, who has thrown for over 30,000 yards and 700 touchdowns in his career, in Arizona.

"We spoke quite a bit of what he should do and shouldn't do," said current Brigade quarterback John Fitzgerald, who served as the offensive coordinator for the af2's Oklahoma Yard Dawgz last season. "He was behind one the greats of this game in Sherdrick Bonner. He needs to be on that field to get some exposure. Honestly, and I don't want to disrespect arena2, but he is better than playing in arena2. He is a very good quarterback and for one reason or another he has not had that break that he deserves."

Dorados coach Marty Hammond has been pleased with his acquisition. He too said Cole is better than his numbers in the AFL have indicated. In eight games in the AFL, Cole completed 14 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown.

"This is the first time that we have been together, so we have to build that relationship and get on the same page," Hammond said. "It's going fine. Travis' experience in the arena game is a big plus. I think he can do the things that need to be done to be successful."
 
Peter Rasmussen covers the Rio Grande Valley Dorados for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.