Arizona Rattlers' Jason Geathers excels in arena football

Jason Geathers has a who's who of NFL players on his speed dial, all of whom he played with in college.

There are running backs Frank Gore, Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis, tight end Jeremy Shockey, wide receiver Andre Johnson and safety Ed Reed.

The 2001 University of Miami team that was national champions is regarded as one of the greatest teams in college football history. And Geathers played a part.

He was a sophomore running back and receiver.

Now, as all those guys wait for the NFL lockout to end, Geathers is becoming a force in the Arena Football League for the West Division champion Rattlers He's a wide receiver, and now maybe a linebacker, too, with the recent knee injury to Kevin McCullough, who could be out the rest of the regular season.

"In the offseason, we get a chance to work out and hang out," Geathers said of some of his former Miami teammates. "We spend a little time with each other."

Geathers, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, has become the Rattlers' No. 2 receiver with Trandon Harvey out with a groin injury.

He will become Nick Davila's No. 1 target whenever the NFL lockout ends, because that means Rod Windsor will be gone to the Cleveland Browns.

"The plan's in place; I'm not going to reveal it," coach and general manager Kevin Guy said in case the lockout ends. "It is what it is. We're not going to sit around and worry about stuff we can't control. If it happens, it happens. While (Windsor is) here, he'll play and make plays for us. When that thing is over, he'll go back. But that thing is going to go for a while, I think."

Geathers has no problem being in the spotlight and Davila feels comfortable going to him.

In last Saturday's 64-57 victory against the San Jose SaberCats, Geathers had a team-best eight catches for 73 yards and four touchdowns.
"Any time we need a big play, like in the Orlando game, the corner route, he comes up big," Davila said. "It makes my job a lot easier."

Geathers didn't play until the final minute against Orlando. But everybody was talking about him after he caught two passes for 45 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown with eight seconds left that helped the Rattlers pull out a 48-47 victory at home on April 2.
A leg injury to Nate Forse gave Geathers more chances at receiver.

Now he's a go-to guy on a team that has scored more than 60 points in 14 games and comes into Saturday's game in Philadelphia with the league's second-best record at 12-2.

"I've been doing that all year," Geathers said. "I know the game. If my number is called, I'll make the play."

Geathers has no problem making plays on defense, too. He played both offense and defense on San Jose's 2008 team that reached the ArenaBowl.

"You get a chance to hit someone else, other than you always being the target," Geathers said.

Geathers had a small glimpse of the NFL. He was signed in 2004 as an undrafted free agent by the Browns, but he got cut that August. He was signed to the New York Giants' practice squad but was released in April of 2005.

Since then, he's been in the eight-man Arena Football League.

"I cherish every moment that I've had, and if I could get back to the NFL, it would be nice," he said. "I enjoyed my time."


(azcentral.com)