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WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) -- The Utah Blaze of the new Arena Football One league have hired Ernesto Purnsley to be the team's first coach.
Purnsley spent 10 years coaching in the Arena Football League, which folded before the 2009 season. He spent five years as defensive coordinator for the Colorado Crush and was the Chicago Rush's defensive coordinator in the AFL's final season. Purnsley was also an assistant at Albany and Indiana.
Team owner Dave Affleck made the official announcement Tuesday.
"We decided it would be in the best interest of our fans and franchise to come back and be the Utah Blaze," said Affleck.
The Utah Blaze played three seasons under different ownership in the Arena Football League (AFL) before the league ceased operations in December 2008. Now the team, under new ownership, is back as a member of the newly formed Arena Football One. [CLICK HERE for more information on the new team]
"We have a lot to live up to. The Blaze was a great team and a great organization and they were one of the most thought of organizations in the AFL. We're working to do our best to do everything that the Blaze stood for," Affleck said.
Arena Football One, which was organized by the people who originally established the AFL 23 years ago, bid for the assets of the AFL, including trademarks and logos, and in December 2009 won the bid, paving the way for the use of the Blaze name.
The Blaze are scheduled to open the season April 9 against Spokane at the E Center.
CLICK HERE for more information on Purnsley.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
