The Parma Panthers are gearing up for the IFL 2024 season! Hear from Head Coach Brian Michitti, Wide Receiver Simone Alinovi, and Defensive Lineman Gianmarco Grossi about their strategies, player dynamics, and expectations for the upcoming campaign. Get an insider's look into the team's tactical advantages, offensive game plans, quarterback connections, defensive strengths, and integration of new talents. With insights from key players and the head coach, discover how the Panthers are poised for success on both sides of the ball in their quest for another championship title.
Head Coach Brian Michitti
Let's begin with the questions for Head Coach Brian Michitti, who led the Panthers to the Italian bowl win last season and certainly changed the team’s mentality .
MEMORIES FROM 2023
What was the most important tactical advantage your team had last season, leading you to your eventual championship win? What was the most important mental aspect of last year’s squad?
“Well, our most important tactical advantage from last year was definitely having an offense characterized by a strong running game and the presence of tough players. This feature of our offense allowed us to strengthen our mentality and team culture. I was also very satisfied about the way we played in defense : we worked a lot during practices on technical aspects like tackling and turnovers, and that helped us a lot during the season making turnovers and avoiding missing tackles.
About the mentality, I can say that as a coach, it was very easy for me to work with the Panthers for several reasons: they are mentally tough, they have a winning culture, and they don't let negative events affect them. So, I felt like we definitely have a tough team”.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
What statement will your team make by competing in the CEFL this season? What makes this year’s team more prepared to compete for a European title?
“The statement that we’ll make this year is that we’re gonna play the best football that we can at the European level.We were competing last year but we fell short. We feel like we're one of the teams that can compete and represent Italy on an international level . We’re gonna take every practice and every game as a chance to improve. Last year we made our mistakes both from technical and tactical aspects, we really killed ourselves in the semifinal but we learned a lot from that trip as a team and as an organization. So I just feel like all of these things are really gonna help us in this year’s tournament.
YOUTH IN ACTION
How many of your youth players have experience playing on the Seniors level? How much impact will those young players have on the success of this year’s team?
“We had quite a few juniors that practiced with us last year, all of them did a great job, because of their fantastic attitudes.Two of them really showed up at the end of our senior year, and they also did a great job showing up and helping the team on our junior winning season. So all of them made big improvements, they really have grown on attitude and mentality”.
Wide Receiver Simone Alinovi
Let's continue the analysis with Simone Alinovi’s words , one of the best wide receivers in Italy, who will return to the field from week 1, after last year's injury.
COMEBACK SEASON
Last year, you were absent for most of the season due to injury. Despite winning the championship, how much do you think your absence weighed on the offensive game? How do you think the offensive game of the team will change tactically this year?
“Last season we certainly lacked a playmaker on offense, so our offensive game was based around running plays and therefore on managing time and possession during games. With my return to the field as a receiver, I hope that deep passes and big plays will return to our games. The arrival of Jon Eagle as Offensive Coordinator is a huge luck for us because he is the one who created our game system and has been collaborating with our team for years”.
QUARTERBACK CONNECTION
Robbie Patterson will be your quarterback this season. What are your thoughts? Have you already built a good connection during training? Is he the right quarterback for your offense?
“Robbie is already practicing with us, he's a very calm guy who doesn't want to overshadow anyone but he wants to be a part of our offense day by day . I was very impressed by his ball release, which is very quick and soft . Together during these practices , we are trying to figure out if my position on the field will be better as an inside receiver or an outside receiver, and we are working on our timing. Robbie has made a very good impression on both me and the rest of the teammates; he already knows the entire playbook and all of our plays. The game of Anthony Paoletti, the quarterback from last year, was very focused around running and power football. This year, with Patterson's arrival, we have returned to our old style of offensive play, so we will see more passes.
Defensive Lineman Gianmarco Grossi
Let’s finish our analysis with Gianmarco Grossi’s words. He’s one of the best defensive linemen in Italy, and this year is ready more than ever for the back to back season.
ATHLETIC DEFENSE
You are undoubtedly one of the leaders on your defense, what were the key aspects of your defense last year? How much did the work of the new head coach Brian Michitti influence the team ?
Certainly, one of the key aspects of our defense last year was the athletic preparation, which undoubtedly allowed us to reach very high levels of endurance. It enabled us to stay strong on the field until the end of every game and to give 100% on every play. Then, there was a lot of on-field work during training sessions, with many reps. Coach Brian, added to our defense new plays, and motivated us in the right way, so he expected the best from us. We will always give him our best.
2024 DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive line has been one of the strongest units of our team for years, and you are certainly one of the leaders. Do you believe that also this year you will be impactful in the trenches? How has the new Linebecker Jaylin Parnell integrated into the defense? And are there any young players you want to talk about?
We've recently started practicing with full pads, and I've already seen a competitiveness that isn't often seen in early practices. This season, we're highly motivated, we want to do even better , we want to achieve our goals at all costs, so we're ready to win again.
Jaylin is a beast, you'll see him soon, how much he’s gonna help our defense.
I'd like to talk about a teammate in my unit, Defensive Line Michele Minuti, who played really well last year.
2024 Parma Panthers Perspective
As the IFL 2024 season unfolds, the Parma Panthers' preparation and strategic outlook, as made clear by Head Coach Brian Michitti, Wide Receiver Simone Alinovi, and Defensive Lineman Gianmarco Grossi, offer a compelling narrative of determination and adaptability.
With Michitti's emphasis on tactical prowess and a winning mentality, Alinovi's return heralds a shift in offensive dynamics, while Grossi's insights underscore the team's defensive resilience. Their collective vision and commitment to excellence set a promising tone for the Panthers as they navigate the challenges ahead, poised to leave an indelible mark on both the Italian and International Football Landscape.
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