News Story - Idaho State Journal

The arenafootball2 league isn't on par with the NFL, but it is football.

That's enough for George Yarno.

Six months after playing his final game as Idaho State's center, Yarno signed a one-year contract with the Boise Burn of the af2 league on Thursday. He won't have much time to acclimate himself, either.

He's expected to make his Burn debut tonight.

''I got a call the other day,'' Yarno said by phone from Boise. ''I was looking for a summer job, and I've got one now.''

With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Burn are 5-4. They host West Division leader Spokane (9-0) at 7:10 p.m. today at Qwest Arena in Boise.

Yarno still plans to begin work on a master's degree in microbiology this fall at Idaho State, and his Burn contract is not guaranteed, assistant general manager Scott Conklin said.

But the Burn released two offensive linemen this week and have struggled at center this season, Conklin said. Yarno, who was still living in Idaho and co-captained the Bengals last season, seemed a good fit for the Burn.

''Everybody we talked to said he's a heck of a ballplayer despite his size,'' Conklin said of the 6-foot-0, 275-pound Yarno.

Yarno joins three other former Idaho State players on the Burn's active roster: WR/DB Ernie James, WR/DB Shadrach Okoebor and WR/DB DeRonn Finley.

In arena football, each team fields eight players at one time. Often athletes play on both offense and defense. Yarno didn't expect to play too many snaps on defense; the adjustment to centering a three-man line as opposed to the college standard five-man line was enough to learn, he said.

''In the (college) game, you've got more room to work,'' Yarno said. ''Here you've gotta be a little more stout and tougher at the line.

''I'm rusty for sure, but it's good to be competing again.''

In addition to Yarno, the Burn signed former Weber State linebacker Brad Stewart and Montana wideout Eric Allen this week.

Including tonight's contest, the Burn have four regular season home games remaining. Ticket information is available at www.boiseburn.com.

Boise Burn

remaining games

Date Opp.

Today Spokane Shock

6/14 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz

6/21 at Stockton Lightning

6/28 Tri-Cities Fever

7/12 Florida Firecats

7/19 at Central Valley Coyotes

7/26 at Spokane Shock

This document was originally published online on Saturday, June 07, 2008

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