(07-14-08)
PHILADELPHIA -- Former University of New Haven football star Phil Bogle will be on the active roster of the Philadelphia Soul for Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII on Sunday, July 27 at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be played live on ESPN on ABC (HD).
The Soul (15-3, AFL National and Eastern Division champions) will make their first ever ArenaBowl appearance and will face defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose Sabercats (13-5).
This season, Bogle was a First Team All-AFL selection as an offensive lineman for the Soul, and he mixed in seven receptions for six touchdowns as well.
Bogle protected First Team All-AFL QB Matt D'Orazio, who threw for 3,331 yards and 72 touchdowns, completing 72.4 percent of his passes. The Soul also featured the league's Offensive Player of the Year in receiver Chris Jackson (49 touchdown receptions) and have arguably the league's most potent offense thanks in part to Bogle's pass protection up front.
Entering their fifth season, the Philadelphia Soul is owned by Rock Icon Jon Bon Jovi and local businessman Craig A. Spencer. Last season the Soul lost to the Georgia Force in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
While at UNH, Bogle was an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) First Team Division II All-American in 2002 and won the top offensive lineman award at the Division II All-Star Game (Cactus Bowl).
He later signed a contract with the San Diego Chargers, where he played in 16 games (13 starts) as a rookie in 2003 and helped All-NFL running back LaDainian Tomlinson rush for over 1,600 yards that season.
