LANCERS, CAMERA, ACTION: NFL COMES TO OXFORD

NFL Network send cameramen and photographers to Oxford team camp.


It was the red carpet and the bright lights for Oxford’s American football team today, as NFL Network cameras captured their training camp today.

Wide receiver Kieran Keel can’t contain his glee.

The crew took photos, filmed action and interviewed players and coaches as the Oxford Lancers scrimmaged with the Oxford Brookes Panthers and Leicester Longhorns.

The day was part of a NFL Network series on British NFL ‘superfan’ Adam Goldstein, author of ‘Tailgate to Heaven’ and assistant coach at the Lancers.

The Boat Race got nothing on this setup.

NFL photographers were also at the Lancers practice on Thursday, and the combined body of work will form the basis for a segment to be aired nationally in the USA in the coming weeks.

The segments will also be available on the NFL.com website.

Speaking to the Tab, Lancers Head Coach Carl Marshall said: “I’d like to thank the NFL network team for their interest and enthusiasm in following Coach Adam and helping to showcase university football in the UK.”

Coach Carl Marshall addresses his adoring fans.

The Lancers play in the BUCS British University American Football League in the South Coast Conference, having been re-formed in 2010 after the league-mandated split of the one-time British champion Oxford Cavaliers into separate Oxford and Brookes sides.

The team are currently preparing for their second season of competitive play, following a difficult but determined year of play culminating in a very narrow loss to Cambridge in Varsity.

Club president Elliot Neale (centre) stares vacantly for the cameras.

After a long day of training, rookie running back Ben Schanker said: “After practice, you get home, take a hot bath and realize the bruises, the cuts, the sore muscles, and aches: they’re all worth it for that one moment when you faced up man against man, and showed him who’s boss until that whistle blew.”

Linebacker Benedict Shillito was more straightforward, interjecting: “That’s very poetic, but the heart of the matter is that it’s fun to hit people.”

Quarterback Panayiotis Christoforou just kinda stands there while they film him for like a minute.  I think it’s filler footage or something. TV is weird.

The team is currently recruiting ahead of the season opener, at home to Brighton, on Monday 11th November.