Nashville Kats Playbook: Execution Equals Excellence

The 3-3 Nashville Kats are in the thick of a 2025 playoff hunt. With several teams at or below three wins, every win matters from here on out. Head Coach Darren Arbet and his team know the importance of each game late in the season. We caught up with the Arbet to see how his team prepares for a Week 11 clash with the Oregon Lightning!

 

injury updates

The Kats continue to nurse a couple of injuries to their team. ATH Tom Butters, Defensive Back Byron Edwards II, and Defensive Tackle Justin Foster are all on short-term injured reserve. We asked Coach Arbet how the guys are doing as they recover from their various injuries. “Justin [Foster] still hasn’t practiced. Byron [Edwards II], there’s a chance that he might be able to go.” We will wait to see what materializes with these injuries by game time this Saturday. The Nashville defense will need all the help it can get trying to defend one of the best passing offenses in Arena Football One this weekend.

week 11 matchup versus red-hot lightning

Back in Week 4, Nashville defeated Oregon 40-32. Coach Arbet knows his team will play a much-improved Lightning team in Week 11. Nashville “looked in the mirror” after their Week 9 loss and have been working hard to clean up their mistakes both last week and this week. Here is what Coach Arbet told us regarding that. “[We have] just been going over the basics. Gotta take care of the defense. Gotta limit the turnovers, and I definitely have got to coach better.”

Shifting gears to the game in Week 11, Coach Arbet spoke on the Lightning and the challenges that await them. “They’re a good football team. They’ve won three in a row. They are hot right now. Their QB is playing well. He can run. He can play. He’s tough and he’s physical. They have a great Safety in Nickolas Brassell back there. He is one of the best in the league at that position. They are playing really well right now.” Brassell was named Arena Football One's Week 10 Defensive Player of the Week. The conversation shifted to Nashville’s offense and what they have been working on to prepare for the Lightning. “Just the timing on everything. Getting to know each other better. Those are the things we need to do. Work on the details of it with the offensive line. They did what they were supposed to do to get better.”

Speaking of Nashville’s offensive line, they have the tall task of blocking a vicious Oregon pass rush this week. Coach Arbet spoke on what his O-Line needs to do to be successful against one of the best units in the league. “Our guys have to step up and block. Oregon can bring it. They’re physical, and they get after the quarterback. We worked on some different things, and hopefully, the guys can execute it.” Coverage of this Week 11 matchup will begin at 8:00PM Eastern streaming exclusively on EvergreenNOW! Interested in betting on Arena Football One? Head to BettorEdge to get started!