The All American Football League will kick off in the spring of 2008, and thus will not be in direct competition with the NFL, which plays its games in the fall and winter.

The AAFL will have six teams – one in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Michigan, which have been selected due to fan interest in former players from local universities and college football.

The league targets former players from nearby universities, and all players must have their college degrees and have used up their eligibility in order to be considered for the league.

Last Thursday, Team Michigan held tryouts at Ford Field in Detroit for former college standouts from the Big Ten and Great Lakes region, players from other Bowl Championship Series eligible conference teams and players who were cut from NFL training camps during the summer.

The tryout allowed AAFL personnel to watch potential players before the league holds its inaugural draft in October.

More than 50 former Spartans and Wolverines worked out at Ford Field while MSU graduate and former Detroit Lions head coach Wayne Fontes was also present coaching and observing.

Notable Spartans at the tryout included Kyle Cook, Kyle Brown, David Stanton and Greg Cooper. Other notable players were former Michigan quarterback John Navarre, 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch and quarterback of the 2007 National Champion Florida Gators, Chris Leak.

Former Wolverine and current Team Michigan President Chris Horn came away impressed by a couple of former Spartans.

“Damon Dowdell looked really good, and certainly showed that he can still play the game, and we’re interested in him.” Horn said.

“Agim Shabaj at wide receiver is quick as a cat. Charles Barber at wide receiver, he’s a guy who looks like he’s in great shape – a little stronger and bigger than he was before, so we think he showed us a great amount of skill in the camp.”

The Alabama, Arkansas and Florida teams have already held previous tryouts while others in Tennessee and Texas are expected to follow Thursday’s tryout in Detroit.

The first season of the AAFL is scheduled to kick off in April 2008 with a 10-game season, and Team Michigan has a deal in principle with Ford Field to use the facility for the upcoming debut season.

Horn is confident that when the AAFL begins play it will not suffer the same fate as its predecessors.

“You can believe me that when people buy a ticket to an All American Football League event they are going to buy a total entertainment package,” he said.

“It’s Detroit, it’s Detroit Rock City, it’s Motown. We are going to tap the college passion.”