AVENGERS UPDATE: REVAMPED AVENGERS HOPE TO STAGE MAJOR OFFENSIVE.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Avengers wide receiver Greg Hopkins shook his head sternly when asked to divulge details of the fancy offense under new head coach Ed Hodgkiss.

``That's all confidential, I can't tell you,'' Hopkins said.

Just then, Hopkins broke out in a big smile and laughed, two things he hopes to be doing quite a bit of in his first season with the Avengers, who begin their third season in Los Angeles tonight at Staples Center against the New York Dragons.

But Hopkins, and everyone else around the revamped Avengers, knows the only thing that will bring consistent smiles is winning, something that hasn't happened often enough during the team's first two years.

The Avengers have won just 8 of 28 games in two seasons, resulting in the firing of head coach Stan Brock after three consecutive losses to begin last year, and the hiring of Hodgkiss to replace Robert Lyles, who coached the final 11 games of 2001. The Avengers finished 5-9.

The hope is that Hodgkiss, the mastermind behind the Indiana Firebirds' high-powered offense the past five years, can get the Avengers on the right track. With an overhauled roster - only 12 of 24 players are back from a year ago - and the addition of Hopkins and Chad Dukes, both of whom followed Hodgkiss from Indiana, the objectives are clear.

``I said it (before) last year and I'll say it again this year, I hope to make the playoffs,'' Avengers owner Casey Wasserman said. ``If I were to say we're going to win a few games and that's what I expect, that would be unrealistic. We're here for one thing and that's to win the championship, and that's why we spent the money on the players and brought in a new coach and that's why we're here, to win.''

Hodgkiss doesn't shy away from those expectations. After going through training camp and two exhibition games - a 51-44 loss to Georgia and a 64-38 loss to Chicago - he feels the Avengers not only are ready to start the year, they're ready to turn things around.

``I'm excited with where we are at with this team,'' Hodgkiss said. ``I truly believe we have the talent to have an extraordinary season.''

AVENGERS vs. NEW YORK 

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Staples Center.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1540-AM.

Avengers (0-0) update: They begin year one under offensive mastermind Ed Hodgkiss, who was brought in from Indiana to retool the their sluggish offense, one of the worst in the Arena Football League last year. Hodgkiss oversaw Indiana's high-powered offense the past five years and is expected to immediately upgrade the L.A. attack. He's brought in former Indiana stars Greg Hopkins and Chad Dukes to help get things untracked, and they'll team with quarterback Tony Graziani, who played two games with the Avengers last year before suffering a season- ending knee injury.

Dragons (0-0) update: The Dragons suffered a big loss when QB Aaron Garcia and WR Kevin Swayne signed with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, respectively. Garcia was the 2001 AFL Offensive Player of the Year. His replacement is Danny Ragsdale.

- Vincent Bonsignore

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AVENGERS vs. NEW YORK (see text)