Willis Marshall has won AFL championships in Grand Rapids and Colorado.

IRVING, Texas - New team. Same teammates.

Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel will begin the 2007 season surrounded by two veteran AFL receivers he's very familiar with. The Desperados signed Las Vegas Gladiators wide receiver Marcus Nash during the off-season and on Wednesday picked up Willis Marshall after he was released by the Colorado Crush.

"Usually it takes a while to figure out a new receiver," Dolezel said. "But there is a comfort level with these two."

Marshall is a six-year veteran of the league and played three seasons with Dolezel on the Grand Rapids Rampage. The two teamed to win ArenaBowl XV in 2001.

"Willis has a lot of experience, so I'm not stressing," Dolezel said of Marshall's sudden signing.

Marshall participated in his second practice with the Desperados on Thursday and will play in the season opener Sunday against the New York Dragons, a game scheduled to be nationally televised by ABC. Marshall said he is already settling in to his new surroundings.

"I'm not trying to come in and make a change, I'm trying to enhance what is already here," said Marshall, who spent time after practice Thursday running additional routes with Dolezel so the two can regain their timing.

Dolezel, who is in charge of the offense and calls plays, said the Desperados are running the same offense Grand Rapids ran when the two played together there, so there should be very little time spent relearning schemes.

In addition to playing wide receiver, Marshall will be returning kicks. Desperados head coach Will McClay said Marshall has jumped right in to practices and is focused on making a contribution to the team and should be ready to go Sunday.

"He is a one-two punch for us with kickoffs and receiving," McClay said.

At least Dolezel has had more time to reacquaint himself with Nash.The two were paired together in 2004 and 2005 in Las Vegas, where Nash won AFL Offensive Player of the Year honors with Dolezel throwing to him in 2004. In four AFL seasons, the first with Detroit and the past thee in Vegas, Nash has 477 catches for 5,723 yards and 139 touchdowns.

The former first-round draft choice of the Denver Broncos in 1998 describes his on-field relationship with Dolezel as "pure chaos."

"We'll be fussing at each other, arguing, disagreeing…it will look like we never agree, but we always do the right thing," Nash said.

Nash said he is happy to be in Dallas because the team has a winning atmosphere and a desire among the players to get to the ArenaBowl.

"Can't lose anymore - there is an attitude here in the organization which won't allow it," he said.

Dolezel said the arrival of Nash in the off-season combined with Marshall gives him a nucleus to work with. He said their presence, along with Desperados veteran Will Pettis, would allow him to be more precise and specific in the types of passes thrown and routes run on plays.

If the core receivers stay focused and key in on small details, McClay said Sunday's season opener (11:30 a.m. CST) against New York should go well.

And the 2007 season could go well also if old teammates are able to recapture past success for their new team.