BLOOMINGTON - Mitch Tanney, who starred at Lexington High School and Monmouth College, will compete for the starting quarterback's job with the Bloomington Extreme this season.

The Extreme announced Tanney's signing Thursday along with defensive end Rob Schroeder, who led two Arena Football League teams in sacks in consecutive seasons.

Mitch Tanney

Tanney helped his high school team to the Class 1A state championship game in 2001. At Division III Monmouth, he was named Midwest Conference player of the year, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes.

As a professional, Tanney earned the starting quarterback's job with the af2's Alabama Steeldogs in 2007. He went on to pass for more than 3,000 yards and 67 touchdowns. He spent 2008 as a backup in the AFL.

Given his experience and the retirement of former QB Dusty Burk, Tanney, 25, joins the Extreme with an inside track to the starting job, but he said he has been given no such assurances.

"I'm looking forward to actually playing in front of friends and family again," Tanney said. "The Extreme have signed a number of guys who played in the AFL and so have other teams. It's definitely going to be competitive."

Schroeder led the Austin Wranglers of the AFL in sacks and tackles for loss in 2007, and he did the same for the Orlando Predators last season.

"Most scouts and coaches you talk to in the AFL think he was the best defensive end in the league," Extreme coach Kenton Carr said.