Las Vegas Gladiators wide receiver Joe Douglass, making a catch during practice Tuesday, is the only player on this year's squad who was with the team from start to finish last season. Photo by John Locher.

Danton Barto knew simply tweaking the roster wouldn't be enough when he became the Gladiators coach, not after a 5-11 season that ended with six consecutive losses.

He was hired in June to make changes, and he has done so, overhauling the roster.

Only three players from last year's team are in training camp. Wide receiver Joe Douglass is the only Las Vegas player who was on last year's roster from start to finish. Lineman Tupe Peko and wide receiver Kevin Prentiss also had stints with the 2006 squad.

"I kind of wanted to bring my own type of guys in and change the attitude of this team," said Barto, who led the Memphis Xplorers to the 2005 af2 championship. "If I go down, I want to go down with my own guy. It's something at a lower level I've been successful doing. Obviously, we're at a higher level with better coaching and better players, but football's football."

Barto said his first priority was the defensive line.

"I want pass rushers," he said. "I'm looking for guys that were productive NFL-type players."

Defensive end Karon Riley is one such player. He played for the Chicago Bears in 2001 and the Atlanta Falcons from 2002 to 2005.

Riley is one of many Gladiators trying to get used to new teammates.

"I think every year you go into a camp situation, no matter if it's arena, NFL, CFL, it's going to be a time where you need to learn your teammates, learn the schemes and get comfortable with just playing football again," Riley said. "It's going to take a couple of weeks to get all that back into your system, but it's a good environment for us to come out here and chill as a team."

After the defensive line, Barto said his emphasis shifts to the offensive line and then the skill positions.

"The last position we always do is receiver," Barto said. "Some people think that's crazy, but there are a lot of people who can run fast and catch the football. I'm really excited about how our young group of receivers is starting to come around."

Douglass is the dean of those receivers. He enters his third season with the club, having caught 142 passes for 1,452 yards and 34 touchdowns over the past two years.

The numerous roster changes hardly surprised him.

"I don't ever go into camp being overly confident," Douglass said. "I just come in the best shape that I can be and always try to make plays. If you don't make plays, you're not going to be on the team.

"I love what Coach Barto's doing, the way we run practice. It's high intensity. We work fast, but it's quick, good (repetitions). And then the guys he's brought in (are) good character guys along with, I think, super good ballers. No disrespect to the guys that have been here, but it's just a completely new culture, a new team."

• NOTES -- Quarterback Shaun King did not practice because of a high ankle sprain. ... Offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, who played at Brigham Young, left "for personal reasons," Barto said. ... The Gladiators first game is March 4 against the Wranglers in Austin, Texas.