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Birmingham Steeldogs game notes

June 20, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Florida Firecats (8-2)
at Birmingham Steeldogs (6-5)
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2006
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT
Site: BJCC Arena (16,000)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: Referee: Todd Dunaway; Umpire: Tyrone Blanks;
Head Linesman: Lark Jones; Line Judge: Chris Jamison; Back Judge: Brad Freeman
Radio: WAPI-1070 AM (Matt Coulter and Roger Shultz)
TV: None
Series Record: FLA leads 5-3
Last Meeting: FLA, 62-44, May 13, 2006 @ FLA
Streaks: Birmingham W2, Florida W3
Coaches: Ron Selesky (25-18; 1-1 playoffs, 3rd Season
Overall; 6-5, 1st Season in Birmingham)
Kevin Bouis (22-4, 2nd Season)

THE STAKES: One week removed from one of the most significant wins in team history, the Steeldogs look to knock off another top-ranked opponent as they host the Florida Firecats. Birmingham defeated then-No. 1 Memphis, 43-42, last Saturday night on a 25-yard field goal by Alex Walls as time expired. Florida will move into the top spot this weekend, giving the Steeldogs a rare opportunity at a No. 1 daily double. Birmingham is also fighting for a playoff spot as the season winds down. The Steeldogs are tied with three other 6-5 teams for the final two American Conference playoff spots.
THE SERIES: Birmingham has not defeated the Firecats since May 14, 2004, when the Steeldogs beat Florida, 55-34 at home. Birmingham has since dropped four straight in the series and is currently trailing the overall series five games to three.
THE IFs:
If Birmingham defeats Florida, it would...
- Give the Steeldogs a 5-2 record in the South Division
- Break a four-game losing streak to the Firecats
- Give the Steeldogs their first win over HC Kevin Bouis
- Keep the Steeldogs in the 2006 playoff race
- Give Birmingham their first three-game winning streak since 2004


BIRMINGHAM (6-5, Won 2)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/8 EVERETT 7:00 W 41-36
4/14 RIO GRANDE 7:00 L 43-44
4/21 @ Louisville 6:30 L 40-62
4/29 @ South Georgia 6:30 W 40-34
5/5 LOUISVILLE 7:00 W 63-60
5/13 @ Florida 6:30 L 44-62
5/20 @ Tennessee Valley 7:30 L 17-21
5/27 MACON 7:00 W 71-30
6/3 @ Everett 9:30 L 34-40
6/10 SOUTH GEORGIA 7:00 W 42-35
6/17 @ Memphis 7:00 W 43-42
6/24 FLORIDA 7:00 --- FLA 5-3
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
7/8 @ Rio Grande 7:00 Tied 1-1
7/15 @ Macon 7:00 BIR 5-4
7/22 MEMPHIS 7:00 BHM 4-2
7/29 TENNESSEE VALLEY 7:00 TV 10-2

FLORIDA (8-2, Won 3)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/8 @ Memphis L 46-78
4/15 @ Macon W 53-40
4/22 MEMPHIS W 60-55
4/29 @ Bossier City W 47-26
5/6 @ Tennessee Valley W 76-37
5/13 BIRMINGHAM W 62-44
5/20 @ Manchester L 62-79
5/27 SOUTH GEORGIA W 64-28
6/3 TENNESSEE VALLEY W 74-33
6/17 MACON W 66-54
6/17 @ Memphis W 43-42
6/24 @ Birmingham 7:00 --- FLA 5-3
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
7/1 GREEN BAY
7/8 @ W/B Scranton
7/15 ALBANY
7/22 LOUISVILLE
7/29 @ South Georgia


HEAD COACHES:
RON SELESKY, BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS
Head Coach Ron Selesky is an Arena Football League and af2 coaching veteran. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Columbus Destroyers in 2005 under Head Coach Chris Spielman. Prior to that, Selesky spent the 2004 season on the sidelines for the Carolina Cobras, beginning the year as the team's defensive coordinator before finishing the season as the head coach.

Selesky earned af2 Coach of the Year honors in 2002, guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a regular-season mark of 13-3 and a Northeast Division title. He spent the 2001 season as the head coach of the Louisville Fire, leading the team to a 6-10 mark.

Selesky spent the 2003 season as head coach and director of football operations for the Buffalo Destroyers, prior to the team relocating to Columbus, Ohio. He also served as the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. With the Storm, his teams compiled a 31-11 regular season record and earned a berth in the 1998 ArenaBowl.

KEVIN BOUIS, FLORIDA FIRECATS
Coach Bouis is in his 3rd year with the Firecats and has been promoted to the head coach position for 2005 Season.

A former player for the the National Indoor Football League Mississippi Firedogs. He helped his team win 2 League Championships with All League Honors. He also led the team in interceptions with 13 and 30 total defensive turnovers (23 int. 7 fumbles recovered).

Bouis played college football at Kentucky. While he was there he started as a true freshmen as a safety. He majored in kinesiology.

LAST SERIES MEETING: May 13, 2006: Florida defeated Birmingham, 62-44, at the Germain Arena in Estero, Fla.

SERIES HISTORY:

Steeldogs 49 FIRECATS 31 May 3, 2002
Steeldogs 38 FIRECATS 35 (O) May 3, 2003
Firecats 57 STEELDOGS 35 July 19, 2003
STEELDOGS 55 Firecats 34 May 14, 2004
FIRECATS 55 Steeldogs 28 July 10, 2004
FIRECATS 56 Steeldogs 40 June 4, 2005
Firecats 28 STEELDOGS 27 July 30, 2005
FIRECATS 62 Steeldogs 44 May 13, 2006

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Steeldogs players who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
STEELDOGS
Player Rank Category Stat
Kerry Wright 6th All-Purpose Yd/G 162.6
Kerry Wright 8th Yards/Catch 15.3
Kerry Wright 4th Receive Yds/G 111.7
Kerry Wright 10th MFG Rtn Yds 4-63
Kerry Wright 7th MFG Returns 4
Terrell Browden 8th Rush Yards 115
Theo Sanders 9th Rush Yards 114
Ryan Hawk 10th Total Off. Plays 364
Alex Walls 2nd Field Goals 9-23
Alex Walls t-4th Field Goals Attp 23
Alex Walls 5th Field Goal Pct 39.1
Alex Walls 2nd Field Goals Made 9
Bobby Keyes 4th Interceptions 7
Bobby Keyes t-2nd INT Returns 7-11

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Steeldogs and Firecats stack up:
Statistical BIRMINGHAM FLORIDA
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 16th 43.2 1st 61.0
Scoring Defense 3rd 42.4 11th 47.4
Total Offense 10th 270.7 5th 286.0
Total Defense 5th 242.0 9th 254.0
Pass Offense 13th 238.2 8th 255.7
Pass Defense 4th 222.1 8th 232.7
Rushing Offense 3rd 32.5 4th 30.3
Rushing Defense t-10th 19.9 13th 21.3
Pass Rating 16th 92.3 6th 112.7
Pass Def. Rating 8th 96.2 7th 94.6
Kickoff Returns 23rd 12.5 7th 18.7
MFG Returns 18th 11.4 23rd 0.0
Turnover Margin 4th +11 2nd +11
Field Goals 6th 9-23 (.391) 5th 2-5 (.400)
PAT Kicking 14th 42-57 (.737) 21st 48-71 (.676)
Sacks By 8th 19-98 t-17th 11-54
Sacks Against t-10th 14-71 t-4th 7-60
First Downs 12th 192 18th 187
Opp. First Downs 6th 176 3rd 172
Penalties 11th 84-587 18th 94-668
Opp. Penalties 12th 90-622 8th 94-596

STEELDOGS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
WR/DB Donald Amaker Torn ACL Out (Season)

DROPBACK: SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - Alex Walls drilled a 25-yard field goal attempt as time expired to give the Birmingham Steeldogs an upset victory over the No. 1 Memphis Xplorers, 43-40, at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss.
The kick was set up following an interception by Bradly Chavez, the third of the night for the Steeldogs' defense, of a Brian Jones pass. Chavez's 30-yard reutrn set the Steeldogs' offense up at Memphis five-yard line. Birmingham had just blown a chance to recover an onside kick after a penalty nullified DS Michael Gholar's leaping grab of Walls' attempt. QB Ryan Hawk pulled the Steeldogs deeper into Xplorers' territory, setting up Walls with just a handful of seconds remaining. Before making the kick, the kicker from the University of Tennessee had converted both of his field goal tries earlier in the game.
With 5:20 remaining in the game, Memphis took a 42-32 lead as Kenny Higgins reeled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Brian Jones. Birmingham responded with 55 seconds remaining as Robert Kent dove across the goal line from three yards out to pull the Steeldogs within two after the successful two-point conversion. Walls' onside attempt was snagged by Gholar, but a penalty levied against the Steeldogs gave Memphis the ball and set up Chavez's interception. Memphis' Jones had thrown just four interceptions through the first ten games of the season, a number that the fourth-ranked Steeldogs defense almost matched on their own.
Birmingham employed a modified two-quarterback system for much of the night, with Ryan Hawk working between the tens and Robert Kent engineering the red-zone offense. Hawk finished with the superior numbers, completing 25 of 37 pass attempts for 231 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Birmingham's Allyn Sheffield served as the team's offensive specialist, subbing for the injured Kerry Wright and Steve Sills. The first-year Steeldog had a huge night, pulling down 14 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. His catch total ties him with Wayne Thomas for the most ever by a Steeldogs player in a single game. Sheffield's big game comes on the heels of his game-winning touchdown catch late in last week's narrow victory over the South Georgia Wildcats.
Bradly Chavez pulled a rare daily double after the game, winning both the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award and the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game award; making this the first time a Steeldogs' player has taken home both awards on the same night. Alex Walls becomes the first Steeldogs' kicker to hoist the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game award. Bobby Keyes' pick in the third quarter was recognized as the Cutter's Catch of the Game.
FORWARD MOTION: Birmingham enjoys its second bye week of the season and its first since beginning competition. The Steeldogs next suit up on July 8 at Rio Grande Valley.

KEY DATES IN TEAM/LEAGUE HISTORY:
JUNE 15, 2001: Birmingham ripped the now-defunct Lafayette Roughnecks, 75-31, at the BJCC Arena.

SCHUTT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Kerry Wright (BIR)
2 RGV Dwight Counter (RGV)
3 Louisville Brett Deitz (LOU)
4 SGA Mareno Philyaw (BIR)
5 Louisville Kerry Wright (BIR)
6 Florida Magic Benton (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Chris Gunn (TVV)
8 Macon Bradly Chavez (BIR)
9 Everett Brian Baker (EVE)
10 SGA Steve Sills (BIR)
11 Memphis Alex Walls (BIR)

U.S. ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Bradly Chavez (BIR)
2 RGV Terrell Browden (BIR)
3 Louisville Terrell Browden (BIR)
4 SGA Chris McKinney (SGA)
5 Louisville Lance Taylor (LOU)
6 Florida Brittney Tellis (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Johnny Anderson (TVV)
8 Macon Mareno Philyaw (BIR)
9 Everett Milton Myers (EVE)
10 SGA Allyn Sheffield (BIR)
11 Memphis Bradly Chavez (BIR)

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
2 RGV Bobby Keyes (BIR)
3 Louisville Dwayne Lefall (LOU)
4 SGA Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
5 LOU Michael Gholar (BIR)
6 Florida Cory Bailey (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Bobby Keyes (BIR)
8 Macon Deon Deboise (BIR)
9 Everett John Fields (EVE)
10 SGA Deon Deboise (BIR)
11 Memphis Bradly Chavez (BIR)

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