Long Journey Leads To Playoffs For Silverbacks
June 1, 2010 - Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Dayton Silverbacks News Release
On their way to Saturday night's regular season finale in Chicago, the Miami Valley Silverbacks bus broke down about 30 miles east of Indianapolis. Once the Silverbacks' nine-and-a-half hour excursion came to an end, Chris Stanford put together a practically perfect effort to erase the pain of the long trip, leading Miami Valley to a 58-24 win.
Perfect, as in a 12-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the game's first play from scrimmage as a defensive back.
Perfect, as in six-for-six passing for 120 yards and four touchdowns in place of injured starter Kyenes Mincy, who went down with a shoulder injury late in the first quarter.
And perfect, as in a sixth touchdown contributed by rushing in a one-yard score on his third snap under center, part of a five-carry, 29-yard rushing effort.
Stanford's effort was so perfect, it seemed like it came from a movie.
"I yelled at him 'Beamon! Get your butt in there!,' "Silverbacks head coach Brian Wells said of how he told Stanford he was going to have to take over for Mincy. "He reminds me of the character from Any Given Sunday, except he doesn't get nervous like Willie Beamon. His throwing motion isn't pretty, but he has good touch on his balls and he anticipates his routes."
Although Stanford made his biggest splash at quarterback, it was his recovery and return of a fumble forced by linebacker Will White on the first play of the game that he says set the tone.
"I don't know who caused the fumble," Stanford said, "but when I got it and saw there was no one in front of me, that was a sign it was going to be a good day."
As far as his numbers as quarterback, where he is now seven-for-seven on the season with five touchdowns, Stanford credited his line and the play of his receivers.
While neither Mincy nor Stanford were sacked, Melvin Bryant made a leaping, one-handed catch while falling backwards for a 27-yard gain in the third quarter and another leaping catch against the boards for the final touchdown of the game. Both of Evans' catches went for touchdowns, including a jump ball he snatched in the end zone for Stanford's first touchdown pass, putting the Silverbacks ahead 26-6 in the second quarter.
"When I'm at quarterback, my first option is Aric Evans," Stanford said. "When I'm in trouble, I just put it up to Aric Evans and he goes and gets it."
Lineman Derrick Crawford blocked a field goal and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown later in the quarter to give Miami Valley a 32-6 lead at halftime.
Stanford and Crawford were only a few of the players who contributed in a number of ways for Miami Valley.
"Considering your roster is limited, you have to have guys who are versatile," Wells said. "Jason Cunningham, he's not just a kicker. He played defensive end and batted down a pass. The kid's an athlete. You have to have 21 athletes and you have to have 21 football players."
In addition to forcing the fumble that lead to the game's first touchdown, linebacker Will White finished with 3.0 tackles and carried the ball three times for 16 yards. Receiver Isaiah Cheatham scored on a pair of runs, including a 45-yard burst that put Miami Valley ahead 14-0 less than six minutes into the game. Lineman Eric Starks even contributed with a four-yard touchdown from Stanford in the third quarter.
The Cardinals played without several of their top contributors throughout the season, who left to join for the Wisconsin Wolfpack, but Stanford says the Silverbacks still weren't going to take them lightly.
"We didn't come into this game thinking Chicago was going to lay down," Stanford said. "We came out and pulled the upset in Wisconsin, so I thought they were going to try to do the same thing to us."
Instead, with a win for their originally scheduled June 12 game awarded to them, the Silverbacks will be on a three-game winning streak for the first time ever as they head into the playoffs for only the second time in the team's five seasons. Awaiting them will be top-seeded Cincinnati, which suffered its first loss of the season to Wisconsin, 45-21, Saturday.
The game is scheduled for Friday night, June 18 at the Cincinnati Gardens.
"I don't want to guarantee a win, but I can guarantee we can give Cincinnati a good game and I think they know it," said Stanford, whose team beat Wisconsin two weeks ago. "We just have to take these three weeks to prepare."
Wells concurred that while making the postseason is an accomplishment, his team's work is far done.
"Considering as much adversity as this team has faced and where we've come as an organization from the start to now, I'm very proud of our players, our coaches, and our ownership has stepped up," Wells said. "It's a great feeling, but it's not over."
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from June 1, 2010
- Long Journey Leads To Playoffs For Silverbacks - Dayton Silverbacks
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