Morays vs. Daytona Beach Hawgs game preview
May 5, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Miami Morays News Release
This Week: Miami Morays (5-1) travel to take on the division rival Daytona Beach Hawgs (5-2) on TUI Business Machines Field at the Ocean Center...Saturday, May 7th, 7:05 p.m. ET.
King of the Hill: With the 58-53 win over the Hawgs at the Miami Arena, the Morays took a half-game lead over the Hawgs for first place in the Atlantic South. The Morays road record is 3-1, while the Hawgs home record is 4-0.
The Series: This will be the second of three meetings between the two teams this season. If the Hawgs win, they will take back first-place with a half-game lead. If the Morays win, they will extend their lead on the Atlantic South by 1 ½ games. The third matchup this season in Miami on June 4th will be a non-divisional game.
Division Foes: Kissimmee (2-5) and Lakeland (2-5) are currently tied for third-place in the Atlantic South. After this weekends game, the Morays have to play only one more divisional game against the Kissimmee Kreatures on May 21st in Miami.
Last Meeting: In a wild game on Ford Allen Field at the Miami Arena last Sunday, Derrick Vickers' 8-yd touchdown run with :10 remaining on the clock helped seal the 58-53 win for the Morays. The Morays scored 19 points in the last 1:15 of the game to break a 46-46 tie and emerge victorious.
Stuff that Run: The Morays had to take on one of the most productive running backs in the league in Daytona's Brad Lee, and the defense came up strong by limiting him to eight yards on 11 carries and no touchdowns.
"We made it our goal to shut down Brad Lee, but our secondary made some mistakes which we need to clean up. But I am very proud of the defensive front and the linebackers like Jimmy Williams and Lernard Mack. They controlled and dictated the defensive front which helped to stagnate their running game." - Coach Isaac
Bustin' Out: Derrick Vickers had a part in all seven offensive touchdowns against Daytona by throwing four touchdown passes and running for three. Vickers is currently leading the NIFL with a 111.2 QB rating and is second in yardage with 226.8 per game.
"Far and away Vickers played his best game. He probably would have thrown seven touchdown passes if it wasn't for all the drops in the game. He is a great quarterback when we give him time to throw the ball, but when the line breaks down, it forces him to hurry some things and that may be one of the causes of all the dropped passes."
"I actually think we played an average game, mainly because we
had three or four dropped touchdowns. There were some breakdowns up front and they played a very good game with some tough defensive plays. The key for us to beat them again is to play mistake-free football this time." â Coach Wells.
Instant Impact: One of the new faces making his debut this week was Johnny Martin, and he wasted no time in making his presence known on special teams. Fielding eight kickoffs, Martin rumbled down the field for 127 yards, including a 43-yd return in the first quarter.
Martin comes to the Morays after spending some time with the Chicago Bears and Memphis Mad Dogs of the CFL. A graduate of Memphis State University, Martin attended South Dade High School and currently lives in Homestead.
"Martin is a great asset to this team because he break something wide open at any time. He has the NFL experience which accounts for something, because that means he has accomplished something most of us have not. Once we get him comfortable with the indoor game, he is going to be even more exciting to watch" â Coach Wells
Timely Pick: Another new face to the Morays is defensive back Kevin Jackson, who brings to the Morays solid experience from the Arena Football League, having played for the Florida Bobcats and Carolina Cobras. A versatile player out of Tennessee State, Jackson is a Ft. Lauderdale native who attended perennial powerhouse Dillard HS.
Pressed into action at the defensive back spot, Jackson had a huge interception late in the fourth quarter and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown to give Miami a short-lived 52-46 lead with :57 left in the game.
We Got the Rock: The Morays offense is among the tops in the NIFL in several categories. Currently ranked 3rd in total offense with 277 yards per game, the Morays were able to advance the ball a total of 265 yards against the Daytona defense which is tops in total yards, total points allowed, and passing defense in yards allowed.
Even with the offensive abilities of Vickers, he still threw an interception on a long passing play, was harassed by the defensive line all game, and saw few options down the field.
"They took our long-ball away when we went down the field, so we are looking at ways to try to do more with our short game." â Coach Wells
Patrick Rouzard and Ethenic Sands continue to be the main target for Vickers. Rouzard currently leads the team with 27 catches for 328 yards and six touchdowns, while Sands has 26 catches for 308 yards and eight touchdowns. Leroy McFadden continues to be a double-threat on the ground and through the air, rushing 25 times for 122 yards and catching 18 passes for 217 yards, scoring eight touchdowns and throwing for one touchdown as well.
Daytona's Micah Simmons leads the Hawgs with 31 tackles and six interceptions. His 46-yd fumble recovery for a touchdown last week also gave the Hawgs a 33-25 lead to start the third quarter. Nick Allison leads the Hawgs with nine interceptions for 82 yards.
They Got the Rock: While the Morays emerged victorious, this was the second time this season that the defense gave up over 50 points. Daytona racked up 172 yards of offense and scored seven touchdowns through the air against the Morays secondary.
QB Oscar Davenport tossed six touchdowns, five of them to prolific producer Robert Bailey, while completing 15 of 26 passes. He also had a 8-yd touchdown run. Receiver Robert Bailey was the favorite target of Davenport, catching seven passes for 79 yards, five of which were touchdowns. Bailey is also tops in the league in all-purpose yards with 1068 yards.
Even though he was shut down last game, running back Brad Lee remains a potent weapon for the Hawgs. Lee is currently second in the league in rushing with 486 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Despite being second in the NIFL in yards allowed with 171.8 per game, Morays defensive coordinator Ray Isaac recognizes the need to adjust some defensive aspects in the rematch against Daytona Beach.
"I think we will be able to stop the run with one linebacker in the box because our defensive front can handle some things. I am going to go to more of a man-to-man attack and do some basic stuff in that regard." â Coach Isaac
Past and Future: The schedule and standings so far:
MIAMI MORAYS (5-1)
Date: Opponent: Result:
March 19 @ New Jersey W 54-18
March 26 @ Lakeland W 58-45
April 2 LUBBOCK W 53-13
April 9 @ Lakeland W 35-31
April 16 @ Kissimmee L 51-48
May 1 DAYTONA BEACH W 58-53
May 7 @ Daytona Beach
May 15 NEW JERSEY
May 21 KISSIMMEE
May 28 @ Rome
June 4 DAYTONA BEACH
June 12 EVERETT
June 17 @ Everett
June 25 FAYETTEVILLE
The Web: www.miamimoraysfootball.com is the place to go for the latest team news, statistics, player profiles, game notes, standings, and a live scoreboard to follow the game (when available).
www.nationalindoorfootballleague.net offers the latest in league news and notes, updated standings, scoreboards, and much more.
Next Home Game: The Morays return home to Ford Allen Field at the Miami Arena to take on the New Jersey Xtreme on May 15th for a 3:05 pm. Kickoff. Tickets are available at the Miami Arena Box Office or through Ticketmaster. For additional information about the Miami Morays, please call Mark Fischel at 305-374-8950 X308 or visit us at www.miamimoraysfootball.com
Schedule Changes: With the addition of the Dayton Warbirds to the NIFL, the visiting teams have changed for two games. Replacing the Lakeland Thunderbolts on June 4th will be the Daytona Beach Hawgs, and replacing the River City Rage on June 25th will be the Fayetteville Guard.
Atlantic South: The Morays will be competing for the bragging rights for the state of Florida by competing against fellow first-year expansion teams Daytona Beach Hawgs, Kissimmee Kreatures, and the Lakeland Thunderbolts in the Atlantic South Division.
Media Contact: Morays Media Contact: Mark Fischel (954)296-4362
Mark@miamimoraysfootball.com
Head Coach: Heading up the Miami Morays is NFL Hall-of-Famer Larry Little. This is Coach Little's first year coaching an indoor football team.
Little's previous professional experience was as the head coach of the Ohio Glory in the World Football League in 1992.
Larry Little was previously the head coach for North Carolina Central University from 1993 to 1998, compiling a record of 33 wins and 32 losses, and at his alma-mater Bethune-Cookman College from 1983 to 1991, where he compiled a record of 43-49-1. Little led Bethune-Cookman to two MEAC titles in 1984 and 1988, and was named the MEAC Coach of the Year in 1984.
Little spent 13 seasons in the NFL, 12 of which were with the Miami Dolphins. He was a member of the Dolphins Super Bowl championship teams in 1972 and 1973, and he was named to the Pro Bowl five times. He was inducted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame in 1993, the same year that he was inducted in the Dolphins Ring of Honor at Dolphins Stadium.
Got to Coordinate: Assisting Coach Little in his duties will be two very experienced indoor football coaches in Tony Wells and Ray Isaac. Asst. Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Ray Isaac brings several years of knowledge as a former player and coach. In 2003, Isaac served as the offensive coordinator with the Myrtle Beach Stingrays and as head coach with the Greenville Riverhawks. Ray also spent time as a quarterback with the Cleveland Thunderbolts, Memphis Pharaohs, and Charleston Swamp Foxes. Isaac attended Youngstown State and led them to their first Division I-AA championship.
Isaac made his debut and earned his first victory as a Head Coach in the week one game against the New Jersey Xtreme. Isaac filled in for Coach Little who missed the game due to the passing away of his brother David.
Offensive Coordinator Tony Wells is a familiar face to South Florida indoor football fans, having played as a receiver/defensive back with the Miami Hooters and Florida Bobcats from 1995 to 1998. Wells entered the coaching ranks with the Pensacola Barracudas in 2002 and was promoted in 2003 to the asst. head coach position. In 2004, Wells served in the same capacity with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers where he helped them to a 14-4 record.
Home-Grown: The Morays roster consists of eight players who attended Florida colleges. Attending University of Florida was Arpedge Rolle and Steven Bell. Matriculating from Florida State University was Donald Heaven, graduating from FAMU was Salofi Nua. Bethune-Cookman had Antwon Robinson and Jimmy Williams attending, and Ethenic Sands graduated from the University of Miami.
Take a Load Off: Moray opponents are going to be very sore after dealing with the Morays backfield, which consists of two players, Ben Labelle and Leroy McFadden, who weigh a combined 515 pounds.
Sure-Handed: The Morays receiving corps will consist of two players with previous indoor football experience in NIFL All-Star Kevin Heard, formerly of the Huoma Bayou Bucks, and University of Miami stand-out Ethenic Sands, who spent parts of last season with the Florida Firecats in the af2. Rounding out the receivers are two tall natives of Miami in 6'3 James Robinson and 6'4 Patrick Rouzard.
Florida Guard: The state of Florida stands on guard for the Morays. The offensive line consists of linemen who all played for colleges in the state of Florida. Steven Bell attended University of Florida, Donald Heaven attended Florida State University, and Salofi Nua attended FAMU.
Get the QB: The Morays defensive line will be a combination of old and new experience. Bringing the experience to the first line of defense will be Kai Zeigler, Lashawn Pugh, and Deryl Lane. All three have previously played together with the Myrtle Beach Stingrays, while University of Florida graduate Arpedge Rolle is among the team leaders in sacks and tackles.
Patrol the Middle: Backing the line or dropping into coverage are two hard-hitting linebackers. Jimmy Williams of Bethune-Cookman brings a physical style to the game and will be entering his first season of indoor football. Lernard Mack is an experienced player with a nose for the ball and has previous NIFL experience.
Last Line of D: The Morays boast a defensive backfield that has extensive experience in the indoor game. Antwon Robinson, Fred McCants, Roosevelt Williams, Kevin Jackson, and Quincy Sorrell all have one or more seasons under their belt, and they will be counted on in an offensive-minded league to keep a comfortable distance between the teams on the scoreboard.
Use your Foot: Booting the ball this season will be Michael Elorreaga. Coming out of Earlham College in the North Coast Athletic Conference, Elorreaga was a pre-season All-American and also held punting duties.
I Know You: The Morays coaching staff has some familiarity with the roster. Players who previously played for Coach Ray Isaac were Travis Wilson, Kai Zeigler, Lashawn Pugh, Lernard Mack, Vic White, and Fred McCants. Tony Wells has previously coached Ben Labelle with the Wilkes-Barre Pioneers and Leroy McFadden with the Charleston Swamp Foxes.
Support the Kids: Don't forget about the Morays Youth Football Pass! Every child who was registered to play with a youth football program last season in Dade County is eligible for the program, which allows a youth football participant to receive a free season ticket or game-night ticket for all 2005 regular season Morays games with the purchase of a matching adult season or individual ticket. Interested parties can contact the Morays at 305-374-8950 for details.
National Indoor Football League Stories from May 5, 2005
- Lindamood back in the Renegades line-up - Rome Renegades
- Wyoming Cavalry Players and Coaches Auction to benefit the Boys & Girls Club - Wyoming Cavalry
- Roughnecks to face rivals - West Texas Roughnecks
- Maulers intern to compete in Miss Alabama pageant - Montgomery Bears
- Morays vs. Daytona Beach Hawgs game preview - Miami Morays
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