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Austin Wranglers game notes

January 26, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Austin Wranglers News Release


AUSTIN WRANGLERS (0-0) vs. PHILADELPHIA SOUL (0-0)
January 30, 2005, 11 a.m., Frank Erwin Center

AUSTIN WRANGLERS BROADCASTS

Television:
The Austin Wranglers inaugural home performance will be televised live regionally on NBC. All the action will begin at 11 a.m. with Bill Weber and Mike Pawlawski in the booth calling the action and KXAN sports director Roger Wallace on the boards as the sideline reporter.

Radio:
All Austin Wranglers football games can be heard on AM 1300 The Zone with hosts from The Buck on Sports, Erin Hogan calling play-by-play and Bucky Godbolt handling the color announcing. Head Coach Skip Foster will analyze Sunday's game and take phone calls on The Zone 1300 AM with Bucky Godbolt Monday night, 7-8 p.m. The player's perspective can be heard with Aaron Humphrey on "Hump Day" with Bucky and Erin at 6:40 a.m. every Wednesday morning on the Buck on Sports on AM 1300 The Zone.

AustinWranglers.com coverage:
The site includes breaking news, practice schedules, press releases, historical information, statistics and rosters as well as unprecedented access to coach's film, Wranglers game preparation and action.

2005 AUSTIN WRANGLERS SCHEDULE

Week Date Opponent Time
1 Sunday, Jan. 30 PHILADELPHIA SOUL 11:00 a.m.
2 Sunday, Feb. 6 @ Tampa Bay Storm 11:00 a.m.
3 Friday, Feb 11 LOS ANGELES AVENGERS 7:30 p.m.
4 Saturday , Feb. 19 @ Grand Rapids 6:30 p.m.
5 Friday, Feb. 25 GEORGIA FORCE 7:30 p.m.
6 Friday, March 4 @ Las Vegas 9:00 p.m.
7 Sunday, March 13 DALLAS DESPERADOS 3:00 p.m.
8 Saturday, March 19 NEW YORK DRAGONS 7:30 p.m.
9 Friday March 25 @ Orlando Predators 6:30 p.m.
10 Friday, April 1 NEW ORLEANS VOODOO 7:30 p.m.
11 Friday, April 8 @ Georgia Force 6:30 p.m.
12 Sunday, April 17 TAMPA BAY STORM 12:00 p.m.
13 Friday, April 22 @ Arizona Rattlers 9:00 p.m.
14 Saturday, April 30 @ Columbus Destroyers 6:00 p.m.
15 Saturday, May 7 ORLANDO PREDATORS 7:30 p.m.
16 Saturday, May 14 @ New Orleans Voodoo 7:30 p.m.
17 BYE

GAMES IN ALL CAPS ARE HOME GAMES PLAYED
AT THE FRANK ERWIN CENTER
All game times and locations are subject to change

2004 SOUTHERN DIVISION STANDINGS

Team W L T Pct.
New Orleans 11 5 0 .688
Orlando 10 6 0 .625
Tampa Bay 9 7 0 .563
Austin 8 8 0 .500
Georgia 7 9 0 .438

2005 New Playoff Format
Eight teams qualify for the 2005 AFL playoffs. The playoffs are separated into conferences (American/National) and four teams from each conference will qualify for the first round of playoffs, two division winners and two wild-card teams (teams with the best record in the conference). Winners of the Divisional Playoff rounds will advance to their respective Conference Championship Games. The conference Champions from the National and Southern division will meet in ArenaBowl XIX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

AFL WEEK ONE SCHEDULE

Friday, January 28
6:00 pm- Nashville Kats @ Columbus Destroyers
6:30 pm- Arizona Rattlers @ Grand Rapids Rampage

Saturday, January 29
6:00 pm- New Orleans VooDoo @ Georgia Force

Sunday, January 30
11:00 am- Colorado Crush @ Orlando Predators
11:00 am- Philadelphia Soul @ Austin Wranglers
2:00 pm- Chicago Rush @ Dallas Desperados
2:00 pm- San Jose Sabercats @ Tampa Bay Storm
2:00 pm- L.A. Avengers @ Las Vegas Gladiators

LAST TIME vs. PHILADELPHIA

AUSTIN (March 28, 2004)—It was only fitting that a shootout take place in the state of Texas. Behind seven touchdown passes from quarterback John Kaleo, Austin moved to 5-2 on the season after outlasting the Philadelphia Soul, 65-60. Last week's AFL Baby Ruth Big Deal Offensive Player of the Week OS Tacoma Fontaine had another stellar performance as he and Kaleo hooked up for four of the Wranglers nine touchdowns. Soul QB Todd Hammel threw six touchdowns along with two interceptions. One of those errant throws was picked off and taken in for six points by defensive player of the game and former Baltimore Raven DS DeRon Jenkins. Philadelphia's miscues were their downfall as Austin seized the opportunities in scoring touchdowns on each of the Souls three turnovers. Austin looks to extend its winning streak to three as it makes the trip to take on the Los Angeles Avengers while Philadelphia plays host to the Dallas Desperados.

WRANGLERS 2004 DEBUT

ORLANDO (February 13, 2004)—The Austin Wranglers upset their division-rival Orlando Predators in their inaugural AFL appearance. After Orlando started the game with a touchdown, the Wranglers answered with their first scoring drive in team history on a five-play, 46-yard drive in which QB John Kaleo hit WR/DB Charlie Davidson for a 24-yard touchdown. Scoring went back and forth with the Wranglers tying the game at the top of the second half. Each team matched the other until overtime which started with a five-play scoring drive for the Wranglers who took their first lead in the game as Kaleo found Hammond for a 10-yard touchdown reception. Dodson's point-after left the Wranglers ahead by seven. Orlando answered with a scoring drive and attempted a two-point conversion that was ruled unsuccessful after QB Joey Hamilton was tackled out of bounds by OL/DL Aaron Humphrey before making into the endzone.

WRANGLERS-SOUL EXPERIENCE COMPARISON

Skip Foster has brought in a balanced group of players, emphasizing AFL experience and leadership to influence the strong group of developing Arena Football players on the squad. The veteran leadership serves as an exemplary group for the future leadership styles of the young Arena Football players on the Wranglers 2005 roster.

Austin Philadelphia
Rookies 5 7
AFL Veterans (1-3 years) 8 10
AFL Veterans (4+ years) 11 7
Combined Seasons of AFL experience 81 62

2004 AUSTIN WRANGLERS MILESTONES
*Denotes 2004 AFL Rookie
** Denotes Career-High



OL/DL TOM BRIGGS
CAREER
· 37.0 total career sacks
· 165.0 total career tackles
SEASON
· 8.0 total sacks on season
· 25.5 total sacks on season

WR/LB DARRIN CHIAVERINI*
CAREER/SEASON
· 60 career receptions
· 676 career receiving yards
· 13 career touchdowns
· 21 career tackles

WR/DB CHARLIE DAVIDSON
CAREER
· 401 career receptions
· 96 career receiving TDs
· 315 career tackles
· 20 career interceptions
SEASON
· 92 receptions on season**
· 883 receiving yards on season
· 16 touchdowns on season
· 37.5 tackles on season
· 45 kickoff returns **
· 821 kickoff return yards **
· 1,792 all-purpose yards **

WR/DB TACOMA FONTAINE*
CAREER/SEASON
· 19 career receiving touchdowns
· 1,076 career receiving yards
· 72 career receptions
· 1,472 career all-purpose yards

TE/DE AARON HUMPHREY*
CAREER/SEASON
· 16.5 total career tackles
· 3.0 total career sacks
· 2.0 total tackles for loss
· 4 forced fumbles


DS CEDRIC WALKER
CAREER
· 538 total career tackles
· 460 career solo tackles
· 76 career breakups
SEASON
· 68.0 total tackles on season
· 61 solo

2004 AUSTIN WRANGLERS SINGLE-GAME SUPERLATIVES


20+ yards rushing
29 yards FB/LB Dane Krager (vs. IND 3/14/04)
25 yards FB/LB Dane Krager (@ DET 3/18/04)
25 yards FB/LB Dane Krager (vs. GEO 4/11/04)
24 yards FB/LB Jeremy Beutler ( vs. DAL 5/9/04)
21 yards FB/LB Jeremy Beutler ( vs. CAR 3/7/04)

100+ yards receiving
205 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (@ DET 3/18/04)
203 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (@ LA 4/3/04)
151 yards WR/DB Charlie Davidson (@ ORL 2/13/04)
135 yards WR/DB Charlie Davidson (vs. CAR 3/7/04)
124 yards WR/LB Darrin Chiaverini (@ LA 4/3/04)
120 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (vs. IND 3/14/04)
113 yards OS Shannon Culver (vs. TB 2/22/04)
112 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (vs. PHI 3/28/04)
107 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (vs. GEO 4/11/04)
100 yards WR/DB Dameon Porter (@ GEO 5/23/04)

300+ yards passing
387 yards QB John Kaleo (@ LA 4/3/04)
309 yards QB John Kaleo (vs. IND 3/14/04)
307 yards QB John Kaleo (@ ORL 2/13/04)

150+ all-purpose yards
257 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (@ DET 3/18/04)
240 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (@ LA 4/3/04)
210 yards WR/DB Charlie Davidson (@ ORL 2/13/04)
177 yards WR/DB Charlie Davidson (vs. CAR 3/7/04)
172 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (vs. PHI 3/28/04)
170 yards OS Tacoma Fontaine (@ TB 4/18/04)
156 yards WR/DB Dameon Porter (@ GEO 5/23/04)
150 yards WR/DB Charlie Davidson (vs. NO 4/25/04)
150 yards WR/DB Aleric Clark (@ GEO 5/23/04)

2+ interceptions
2 DS DeRon Jenkins (vs. PHI 3/28/04)

6+ total tackles
8.0 DS Cedric Walker (@ ORL 2/13/04)
7.0 DS-WR/DB Brent Browner (vs. CAR 3/7/04)
7.0 WR/DB Charlie Davidson (vs. TB 2/22/04)
7.0 DS DeRon Jenkins (vs. NO 4/25/04)
6.5 DS DeRon Jenkins (@ COL 2/27/04)
6.5 DS Cedric Walker (@ DET 3/18/04)
6.5 DS Cedric Walker (@ GR 5/1/04)
6.5 DS Cedric Walker (vs. DAL 5/9/04)
6.0 DS DeRon Jenkins (@ TB 4/18/04)

2+ sacks
2 OL/DL Tom Briggs (vs. DAL 5/9/04)

WRANGLERS HEAD COACH
SKIP FOSTER

Head Coach Skip Foster is entering his second AFL season with the Austin Wranglers. Foster, deemed the second most winning coach in arenafootball2 history with a 44-10 record including an ArenaCup Championship, will again act as the Wranglers offensive coordinator in addition to carrying the head coaching duties. After finishing the team's 2004 debut season with a commendable 8-8 record, Foster has built a 2005 team that will take the Wranglers to an ArenaBowl championship. In the team's inaugural season performance, Foster's offense scored 104 touchdowns, an average of 47.8 points per game, led the AFL in total offense for five weeks and remained one of the League's top three total offenses for a total of fifteen weeks in 2004. The Wranglers offensive unit gained more than 300 yards in five different performances and had two 200+ receiving-yard games for AFL All-Rookie Tacoma Fontaine. Quarterback John Kaleo posted career-highs in attempts with 565 and completions with 352. Kaleo passed for more than 4,000 yards for his second consecutive season bringing his career total to 26,077 passing yards. Fontaine and veteran WR/DB Charlie Davidson led the Wranglers receivers combining for 1,959 of the teams 4,045 yards receiving and 37 of the team's 82 receiving touchdowns. Prior to joining the Wranglers, Foster served as the head coach for the 2003 af2-Champion Tulsa Talons. Foster led the team to a 13-3 regular season record while accumulating 3,995 yards in total offense, 3,679 yards passing and 316 yards rushing. This offensive effort also concluded with Tulsa outscoring their opponents 823-690 in regular season play. The Talons totaled 745 yards in offense and outscored their postseason opponents 179-130 on their way to winning the 2003 ArenaCup. Foster made history in Tulsa as he became the only af2 coach to go undefeated at home over three consecutive regular seasons. Foster compiled a record of 82-39-2 at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas before moving to arena football. Foster coached the Red Ravens to six conference championships during his 12 seasons as the head coach. In 1990, Foster led Coffeyville to a national championship and an undefeated season. He was selected as Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Coach of the Year in both 1990 and 1991. After serving as an assistant to his father, Dick Foster, for four seasons at Coffeyville, Skip took over the head coaching duties where Dick won a national championship in 1983. They are the only father/son pair in the National Junior College Athletic Association to win a national championship at the same school. Skip played football for his father from 1979-1980 at Coffeyville.

PHILADELPHIA HEAD COACH
MICHAEL TRIGG

In his 17th year of Arena football, Trigg is now faced with the ongoing challenge of building an Arena football team from the ground up, a task he has excelled at in the past. Despite a 5-11 Inaugural Season, key offseason acquisitions and a budding young nucleus of players have the Soul poised for sophomore success. In his first season with the Grand Rapids Rampage, 1998, Trigg took a 3-11 expansion team to 7-5 in 1999 and directed the Rampage to their first-ever playoff appearance. Trigg enjoyed continued success with the Rampage, guiding the AFL's smallest market team to an ArenaBowl XV victory in 2001. His third ArenaBowl ring came as the Rampage finished the season 11-3 and claimed a 64-42 victory over the Nashville Kats in the championship. Trigg guided the Rampage to five straight playoff appearances and became just the fifth Arena Football League Coach to reach the 70-win plateau, making him the fourth winningest coach in AFL history (78 wins). In 1996, Trigg's second year with the Milwaukee Mustangs, he set the then-AFL record for single-season turnaround, guiding the Mustangs from 4-8 in 1995 to a 10-4 mark in 1996. Prior to joining the Mustangs, Trigg spent 1994 as the head coach and general manager for the expansion Fort Worth Calvary of the AFL. From 1991-93, Trigg was the offensive coordinator and director of pro scouting for the AFL's Dallas Texans, and served at his alma mater, East Texas State University, as quarterbacks coach in 1990. Trigg has also enjoyed success on the AFL field as a player. While with the Detroit Drive, Trigg led the team to their championship seasons in 1989 and 1990. In 1989, Trigg was the league's top-rated passer. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Trigg earned a degree in marketing and management and a teaching certificate in secondary education from East Texas State, while being a three-year starter at quarterback. In addition to numerous athletic accolades, Trigg graduated on the dean's list and served two years as Vice President for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He and his wife, Susan, have three sons, Tanner (7), Tyler (5), and Thomas (1).

WRANGLERS ROSTER NOTES


Starting off Right
In their debut season, the Wranglers started with a 6-3 record before finishing 8-8. In the coming season, the Wranglers hope to build momentum in the early part of the season and maintain a winning second-half of 2005. With a roster that has plenty of depth at each position, the Wranglers will be able to go the distance with fresh legs capable of taking the team to the playoffs.

2004 Rookie Sensations
During the team's inaugural season, the Wranglers first-year players were heavily influenced by strong veteran leadership on the team. The balance of experience on the roster created a unique situation that gave the Wranglers an edge in the first half of the 2004 season. All-Rookie players OS Tacoma Fontaine and TE/DE Aaron Humphrey have had particular success learning from AFL veterans. With the two complementary players together again, the team will continue to thrive.

All-Rookie OS Tacoma Fontaine—WR/DB Charlie Davidson
Charlie Davidson and Tacoma Fontaine remain a threat to opponents on offense and special teams. Davidson, a 10-year AFL veteran, had a career season on offense and special teams in 2004, highlighting him as the true Ironman of the team. He led the Wranglers and was 11th in the AFL in receptions (92) and kickoff returns with 45 for 821 yards. Davidson posted 16 touchdowns while racking up 883 receiving yards, a 10-yard interception return, 19 yards in fumble recoveries and a 50-yard return on a blocked PAT. He amassed the most all-purpose yards of his career with 1,792 (15th in the AFL). Davidson's all-around performance was complemented with that of rookie Fontaine. The All-Rookie selection reeled in 21 touchdowns in his 1,076-yard campaign. Fontaine posted more than 200 receiving yards in two different games, at Detroit March 18 and at Los Angeles April 3. To round-out his 1,472 all-purpose yards, Fontaine had 375 yards on 25 kickoff returns and a 21-yard fumble return at Detroit.

All-Rookie TE/DE Aaron Humphrey—OL/DL Tom Briggs
2003 Lineman of the Year Tom Briggs was a valuable asset to the 2004 Wranglers line. Briggs was third in the AFL with 8.5 sacks totaling 42 lost yards on the season. His aggressive play also resulted in 25.5 total tackles, 10 quarterback hurries, six passes defended, three forced fumbles and 1.5 tackles for a loss (non-sacks). Briggs also made a mark on offense reeling in six receptions for two touchdowns. Aaron Humphrey erupted into a forceful and versatile lineman in his rookie campaign. He made his mark on the season with 16 combined tackles, three total sacks, two tackles behind the line of scrimmage, a team-leading four forced fumbles (third in the AFL) and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. The first-year lineman helped move the ball down the boards with two receptions which both earned first downs for the Wranglers offensive unit.

Other returning 2004 standouts
Other rookie performers impacted the Wranglers 2004 success, including another former NFL player, WR/LB Darrin Chiaverini. Signed in the sixth week of 2004 season, Chiaverini proved to be a solid target on offense exploiting his sharp routes and superior ball handling skills. Chiaverini made 15 receptions converting on third down, second most on the team and 13th in the AFL. As he adjusted to his defensive role at jack linebacker, Chiaverini posted 21 tackles, one for a loss, and an interception.

The Wranglers 37-man training camp roster was made up of 12 rookies straight out of arenafootball2. Four of those are returning for their second AFL season with the Coach Foster and the Wranglers. WR/DB Brandon Daniels posted four touchdowns for the Wranglers, K Tony Dodson was 10th in the AFL in scoring with 108 points, OS Tacoma Fontaine was named to the AFL All-Rookie team, and OL/DL Ramon Richardson scored a touchdown on a 10-yard reception against Dallas.

2004 Offensive Production
The Wranglers offensive unit was ranked as one of the AFL's top three total offense producers for 15 weeks of the 2004 season. The offense was ranked No. 1, for four weeks, No. 2 for six weeks, and No. 3 for five weeks. The Wranglers ended the season with an average of 272.2 yards of total offense each game. The team saw good production inside the red zone, scoring a touchdown 82.6 percent of the time the Wranglers made it inside the 10-yard line, a mark which was the second-best redzone touchdown scoring percentage in the AFL in 2004.

Holding the Line
Averaging approximately four stops per game, the Wranglers defensive unit held opposing teams to an average of 264.8 yards and 49.6 points per game. In 2005, the Wranglers coaching staff hopes to increase the team's dominance by bulking up the line and adding proven pass rusher Bryan Henderson to the production of Tom Briggs, Aaron Humphrey and Ramon Richardson. The Wranglers aggressive play on the line resulted in 19 sacks and 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive unit also picked up an AFL-leading 21 fumbles and forced 16 fumbles on the season. The Wranglers backfield protection was solid as the secondary boasts two defensive specialists that accumulated more than 60 combined tackles on the season. With the addition of Kelvin Hunter and the fiery two-way play of Kevin Nickerson, the secondary has also been deepened to increase the team's resiliency.

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