Biletnikoff Jr. to decide starting QB later on this week for game against Oklahoma City

June 29, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Central Valley Coyotes News Release


(Fresno, CA) – Interim head coach Fred Biletnikoff Jr. will have a tough decision to make for the 1-10 Central Valley Coyotes this week as they travel down to Oklahoma to take on the 8-4 Yard Dawgs. He will have to decide who the starting quarterback will be for the Week 14 contest. His two choices will be current starting quarterback Frank Borba or newly acquired free agent Juston Wood who spent most of the 2004 season on the Los Angeles Avengers practice squad.

"I definitely have a tough decision on my hands," said Biletnikoff Jr. "I was happy with the way each of them practiced during the bye week and they will continue to battle it out this week for the starting slot on Saturday night."

Borba, who has appeared in five games this season for the Coyotes and who has started two of the five games has completed 42-of-80 passes for 494 yards, 7 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also amassed 72 yards on the ground finding the endzone twice. If Wood gets the nod at the starting position this weekend he will be the fifth quarterback to start a game for the Coyotes this season.

CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES (1-10) vs. OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (8-4)

Saturday's contest will mark the final non-divisional game for Central Valley traveling to a very tough team in Oklahoma City. The Yard Dawgz are coming off a Week 13 loss to the Columbus Wardogs, 56-62. Previous to the bye week the Coyotes dropped their last contest, 26-33 on the road against the Bakersfield Blitz.

The Yard Dawgz are led by veteran quarterback Craig Strickland who has completed 220-of-375 passes for 3,213 yards, 71 TD's and seven interceptions. Stirckland's three main targets this weekend will be Kris Peters (68 receptions, 929 yards and 18 TD's), Timon Marshall (63 receptions, 904 yards and 23 TD's) and Al Hunt (46 receptions, 842 yards and 23 TD's).

The Yard Dawgz rushing duties are split up by Johnny Balous (16 att., 66 yards and 4 TD's) and Daryl Richardson (16 att., 60 yards and 4 TD's).

Defensively the Yard Dawgz front three have tallied an af2 leading 38 sacks for a loss of 181-yards, while the secondary has amassed 8 interceptions for 90 yards and 48 pass deflections through twelve games. Clifton Fields leads all Yard Dawgz tacklers with 49.5 (40-solo).

Coyotes quarterback Frank Borba has started the past two games for the Coyotes completing 42-of-80 passes for 494 yards with five interceptions and 7 TD's thus far. Borba will look to the current af2 all-purpose yards leader Kenyatte Morgan to get things going offensively for the Coyotes. Morgan has hauled in 1,042 yards receiving, 1,313 yards returning and 94 yards on missed field goals through eleven games.

Kevin Nelson will lead the ground game for the Coyotes, he has gained 43 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries for Central Valley this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive specialist VonKeith Spencer leads the Coyotes in tackles 42.5, (33-solo). He also leads the team in interceptions with six. Central Valley's front three took a huge blow in Week 12 losing veteran Ricky Leung-Wai to a season ending leg injury. Leung-Wai was leading all Coyotes lineman in sacks with five. Central Valley bulked up though in the line department by adding former NFL and AFL star Al Noga. Noga will look to start where Leung-Wai left off defensively.

KIDS UNDER 14 IN FREE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON

Kids under 14 will be able to get in to the 2 remainder Coyotes home games with a purchase of a paid adult. For more information please contact the Selland Arena box office at (559) 621-4700

COYOTES TICKETS

For ticket information and purchases please call the Selland Arena box office at (559) 621-4700 or purchase tickets online at ticketmaster.com.



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