Birmingham Steeldogs game notes
May 10, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release
STEELDOGS PREP FOR CROSS-COUNTRY JAUNT
Until this season, the Birmingham Steeldogs had never opened a season with more than one loss, much less five. In fact, the team's longest losing streak has never exceeded four games. But after last week's loss at the hands of the streaking South Georgia Wildcats, the Steeldogs find themselves in unchartered territory. But a remedy for Birmingham's mediocre start could be in the cards as the Steeldogs, with new signal-caller Roger Linn, get set to jet across the country to the "Plymouth of the West" for a rematch with the San Diego Riptide.
COACHES
BOBBY HUMPHREY, BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS
YEARS IN THE AF2: 6 YEARS AT BIR: 6
OVERALL RECORD: 49-41 (.544) RECORD AT BIR: 49-41
REGULAR SEASON: 47-38 (.552)
POSTSEASON: 2-3 (.400)
RECORD VS RIPTIDE: 0-1 (.000)
Coach Humphrey returns for his sixth season as the head coach of the Birmingham Steeldogs. He is the longest-tenured coach in af2 football, as well as the all-time winningest. In 2004, Humphrey surpassed friend and long-time rival Kevin Porter as the league's most victorious head man with his 46th win. Humphrey's next win will be his 50th career victory, another af2 milestone.
Bobby is a 2004 inductee into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He currently resides in Birmingham with his wife Barbara and their five children.
SEAN PONDER, SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE
YEARS IN THE AF2: 3 YEARS AT SD: 1
OVERALL RECORD: 13-17 (.433) RECORD AT SD: 1-4
REGULAR SEASON: 13-16 (.448)
POSTSEASON: 0-1 (.000)
RECORD VS STEELDOGS: 1-0 (1.000)
This is Ponder's first season with the San Diego Riptide. He brings almost nine years of coaching experience to the team.
Previous to Ponder's appointment, he held the head coaching position for the Wichita Stealth for two years, a tenure that included a trip to the playoffs. His offense averaged nearly seven touchdowns per game and he has won more road games than any other head coach in Stealth history.
Ponder is married and lives in Rancho Bernardo with his wife Alicia and two kids, Shelby and Alec.
2005 STEELDOGS SCHEDULE
REGULAR SEASON: 0-5
DATE OPPONANT TIME SERIES/RES.
4/9 San Diego 7:00 L, 57-58
4/14 at Macon 6:30 L, 50-67
4/23 Memphis 7:00 L, 24-60
4/30 at Louisville 6:30 L, 46-48
5/7 South Georgia 7:00 L, 49-69
5/14 at San Diego 9:00 SD Leads 1-0
5/21 at Arkansas 7:00 BIR Leads 4-3
5/28 Green Bay 7:00 BIR Leads 1-0
6/4 at Florida 6:30 BIR Leads 3-2
6/11 Louisville 7:00 BIR Leads 3-2
6/18 at Memphis 7:00 BIR Leads 3-1
6/24 at Green Bay 7:00 BIR Leads 1-0
7/9 Macon 7:00 BIR Leads 4-3
7/16 at South Georgia 6:30 SGA Leads 2-0
7/23 Arkansas 7:00 BIR Leads 4-3
7/30 Florida 7:00 BIR Leads 3-2
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, May 14
Kickoff: 9:00 p.m.
Arena: S.D. Sports Arena
Capacity: 16,000
Television: None
Steeldogs Radio Network:
Flagship: WJOX AM-690
Play-By-Play: Matt Coulter
Color: Matt Hooper
Series Records: SD leads 1-0
Officials: R: Rusty Wynn, U: Mike Cullin, HL: Jeff
Heaser, LJ: Harold Mitchell, BJ: Ronnie Stewart
STEELDOGS-RIPTIDE SERIES
This is the second meeting between the Riptide and the Steeldogs, with the first coming in the opening game of the 2005 season.
This is the Steeldogs third road game of the season, as well as the longest in team history, covering nearly 2,000 miles. The Steeldogs' first-ever national sponsor, Southwest Airlines, will handle flight arrangements for Birmingham's Hometown Team.
In the opening game for both teams this season, the Riptide got the better of the Steeldogs, 58-57, in front of 7,112 fans at the BJCC Arena. After trailing throughout much of the game, Birmingham's Eldrick Hill picked off an Anthony Buich pass and returned it 25 yards for the Steeldogs' first lead of the season, 54-52. San Diego countered with a successful field goal try, which Birmingham's Alex Walls answered with 11 seconds remaining, giving the Steeldogs a 57-55 lead.
But Kimo Naehu drilled a 37-yard field goal with no time remaining in the game to give the Riptide their first and only win of 2005.
SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Record vs. San Diego: 0-1
Last regular season game: Riptide, 58-57 at BIR (4/9/05)
Steeldogs' largest margin of victory: N/A
San Diego's largest margin of victory: 1 (58-57 at BIR (4/9/05))
Current streak: San Diego won the last meeting
Steeldogs' longest win streak vs. San Diego: N/A
San Diego's longest win streak vs Steeldogs: 1 (4/9/05 to present)
Most points, Steeldogs: 57 (57-58 at BIR (4/9/05))
Most points, San Diego: 58 (58-57 at BIR (4/9/05))
Most points, both teams: 115 (S.D., 58-57 at BIR (4/9/05))
Fewest points, Steeldogs: 57 (57-58 at BIR (4/9/05))
Fewest points, San Diego: 58 (58-57 at BIR (4/9/05))
Fewest points, both teams: 115 (S.D., 58-57 at BIR (4/9/05))
STEELDOGS BESTS VS. SAN DIEGO
Most rushing yards: 41, Ray Nelson (4/9/05 at BIR)
Most receiving yards: 67, Detronn Harris (4/9/05 at BIR)
Most passing yards: 171, Ray Nelson (4/9/05 at BIR)
Most touchdowns: 3, Ray Nelson and Patrick Billings
(4/9/05 at BIR)
Most tackles: 8, Eldrick Hill (4/9/05 at BIR)
LAST SERIES GAME
4/9/2005 â Steeldogs Fall in a Home Thriller
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kimo Naehu drilled a 37-yard field goal with zeroes on the fourth quarter clock, giving the San Diego Riptide a 58-57 victory over the Birmingham Steeldogs in front of 7,112 fans at the BJCC Arena.
Former Samford quarterback Ray Nelson got the start for Birmingham and turned in a solid performance under center. Nelson finished 9 of 20 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. His only miscue, a first quarter interception, occurred on the Steeldogs' first offensive play.
San Diego jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter behind a Naehu field goal and an Anthony Griffin touchdown run. Birmingham answered with just under two minutes remaining in the opening frame, as Nelson took a naked bootleg untouched into the end zone, pulling the Steeldogs to within three points.
Birmingham pulled to within three again early in the second quarter, a quarter that saw 48 points combined between the two teams. All three of Birmingham's second quarter touchdowns resulted from on-play drives of 45 yards or longer.
The Steeldogs took their first lead of the game with 9:35 remaining in the fourth quarter as Eldrick Hill returned an Anthony Buich interception 25 yards for a score. Alex Walls' extra point put Birmingham ahead 54-52.
Following another Naehu field goal, the Steeldogs took their final lead of the game with just 11 seconds remaining, as Walls drilled a 16-yard field goal, giving the Steeldogs a 57-55 lead. But Naehu's boot as time expired was the difference.
Buich finished 17 of 36 for 232 yards and two touchdowns along with one interception. WR/DB Nian Taylor caught seven passes for 83 yards and one score. Taylor also intercepted a pass on defense.
LAST WEEK: BIRMINGHAM
5/8/2005 - Steeldogs can't slow South Georgia
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. â The Steeldogs first win of the season is still at least one week away.
Herman Bell caught eight passes for 110 yards and two scores, but the Birmingham Steeldogs, hobbled by QB Ray Nelson's gimpy knee, fell at home, 69-49, at the hands of the South Georgia Wildcats.
The Steeldogs led throughout much of the first quarter, as Nelson found a streaking Detronn Harris from 16 yards out, putting Birmingham on top 7-0. South Georgia answered late in the quarter, as Bobby Pesavento fired a 27-yard scoring pass to Matt Burstein. It was one of five touchdown passes that the OS from Arkansas hauled in on the evening.
The Wildcats forced a safety early in the second quarter, giving them an eight-point advantage. The lead never changed hands again.
Nelson was injured just before halftime after getting sacked for a one-yard loss. Reserve quarterback Tim Gallahan saw his first action of the year early in the second half. In his second series, Gallahan tossed a short out pass to Herman Bell, who took it 44 yards to the end-zone to put the Steeldogs within 14 points at 42-28.
But the combination of Pesavento and Burstein was just too much to handle, as the pair scored three additional touchdowns to put the game out of reach.
Pesavento completed 24 of 33 passes for 228 yards and eight touchdowns. Burstein caught 10 passes for 141 yards and five touchdowns, good enough to earn Offensive Player of the Game honors.
Nelson completed 16 of 22 pass attempts for 159 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Aside from Bell's outstanding performance, Detronn Harris caught eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Bell's numbers earned him the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game award.
The Wildcats' Rob Keefe collected five and a half tackles and took home the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award.
LAST WEEK: SAN DIEGO (from af2.com)
5/8/05 â Rio Grande stems the âTide
HIDALGO, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Dorados defeated the San Diego Riptide 51-45 in front of 4,540 fans Saturday night at Chase Field inside the Dodge Arena.
San Diego trailed the Dorados 7-3 after the first quarter but then outscored the Dorados 29-6 in the second quarter, tallying 22 consecutive points to close the half. After a Jeff Macrea one-yard rushing touchdown to give the Riptide a 16-13 lead early in the second quarter, the Dorados offense went three-and-out, forcing Eric Houle to attempt a 48 yard field goal. Asi Faoa blocked Houle's attempt and the ball landed out of bounds through the endzone, resulting in a safety. The Riptide scored on the ensuing kickoff from the Dorados with a 24-yard strike from Kane Claunch, making his San Diego return at quarterback, to receiver Nakoa McElrath to increase the 'Tide lead to 25-13.
The Dorados then mounted their comeback march in the third quarter, scoring 28 consecutive points in the second half and building their lead to 41-32.
San Diego ended their drought of three consecutive scoreless drives on the ensuing drive with a 40-yard pass from Claunch to McElrath with 7:21 remaining in the game to cut their deficit to 41-38. Rio Grande Valley bounced back on the next drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Craig Cole from Kellett and then received an interception by Floyd. The interception by Floyd gave the Dorados the ball with 1:17 remaining at the San Diego five yard line with a 48-38 lead, but an interception by John Amaro Jr. on the first play gave the Riptide life. Claunch hit Ryan Smith with a 24-yard touchdown pass with 42-seconds left and then limited the Dorados to a 32-yard field goal by Eric Houle with 27-seconds remaining after an unsuccessful onside kick. San Diego received the ball with 23-seconds remaining and an opportunity to tie the game with a touchdown, trailing 51-45. Claunch took the 'Tide 19 yards on four plays to the Rio Grande Valley 21 yard line, but his final pass sailed through the endzone incomplete as time expired and the Dorados held onto the win.
Claunch was 19 of 40 for 264 yards with three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions for the Riptide. The US Army Ironman of the Game was Chris Robinson, who registered a rushing touchdown on offense and six tackles on defense, including an interception and 1.5 tackles for a loss.
IMPACT PLAYER: BIRMINGHAM
QB Roger Linn
Linn has spent 2005 regular season with the af2's Manchester Wolves, serving predominately as a backup to the Wolves' surprising star signal-caller, Jake Eaton.
In 2004, Roger began the season playing with the Steeldogs before moving to Odessa, Texas to suit up for the Odessa Roughnecks of the Intense Football League. Coached by former Steeldogs' assistant coach Chris Williams, using the same offensive scheme employed by Bobby Humphrey, Linn thrived. He started 14 games for the team amassing 3,063 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns, and seven rushing touchdowns.
In 2003, Linn played for the Tri-City Diesel of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). He started 10 games for the Diesel passing for 1,537 yards and 31 touchdowns, while rushing for 266 yards and four touchdowns. He was named NIFL Player of the week after scoring eight touchdowns in one game and team MVP twice in 2003.
Linn is a graduate of University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He played two years of junior college football for Victor Valley in California prior to attending UAPB, where he was an All-Conference All-American and held several passing records.
IMPACT PLAYER: SAN DIEGO (SanDiegoRiptide.com)
QB Kane Claunch
The Riptide were assigned veteran quarterback Kane Claunch on May 3 in hopes of turning around their disappointing start.
"It feels good to be back and I'm really eager to get in there," said Claunch. "I'm ready to learn the new offense and get to know this new team. I heard that this year's line is better than years past. I just really want to win."
In 2004, Claunch started 12 games this season, leading the 'tide in on their four game win streak.
He became the first player in team history to break the 10,000 career yards passing mark. In all, he came away with 66 total touchdowns. He also finished the season with a 110.88 passer rating and was one of the top ten af2 leaders in passing yards and total offense. He had seven games where he threw for five or more touchdowns and had three 300+ yards passing games. In 2003, he completed 246-of-422 passes for 3,280 yards and 56 touchdowns.
His highlights in that season include stand out games against the Bakersfield Blitz where he completed 64% of his passes for 253 yards and tossed five scores for a 137.2 passer rating and on May 24 against the Tulsa Talons where he completed 70% of his passes (21-of-30) for a season high 343 yards with six TDs, an interception and a passer rating of 133.4, and against the Wichita Stealth when he was named the game's MVP and eventual af2 Offensive Player of the Week after completing 16-of-19 passes for 281 yards, with six touchdowns and a perfect passer rating of 158.33. In 2002, he was the Riptide's primary signal caller starting all 18 regular and postseason games. He completed 230 of 420 passes for a career high 3297 yards and 63 touchdowns. He started his career in 2001 playing in five games with the Rochester Brigade. He was injured in his first game and then started, and won, the final two games of the season with the Brigade. In three games with the Brigade, Claunch completed 54.3% of his passes for 521 yards with seven TDs and five interceptions.
COMPARISON STATS AND AWARDS
HOOP'S STAT O' THE WEEK: By Saturday night, it will have been 287 days since the Steeldogs last victory. If it seems at least that long since the Steeldogs led during a game, you're not far off. Here comes the science...
Game Lead(s) (pts) Tot. Lead Time
San Diego 2, 2 3:32
Macon 6, 6 5:33
Memphis N/A N/A
Louisville N/A N/A
South Georgia 7 5:04
TOTAL TIME LEADING 14:09
TOTAL TIME PLAYED 300:00
TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Riptide and Steeldogs match-up statistically...
OFFENSIVE MVP AWARD (selected by media)
Game Opp. Player
1 San Diego Anthony Buich (San Diego)
2 Macon Chris Johnson (Macon)
3 Memphis Kevin Prentiss (Memphis)
4 Louisville James Scott (Louisville)
6 South Georgia Matt Burstein (S. Georgia)
7 San Diego
8 Arkansas
9 Green Bay
10 Florida
11 Louisville
12 Memphis
13 Green Bay
14 Macon
15 South Georgia
16 Florida
ADT DEFENSIVE MVP AWARD (selected by media)
Game Opp. Player
1 San Diego Eldrick Hill (Birmingham)
2 Macon Anthony Collins (Macon)
3 Memphis Dahnel Singfield (Memphis)
4 Louisville Terrance Harris (Birmingham)
6 South Georgia Ron Keefe (S. Georgia)
7 San Diego
8 Arkansas
9 Green Bay
10 Florida
11 Louisville
12 Memphis
13 Green Bay
14 Macon
15 South Georgia
16 Florida
Statistical BIRMINGHAM RIPTIDE
Category Stat Rank Stat Rank
Scoring Offense 45.2 14th 40.2 18th
Scoring Defense 60.4 18th 53.8 16th
Total Offense 273.8 3rd 224.8 19th
Total Defense 246.0 7th 231.8 5th
Pass Offense 234.2 12th 213.2 16th
Pass Defense 230.8 8th 200.8 5th
Rushing Offense 39.6 2nd 11.3 15th
Rushing Defense 15.2 8th 31.0 15th
Scoring (Kicking) 6.0 5.4
Pass Rating 92.72 16th 76.46 20th
Pass Def. Rating 116.67 16th 107.13 11th
Kickoff Returns 33-572 16th 42-887 5th
MFG Returns 2-24 12th 2-48 4th
Turnover Margin -10 20th +0 t-9th
Field Goals 3-7 t-7th 4-9 6th
PAT Kicking 21-25 5th 15-21 16th
Sacks By 5 t-14th 9 t-5th
Sacks Against 13 t-19th 10 t-14th
First Downs 93 10th 90 11th
Opp. First Downs 83 t-8th 80 4th
Penalties 50 12th 45 14th
Opp. Penalties 54 12th 66 2nd
U.S. ARMY IRONMAN AWARD (selected by media)
Game Opp. Player
1 San Diego Anthony Griffin (San Diego)
2 Macon Matt Jackson (Macon)
3 Memphis Scott Cunningham (Memphis)
4 Louisville Demetrius Forney (Louisville)
6 South Georgia Herman Bell (Birmingham)
7 San Diego
8 Arkansas
9 Green Bay
10 Florida
11 Louisville
12 Memphis
13 Green Bay
14 Macon
15 South Georgia
16 Florida
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