Birmingham Steeldogs game notes
May 31, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release
STEELDOGS TAKE WINNING STREAK TO SOUTH FLORIDA
Following their improbable upset over second-ranked Green Bay, the Steeldogs will hit the road for the fifth time this season, taking their winning streak to Fort Myers, Fla., to face the red-hot Florida Firecats. Florida currently sits atop the American Conference South Division with a 7-1 overall record. The Firecats have won two consecutive games since being upset by the Bossier City Battlewings on May 14 in Bossier City, La.
The Steeldogs (1-7) have yet to win a division game, but currently find themselves only two games back of second-place Macon. Five of Birmingham's next eight games are versus divisional opponents, with three of the games taking place within the friendly confines of the BJCC Arena.
COACHES
BOBBY HUMPHREY, BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS
YEARS IN THE AF2: 6 YEARS AT BIR: 6
OVERALL RECORD: 50-43 (.538) RECORD AT BIR: 50-43
REGULAR SEASON: 48-40 (.545)
POSTSEASON: 2-3 (.400)
RECORD VS FLORIDA: 3-2 (.600)
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.
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.
KEVIN BOUIS, FLORIDA FIRECATS
YEARS IN THE AF2: 1 YEARS AT FLA: 1
OVERALL RECORD: 7-1 (.875) RECORD AT FLA: 7-1
REGULAR SEASON: 7-1 (.875)
POSTSEASON: 0-0 (.000)
RECORD VS STEELDOGS: 0-0 (.000)
Coach Bouis is in his 2nd year with the Firecats and was promoted to the head coach position for 2005 Season.
A former player for the the NIFL's Mississippi Firedogs, he helped his team win two league championships with All-NIFL Honors. He also led the team in interceptions with 13 and 30 total defensive turnovers (23 int. 7 fumbles recovered).
Bouis played safety at the University of Kentucky.
2005 STEELDOGS SCHEDULE
REGULAR SEASON: 1-7
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 L, 44-77
5/21 at Arkansas 7:00 L, 60-61
5/28 Green Bay 7:00 W, 55-26
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 2-0
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 Tied 4-4
7/30 Florida 7:00 BIR Leads 3-2
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, June 4
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m.
Arena: Germain Arena
Capacity: 7,128
Television: None
Steeldogs Radio Network:
Flagship: WJOX AM-690
Play-By-Play: Matt Coulter
Color: Matt Hooper
Series Records: BIR leads 3-2
Officials: R: Mike Pavese, U: Brent Sowell, HL: Brent
Sowell, LJ: Mitch Geier, BJ: Barry Hendon
STEELDOGS-FIRECATS SERIES
The Steeldogs and Firecats have faced off five times since the Fort Myers-based franchise began af2 play in 2001.
May 3, 2002: Birmingham 49 Florida 31
At the TECO Arena in Estero, the Steeldogs knocked the Firecats from the ranks of the unbeaten behind solid performances from QB Montressa Kirby (13 of 23, 242 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs) and OS Wayne Thomas (6 catches, 82 yards, 3 TDs). Florida's Anthony Dixon caught 13 passes for 110 yards and 1 TD, and was one of only three Firecats to catch a pass.
May 3, 2003: Birmingham 38 Florida 35, OT
At the TECO Arena, Rhett Gallego's 35-yard field goal in overtime sealed Birmingham's second consecutive victory over the Florida Firecats. Gallego nailed a 47-yard boot at the end of regulation to send the game into an extra frame. OS Aryvia Holmes caught 10 passes for 112 yards and one TD to lead the Steeldogs, while Cainon Lamb caught 12 passes for 152 yards and one score.
July 19, 2003: Florida 57 Birmingham 35
At the BJCC Arena, Florida picked up their first series victory on their first trip to The Magic City. Led by Ken Mastrole (22 of 32, 264 yards, 6 TDs) and Magic Benton (8 catches, 101 yards) the Firecats jumped out to a 23-0 first quarter lead and never looked back.
May 14, 2004: Birmingham 55 Florida 34
At the BJCC Arena, the Steeldogs used a 35-point second quarter burst to defeat the Firecats for the first time in Birmingham. Florida committed turnovers in the game, while accruing 10 penalties. Steeldogs QBs Jeff Aaron and Kenton Evans combined for 172 yards on 11 of 26 passing to pace the offense.
July 10, 2004: Florida 55 Birmingham 28
At the Germain Arena, Florida repaid an early-season blowout loss with a late-season romp at the newly-renamed Germain Arena in Estero. Florida's Steve Gorrie ran for 35 yards and QB Ken Mastrole finished 13 of 23 for 169 yards to lead the Firecats.
SERIES BY THE NUMBERS
Record vs. Florida: 1-0
Last regular season game: Florida, 55-28 at FLA (7/10/04)
Steeldogs' largest margin of victory: 21 (55-34 at BIR (5/14/04))
Florida's largest margin of victory: 27 (55-28 at FLA (7/10/04))
Current streak: Florida won the last meeting
Steeldogs' longest win streak vs. Florida: 2 (5/3/02 to 7/19/03)
Florida's longest win streak vs Steeldogs: 1 (7/10/04 to present)
Most points, Steeldogs: 55 (55-34 at BIR (5/14/04))
Most points, Florida: 57 (57-35 at BIR (7/19/03))
Most points, both teams: 92 (FLA, 57-35 at BIR (7/19/03))
Fewest points, Steeldogs: 28 (28-55 at FLA (7/10/04))
Fewest points, Florida: 31 (31-49 at BIR (5/3/02))
Fewest points, both teams: 73 (BIR, 38-35 at FLA (5/3/03))
STEELDOGS BESTS VS. FLORIDA
Most rushing yards: 29, Dontae Walker (5/14/04 at BIR)
Most receiving yards: 112, Aryvia Holmes (5/3/03 at BIR)
Most passing yards: 242, Montressa Kirby (5/3/02 at BIR)
LAST SERIES GAME
7/10/2004 - Steeldogs Fall In Fort Myers (FloridaFirecats.com)
ESTERO, Fla. - A crowd of 4,789 came out to see the Florida Firecats defeat the Birmingham Steeldogs, 55-28, at the Germain Arena.
The Firecats came out the gate with a lot of rushing from the af2's leading ball carrier, Steve Gorrie. After pounding the ball four consecutive times, Gorrie cashed in from a yard out to give the Firecats the first score of the game.
On the ensuing Steeldog drive, Desmond Washington picked off a Jeff Aaron pass in the Birmingham end-zone. After hitting up Magic Benton for 16 yards, Florida quarterback Ken Mastrole found the able Cainon Lamb for his first touchdown of the night.
Birmingham answered the Firecats with a 2-yard touchdown run by Dontae Walker, his first of two scores on the night. After a Rhett Gallego extra point, the Firecats took the ball with a 13-7 lead.
On the Firecats' next drive, Cainon Lamb made an unbelievable diving catch that resulted in a 35-yard touchdown.
Brandon Kornblue added the extra point, and the Firecats led 20-7. Dontae Walker then answered for the Steeldogs with another touchdown on the ground to bring Birmingham within six points.
The Firecats then put together a lengthy drive that resulted in another hookup in the end zone from Mastrole to Benton. Cainon Lamb then ran in the fake extra point to give the Firecats a 28-14 lead. After Brandon Kornblue booted the kickoff out of the back of the Steeldog end zone, the Firecats' defense stuck the Birmingham offense three staright plays. Steeldog kicker Rhett Gallego then came out to attempt the 58-yard field goal with only 27 seconds left in the half. Linebacker Chris Morant then busted through the Steeldog line, blocking the Gallego kick and recovering it for another Firecat touchdown.
After the Steeldogs turned over the football on downs on their first drive of the second half, Cainon Lamb ran in a touchdown from two yards out to give the Firecats a commanding 41-14 lead, never looking back.
Quarterback Ken Mastrole finished the night 13 of 23 for 169 yards and four touchdowns. Magic Benton added five catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns to the cause. Brent Burnside also caught three balls for 20 yards.
On the ground, Florida fullback Steve Gorrie pounded his way into the number two spot in the af2 single-season rushing record book. Gorrie finished the night with eight carries for 35 yards and two touchdowns.
LAST WEEK: BIRMINGHAM
5/28/2005 â Finally, A Victory
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. â Breathe easy Birmingham, the streak is over.
The Steeldogs throttled the No. 2 Green Bay Blizzard, 55-26, to pick up their first victory in 301 days. Birmingham had not won a football game since July 31, 2004, when they defeated Macon, 50-31.
"This is unbelievable," Steeldogs head coach Bobby Humphrey said. "You know, these guys have played their hearts out all year long, and tonight things finally came together for us. These young men truly deserve this win."
Remarkably for the Steeldogs, it was the defense that played the biggest role in securing the first victory of the season. The league's statistically worst scoring defense shut out the Blizzard in the second half, putting the clamps on QB Johnny Turman and receivers Troy Mason and Robert Garth.
The game looked early on like an old-fashioned arena football shootout. Each team matched the other score-for-score through the first two quarters. Birmingham found the end zone first following an early Blizzard turnover. OS Detronn Harris squirted past the pylons from five yards out to give the Steeldogs an early 7-0 lead.
Green Bay answered with a 21-yard pass from Turman to Brent Holmes to knot the game at 7-7. Then, Turman put the Blizzard on top with a 23-yard pass to Mason. The extra point failed, but Green Bay owned a 13-7 advantage. That missed extra point would wind up as the difference maker in the first half, as the two teams traded scores throughout the rest of the half, with the Steeldogs taking a 27-26 halftime lead on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Linn to Harris with five seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Blizzard never again crossed the goal-line.
The Steeldogs secured momentum right out of the gate in the second half, as Harris ran back the opening kickoff 50 yards, giving Birmingham their biggest lead at eight points. Tawfiq Ramsey added a two-yard touchdown scamper to give the Steeldogs a 41-26 third quarter advantage.
The fourth quarter was also completely dominated by the Steeldogs, as Herman Bell opened the final frame with a magnificent 21-yard touchdown catch to expand Birmingham's lead to 48-26. Milas Randle capped off all scoring with a seven-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Linn finished 20 of 31 for 209 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Bell caught nine passes for 104 yards and one score. Harris caught six passes for 51 yards and one touchdown and returned four kicks for 89 yards and a score. The reigning af2 Offensive Player of the Week ran the ball three times for seven yards and a touchdown.
LAST WEEK: FLORIDA (from af2.com)
5/28/05 â Firecats Burn Dusters
ESTERO, Fla. â Florida defeated Amarillo, 69-63, at the Germain Arena in Estero.
The Dusters opened the game with a 9-play 6 and a half-minute drive to take an early 6-0 lead after Quarterback Julian Reese hooked up with Kendrick Walker for a 12 yard Touchdown strike. Cainon Lamb wasted no time in answering back with a 30yrd-scoring grab on the Firecats 1st play from scrimmage, Brandon Kornblue split the posts to give the âCats a 7-6 lead.
The Dusters proved they could play long ball too as Reese, who went 30 of 43 for 338 yards with 5 touchdowns and 1 interception in the game, hit his top target of the night Chavis McCollister with a 37-yard pass on the next drive and the Dusters went back out in front 12-7. It took Jeremy Reese a few kicks to get the feel for Florida's arena as his missed on his first 2 PAT's and hit the roof on back-to-back kickoffs to begin the game before settling into a rhythm.
The Firecats closed the 1st quarter scoring as Brent Burnside collected his 7th TD reception of the year to give the home team the lead once again 14-12.
In the second frame Dusters QB Julian Reese took matters into his own hands running in a score from 2 yards out adding to his league leading rushing TD total with his 17th.
On the Firecats next drive FB Steve Gorrie got the call 3 plays in a row racking up 19 yards and a score. The leagues top rusher would go on to carry the rock 8 times for 47 yards and 1 more trip to the end zone giving him the team career rushing touchdown record with 22.
Kendrick Walker ran back Kornblue's kick for 6pts, on his way to racking up 98 yards on 5 returns, to put Amarillo back on top 26-21 with 7:17 still to play in the 1st half.
Coach Steve Perdue dug into his bag of tricks with a surprise onside kick, which was fielded by cagey veteran Roy Stabler at the Dusters 14 yards line. Offensive Coordinator Ken Mastrole made Perdue pay for it however when Wallace found Lamb on the very next play as the duo found each other for the 2nd time tonight.
Cainon Lamb put the Firecats out in front for good collecting his 104th career touchdown reception (moving him into 2nd all time behind Mitch Allner's 126) stretching the Firecats lead to 35-26. Dusters signal caller Julian Reese missed the final series of the half with a hand injury and backup Steve Panella came up short on 3rd and 4th down to end the 1st 30 minutes of play.
Magic Benton gave the âCats their biggest lead of the night (42-26) with his 1st of 2 TD receptions, but like a horror monster that wouldn't die the Dusters came whirling back to life blocking a 23yrd FG attempt after a heartbreaking fumble call when McCollister coughed it up to Chris Morant.
COMPARISON STATS AND AWARDS
HOOP'S STAT O' THE WEEK: Here is a list of facts and oddities from the Steeldogs first win of 2005...
*The defense, which had given up 58 or more points in 6 of their previous 7 games, held Green Bay to just 26 total
*The same defense pitched a second half shutout, after allowing an average of 28 second half points per game
*For the first time this season, Birmingham finished with a positive turnover margin (+1)
*The Steeldogs enjoyed just their second third quarter lead of the season in the game
*A Steeldog won the Offensive Player of the Game award for the first time this season (Detronn Harris)
*Birmingham accrued less penalties (3) and penalty yardage (24) than in any other game this season
*For just the third time this season, Birmingham lost the time of possession battle, 31:38 to 28:22...
TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Firecats 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 Kane Claunch (San Diego)
8 Arkansas Robert Kilow (Arkansas)
9 Green Bay Detronn Harris (Birmingham)
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 George Williams (Bham)
8 Arkansas George Williams (Bham)
9 Green Bay Keon Mainor (Birmingham)
10 Florida
11 Louisville
12 Memphis
13 Green Bay
14 Macon
15 South Georgia
16 Florida
Statistical BIRMINGHAM FLORIDA
Category Stat Rank Stat Rank
Scoring Offense 48.1 8th 47.2 12th
Scoring Defense 58.2 19th 39.1 4th
Total Offense 263.4 10th 257.8 12th
Total Defense 243.8 6th 263.8 10th
Pass Offense 230.1 13th 222.9 16th
Pass Defense 233.0 7th 253.6 14th
Rushing Offense 33.2 3rd 34.9 1st
Rushing Defense 10.8 2nd 10.1 3rd
Scoring (Kicking) 5.4 16th 5.5 t-14th
Pass Rating 101.5 t-13th 106.3 7th
Pass Def. Rating 102.1 8th 104.4 11th
Kickoff Returns 54-981 12th 39-586 18th
MFG Returns 2-35 7th 3-24 18th
Turnover Margin -12 19th +1 t-7th
Field Goals 3-9 t-9th 1-9 t-19th
PAT Kicking 34-48 17th 41-51 t-7th
Sacks By 12 t-4th 8 t-13th
Sacks Against 18 20th 3 1st
First Downs 148 10th 146 11th
Opp. First Downs 137 t-6th 143 11th
Penalties 64-456 9th 56-291 1st
Opp. Penalties 84-548 4th 54-389 17th
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 Nian Taylor (San Diego)
8 Arkansas Robert Kilow (Arkansas)
9 Green Bay Herman Bell (Birmingham)
10 Florida
11 Louisville
12 Memphis
13 Green Bay
14 Macon
15 South Georgia
16 Florida
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