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Carolina Cobras game notes

March 30, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Cobras (3-5) at New York Dragons (4-3)
Date: April 4, 2004
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m.
Site: Charlotte Coliseum (12,229)
Officials: Riley Johnson (Referee), Paul Frerking (Umpire), Darrel Leftwich (Head Linesman), Paul Engleberts (Line Judge), Bud McCleskey (Back Judge)
Series Record: New York leads 2-1
Coaches: Carolina: John Gregory (10th season, 67-49)
New York: Todd Shell (6th season, 37-29)

THE SERIES:
Carolina 56, at New York 49 – May 18, 2001
New York 99, vs. Carolina 68 – July 7, 2001
New York 63, at Carolina 47 – May 16, 2003

THE IFs: If the Cobras defeat the Dragons it would:
...Give the Cobras a 2-3 record at home.
...Give the Cobras a two-game home winning streak.
...Give the Cobras a 3-1 record vs. East Division.

COBRAS LAST WEEK: The Carolina Cobras fell 48-31 to the New Orleans VooDoo Saturday night at the New Orleans Arena. Former Cobras quarterback John Fitzgerald led the expansion club to its fourth straight win, completing 15-of-22 passes for 211 yards and six TDs. Leading 35-28 heading into the final quarter, the VooDoo defense posted two defensive stops in the games final nine minutes to pull away for the win. The Cobras offense was led by Matt Nagy, who completed 24-of-44 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns, and Todd Doxzon, who posted a career-high 10 receptions for 111 yards and a score.

DRAGONS LAST WEEK (3/20): The Dragons defeated the Columbus Destroyers 62-41 in front 12,289 fans, the largest home crowd in franchise history. Quarterback Aaron Garcia threw for seven touchdowns and was named the Offensive Player of the Game. Offensive Specialist Will Holder finished with three touchdown receptions. Garcia completed 14-of-21 passes for 203 yards, while Holder led the team with 72 receiving yards on four receptions. The defense intercepted three Columbus' passes and helped the Dragons outscore the visitors 21-10 in the second quarter to build an insurmountable 18-point halftime lead.

CAROLINA COBRAS (3-5)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 8 at Dallas 3:00 W 67-41
Feb. 13 at Columbus 7:00 W 54-53
Feb. 21 ARIZONA 7:30 L 38-45
Feb. 28 ORLANDO 7:30 L 43-59
Mar. 7 at Austin 3:00 L 55-56
Mar. 13 DALLAS 7:30 L 52-77
Mar. 21 TAMPA BAY 3:00 W 54-43
Mar. 27 at New Orleans 8:00 L 31-48
Apr. 4 NEW YORK 3:00
Apr. 11 at Indiana 3:00
Apr. 17 PHILADELPHIA 7:30
May 1 COLUMBUS 7:30
May 8 at New York 7:00
May 15 at Philadelphia 7:30
May 22 GRAND RAPIDS 7:30
May 30 at Georgia 4:00

NEW YORK DRAGONS (4-3)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 8 at Georgia 3:00 W 54-28
Feb. 14 CHICAGO 3:00 L 54-56
Feb. 22 DALLAS 3:00 L 54-56
Feb. 29 at Arizona 3:00 L 41-53
Mar. 7 SAN JOSE 12:00 W 64-50
Mar. 14 at Tampa Bay 12:00 W 40-35
Mar. 20 COLUMBUS 7:00 W 62-41
Apr. 4 at Carolina 12:00
Apr. 10 at Columbus 7:00
Apr. 18 COLORADO 3:00
Apr. 24 at Philadelphia 7:30
May 2 at Dallas 3:00
May 8 CAROLINA 7:00
May 16 LOS ANGELES 3:00
May 23 at Orlando 3:00
May 30 PHILADELPHIA 4:00

THIS WEEK'S AFL SCHEDULE:
Thursday Georgia @ Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Saturday Indiana @ Colorado 3:00 p.m.
Austin @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
Sunday San Jose @ Tampa Bay 12:00 p.m.
Dallas @ Philadelphia 12:00 p.m.
Orlando @ Columbus 12:00 p.m.
Arizona @ Grand Rapids 3:00 p.m.
Chicago @ Las Vegas 6:00 p.m.


HEAD COACHES: A two-time Arena Football League Coach of the Year, John Gregory (67-49) guided the Iowa Barnstormers/New York Dragons franchise to two ArenaBowl berths and four Central Division titles in his nine seasons from 1995 to 2003. He ranks among the all-time coaching leaders in AFL history with 72 career wins (6th), 126 games coached (5th) and six postseason victories (5th). His teams have qualified for the playoffs six times and advanced to the ArenaBowl twice (1996, 1997). Gregory was named AFL Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Gregory's offenses have averaged 52.8 points per game over his career. His 2001 club in New York set an AFL scoring record with 64.1 points per outing, including a league-record 99 points on July 7, 2001 against the Cobras.

Todd Shell (37-29) took the reigns for New York five games into the 2003 season, leading the Dragons to an 8-4 record and the Eastern Division title. Following the team's come-from-behind victory in the Wild Card Round of the AFL playoffs, Shell was named as the league's Coach of the Year. Prior to joining New York, he served as the first head coach in the history of the San Jose franchise. He led the SaberCats to an 8-4 record and a Western Division championship in his first season in 1995. In four seasons, Shell posted a 29-25 mark and three playoff berths.

COBRAS NEXT WEEK: The Cobras travel to take on the Indiana Firebirds on Sunday, April 11 at 3:00 p.m. at the Conseco Fieldhouse. After dropping the first five games of the 2004 season, the Firebirds have rallied for four consecutive victories under new head coach Mike Wilpolt. Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson has sparked the club's recent hot streak.

COBRAS-DRAGONS LAST MEETING:
New York 63, Carolina 47 (5/16/03) Charlotte Coliseum
The Cobras became the sixth team in AFL history to go winless with a 63-47 loss to the Dragons. Trailing by two points heading into the final quarter, Carolina was outscored 14-0 in the final 15 minutes to seal their place in history. Aaron Garcia led the visitors with 365 yards and eight touchdowns on 26-of-34 passing. His favorite target was Will Holder, who reeled in nine passes for 129 yards and four scores.

COBRAS IN AFL HISTORY:
Player Rank Category Stat
Rickey Foggie 9th pass attempts 2,416
10th pass completions 1,357
10th pass yards 16,989
10th pass TDs 306
Damon Mason 3rd tackles 554.0
3rd forced fumbles 19
Otis Moore 10th tackles for loss 15.5
6th forced fumbles 12
Robert Stewart 3rd sacks 39.5

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how Carolina and New York match up after eight weeks of play.
Statistical CAROLINA NEW YORK
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 49.2 9th 51.3 6th
Scoring Defense 52.8 15th 45.6 5th
Total Offense 239.1 16th 237.6 17th
Total Defense 278.8 17th 265.6 15th
Pass Offense 228.8 11th 222.0 15th
Pass Defense 258.4 16th 245.9 14th
Run Offense 10.4 18th 15.6 13th
Run Defense 20.4 9th 19.7 8th

LEAGUE LEADERS:
Player Stat Total Rank
Matt Nagy Pass Attempts 265 4th
Pass Comp. 177 3rd
Cmp. Percent 66.8 4th
Pass Yards 1845 7th
Pass TDs 39 5th
Total Offense 231.1 7th
Todd Doxzon Receptions 67 3rd
Rec. Yards 741 3rd
Rec. TDs 15 T-6th
Scoring 92 T-8th
Damien Groce KOR Avg. 20.2 10th
Jarrick Hillery KOR Avg. 21.7 6th
Rob Bironas Scoring (kick) 66 T-3rd
Damon Mason Tackles 53.0 2nd

COBRAS MILESTONES:
WR/DB Damien Groce needs:
• 389 receiving yards to reach 1,500

WR/DB Jarrick Hillery needs:
• 155 receiving yards 2,500
• 16 receiving TDs for 50
• 9 rush attempts for 100

OL/DL Otis Moore needs:
• 5.0 tackles for 125
• 1.5 sacks for 20

FB/LB Chris Pope
§ 30.0 tackles for 100

FB/LB Travis Reece needs:
• 5 rush attempts for 150
• 44 rushing yards for 500

OL/DL Robert Stewart needs:
• .5 sack for 40

WR/LB Sir Mawn Wilson needs:
• 7 receptions for 100
• 3 receiving yards for 1,000


SNAKE BITES:
Familiar Colors: Cobras Head Coach John Gregory spent the first nine seasons of his AFL coaching career with the New York Dragons/Iowa Barnstormers franchise, guiding the team to two ArenaBowl berths and four Central Division titles from 1995 to 2003. A two time AFL Coach of the Year, he led the franchise to six playoff appearances thanks in large part to an offense that averaged 52.8 points per game during his tenure.

Dragons Fly South: Joining Gregory in making the move to Charlotte are eight former New York Dragons. OL/DL Nate Bell, OS Todd Doxzon, WR/DB Damien Groce, QB Matt Nagy and OL/DL Sean Tremblay all spent the 2003 season in the Big Apple, while OL/DL Cory Stone and WR/LB Jack Walker Jr. previously spent time with Gregory in the Nassau Coliseum. OL/DL Robert Stewart appeared in 28 games with the Dragons in 2001 and 2002.

Pupil Faces Mentor: When Cobras QB Matt Nagy joined the Dragons for his first AFL season in 2002, he had the opportunity to compete for the starting job vacated by current Dragons passer Aaron Garcia, who had recently been signed by the NFL San Francisco 49ers. In four starts that season, he completed 88-of-140 passes for 1,025 yards and 25 touchdowns. However, upon Garcia's return with five games remaining in the season, Nagy was relegated to back-up duties. He would go on to injure his knee prior to the 2003 season, missing the entire season. He used this time to watch and learn from one of the most prolific quarterbacks in AFL history. This week, he has an opportunity to show what he has learned.

Oh What a Night: These two teams have only faced off three times in their history, but one game found its place in AFL history. On July 7, 2001, the Cobras traveled to face the Dragons aerial attack led by John Gregory and QB Aaron Garcia. New York would go on to score an AFL-record 99 points en route to a 99-68 victory. Garcia threw for 378 yards and an astounding 11 touchdown passes, including seven to current NFL receiver Kevin Swayne, who pulled in 11 catches for 171 yards on the night.

Halfway There: The Cobras have struggled at times in the first half of the 2004 season, but the road becomes a bit easier in the final eight games. Carolina will have an opportunity to make a push for one of eight postseason berths as only one of the team's final six opponents (team faces NY and PHI twice) currently hold a winning record.

Opp. Record Win Pct.
First 8 games 27-25 .519
Final 8 games 15-30 .333

Under the Lights: The showdown with the Dragons marks the Cobras first-ever appearance on the AFL on NBC. 2004 season marks the second season of the AFL's broadcasting partnership with NBC. The unique deal with the AFL calls for the network to share in the revenues derived from the increasing value of AFL franchises, carries no rights payment, and renews at NBC's option. The network is scheduled to broadcast over 70 games this season, including all playoff games and ArenaBowl XVIII.

In the Zone: The Cobras have been very efficient in the red-zone throughout the 2004 season, ranking second in the league with a 93.1 conversion percentage. In 29 trips inside their opponents 10-yard line, Carolina has scored 24 touchdowns and three field goals. Their performance is exceeded only by the Los Angeles Avengers, who have scored on all 26 attempts in the red-zone.

Pace Setter: OS Todd Doxzon has been the Cobras most productive receivers early in the 2004 campaign and is on pace to shatter many of the franchise's single-season receiving records. Thus far, he is third in the league with 67 receptions and 741 yards. Following is how he would stack up with the top pass catchers in Carolina's five-year history if he continues on his current pace.

Player Rc Yds TD Pts
T. Doxzon (2004) (134) (1482) (30) (184)
B. Holmes (2003) 83 995 16 120*
A. Bailey (2002) 89* 1102* 18 118
A. Bailey (2001) 61 915 19* 116
*denotes single-season record

Third and Oh: The Carolina defense continues to struggle to limit opponents' success on third down. The Cobras allowed the VooDoo to convert 2-of-2 third down attempts last week, and opponents have been successful on 29-of-46 (63.0 percent) attempts on the season. Carolina's third-down defense ranks last in the league. The Cobras have also been ineffective on offense, converting only 23-of-53 (43.4 percent) attempts.

Just For Kicks: The kicking games for Carolina and New York are on opposite sides of the spectrum thus far in 2004. The Cobras have attempted a league-high 25 field goals through eight games, while three different kickers for New York have combined to try only four attempts. Carolina's Rob Bironas currently ranks third in the league with 66 points scored, connecting on 42-of-49 PAT attempts and 8-of-25 FG tries.




On the Sidelines: Following the dismissal of Eddie Khayat after the sixth game of the 2004 season, John Gregory was named as the fifth head coach in Carolina history. It marked the third mid-season coaching change in five seasons.

Head Coach Season Record Win Pct.
Doug Kay 2000-01 10-18 .357
Mike Neu 2001-02 6-8 .429
Mike Hold 2003 0-13 .000
Eddie Khayat 2003-04 2-7 .286
John Gregory 2004 1-1 .500

Queen-Sized Win: Carolina put an end to a grueling, AFL-record 16-game home losing streak on March 21 with a 54-43 victory over the defending ArenaBowl champions, the Tampa Bay Storm. The Cobras special teams accounted for three touchdowns, while the defense pressured Storm QB Pat O'Hara throughout the game, posting two interceptions and nine passes defended.

Nothing But Iron-man: WR/DB Jarrick Hillery was recognized as the Army Ironman of the Week for his performance against Tampa Bay on Sunday, March 21. The four-year veteran recorded two kickoff returns for touchdowns, caught three passes for 39 yards and a score and added four solo tackles and an interception on defense.

In the Trenches: The Cobras boast one of the most experienced starting offensive/defensive lines in the entire AFL. Otis Moore, Robert Stewart and Cory Stone have started in each of the team's first eight contests. Together, appeared in 305 career games over a combined 29 seasons of play. The starting group, along with six-year veteran OL/DL Sean Tremblay, will look to provide leadership to a line that also includes three first-year AFL players.

Lineman Exp Games Teams
Otis Moore* 11 124 7
Robert Stewart* 11 128 6
Sean Tremblay 7 65 3
Cory Stone* 6 52 5
*denotes starter

Pleased To Meet You: The Cobras have experienced a very dramatic makeover following the disappointments of the 2003 season. Only two players from last year's squad will take the field in 2004, OL/DL Robert Stewart and 2003 Team MVP Bernard Holmes. Of the 22 remaining players on the active roster, 21 were signed as free agents during the offseason. The only player not acquired in the free agency frenzy was QB Matt Nagy, who joined the Cobras via trade from the New York Dragons in exchange for OL/DL Tim McGill.

Leader of the Pack: Perennial AFL standout DS Damon Mason has paid immediate dividends in his first season with the Cobras. Named as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game in each of the first three games of the campaign, Mason currently ranks second in the league with 52.0 tackles. He has registered three of the top four single-season tackle totals in AFL history and ranks third all-time with 533.0 career tackles.

Player Yr UA A Total
Cornelius Coe (IND) 2001 102 39 121.5
Damon Mason (ORL) 2000 100 16 108.0
Damon Mason (ORL) 1999 90 26 103.0
Damon Mason (ORL) 2001 87 28 101.0

FAMILIAR FACES: Carolina Head Coach John Gregory spent nine seasons (1995-2003) at the helm for the New York/Iowa franchise...The Cobras roster features eight former New York Dragons: OL/DL Nate Bell, OS Todd Doxzon, WR/DB Damien Groce, QB Matt Nagy, OL/DL Robert Stewart, OL/DL Cory Stone, OL/DL Sean Tremblay and WR/LB Jack Walker Jr...Nagy was acquired by Carolina during the offseason in exchange for New York OL/DL Tim McGill, who was named as the Cobras Most Improved Player following the 2003 campaign...Cobras WR/LB Sir Mawn Wilson and New York OL/DL Jerry Sharp both attended Syracuse in 1994...Sharp spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons in Carolina.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
March 10: OL/DL Kendrick Gholston placed on injured reserve list.

March 19: OL/DL Wes Stephens placed on injured reserve list. DS Glenn Davis and WR/DB Lenzie Jackson activated from injured reserve list. Signed OL/DL Nate Bell.

March 26: Signed WR/LB D.J. Humphries from practice squad and waived WR/DB Ernest Ross.

INJURY UPDATES: OL/DL Wes Stephens suffered a season-ending leg injury in loss vs. Dallas...OL/DL Kendrick Gholston was placed on injured reserve after suffering an ACL injury in loss at Austin.

COBRAS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
DS Daryon Brutley Hamst. Probable
OS Todd Doxzon Thigh Probable
OL/DL Bryan Ray Thigh Probable
OL/DL Yusuf Scott Ankle Probable
OL/DL Sean Tremblay Calf Probable
OL/DL Wes Stephens Leg IR
OL/DL Kendrick Gholston Knee IR

COBRAS PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Matt Nagy: The second-year quarterback has made an immediate impact in his first season with the Cobras, accounting for 42 touchdowns through eight weeks of play. Overall, Nagy has completed 177-of-265 passes for 1,845 yards and 39 scores. He earned AFL Offensive Player of the Week honors after passing for 282 yards and accounting for seven touchdowns in the Cobras' season-opening victory at Dallas (2/8/03). Prior to missing the 2003 season with a knee injury, Nagy enjoyed a successful 2002 campaign with the New York Dragons, completing 88 of 140 passes for 1,025 yards and 25 touchdowns in four starts.

OS Todd Doxzon: Doxzon continues to show the knack for finding the end zone that made him a valuable commodity in the offseason free agent market. He has accounted for a team-high 15 touchdown receptions this season and leads the team with 67 receptions for 741 yards. The former Iowa State standout has reeled in a career-high 10 receptions in four of the first eight contests of the 2004 season. In 38 career games he has posted 56 touchdown catches.

WR/DB Damien Groce: Groce has emerged as a dangerous weapon as a receiver, rusher and kick returner this season. In eight games, he has 37 catches for 400 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns, including the game-winning score in the Cobras come-from-behind win at Columbus (2/13). He also added a seven-yard TD run against Austin (3/7) and a 56-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the club's loss to Arizona (2/21).

WR/LB Jack Walker Jr.: The three-year veteran makes his return to the AFL after spending the 2002 and 2003 seasons in af2. After beginning his career with the New York/Iowa franchise from 1998 to 2001, Walker moved on to join the Pensacola Barracudas (af2) in 2002. Last season he enjoyed a stellar season with the Peoria Pirates, leading the league with 45 receiving touchdowns and 276 points scored. His season, which included 90 receptions for 1,442 yards spring-boarded him back to the AFL and former head coach John Gregory. This season, Walker Jr. has made contributions on both side of the ball, ranking third on the team with 30 receptions for 299 yards and five scores, while adding 15.5 tackles on defense.


DRAGONS PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Aaron Garcia: The nine-year veteran enters the 2004 season as one of the most prolific passers in league history. He ranks first all-time with 585 scoring passes, second with 28,334 passing yards and third with 2,186 career completions. This season, he has continued his torrid pace, ranking among the league leaders with 41 touchdown passes (3rd), while completing 121-of-189 passes for 1,554 yards and six interceptions.

WR/DB Will Holder: A second-year pro has emerged as on the most dangerous weapons in Garcia's arsenal of receivers. Honored as the AFL's Ironman of the Week in the first week of the 2004 season, Holder currently leads the team with 34 catches for 525 yards and 15 touchdowns. A defensive force as well, he has added 10.5 tackles and an interception.

DS Donvetis Franklin: The defensive specialist out of Michigan State is the leader of the Dragons backfield after posting back-to-back 90-plus tackle seasons to begin his career. This season, he leads the club, and ranks eighth in the AFL, with 41.0 takedowns and nine passes defended.

BABY RUTH OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Wk Player Team
1 Matt Nagy CAR
2 Cornelius White CMB
3 Sherdrick Bonner ARI
4 Joe Hamilton ORL
5 John Kaleo AUS
6 Glen Gauntt DAL
7 Jarrick Hillery CAR
8 John Fitzgerald NOV

ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME:
Wk Player Team
1 Travis Reece CAR
2 Wilkie Bazile CMB
3 Tom Pace ARI
4 James Bowden ORL
5 Charlie Davidson AUS
6 Will Pettis DAL
7 Jack Walker Jr. CAR
8 B.J. Cohen NOV

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Wk Player Team
1 Damon Mason CAR
2 Damon Mason CAR
3 Damon Mason CAR
4 Jermaine Smith ORL
5 Charlie Davidson AUS
6 Henry Taylor DAL
7 Jarrick Hillery CAR
8 Monty Montgomery NOV

AFL STANDINGS
National Conference
EASTERN Win Loss Tie PF PA
Dallas 5 2 0 386 355
New York 4 3 0 359 319
Carolina 3 5 0 394 422
Philadelphia 3 5 0 363 360
Columbus 1 6 0 300 379

SOUTHERN Win Loss Tie PF PA
New Orleans 7 1 0 365 326
Austin 5 2 0 372 370
Georgia 4 4 0 370 433
Orlando 3 4 0 317 335
Tampa Bay 3 5 0 376 377

American Conference
CENTRAL Win Loss Tie PF PA
Colorado 6 2 0 361 374
Chicago 5 2 0 396 305
Detroit 3 4 0 347 362
Indiana 3 5 0 379 347
Grand Rapids 0 7 0 237 377

WESTERN Win Loss Tie PF PA
San Jose 6 1 0 420 342
Los Angeles 4 3 0 380 333
Arizona 3 5 0 381 388
Las Vegas 3 5 0 408 407


THE COBRAS THIS SEASON ARE:

1-3 at home
2-2 on the road

2-1 vs. Eastern Division
0-0 vs. Central Division
1-3 vs. Southern Division
0-1 vs. Western Division

1-0 on Friday
0-4 on Saturday
2-1 on Sunday

2-2 in February
1-3 in March
0-0 in April
0-0 in May

1-3 when leading at the half
0-0 when tied at the half
2-2 when trailing at the half

2-1 when leading after 3 quarters
0-1 when tied after 3 quarters
1-3 when trailing after 3 quarters

0-1 outcome 7 points or less
1-1 outcome 3 points or less
0-0 overtime games

3-1 when the Cobras score first
0-4 when opponent scores first



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 30, 2004


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