Carolina Rhinos Weekly Notes
April 22, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Carolina Rhinos News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Rhinos (0-2)
at Augusta Stallions (3-0)
Date: 4/27/02
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Richmond County Civic Center
Radio: 1070 The Sportszone WCSZ-AM, airtime 7:15 p.m.
'Rhino Talk' featuring head coach ROD MILLER airs Mondays on The Sportszone at 6 p.m. live from Wild Wing Café in downtown Greenville.
Last Meeting: June 2, 2001 in Greenville. Rhinos 41 Augusta 37. The Stallions gave the Rhinos one of their toughest tests at home during the 2001 season. Only a 40-37 win over the Richmond Speed on July 7th featured a lower margin of victory in the Rhinos' perfect 8-0 home season.
Streaks: Rhinos have lost two straight games for the first time since a 48-36 loss at Augusta on July 15, 2000 and a 51-49 road defeat at the hands of the Tallahassee Thunder on July 21, 2000.
Coaches: Carolina, ROD MILLER (first year)
Augusta, MIKE HOLD (second year).
THE STAKES: The Rhinos are still looking for their first win of the season and first under head coach ROD MILLER. They are also looking to avoid the first-ever 0-3 start in franchise history. Augusta looks to improve their record to 3-0 and keep pace with Macon atop the American Conference's Eastern Division.
THE SERIES: This will be the first of two meetings this season between the teams who will kickoff in Greenville on Saturday May 18th. Augusta is 2-1 all-time in the series winning both a regular-season and playoff game in 2000 while the Rhinos won a regular-season contest last year.
THE IFs:
If THE RHINOS defeat AUGUSTA, it would:
·BE their first-ever win under head coach ROD MILLER.
·IMPROVE their record to 1-2.
·AVOID an 0-3 start for the first time in team history.
·MAKE them 1-2 on the season.
·BE their second straight win over the Stallions.
HEAD COACHES: After two seasons as the Rhinos special teams coordinator and receivers and defensive backs coach, ROD MILLER takes over the reigns of the Rhinos.
Augusta's MIKE HOLD is 11-7 all-time as the head coach of the Stallions. He made his debut as the team's sideline boss last season after a 12-year career in the Arena Football League.
LAST SERIES MEETING: The Rhinos avenged a pair of road losses from the 2000 season, including a playoff defeat, with a 41-37 win at the BI-LO Center last June 2nd. The win was the fourth of a perfect 8-0 home season for the Rhinos but was one of their toughest tests on their own field. Only a 40-37 home win over the Richmond Speed on July 7th was decided by a closer margin last year.
SERIES NOTABLES: Rhinos are 1-2 all-time versus Augusta. The home team has won all three meetings including the Stallions' 76-64 win in the first round of the 2000 playoffs.
FAMILIAR FACES: WR/DB MAL LAWYER, WR/LB JERMAINE DERRICOTT, FB/LB RASHEED CULLER, OL/DL JERRY MYERS, OL/DL SCOTT BUCHANAN all return from last season's ArenaCup Semi-Finalist team for the Rhinos.
RECENT RHINOS TRANSACTIONS: OL/DL KEITH ENOS remains on the suspended list.
RHINOS INJURY REPORT:
OS NICK JOHNSON (hamstring), FB/LB CRAIG KING (knee swelling) and DS ROD THOMPSON (flu) are all day to day.
THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:
ROD MILLER on playing Augusta, "They have always had a complete, solid team and then you have to factor in the Rhinos-Stallions rivalry." ROD MILLER on the Rhinos offensive and defensive lines, "We played better last week and are continuing to mesh together." ROD MILLER on QB CALEB SLOVER, "He played well and will continue to improve with experience."
MILESTONES: Rhinos hope to avoid their first-ever three-game losing streak while giving ROD MILLER his first win as head coach.
LAST TIME OUT: Rhinos lost 38-33 at home to the Macon Knights last Friday. It was their first-ever, home-opening loss. Augusta beat the Cape Fear Wildcats 45-44 in Fayetteville, North Carolina last Saturday.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Following this week's visit to Augusta, the Rhinos will host the Greensboro Prowlers Saturday May 4th at 7:30 p.m. Augusts will visit the Columbus Wardogs on the 4th. The teams will meet again in Greenville on Saturday May 18th at 7:30 p.m.
TEAM NOTES / TRENDS:
RHINOS have lost two straight games both overall and on the road in regular-season play. They have dropped three straight away from home including last year's playoff loss to Quad City in the ArenaCup semi-finals.
AUGUSTA has won two straight games this year.
PLAYERS / MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
LINES & SPECIAL TEAMS: Rhinos look to continue to improve on the former while Augusta always plays especially well on the latter.
RHINOS QB CALEB SLOVER: Rookie from Tusculum College looked sharp in debut last week and will continue to gain experience.
AUGUSTA WR Tim Dumas: Dumas leads the Stallions in scoring with 36 points, six touchdowns and 295 all-purpose yards.
BUILT FORD TOUGH AWARD (selected by coaches)
The Built Ford Tough Award is a national recognition award given after every game to the player or players on each team best demonstrating determination and toughness in that game. The award honors the players who made a game-saving tackle or score-saving tackle, threw a key block on the big play or exhibited physical sacrifice or consistent tough blocking and tackling on both sides of the ball. The honored players receive a helmet sticker that recognizes the Built Ford Tough Player of the Game. RONNIE WASHBURN of the Carolina Rhinos won the award last season. WR/LB XAMON GLASPER won the award for the Rhinos in last Friday's home loss to Macon.
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