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Chicago Rush Game Notes

April 22, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release


The Quick Facts
TV: NBC ... Eli Gold, Charles Davis
Radio: WAUR-AM (930) ... Tom Dore, John Jurkovic
Regular Season Series Record: 2-3
Overall Series Record: 2-4
Last Meeting: March 29, 2003 ... Grand Rapids won 48-34
Coaches (regular season records): Mike Hohensee (65-63 — 10th season) Michael Trigg (70-62 — 9th season)
Officials: William Lemonnier (Referee), Rick Lowe (Umpire), Rod Pearson (Head Linesman), Art Lucky (Line Judge), Scott Helverson (Back Judge)

OVERTIME LOSSES: Chicago and Grand Rapids have something in common this week — both teams are coming off overtime losses at home. The similarities end there, however, as the Rush need to win to keep its playoff hopes alive and a Rampage victory will ensure a postseason birth. The Rampage defeated the Rush 48-34 in Grand Rapids last month.

The Rush had its chances to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season but could not get it done. Chicago fell 60-54 to Dallas in overtime. The Rush failed to score on its possession in extra frame as Lindsay Fleshman fumbled at the Dallas 1-yard line and the Desperados scored two plays later. The Rush defense put constant pressure on Jim Kubiak, recording 3.0 sacks and forcing him into 2 interceptions.

The Rampage participated in the 2nd-highest scoring game in league history and came out on the short end, losing 82-81 to Arizona in overtime. Grand Rapids went for the two-point conversion and the win in overtime but quarterback Clint Dolezel was stopped just short of the goal line. Dolezel completed 21-of-29 passes for 331 yards and 7 touchdowns. Wide receiver Terrill Shaw caught 7 passes for 183 yards and 4 scores.

Next week, the Rush will travel to Carolina to face the Cobras while the Rampage head west to face the San Jose SaberCats.

RUSHING ATTACK: Chicago has rushed for a club-record 243 yards (77 attempts) so far this season in 12 games. Last season, the rushing attack netted 103 yards on 80 carries. The team is on pace to record 324 yards rushing.

Year G Att. Yards TD Avg.
2001 14 73 174 15 2.4
2002 14 80 103 20 1.3
2003 12 77 243 19 3.2

Fullbacks Jamie McGourty, Bob McMillen and Levelle Brown have done most of the damage in the rushing attack.

McGourty has rushed for career-high 93 yards (29 carries) in 10 games this season. McGourty need 7 yards to become the first Rush player to rush for 100 yards in a season. McMillen has 63 yards (20 attempts) in 12 games. McMillen has rushed for at least 100 yards during each of the last 4 seasons and needs 37 yards in the final 4 games to reach that mark again. Brown has only played in 3 contests this season but has been very productive, scoring 4 touchdowns and rushing for 46 yards on 7 carries. Brown is the team record holder with 40 yards rushing in a game (March 16 at Las Vegas).

RACE TO THE FINISH: After a slow start to the season, offensive specialist Antonio Chatman is in a sprint to the finish. Chatman only scored 3 touchdowns in the season's first 4 weeks. Since March 1 at Buffalo, Chatman has averaged 3 touchdowns a week. Chatman has scored 24 touchdowns in his last 8 games. During the 8-game hot streak, Chatman has caught 53 passes for 790 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and 20 touchdowns. He is averaging 27.5 yards per kickoff return in the 8 contest (40-1,099) with 4 touchdowns.

For the season, Chatman has caught 85 passes for 1,115 yards and 22touchdowns. He is on pace to record 113 receptions and 1,487 yards, both of which would shatter existing Rush records.

CHATTIN' WITH A LEAGUE LEADER: Antonio Chatman is leading the AFL with 2,690 all-purpose yards. Chatman is on pace to record 3,479 all-purpose yards, which would be the highest total in league history (3,459 yards by Lamont Cooper in 2001). Last week against Dallas, Chatman recorded 335 yards — the 2nd-best all-purpose total of his career.

Chatman is also among the league leaders in 13 other categories, including scoring, receptions and kick return touchdowns. Chatman has recorded at least 100 all-purpose yards in every game that he has started.

MR. KICK RETURN: Antonio Chatman has recorded at least 100 return yards in 9 of the 12 contests this season, including in each of the last 7 games. Chatman ran for a career-high 263 combined return yards March 9 vs. San Jose.

Chatman has returned a league-leading 5 kickoffs for touchdown this season. Chatman has now returned a club-record 7 kickoffs for scores. The AFL record for kick returns for touchdown in a season is 7, set in 2000 by Milwaukee's Lamont Cooper.

SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST: Entering the fourth quarter last Sunday against Dallas, Antonio Chatman had caught 4 passes for 34 yards and 1 touchdown plus returned 5 kicks for 136 yards. Billy Dicken had gone 10-of-19 for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns through 3 quarters.

During the fourth quarter and the overtime period, both players would come up big. Chatman caught 4 passes for 78 yards and 3 scores. He also returned 3 kicks for 79 yards. Dicken would be almost perfect, connecting on 8-of-9 passes for 110 yards and 3 touchdowns.

RUSHIN' BACK TO THE DIVISION: The Rush will play 2 of its final 4 games against Central Division opponents and 3 of the 4 contests at Allstate Arena. The Rush is currently 0-4 in the division and 1-4 at home.

Last season, the Rush went 5-1 in the division and 6-1 at home in the regular season.

SACK ATTACK: The Rush recorded 3.0 sacks last Sunday against Dallas, tying a club record. Chicago also recorded 3.0 sacks July 13, 2002, against Dallas. The Rush rank fifth in the league with 14 sacks.

In last week's game, James Baron, Riley Kleinhesselink and Tony Bowick each recorded a sack. For Baron, it was his third of the season while Kleinhesselink and Bowick recorded their first of the season. It was Bowick's first Rush sack as his last sack came while he was playing for Grand Rapids July 14, 2001, against Oklahoma.

BILLY RETURNS: Quarterback Billy Dicken has thrown for 18 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions in his last three contests. Dicken has completed 51-of-78 passes for 649 yards in the 3 games. Last Sunday against Dallas, Dicken threw for 204 yards (18-28), 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. Dicken has not thrown an interception in the last two games.

Dicken suffered a fractured jaw on the first series March 1 at Buffalo but still threw for 246 yards and 6 touchdowns in the contest. Dicken served as the emergency quarterback for the next two games (March 9 vs. San Jose and March 16 at Las Vegas) before returning to the lineup March 23 vs. New York. Dicken struggled in losses to against New York and Grand Rapids (March 29) before starting his current hot streak.

Dicken struggled in the first meeting between the Rush and the Rampage March 29 at Grand Rapids, throwing a career-high 4 interceptions.

RECORDS WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN: Several Rush team records have already been broken 12 games into the season.

Jamie McGourty has shattered the season rushing mark with 93 yards (previous 67 yards by McGourty in 2001). McGourty also needs 1 rushing attempt to break the single season club mark (29 attempts by McGourty in 2002).

Antonio Chatman has added to his collection of Rush records. Chatman has already set the kickoff return yards for a season and the kickoff touchdowns marks. Chatman has also established the all-purpose mark for the club, breaking his own record of 2,666 yards set last season.

Chatman is closing in on several other marks, including season marks for receptions (needs 14), receiving yards (172) and touchdown receptions (4). Chatman is prepared to break the touchdowns scored for a season (needs 4) and points for a season (20).

In addition, John Moyer has broken the season and career mark for sacks.

WALKER RETURNS: Defensive specialist Cedric Walker should return to action this week against Grand Rapids. Walker was injured in the first quarter March 16 at Las Vegas and has missed 5-plus games with a severely bruised left quadriceps. Walker needs 3.0 tackles to reach the 450.0-mark for his career.

I'LL TAKE THAT: The Rush defensive unit has intercepted 16 passes in the last 9 games after being shutout in the first 3 contests of the season. Chicago is only 2 picks off the league leaders Georgia and Tampa Bay. The Rush has had 8 different players intercept at least one pass. Last season, the Rush led the AFL with 22 picks.

BELLS WILL BE RINGING: Lineman Jerry Montgomery and fiancée, Natalie, will be married this Saturday in Iowa. Montgomery, a rookie out of the University of Iowa, has played in 3 games this season and made 3.0 tackles.

AWARD WINNERS: The Rush has had three weekly award winners this season — Dameon Porter, Lindsay Fleshman and John Moyer. Porter (Week 4) and Moyer (Week 10) have won ADT Defensive Player of the Week honors while Fleshman earned Ironman of the Week for Week 5.

In terms of game awards, Antonio Chatman has won Game MVP honors five times, with the last one coming April 20 vs. Dallas. Quarterback Billy Dicken earned his first Game MVP award of the season April 13 at Colorado. The Rush has had a trio of Ironman of the Game winners — Lindsay Fleshman (three times), Anthony Ladd (one time) and Riley Kleinhesselink (once).

COACH MIKE HOHENSEE is in his 10th season as a head coach in the Arena Football League. Hohensee was hired as the first coach in Rush history on September 26, 2000.
- has a regular-season record of 65-63 (including an 21-19 mark with the Rush) ... has a career 5-6 mark in the postseason.
- signed a two-year contract extension through the 2005 season on August 1, 2002.
- became the sixth head coach in AFL history to achieve 70 career wins ... his 70th win was April 13, 2003, at Colorado (76-58).
- was the sixth coach in league history to record 60 regular-season victories when the Rush defeated Dallas (58-52 in overtime) July 13, 2002.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2003


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