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Chicago Rush game notes

February 4, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release


The Quick Facts
TV: NBC ... Dan Hicks, Mike Pawlawski, Mark Schanowski
Radio: ESPN Radio 1000 ... Tom Dore, John Jurkovic
Overall Series Record: 3-4
Last Meeting: April 27, 2003 – Rush 54, Grand Rapids 46
Coaches (regular season records):
Mike Hohensee (68-64 — 11th season)
Bob Cortese (12-16 — 3rd season)
Officials: Bill LeMonnier (Referee), Rick Podraza (Umpire), Allen Baynes (Head Linesman), Dana McKenzie (Line Judge), Billy Beckett (Back Judge)


2004 Chicago Rush Schedule
February 8 Grand Rapids* 2 p.m. NBC
February 14 @ New York 2 p.m. NBC
February 22 Colorado* 2 p.m. NBC
February 29 @ Indiana* 2 p.m. NBC
March 7 @ Philadelphia 11 a.m. NBC
March 14 BYE
March 21 Orlando 11 a.m. NBC
March 28 Detroit* 2 p.m.
April 4 @ Las Vegas 5 p.m.
April 11 Tampa Bay 2 p.m. NBC
April 16 @ San Jose 9:30 p.m.
April 25 Los Angeles 2 p.m. NBC
May 2 @ Detroit * 2 p.m. NBC
May 8 @ Grand Rapids* 6:30 p.m.
May 16 Dallas 2 p.m. NBC
May 23 Indiana* 2 p.m. NBC
May 30 @ Colorado* 3 p.m. NBC

*Central Division Game ... All times Central


American Conference — Central Division
2003 Final Standings
W-L-T PF PA Division
Dallas 10-6-0 910 875 3-3-0
Grand Rapids 8-8-0 925 848 3-3-0
RUSH 8-8-0 785 754 2-4-0
Indiana 6-10-0 774 831 4-2-0


KICKOFF: The Rush hosts Central Division-rival Grand Rapids Sunday as it opens its fourth AFL season. Last year, both teams finished the regular season with identical 8-8 records, followed by opening round losses in the AFL playoffs. The Rush, however, finished the season on a strong note, going 5-2 in its last seven games, while the Rampage finished the 2003 regular season on a five-game losing streak.

Entering its fourth year, the Rush has a 24-20 all-time record, including three-consecutive playoff appearances and a 2002 Central Division title.

PRIOR AFFAIRS: These Central Division rivals have locked horns 7 times in the past three seasons. The teams have split their six regular season meetings, with the Rampage winning the only postseason matchup between the two (8/5/01). The Rush is 2-1 versus Grand Rapids at home.

Last year, Chicago defeated the Rampage on April 27, 54-46, en route to winning three of its last four to make a third straight playoff appearance. Grand Rapids upended the Rush 48-34 on March 29 in Michigan.

NEXT WEEK: After the opener, the Rush will hit the road for three of its next four games. First up is a Valentine's Day matinee with the New York Dragons. The Dragons defeated Chicago twice last season – 54-51 at Allstate Arena during the regular season and 48-45 in the first round of the AFL playoffs in New York.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE?: After posting an 11-3 record at Allstate Arena in its first two seasons, the Rush slipped to 3-5 at home in 2003, bringing its all-time mark at home to 14-8.

JUST 12 REMAIN: As the Rush begins its fourth season, only 12 players remain from the squad that finished the 2003 season with a 48-45 loss in New York in the opening round of the playoffs. A 13th player, Salem Simon, started the 2003 season with the Rush before leaving for NFL Europe.

In addition, only four players remain from the team that won the Central Division title and advanced to the AFL semifinals in 2002.

HEAD COACH MIKE HOHENSEE enters his 11th season as a head coach in the Arena Football League. Hohensee was hired as the first coach in Rush history on September 26, 2000. He
- has a regular-season record of 68-64 (including a
24-20 mark with the Rush) ... has a career 5-7 mark in the postseason.
- has led the Rush to three-consecutive playoff berths and a 2002 Central Division title
- is 3-5 against the Rampage franchise including a 2001 playoff loss ending Chicago's inaugural season.
- became the sixth head coach in AFL history to achieve 70 career wins (postseason wins included) ... his 70th win was April 13, 2003, at Colorado (76-58).
- is 5-5 in season openers... with the Rush he is 1-2 in season openers (won at Indiana, 5/19/02).
- in season openers played at home, he is 2-4 overall and 0-1 with the Rush.

All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 155 vs. Orlando
Danny White Arizona 123 vs. Los Angeles
Perry Moss 86
Michael Trigg Philadelphia 73 vs. New Orleans
Mike Hohensee Rush 72 vs. Grand Rapids
John Gregory 72

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT ‘EM... : New Rush QB Raymond Philyaw is one of the most accurate passers in the AFL. Philyaw currently holds the AFL record for most-consecutive passes attempted without an interception (299).

In his three seasons in the league, Philyaw has thrown only 15 regular season interceptions. Ironically, 6 of his interceptions came against the Rush.

In 6 career games against Chicago, Philyaw was 3-3.

Versus Grand Rapids, Philyaw has posted some gaudy offensive numbers, despite owning just a 3-4 overall record against the Rampage.

Philyaw's career numbers against the Rampage:

Comp Att Pct. Yds. TD Int Rating
128 207 61.8% 1,839 41 2 126.19

FIREBIRDS WEST: In addition to signing Philyaw the Rush signed four other players who spent the 2003 season with the Indiana Firebirds – WR/DB Donnie Caldwell, OS Jeremy McDaniel, OL/DL John Sikora and DS Greg Williams. In addition both WR/DB DeJuan Alfonzo (2002) and FB/LB Jamie McGourty (1999) have spent time with the Firebirds franchise.

PROTECT THAT QB: The Rush has become one of the better teams in the league in protecting its quarterback. In 2002 the Rush led the league, allowing only three QB sacks all season. Last season, the Rush ranked fifth in the AFL, giving up 12 sacks.

SACK ATTACK: The Rush defensive line features two players who are among the best at rushing the passer – James Baron and John Moyer. Baron, a six-time All-Arena performer ranks 5th on the AFL's career sack leaders list with 33.5 career sacks, while Moyer, an All-Arena player the past two seasons, finished third in the AFL in sacks in 2003 and is climbing up the record books with 18 career sacks.

Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) John Moyer 13.0
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) James Baron 7.0
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Anthony Hutch 6.5
James Baron 4.0 (2003) Tony Henderson 4.0
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001) Riley Kleinhesselink 3.5
James Baron 3.0 (2002)
Riley Kleinhesselink 2.5 (2001)

100 AND COUNTING: Lineman James Baron has played in 100 career regular season AFL games, having never missed a game in his seven-year career. Including postseason, Baron's consecutive game streak stands at 113 games.

Baron has played in more AFL games than any other Rush player. Next on the Rush list for AFL service are Bob McMillen (95 regular season games), John Moyer (64), John Sikora (60), Frank Moore (59) and Jamie McGourty (53).

GISPERT BACK TO KICK: For the first time in Rush history, the kicker who finished the previous season is back to open the next season. All-Rookie kicker Keith Gispert became the longest tenured kicker in Rush history, playing in 13 games in 2003. Gispert, who holds the team-record for longest field goal (54-yarder vs. Detroit), finished his 2003 regular season by kicking the Rush into the playoffs with a game-winning overtime field goal to defeat Indiana 46-43.

Gispert's 2003 kicking stats:

Player G FG FG% XPT XPT% PTS
Gispert 12 9-21 42.8 64-79 81 91

NEW CROP OF RECEIVERS: The Rush enters the 2004 season with an almost entirely new group of receivers. After setting an AFL single-season record for all-purpose yards (3,678), Antonio Chatman signed a two-year contract with the Green Bay Packers. In addition, three other Rush receivers left via AFL free agency – WR/DB Dameon Porter (Georgia Force), WR/DB Cornelius Bonner (Las Vegas Gladiators) and WR/LB Anthony Ladd (Dallas Desperados). In 2003 the quartet combined for 71% of the team's receptions, 74% of its receiving yards and 75% of its receiving touchdowns.

The only two regular members of the 2003 receiving corps who return in 2004 are WR/LB Lindsay Fleshman and WR/DB DeJuan Alfonzo.

Joining the squad this season are offensive specialist Jeremy McDaniel (signed as a free agent from Indiana), WR/DB Donnie Caldwell (free agent, Indiana), WR/LB Etu Molden (rookie).

DEPTH AT FB/LB: The Rush continues to have depth at FB/LB. All three members of the 2003 squad – Bob McMillen, Jamie McGourty and Levelle Brown – return for 2004. McMillen (122) and McGourty (112) each reached 100 yards rushing in 2003, and Brown added 46 yards in just four games.

RUSH ADDS THREE TO PRACTICE SQUAD: The Rush signed three players to its practice squad on Tuesday, OS Reggie Allen, WR/DB DaShane Dennis and FB/LB J.R. Niklos. All three were with the Rush during training camp.

RUSH PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Practice for the week of February 2:
Tuesday, February 3 – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, February 4 – 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 5 – 10:15 a.m. to Noon
Friday, February 6 – 10:15 a.m. to Noon
Saturday, February 7 – 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

All practices will be held at the team's Palatine practice facility, Soccer Enterprise, except Saturday's walk-thru, which will be held at Northwestern University.

TALE OF THE TAPE – 2003 Comparison
Chicago Category (Rank) Grand Rapids
16 Games 16
49.1 (10) Scoring Offense 57.8 (2)
47.1 (5) Scoring Defense 53.0 (12)
249.2 (13) Total Offense 299.0 (2)
266.9 (8) Total Defense 275.2 (12)
60-73, 82.2% Red Zone Offense 74-90, 82.2%
58-78, 74.4% Red Zone Defense 65-77, 84.4%
228.4 (13) Pass Offense 281.0 (3)
248.2 (9) Pass Defense 253.1 (12)
20.8 (5) Rushing Offense 18.0 (8)
18.7 (9) Rushing Defense 22.1 (14)
785 (10) Scoring 925 (2)
111 (T-9) Scoring (Kicking) 127 (7)
86-1,983-7 Kickoff Returns 92-2,114-7
23.1 Kick Return Average 23.0
8-156-0 MFG Returns 10-163-1
19.5 MFG Return Average 16.3
+3 (6) Turnover Margin -3 (11)
10-24, 41.7% Field Goals 12-20, 60.0%
81-99, 81.8% PAT Kicking 91-107, 85.0%
19-98 Sacks By 14-90
12-88 Sacks Against 8-54
44-92, 47.8% Third Down Conversion 52-81, 64.2%
9-18, 50.0% Fourth Down Conversion 7-11, 63.6%
124-746 Penalties (#-Yards) 116-717
128-840 Opp. Penalties (#-Yards) 130-733


INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE LEADERS: The following Rush players or former players finished the 2003 season among the league leaders.
James Baron: fumbles recovered (T-2nd — 3)
Antonio Chatman: scoring (5th — 222), scoring TD (T-5th — 33), all-purpose yards (1st — 3,278), receptions (3rd — 110), reception yards (6th — 1,418), receiving yards/game (6th — 94.5), receiving touchdowns (T-8th — 27), kick returns (3rd — 70), kick return yards (2nd — 1,731), kick return touchdowns (T-1st — 6), kick return average (3rd — 24.7), MFG returns (T-5th — 6), MFG return yards (5th — 121)
Billy Dicken: passing touchdowns (10th — 51), fumbles recovered (T-7th — 2)
Lindsay Fleshman: interception return yards (T-10th — 62), interception return touchdowns (T-8th — 1)
Keith Gispert: field goals made (T-9th — 7), field goals attempts (10th — 7), extra point kicking percentage (10th — 82.2), extra points made (10th — 60), extra points attempted (10th — 73)
Anthony Ladd: interception return yards (T-10th — 62), interception return touchdowns (T-3rd — 2)
Jamie McGourty: rushing yards (7th — 120), rushing attempts (6th — 42), rushing touchdowns (T-6th — 9), yards per rush (9th — 2.9), fumbles forced (T-9th — 2)
Bob McMillen: yards per rush (7th — 3.3), fumbles forced (T-9th — 2)
John Moyer: sacks (2nd — 9.0), fumbles forced (T-5th
— 3), fumbles recovered (T-7th — 2)
Dameon Porter: interceptions (T-10th — 4), interception return touchdowns (T-8th — 1)
Marvin Taylor: fumbles recovered (T-7th — 2)



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 4, 2004


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