Sports stats

Chicago Rush game notes

February 24, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release


The Quick Facts
TV: NBC ... Eli Gold, Charles Davis
Radio: ESPN Radio 1000 ... Tom Dore, John Jurkovic
Overall Series Record: 3-3
Last Meeting: May 18, 2003 – Rush 46, Indiana 43 (OT)
Coaches (regular season records):
Mike Hohensee (71-64 — 11th season)
Steve DeBerg (0-3 — 1st season)
Officials: Jerome Boger (Referee), Rick Nelson (Umpire), Rusty Spindel (Head Linesman), Dennis Lipski (Line Judge), Rich Wilborn (Back Judge)

2004 Chicago Rush Schedule
February 8 Grand Rapids* W 50-30 15,552
February 14 @ New York W 56-54 10,720
February 22 Colorado* W 65-35 15,406
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
2004 Standings
W-L-T PF PA Division
RUSH 3-0-0 171 119 2-0-0
Colorado 2-1-0 133 144 1-1-0
Detroit 2-1-0 125 114 1-0-0
Indiana 0-3-0 113 129 0-1-0
Grand Rapids 0-3-0 81 156 0-2-0



OFF TO INDY: This week the Rush takes its 3-0 record on the road to take on Central Division-rival Indiana. The Rush and Firebirds have split their six all-time meetings, with each team holding a 2-1 edge on its home field. Chicago is looking to improve upon its franchise-best four-game regular season road-winning streak that began last season. Indiana comes into the game 0-3, having lost to the Fury 34-25 Monday night in Detroit.

2003 RUSH-FIREBIRDS RECAP: The Rush and Firebirds split their meetings last season. In February, Indiana defeated Chicago 28-23 at Conseco Fieldhouse when then Firebirds defensive back Donnie Caldwell intercepted a Chad Salisbury pass and returned it 21 yards for the game-winning touchdown. In May, with a spot in the playoffs on the line at Allstate Arena, Rush kicker Keith Gispert connected on a 16-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining in overtime to give the Rush a 46-43 victory.

RUNNING GAME CRUSHES COLORADO: Chicago set franchise records for rushing yards (56) and rushing touchdowns (6) as the Rush took a one-game lead in the Central Division, defeating Colorado 65-35 at Allstate Arena Sunday. Rush fullbacks Bob McMillen and Jamie McGourty combined to rush for 46 yards and four touchdowns, and quarterbacks Raymond Philyaw and Chad Salisbury each added rushing scores. The Rush defense continued to play well, forcing three Colorado turnovers.

ROAD TRIP CONTINUES: The Rush continues on the road next week as it travels to Philadelphia to play Jon Bon Jovi's expansion Soul. The Soul (1-2) is coming off its first win in franchise history, a 56-34 win Saturday against Columbus, and is on the road this week at Tampa Bay.

MUST SEE TV: For the third consecutive week, the Rush posted strong TV ratings in Chicago. Sunday's win over Colorado garnered a 2.3 rating locally – up 64% from last season's average rating.

INJURY WOES: The only bad part about Chicago's 3-0 start is the number of players who have gone down with injuries. WR/DB Donnie Caldwell is the latest casualty, gone for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee Sunday. At the time of his injury, Caldwell was the team's second-leading tackler, recording 11.5 tackles and an interception.

Three other Rush defensive backs are out with injuries suffered during the season's first three weeks. DS Greg Williams ruptured the flexor tendon in his left ring finger and underwent successful surgery February 10. He was placed on IR and will be out until at least mid-April. WR/DB Josh Phillips suffered a shoulder injury February 14 at New York and will be re-evaluated this week. Also in the New York game, DS DaShane Dennis suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee and is out until late-March.

KEEP THAT OFFENSE CLICKIN': The Rush offense continued to roll against Colorado, scoring on 10 of 11 possessions (9 TDs, 1 FG). The only possession in which the Rush did not score came when WR/LB Lindsay Fleshman intercepted a John Dutton pass and returned it 20 yards, before fumbling on the Colorado 5-yard line. For the season, the Rush has scored on 26 of 29 possessions (24 TDs, 2 FGs) – not including the final possession in two games when the team chose to run out the clock.

PHIL-YEAH!: QB Raymond Philyaw continues his solid play, opening the season completing 51 of 80 passes for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns. Philyaw also has rushed for 21 yards and five touchdowns in the season's first three weeks.

NO PICKS: Most importantly, Philyaw has yet to throw an interception this season. Philyaw has opened the season with 80 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, and dating back to last season, Philyaw has thrown 106 consecutive passes without being picked off. The last time the Rush went three games without throwing an interception was May 25, June 2, and June 8 2002, when QB Billy Dicken went three-consecutive games without an INT. The Rush has never gone four-consecutive games without throwing an interception.

MOYER NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rush lineman John Moyer was named this week's ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance Sunday vs. Colorado. Moyer celebrated his 29th birthday two days early, recording his first sack of the season and recovering a Crush fumble and returning it 7 yards to set up a Rush touchdown.

McMILLEN RUSHING TO 1,000: Rush FB Bob McMillen's 67 rushing yards ranks him second in the league behind Dan Curran of New Orleans (69). McMillen, who led the AFL in rushing in 1999 with Arizona, is just 33 yards away from his sixth-consecutive 100-yard rushing season. McMillen also needs just 69 more rushing yards to become the fifth player in AFL history to rush for 1,000 career yards.

KICKIN' IT: Kicker Keith Gispert is proving that he has no plans to suffer through a sophomore slump after earning AFL All-Rookie honors in 2003. Gispert has converted 21 of his 23 PAT attempts, including his last 20 in a row, and both of his field goal attempts this season.

FIREBIRD CONNECTIONS: In addition to QB Raymond Philyaw, four other former Firebird players signed with Chicago in the off-season. OS Jeremy McDaniel has recorded 14 catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns (1 rec., 1 rush) and OL/DL John Sikora has notched one tackle and helps anchor a line that has not allowed a sack.

Before being injured, WR/DB Donnie Caldwell was the team's second-leading tackler with 11.5 tackles and an interception, and DS Greg Williams recorded two tackles and an interception.

In addition to the five players who came from Indiana this season, Rush WR/DB DeJuan Alfonzo (2002) and FB/LB Jamie McGourty (1999) also spent time with the Firebirds organization.

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
8 has a regular season record of 71-64 (including a
27-20 mark with the Rush) ... has a career 5-7 mark in the postseason.
8 has led the Rush to three-consecutive playoff berths and a 2002 Central Division title.
8 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).
8 is 5-7 overall vs. the Firebirds franchise and 3-3 since the team moved to Indiana.

All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 156 vs. Philadelphia
Danny White Arizona 124 vs. New York
Perry Moss 86
Mike Hohensee Rush 75 at Indiana
Michael Trigg Philadelphia 74 at Tampa Bay
John Gregory 72

PROTECT THAT QB: The Rush has played three games without allowing a sack of QB Raymond Philyaw. Chicago 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 defense continues to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, with four different Rush players recording sacks in the season's first three weeks – James Baron, Riley Kleinhesselink, Jamie McGourty and John Moyer. Baron, a six-time All-Arena performer ranks 5th on the AFL's career sack leaders list with 34.5 career sacks, while Moyer's next sack will be the 20th of his career.

Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) John Moyer 14.0
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) James Baron 8.0
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Anthony Hutch 6.5
James Baron 4.0 (2003) Riley Kleinhesselink 4.5
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001) Tony Henderson 4.0
James Baron 3.0 (2002) Jamie McGourty 3.5
Riley Kleinhesselink 2.5 (2001)

TOPPING THE CENTURY MARK: Lineman James Baron has played in 103 consecutive regular season AFL games, having never missed a game in his seven-year career. Including postseason, Baron's consecutive game streak stands at 116 games.

Baron has played in more AFL games than any other Rush player. Next on the Rush list for AFL service are Bob McMillen (98 regular season games), John Moyer (67), John Sikora (63), Frank Moore (62) and Jamie McGourty (56).

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Chicago Category (Rank) Indiana
3 Games 3
57.0 (2) Scoring Offense 37.7 (17)
39.7 (T-2) Scoring Defense 43.0 (6)
260.3 (8) Total Offense 215.3 (17)
172.3 (1) Total Defense 246.0 (6)
17-18, 94.4% Red Zone Offense 5-6, 83.3%
10-13, 76.9% Red Zone Defense 7-12, 58.3%
211.7 (15) Pass Offense 181.3 (17)
169.3 (1) Pass Defense 229.3 (9)
48.7 (1) Rushing Offense 34.0 (2)
3.0 (1) Rushing Defense 16.7 (6)
171 (2) Scoring 113 (17)
27 (3) Scoring (Kicking) 17 (T-12)
16-274-0 Kickoff Returns 15-291-1
17.1 Kick Return Average 19.4
17-274-0 Combined Returns 18-324-1
16.1 Combined Return Average 18.0
+5 (2) Turnover Margin +2 (T-6)
2-2, 100% Field Goals 2-10, 20.0%
21-23, 91.3% PAT Kicking 11-15, 73.3
4-19 Sacks By 0-0
0-0 Sacks Against 2-17
12-18, 66.7% Third Down Conversion 11-25,44.0%
3-3, 100% Fourth Down Conversion 3-5, 60%
23-156 Penalties (#-Yards) 29-129
19-98 Opp. Penalties (#-Yards) 22-141

Bold – Leads League

INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE LEADERS: The following Rush players are among the 2004 AFL league leaders.

Raymond Philyaw: average gain (4th—8.04 yards), passer rating (6th—121.0), completion percentage (7th—64.6), interceptions thrown (T-1st—0), rushing touchdowns (2nd—5)

Lindsay Fleshman: scoring (T-10th—36 points), interceptions (T-1st—2), interception return for TD (T-1st—1)

Keith Gispert: field goal percentage (T-1st—100, 2-2), scoring (kickers) (3rd—27 points)

Bob McMillen: rushing yards (2nd—67), rushing attempts (T-1st—16), rushing touchdowns (T-5th—3)

James Baron: sacks (T-7th—1)

Riley Kleinhesselink: sacks (T-7th—1)

Jamie McGourty: sacks (T-7th—1)

John Moyer: fumble recoveries (T-2nd—2), sacks (T-7th—1)

Donnie Caldwell: fumble recoveries (T-2nd—2), interceptions (T-4th—1)

DeJuan Alfonzo: rushing yards (9th—26)

Greg Williams: interceptions (T-4th—1)

Corey Sawyer: interceptions (T-4th—1)

RUSH GAME AWARD WINNERS: The following Rush players have won individual game awards for their play this season:

Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game:
Raymond Philyaw (2/8 vs. Grand Rapids, 2/22 vs. Colorado)
Lindsay Fleshman (2/14 @ New York)

ADT Defensive Player of the Game:
Corey Sawyer (2/8 vs. Grand Rapids)
Donnie Caldwell (2/14 @ New York)
John Moyer (2/22 vs. Colorado)

U.S. Army Ironman of the Game:
Lindsay Fleshman (2/8 vs. Grand Rapids)
DeJuan Alfonzo (2/14 @ New York)
Jamie McGourty (2/22 vs. Colorado)

AFL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS: The following Rush players have won AFL Weekly awards for their play this season:

ADT Defensive Player of the Week:
John Moyer (2/22 vs. Colorado)

RUSH PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Practice for the week of February 23:
Tuesday, February 24 – Players Off.
Wednesday, February 25 – 12:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 26 – 10:15 a.m. to Noon
Friday, February 27 – 10:15 a.m. to Noon
Saturday, February 28 – TBA

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



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 24, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Chicago Rush Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central