Chicago Rush game notes

Published on January 25, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release


The Quick Facts
TV: NBC...Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Radio: WCKG, 105.9 FM...Tom Dore, James Williams, Sharon Jackson
Overall Series Record: Rush leads 3-2 (2-2 regular season, 1-0 postseason)
Last Meeting: May 16, 2004, Rush 45, Desperados 41
Coaches (regular season records):
Mike Hohensee (79-69 — 12th season)
Will McClay (6-10 — 2nd season)
Officials: Bill McCabe (Referee), Doug Wilson (Umpire), Royce Cooley (Head Linesman), Dirk Bell (Line Judge), Jimmy Buchanan (Back Judge)

2005 Chicago Rush Schedule
January 30 @ Dallas 2 p.m. NBC
February 6 Philadelphia Noon NBC
February 13 @ Colorado* 2 p.m. NBC
February 19 @ Columbus 6 p.m. FSN
February 25 Orlando 7:30 p.m. FSN
March 6 Nashville* 2 p.m. NBC
March 13 @ Grand Rapids* 11 a.m. NBC
March 20 New Orleans 11 a.m.
March 27 BYE
April 2 @ New York 6 p.m. FSN
April 10 San Jose Noon NBC
April 17 Colorado* Noon NBC
April 23 @ Los Angeles 9:30 p.m. FSN
May 1 Las Vegas Noon NBC
May 7 @ Arizona 9 p.m. FSN
May 15 Grand Rapids* Noon NBC
May 22 @ Nashville* 2 p.m. NBC

*Central Division Game ... All times Central


American Conference — Central Division
2004 Final Standings
W-L-T PF PA Division
RUSH 11-5-0 847 727 6-2
Colorado 11-5-0 793 744 5-3
Indiana 8-8-0 801 743 5-3
Detroit 5-11-0 761 854 3-5
Grand Rapids 1-15-0 581 871 1-7

2005 RUSH SET TO DEBUT: After a disappointing loss to San Jose in last year's AFL semifinals, the Rush has been waiting to get back on the field to defend its Central Division title. The 2005 Rush 24-man roster features 13 players who return from last year's team along with 11 newcomers. The Rush enters the season as an experienced squad, with 22 AFL veterans and just two rookies on the roster. In fact, the Rush players have combined to play in 1,102 AFL regular season games, an average of 46 games per man. Todd Hammel leads all Rush players with 146 career games, followed by Bob McMillen (111), John Moyer (80), Travis McDonald (80), John Sikora (76) and Frank Moore (75).

OFF-SEASON MOVES RE-SHAPE TEAM: One bold move – the trade of lineman James Baron to Nashville – helped the Rush re-shape its roster this off-season. Baron was traded to the Kats in exchange for the first three picks in this year's expansion draft. The Rush used those picks to select three players: WR/DB Charles Pauley (San Jose), WR/DB Russell Shaw (LA) and QB Todd Hammel (Philadelphia). Then, Chicago hit the free agent market and signed lineman Chad Pegues from Dallas to play Baron's spot on defense, and added AFL veteran defensive specialist Jeroid Johnson. The five new players all made the team's final roster.

HISTORY SUGGESTS CLOSE GAME: If history is any guide, this week's opener between the Rush and Desperados should be a close game. The teams have met five times, with two of the games heading into overtime and four of the five being decided by 8 points or less. Last season, the Rush defeated Dallas 45-41 at Allstate Arena when QB Raymond Philyaw hit OS Jeremy McDaniel with a 37-yard TD pass with 38 seconds remaining to put the Rush ahead for good. Dallas had one last opportunity, however, but Glenn Gauntt's 9-yard pass to Bobby Sippio in the endzone fell incomplete as time expired.

In Chicago's only trip to Dallas in February 2003, the Rush gave up 19 consecutive points in the second half, turning Dallas' 24-23 lead into a 43-23 bulge that the Rush could not overcome, eventually falling 46-38.

FRIENDS ON THE SIDELINE: Rush head coach Mike Hohensee and Dallas head coach Will McClay have been good friends since 1997 when Hohensee was the head coach in Anaheim and McClay was his defensive coordinator. The pair only coached together for one season, but remain close friends.

BAD TREND IN OPENERS: The Rush is hoping to break a trend in season openers as it enters its fifth season. The Rush is 2-2 overall in season openers, having won its first game in 2002 (@ Indiana) and 2004 (vs. Grand Rapids). However, in 2001 (@ Oklahoma) and 2003 (vs. Orlando) the Rush lost its first game each season. The Rush looks to break the odd-year curse in Dallas this Sunday.

HEALTHY PHILYAW TO LEAD RUSH: QB Raymond Philyaw is healthy and ready to lead the Rush in this week's opener at Dallas. Philyaw tore the ACL in his right knee early in the second quarter of last season's AFL semifinal game in San Jose. He underwent surgery in July and spent the summer living in Chicago rehabbing his knee. Before the injury, Philyaw was one of the main reasons for Chicago's 2004 success. Last season Philyaw completed 247 of 389 passes for 3,053 yards, 52 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 11 TDs.

PHILYAW LOVES DALLAS: Philyaw has started three games against Dallas in his career (two with Indiana and one with Chicago), compiling a 2-1 record vs. the Desperados.

Here is a look at Philyaw's numbers vs. Dallas:
Comp Att Pct. Yds. TD Int. Rating
66 116 56.9 901 19 2 114.3

MOYER IN 9TH PLACE ALL-TIME: 2004 AFL Lineman of the Year John Moyer finished last season with a career-high 10 sacks to move into ninth place in AFL history with 28 career sacks. Moyer holds the Rush season and career records for sacks and needs just two more to pass Joe March for eighth place all-time.

Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 10.0 (2004) John Moyer 22.0
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) James Baron 10.0
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) Anthony Hutch 6.5
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Jamie McGourty 5.5
James Baron 4.0 (2003) Riley Kleinhesselink 5.0
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001) Tony Henderson 4.0
James Baron 3.0 (2004)
James Baron 3.0 (2002)
Jamie McGourty 3.0 (2004)

FB=MC3: Perhaps the deepest position on the Rush roster is FB/LB, with AFL veterans Bob McMillen, Jamie McGourty and Travis McDonald manning the duties.
- McMillen is the first player in AFL history to rush for 100 or more yards in six-consecutive seasons and just the fifth player in AFL history to rush for 1,000 career yards. He enters his 11th season in the AFL, ranking 4th in AFL history in rushing yards (1,149) and rushing attempts (352) and 5th in rushing touchdowns (65). McMillen enjoyed the best year of his career in 2004, rushing for a career-high 285 yards and 22 TDs.
- McGourty is the last original member of the Rush, entering his 5th season in Chicago. In his six-year career, McGourty has rushed for 407 yards and scored 38 touchdowns. McGourty also ranks fourth in Rush history in sacks, with 5.5.
- McDonald is the newest addition to the backfield, signing with the Rush January 10. McDonald is an eight-year veteran who ranks 15th on the AFL's all-time rushing list with 615 yards. He has played in 80 career games, scored 31 TDs and recorded 92 tackles and 12.5 sacks.

STRENGTH AT LINE: The Rush line has been one of the best in the AFL over the past several seasons. Last year the Rush defense finished second in the AFL in sacks with 23, while the offensive line only allowed five sacks all season, good for third in the league. In 2002 the Rush led the league, allowing only three QB sacks all season.

HOHENSEE LOOKING FOR THIRD PLACE ALL-TIME: Rush head coach Mike Hohensee needs just one more win to tie Perry Moss for third place on the AFL's all-time wins list. Hohensee, in his 12th season as a head coach in the AFL, was hired as the first coach in Rush history on September 26, 2000. He
- has a regular season record of 79-69 (including a
35-25 mark with the Rush).
- has a career 6-8 mark in the postseason.
- has led the Rush to four-consecutive playoff berths and two Central Division titles (2002 and 2004).
- is 3-2 all-time vs. Dallas

All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 167 vs. San Jose
Danny White 141
Perry Moss 86
Mike Hohensee Rush 85 @ Dallas
Michael Trigg Philadelphia 7- @ Austin
John Gregory 73

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES IN 2004: The 2004 regular season featured some outstanding individual and team performances with Rush players leading the AFL in several categories.
- Lineman John Moyer led the AFL in sacks with a career-high 10 and moved into ninth place on the AFL's all-time sack list with 28. He was voted the AFL's Lineman of the Year as well as All-Arena and All-Ironman.
- FB/LB Bob McMillen led the AFL in rushing touchdowns with 22. McMillen finished the season second in the AFL in rushing with a career-high 285 yards. He was voted to the AFL's All-Ironman team.
- McMillen became the first player in AFL history to rush for 100 or more yards in six-consecutive seasons and became just the fifth player in AFL history to rush for 1,000 career yards.
- The Rush offense gained a franchise record 518 yards on the ground and set an AFL record with 49 rushing touchdowns.
- All-Rookie WR/LB Etu Molden led all AFL rookies in receptions (101) and receiving yards (1,280) and finished second among rookies in scoring (32 TDs).
- Mike Hohensee became just the fourth head coach in AFL history to win 80 career games, and needs just one more win to become the third-winningest coach in AFL history.
- Chicago's 11 regular season wins marked the most for a Hohensee coached team. Hohensee won 10 regular season games in both 1994 and 1996 as the head coach of the Albany Firebirds.

REVAMPED SECONDARY: The Rush used the off-season to re-tool its defensive backfield, adding veteran Jeroid Johnson and rookie Tony Lukins as the new starting defensive specialists. Johnson is a five-year veteran with 22 career interceptions who signed a free agent contract with the Rush during the off-season. Lukins originally signed with the Rush in November 2002, but has spent the past two years on the team's exempt roster while playing with the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders and Rhein Fire.

FAMILIAR FACE: When Rush QB Raymond Philyaw looks across at the Dallas defense he will see the familiar face of DS Hamin Milligan looking back at him. Milligan spent the second half of the 2004 season playing for the Rush, after being acquired in a trade with New Orleans. Milligan played in eight games with Chicago, recording 33.5 tackles and 2 interceptions.

FAMILIAR FACE II: The Dallas offensive linemen will have a similar familiar feeling when they attempt to block Rush defensive tackle Chad Pegues. Pegues spent the past three seasons in Dallas, recording 35 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He signed a two-year free agent contract with the Rush in October.

KICKIN' KEITH: Rush kicker Keith Gispert is back for his third year with the Rush. Gispert had a fantastic season in 2004 completing 95 of 108 PAT attempts and 12 of 22 field goal attempts.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 25, 2005


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