Chicago Rush game notes

Published on January 24, 2006 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 "Big Cat" Williams,
Overall Series Record: Chicago leads 4-2 (4-1 regular season, 0-1 postseason)
Last Meeting: June 5, 2005, Crush 49, Rush 43 (OT) - American Conference Final
Coaches (regular season, postseason records):
Mike Hohensee (88-76, 7-9 - 13th season)
Mike Dailey (79-53, 9-5 - 10th season)
Officials: Bill McCabe (Referee), Jeff Carr (Umpire), Kelly Saalfeld (Head Linesman), Gary Cavaletto (Line Judge), Jimmy Buchanan (Back Judge)

2006 Chicago Rush Schedule
January 29 @ Colorado* 2 p.m. NBC
February 3 New York 7:30 p.m.
February 12 Nashville* 2 p.m.
February 18 @ Los Angeles 9:30 p.m.
February 26 San Jose Noon
March 5 Dallas 11 a.m.
March 10 Colorado* 7:30 p.m.
March 17 @ Nashville* 7 p.m.
March 26 Grand Rapids* 2 p.m.
April 2 @ Orlando 11 a.m.
April 9 @ Philadelphia Noon
April 15 @ Arizona 9 p.m.
April 23 Las Vegas 3 p.m.
April 29 @ Georgia 6 p.m.
May 6 Utah 7 p.m.
May 13 @ Grand Rapids* 6:30 p.m.

* Central Division game


American Conference - Central Division
2005 Final Standings
W-L-T PF PA Division
Colorado 10-6-0 873 871 3-3
RUSH 9-7-0 789 764 5-1
Nashville 6-9-1 668 715 2-4
Grand Rapids 4-12-0 761 932 2-4


DEJA VU: The Rush opens the 2006 season on the road at the Pepsi Center - the same field where its 2005 season concluded with a heartbreaking 49-43 overtime loss to the Colorado Crush in the American Conference final.

After falling behind the Crush 20-0, the Rush stormed back to force overtime when kicker Keith Gispert nailed a 17-yard field goal as time expired, tying the score at 43-43. The kick came after confetti was prematurely released at the Pepsi Center and the game was stopped for several minutes.

In overtime, Rush DS Todd Howard intercepted a John Dutton pass, giving Chicago a chance to put the game away. But when Bob McMillen's 15-yard TD run was called back because of an offsides penalty, the Rush had to settle for a 35-yard field goal attempt for the win. Gispert's kick sailed wide right and the Crush scored on its next possession, sending Colorado to ArenaBowl XIX.

RUSH SWEEPS CRUSH IN 2005 REGUALR SEASON: Despite losing to Colorado in the playoffs, The Rush swept the Crush during the regular season last year, winning 51-48 in Denver February 13, 2005, and 75-51 in Chicago on April 17, 2005. Overall, Chicago is 4-2 all-time against Colorado, including 2-2 at the Pepsi Center.

Here is a look at the Rush-Crush All-Time Series Results:
2003: Rush 76, Colorado 58 (April 13 @ Colorado)
2004: Rush 65, Colorado 35 (February 22 @ Chicago)
Colorado 56, Rush 47 (May 30 @ Colorado)
2005: Rush 51, Colorado 48 (February 13 @ Colorado)
Rush 75, Colorado 51 (April 17 @ Chicago)
Colorado 49, Rush 46 (OT) (June 5 @ Colorado)*
*AFL playoffs

Here is a brief recap of the two Chicago-Colorado regular season games from 2005:

February 13, 2005: Keith Gispert's 21-yard field goal with two seconds remaining gave the Rush a stunning come-from-behind, 51-48 victory over the Crush at Pepsi Center. Trailing 48-40 with just 35 seconds to go, Rush QB Raymond Philyaw hit Etu Molden with a seven-yard touchdown pass. After the ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, the Rush recovered an onside kick and moved down the field in position for Gispert's game-winning field goal. After the field goal, Rush WR/DB Russell Shaw tackled Crush OS Damian Harrell in the end zone for a game-ending safety.

In the game Philyaw completed 30 of 45 passes for a career-high 409 yards and five touchdowns. The 409 yards was the most by any quarterback in the AFL last season.

April 17, 2005: Etu Molden caught nine passes for 159 yards and scored a team record six touchdowns (five receiving, 1 return), and the Rush defense forced five defensive stops, as Chicago routed Colorado 75-51 at Allstate Arena. Rush OS Henry Douglas returned a missed field goal 53-yards on the final play of the first half, giving Chicago a 41-26 halftime lead.

FOR OPENERS: The Rush is 2-3 in its five season openers, winning both its games in even years, but falling in odd years. Here is a breakdown of Chicago's record in season openers:
Overall: 2-3
Home: 1-1 Road: 1-2
Even years: 2-0 Odd years: 0-3

IN GOOD COMPANY: Since entering the league in 2001, the Rush has been one of the most consistent teams in the league, making the playoffs in each of its five seasons and advancing to the AFL semifinals three times. In fact, over the past five seasons, only four teams have won more regular season games than Chicago.

Here are the AFL's best records since 2001:
San Jose 55-21
Arizona 47-29
Orlando 47-29
Tampa Bay 47-29
Chicago 44-32
Los Angeles 43-33

OWNING THE DIVISION: The Rush finished the 2005 regular season 5-1 in games against Central Division foes, including 2-0 vs. Colorado. The Rush has dominated its division opponents the past two seasons, going 11-3 vs. the Central since the start of 2004.

LET'S WIN IN REGULATION: The Rush is 2-4 all-time in games decided in overtime, including 0-3 in 2005. The Rush lost in overtime to Dallas and New Orleans during the 2005 regular season and again in OT to Colorado in the playoffs.

TURNOVERS TELL THE STORY: In 2004 the Rush tied Los Angeles for the AFL lead in turnover margin (+15) en route to an 11-5 record and a Central Division title. Last year, however, the Rush fell to 9-7 in part because of a -6 turnover ratio. Only Grand Rapids and Columbus, who combined to win just six games in 2005, had worse turnover margins than the Rush.

2005 RUSH BY THE NUMBERS: Here is a breakdown of how the Rush fared in certain situations in 2005 (including postseason):
Site: Home 5-3 Road 5-5
Time: Day 9-4 Night 1-4
Opponents: vs. American Conf. 8-4
vs. Central 5-2 vs. West 3-2
vs. National Conf. 2-4
vs. East 2-2 vs. South 0-2
vs. 2005 playoff teams 5-3

BACK FOR MORE: The Rush begins the season with 16 players on its 24-man active roster or Injured Reserve that played with the team during the 2005 season. They are:
-QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq
-WR/LB DeJuan Alfonzo
-OL/DL DJ Bleisath
-FB/LB Charlie Cook
-OS Henry Douglas
-K Keith Gispert
-DS Todd Howard
-OS CJ Johnson
-DS Tony Lukins
FB/LB Bob McMillen
WR/LB Etu Molden
OL/DL Frank Moore
OL/DL John Moyer
WR/DB Russell Shaw
OL/DL John Sikora
WR/LB Carlos Wright

JOINING THE PARTY: Eleven new players have joined the squad for the 2006 season:
-QB Michael Bishop (with Grand Rapids in 2005)
-FB/LB Levelle Brown (Nashville)
-WR/DB Woody Dantzler (Rookie)
-QB Matt D'Orazio (Columbus)
-OL/DL Curtis Eason (Columbus)
-OL/DL Tango McCauley (Rookie)
-WR/DB Marcus Moore (Rookie)
-WR/DB Dennison Robinson (Grand Rapids)
-OL/DL Khreem Smith (Rookie, Memphis af2)
-OL/DL Joe Peters (Rookie, af2)
-WR/LB Cornelius White (Columbus)

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: The following 14 players were with the Rush at the conclusion of last season, but are not back for the 2006 season.
-OL/DL Colin Greczek - retired
-QB Todd Hammel - released
-DS Jeroid Johnson - released, signed with Orlando
-OL/DL Jon McCall - free agent, signed with Kansas City
-WR/LB Jeremy McDaniel - free agent, still unsigned
-FB/LB Jamie McGourty - retired
-WR/DB Charles Pauley - free agent, signed w/ San Jose
-QB Raymond Philyaw - free agent, signed w/ GR
-OL/DL Scott Pospisil -Utah selection in expansion draft
-OL/DL Gladston Taylor - released, still unsigned
-OL/DL Johnathan Taylor - released, still unsigned
-OL/DL John Thomas - released, still unsigned
-WR/DB Greg Williams - released, still unsigned
-FB/LB Casey Urlacher - retired

NEW MAN UNDER CENTER: While the battle for starting quarterback has yet to be decided, one thing is certain - there will be a new man taking the snaps for the Rush in 2006. After Raymond Philyaw, the Rush QB in 2004 and 2005, underwent shoulder surgery in July, the Rush decided to move in a different direction in 2006. Six quarterbacks were signed to compete for the Rush starting job. After Gino Guidugli, Todd Hammel and Nick Rolovich were released, the Rush found itself with three men competing for the job: Asad Abdul-Khaliq, Michael Bishop and Matt D'Orazio.

Here is a look at the three QBs competing for the starting job (listed alphabetically):

Asad Abdul-Khaliq - spent the 2005 season as Chicago's third string QB. He was active for two games but did not see any action.

Michael Bishop - spent his first two AFL seasons with Grand Rapids, playing in 20 games. He has completed 297 of 454 career passes for 3,780 yards and 66 touchdowns, while throwing 14 interceptions. He also has rushed for 510 yards and 18 TDs on 90 carries, including setting the AFL single-season rushing record in 2005.

Matt D'Orazio - has spent four seasons in the AFL with Milwaukee, Buffalo and Columbus, but only has played in 16 career games, with 13 of them coming last season. He has connected on 206 of 326 passes for 2,308 yards, 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has carried the ball 49 times for 178 yards and seven touchdowns.

Only Bishop has taken snaps in his career against Colorado, appearing in three games (two starts). He has a 1-1 record as a starter against Colorado.

Here are Bishop's career numbers against the Crush:
QB Comp Att Pct. Yds. TD Int Rating
Bishop 47 74 63.5% 599 9 2 107.9

Bishop also has carried the ball 11 times for 132 yards and four touchdowns against Colorado.

McMILLEN NAMED ONE OF AFL'S TOP 20: As part of the league's celebration of its 20th season, Rush FB/LB Bob McMillen was named one of the AFL's 20 Greatest Players of all-time. McMillen rushed for 178 yards last year, giving him 1,328 for his career. He is the only player in AFL history to rush for 100 or more yards in seven-consecutive seasons and currently sits in second place all-time on the league's career rushing list. Les Barley is the AFL's all-time leading rusher with 1,382 career yards.

The AFL's All-Time Rushing list
Player Seasons Team Yards
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 1,382
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 1,328
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 1,251
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 1,241

McMILLEN THIRD IN RUSHING TDs: Bob McMillen finished the 2005 season with nine rushing touchdowns - the second highest single-season total of his career. McMillen has 74 career rushing touchdowns, ranking him in third place all-time behind Barry Wagner (125) and Andre Bowden (93).

FAMILIARITY BREEDS RESPECT: There are no secrets between the Rush and Crush, as the connections between the team's head coaches run deep.
8 Rush head coach Mike Hohensee and Crush head coach Mike Dailey are very close friends, having known each other for 20 years. The pair first met in 1985 while coaching at Montgomery Junior College in Rockville, Maryland. When Hohensee was hired as the head coach of the Washington Commandos in 1990, he brought Dailey with him as his line coach. From 1991 through 1993 the two served together as assistant coaches on the staff of the Albany Firebirds. In 1994 Hohensee was promoted to head coach, with Dailey as his assistant head coach. When Hohensee left after the 1996 season, Dailey was promoted to head coach. Dailey then hired Hohensee as his offensive coordinator for the 1998 season. As AFL head coaches the pair has squared off against each other 13 times in the regular season and once in the postseason, with the series tied 7-7.
8 In addition, three Rush players - DeJuan Alfonzo, John Sikora and Cornelius White - played for Dailey when he was the head coach of the Firebirds.

MOLDEN APPROACHING CHATMAN RECORDS: Rush WR/LB Etu Molden enters the 2006 season tied with former offensive specialist Antonio Chatman for franchise records for career receptions and touchdowns. Molden led the Rush in all receiving categories in both 2004 and 2005, catching 96 passes for 1,158 yards and 25 touchdowns last year. Overall, Molden scored 30 TDs in 2005 (25 receiving, 4 rushing, 1 return).

Career Numbers Chatman Molden
Games 30 31
Receptions 197 197
Yards 2,676 2,438
Receiving TDs 52 48
Total TDs 62 62

ETU CRUSHES COLORADO: Rush WR/LB Etu Molden loves playing against Colorado, saving some of his best games for the Crush. In five career games (including postseason), Molden has caught 40 passes for 581 yards and scored 12 TDs against Colorado.

JOHN MOYER 8TH ALL-TIME IN SACKS: Rush lineman John Moyer recorded six sacks in 2005, giving him 34 for his career - including 29 as a member of the Rush. Moyer enters the 2006 season in eighth place on the AFL's all-time list for career sacks.

In fact, in the four years Moyer has been with Chicago no player has recorded more sacks than the Rush star.

Here is a look at the AFL's leaders in sacks since 2002:
1. John Moyer - 29
2. EJ Burt - 24
3. B.J. Cohen - 23
4. Tom Briggs - 21
5. Silas Demary - 20.5
6. Jermaine Smith - 19.5

Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 10.0 (2004) John Moyer 29.0
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) James Baron 10.0
John Moyer 6.0 (2005) Anthony Hutch 6.5
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) Jamie McGourty 5.5
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Riley Kleinhesselink 5.0
James Baron 4.0 (2003) Tony Henderson 4.0
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001)
James Baron 3.0 (2004)
James Baron 3.0 (2002)
Jamie McGourty 3.0 (2004)

MOYER NOT JUST A PASS RUSHER: Everyone knows that Moyer is one of the game's best pass rushers, recording 27.5 tackles and six sacks last year, but what makes Moyer special is his ability to excel on offense and special teams in addition to defense. One of the best pass protectors in the AFL, Moyer only has allowed one sack in the past two seasons. His footwork and hands have made him a dangerous receiver as well, catching eight passes for 34 yards and six touchdowns in 2005. On special teams, Moyer blocked four kicks last season, and nine dating back to the start of the 2004 season.

COLUMBUS CONNECTION: Three of the 11 new players on the Rush roster - QB Matt D'Orazio, OL/DL Curtis Eason and WR/LB Cornelius White - come to Chicago after spending last season as starters in Columbus. D'Orazio was the Destroyers' starting QB, Eason one of the team's starting linemen and White the top WR/LB.

White was named to the AFL's All-Ironman team after catching a career-high 91 passes for 1,135 yards and 22 touchdowns and recording 42 tackles - his most since the 2000 season.

PROTECT THAT QB: The Rush offensive line again was one of the best in the league in 2005, allowing only eight sacks all year - tied with New Orleans for fourth-fewest. Austin led the league, allowing only four sacks all season. Since the start of the 2004 season the Rush has allowed 13 sacks. Ten AFL teams gave up 13 or more sacks in 2005 alone.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP: Offensive specialist C.J. Johnson has made the most of his playing opportunities at the end of the 2005 season. After only playing in one of the team's first 12 games, the rookie worked his way into the lineup in each of Chicago's final four regular season games. Johnson finished the year by catching 26 passes for 390 yards and nine touchdowns. He also has added a rushing touchdown and 17 kick returns for 285 yards and was named Offensive Player of the Game for his effort against Grand Rapids May 15 when he caught 9 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns. In his playoff debut, Johnson was the team's leading receiver, catching 19 passes for 272 yards. He scored six TDs (five receiving, one rushing) and returned eight kicks for 164 yards.

KICKIN' KEITH: Rush kicker Keith Gispert returns for his fourth season with the Rush. Gispert holds all of the team's career kicking records, having connected on 249 of 290 career PATs and 32 of 61 career field goals. Gispert finished the 2005 season second in the AFL in field goal percentage, eighth in scoring among kickers (123 points) and ninth in PAT percentage (87.3%). His strong leg also helped the Rush finish second in the league in kickoff coverage, holding opponents to an average of 16-yards per return.

HOHENSEE LOOKING TO TOP CENTURY MARK: Rush head coach Mike Hohensee is the third-winningest coach in AFL history. Beginning his 13th season, Hohensee is the only head coach in Chicago Rush history. He originally was hired on September 26, 2000. He
- has a regular season record of 88-75 (including a
44-32 mark with the Rush).
- has a career 7-9 mark in the postseason.
- has led the Rush to five-consecutive playoff berths and two Central Division titles (2002 and 2004).
- is 4-2 all-time vs. Colorado and 7-7 all-time vs. teams coached by Mike Dailey.

All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 176 @Philadelphia
Danny White Utah 141 @ San Jose
Mike Hohensee Rush 95 @ Colorado
Mike Dailey Colorado 88 vs. Chicago
Perry Moss 86
Darren Arbet San Jose 82 vs. Utah

COWDREY JOINS STAFF: At the conclusion of the 2005 season, assistant coach Dave Witthun left the team to join Darren Arbet's staff in San Jose. Witthun was replaced by Bruce Cowdrey, who joined the team after spending six of the previous seven seasons as a head coach in Peoria (af2, UIFL and IFL),compiling a 66-35 career record and winning the IFL Gold Cup title in 2002 and the af2 ArenaCup title in 2002. Cowdrey is the team's FB/LBs coach and special teams coordinator.

INJURY REPORT: The following players appeared on this week's injury report to the AFL.
Out - Levelle Brown (right shoulder dislocation), Charlie Cook (sternum) and Marcus Moore (groin).

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 24, 2006


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