Colorado Crush game notes
February 27, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Colorado Crush (0-0) vs. Grand Rapids (0-0)
Date: March 4, 2007
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. MT
Site: Pepsi Center (18,093)
Television: FSN Rocky Mountain (Tim Neverett: play-by-play, Joel Klatt: analyst, Tom Helmer, sidelines)
Radio: KHOW 630 AM (Marc Stout: play-by-play, Andy Lindahl: analyst, Corey Lopez: sidelines)
Coaches: Mike Dailey, Colorado (99-64, 11th Year)
Sparky McEwen, G.R. (9-23, 3rd Year)
Officials: Referee: Perry Hvener
Umpire: Tom Laverty
Head Linesman: Bill Ward
Line Judge: David Meslow
Back Judge: Keith Washington
Series Record: Crush led the all-time series 5-2
@ Colorado 55, G.R. 57 (2/7/03)
Colorado 55, @ G.R. 37 (2/14/04)
@ Colorado 69, G.R. 30 (4/23/04)
@ Colorado 72, G.R. 56 (2/5/05)
Colorado 52, @ G.R. 58 (4/20/05)
@ Colorado 66, G.R. 54 (3/5/06)
Colorado 73, @ G.R. 48 (4/8/06)
THE GAME:
The Colorado Crush open defense of their back-to-back Central Division titles against the Grand Rapids Rampage on Sunday, March 4th at 1:00 p.m. at Pepsi Center.
The Crush hold a 2-2 all-time record in opening day games and a 3-1 record in home openers at Pepsi Center.
Recent history between these two teams has seen Colorado winning five of the last six meeting over Grand Rapids. More impressive however may be that the Crush has won those contests by an average of almost 50 points.
Crush fans in attendance may also have the chance to witness two bits of AFL history at Sunday's game as well.
With a win over Grand Rapids, Crush head coach Mike Dailey would earn his 100th career AFL head coaching victory. Dailey would join only three other AFL head coaches with 100 or more career wins (Tim Marcum- Tampa Bay, Danny White- Utah and Mike Hohensee- Chicago).
Also, Colorado wide receiver and reigning back-to-back AFL Offensive Player of the Year Damian Harrell has caught a touchdown pass in an AFL record 65 straight regular season games, including all 62 games as a member of the Crush. Harrell is currently tied with Eddie Brown (65) for the AFL record for consecutive games scoring a touchdown and should be poised to record the mark in Week 1.
The Grand Rapids Rampage are kicking off their 10-year anniversary in the AFL in 2007. The Rampage will be led by veterans Timon Marshall and Chris Ryan. Last season,
Marshall led the AFL with 2,734
all-purpose yards and was named to the AFL All-Ironman Team. In his two games against the Crush in 2006, he recorded 394 all-purpose yards (16 catches for 172 yards and three TDs and 14 kickoff returns for 222 yards)
Ryan stands as one of the AFL's all-time leading rushers, ranking eighth all-time in carries (267) and sixth in rushing touchdowns (69) and since 2000 has scored more rushing touchdowns than any other AFL player.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Tues, Feb. 27- Player Meetings
Wed, Feb. 28- 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Practice at Five Star Stadium
Thurs, Mar. 1- 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Practice at Five Star Stadium
Fri, Mar. 2- 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Practice at Five Star Stadium
Sat, Mar. 3- Walk-Through
Sun, Mar. 4- Crush vs. Grand Rapids, 1:00 p.m.
THE SCHEDULE:
COLORADO CRUSH (0-0)
Date OPPONENT RESULT SCORE
Jan. 29 CHICAGO
Feb. 5 at Georgia
Feb. 12 LAS VEGAS
Feb. 18 at Nashville
Feb. 26 at Philadelphia
March 5 GRAND RAPIDS
March 10 at Chicago
March 19 at Los Angeles
March 25 COLUMBUS
April 1 NASHVILLE
April 8 at Grand Rapids
April 16 at Kansas City
April 21 UTAH
April 28 ORLANDO
May 6 at San Jose
May 12 ARIZONA
CRUSH NEXT WEEK:
The Crush stay in Denver for the second of a three-game home stand at Pepsi Center to open the season when they host the Kansas City Brigade on Saturday, March 10th at p.m. The Brigade are co-owned by former Denver Bronco and Kansas City Chief Neil Smith.
Last season, Colorado won the only meeting 55-49 in Kansas City (4/16/06). This season, the Brigade will join the Central Division setting up a home and away battle with the team's second meeting coming on April 27th.
STATISTICS:
A look at how Colorado and Grand Rapids match-up on based on final 2006 regular season statistics:
Statistical COLORADO GRAND RAPIDS
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 3rd 55.7 17th 45.1
Scoring Defense 9th 52.1 14th 54.3
Total Offense (yds/g) 5th 290.8 17th 257.5
Total Defense (yds/g) 4th 270.8 5th 274.9
Pass Offense 5th 276.4 14th 245.7
Pass Defense 5th 250.6 1st 243.1
Rushing Offense 14th 14.4 16th 11.8
Rushing Defense 10th 20.5 18th 31.9
Passer Rating 8th 112.6 19th 95.4
Def. Passer Rating 10th 109.1 12th 111.7
Kickoff Returns (y/rtn) T-6th 17.9 5th 18.2
MFG Returns 6th 18.4 1st 29.5
Turnover Margin T-14th -6 13th -5
Field Goals 4th 8-14 7th 22-40
PATs 3rd 115-124 12th 78-91
First Downs 4th 338 17th 279
Opp. First Downs 9th 316 8th 306
Penalties (yds/g) 10th 42.7 12th 43.5
Sacks By 7th 18-78 5th 18-94
Sacks Against 6th 11-73 10th 14-85
Time of Possession 9th 30:24 1st 31:31
Red Zone Offense 5th 74-90 16th 61-80
Red Zone Defense 15th 67-79 10th 64-79
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Jan. 10, 2007- Signed FB/LB Lyonel Anderson, DB Jammal Lord. Waived OL/DL Seante Williams.
Jan. 22, 2007- Signed DB James Taylor.
Jan. 31, 2007- Signed DB Jason Harmon.
Feb. 7, 2007- Signed DL Joe Massey, DL George Peterson, WR Brad Pyatt, LB Kelvin Robinson. Placed on Injured Reserve OL/DL Craig Heimburger. Placed on Physically Unable to Perform OL Brett Huyser. Placed on Refused to Report K Jason Ball, OL/DL Aaron Johnson.
Feb. 9, 2007- Signed QB Brandon Kirsch.
Feb. 13, 2007- Activated from Refused to Report K Jason Ball. Waived DB Bobby Antee.
Feb. 16, 2007- Placed on Injured Reserve WR/DB Robert Redd.
Feb. 19, 2007- Signed K Greg Kuehn.
Feb. 25, 2007- Activated from Injured Reserve WR/DB Robert Redd. Re-Signed WR Willie Quinnie and OL/DL Chris Watton. Placed on Injured Reserve OL Brett Huyser. Placed on Recallable Waivers WR Chauncey Stovall. Waived Injured FB/LB Lyonel Anderson, OL/DL Craig Heimburger and WR Jim Lukowiak. Waived FB Terrell Browden, FB/LB B.J. Dean, K Greg Kuehn, DB Jammal Lord, WR Triandos Luke, DL Joe Massey, DL Justin Parrish, DL George Peterson, LB Kelvin Robinson, DB James Taylor and DL Ed Wangler. Released QB Jose Davis and WR/DB Ahmad Hawkins.
Feb 26, 2007- Placed on Recallable DB Jason Harmon. Released WR/DB Willis Marshall and WR/LB Andy McCullough.
THE CRUSH THIS SEASON ARE:
O H R
Overall Record 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overtime Games 0-0 0-0 0-0
Score first 0-0 0-0 0-0
Opponent scores first 0-0 0-0 0-0
Score 40+ points 0-0 0-0 0-0
Score less than 40 points 0-0 0-0 0-0
Games decided by 10+ pts 0-0 0-0 0-0
Games decided by 7 pts or less 0-0 0-0 0-0
Games decided by 3 pts or less 0-0 0-0 0-0
Lead at halftime 0-0 0-0 0-0
Trail at halftime 0-0 0-0 0-0
Are tied at halftime 0-0 0-0 0-0
Lead after 3rd quarter 0-0 0-0 0-0
Trail after 3rd quarter 0-0 0-0 0-0
Are tied after 3rd quarter 0-0 0-0 0-0
Lead time of possession 0-0 0-0 0-0
Trail time of possession 0-0 0-0 0-0
Positive turnover margin 0-0 0-0 0-0
Negative turnover margin 0-0 0-0 0-0
Even turnover margin 0-0 0-0 0-0
More total yards offense 0-0 0-0 0-0
Less total yards offense 0-0 0-0 0-0
On Fridays 0-0 0-0 0-0
On Saturdays 0-0 0-0 0-0
On Sundays 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. American Conference 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. Central Division 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. Western Division 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. National Conference 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. Eastern Division 0-0 0-0 0-0
vs. Southern Division 0-0 0-0 0-0
HEAD COACHES:
MIKE DAILIEY, Colorado (99-64, 11th Year): Mike Dailey enters his fourth season in Colorado and 11th as head coach in the AFL, after becoming the Crush's second head coach on June 26, 2003. Dailey joined the Crush following 13 seasons in the Albany/Indiana Firebirds organization, including the final seven as head coach.
One of the most successful and well-respected coaches in AFL history, Dailey's teams have compiled an overall record of 99-64 record, a winning percentage of 60.7. His teams have also made eight postseason appearances and he has won five division titles and two championships. This season, Dailey is posed to become only the fourth head coach in AFL history to surpass the 100 win mark. He currently stands as the league fourth all-time winningest coach.
In his first season in Colorado, Dailey helped guide the Crush to the largest turnaround in AFL history, inheriting a 2-14 team and leading them to an 11-5 record in 2004. In 1999, Dailey led the Albany Firebirds to their only ArenaBowl championship and was named AFL Coach of the Year. Before being named head coach of the Firebirds in 1997, Dailey served as an assistant in Albany for five seasons.
Dailey began his AFL coaching career with the Washington Commandos where he served as offensive/defensive line coach in 1990. He joined the Firebirds organization in the same capacity in 1991.
Prior to the AFL, Dailey worked as an assistant coach at Towson State University and was the offensive coordinator at Montgomery College-Rockville (Md.). Dailey got his start in coaching in 1981 as a 22-year-old assistant at Georgetown Prep High School in Rockville, Md. The move to coaching followed a semi-pro football career in the Washington D.C. area.
All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Rank Name-Team Wins
1. Tim Marcum- Tampa Bay 184
2. Danny White- Utah 148
3. Mike Hohensee- Chicago 106
4. Mike Dailey- Colorado 99
5. Darren Arbet- San Jose 91
6. Perry Moss- not active 86
7. Michael Trigg- not active 80
8. Jay Gruden- Orlando 76
SPARKY McEWEN, Grand Rapids (9-23, 3rd Year): Sparky McEwen is in his third year as head coach and director of football operations for the Grand Rapids Rampage. In two seasons, he has led the team to a 9-23 record, including a 5-11 mark in 2006.
Last season, the Rampage showed significant growth for the second straight year, however, boasting one of the league's stingiest defenses. Grand Rapids improved its win total in each of McEwen's first two seasons as head coach.
In 2006, McEwen led a Rampage squad that battled through injuries for much of the season, with 97 games missed due to injury. The team featured several bright spots, however, highlighted by its stellar defense. The Rampage were tops in the Arena Football League in passing yards allowed per game (243.1) and ranked fifth in the league in total yards allowed per game (274.9).
McEwen's ties to the Rampage go back to the team's inaugural season in 1998. He appeared in five games and had a 2-1 record as the starting quarterback with 477 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and six rushing scores.
In 2000, McEwen joined the team as a pro scout and assistant coach. His experienced scouting led to the signing of two future ArenaBowl MVPs, Terrill Shaw and Willis Marshall. A year later, McEwen was promoted to offensive coordinator and helped guide the Rampage to their ArenaBowl XV win. In his three seasons (2001-03) as the Rampage offensive coordinator, Grand Rapids' offense scored more points and gained more yards than any other team in the AFL.
In 2004, McEwen served as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of arenafootball2.
McEwen also spent eight years as head coach of Creston High School in Grand Rapids, compiling a 43-30 record for his alma mater. He led Creston to its first winning season in 21 years in 1999, and delivered back-to-back City League titles in 2000 and 2001. In all, he helped over 50 players receive collegiate football scholarships.
McEwen attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., from 1987-90, where he played quarterback, receiver, cornerback, safety and kick/punt returner during his four-year career.
LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET:
GRAND RAPIDS (4/8/06) -- Defensive specialist Rashad Floyd intercepted three passes and forced a fumble that Ahmad Hawkins returned 23 yards for a touchdown to lead the Colorado Crush to a 73-48 rout of the Grand Rapids Rampage at the Van Andel Arena on Saturday night.
All three of Floyd's interceptions came in the Colorado end zone, with one in each of the game's first three quarters. Floyd's interceptions helped the Crush open the game with four consecutive defensive stops. Colorado, meanwhile, scored on each of its first six possessions and had 42 points by halftime.
Floyd's interception hat trick came just a week after he picked off two passes in a 77-47 win over the Nashville Kats. That effort earned him the league's Defensive Player of the Week plaudits for Week 10.
Colorado took a 35-0 second-quarter lead before Grand Rapids finally lit its half of the scoreboard on an 11-yard scoring pass from Ryan Van Dyke to Timon Marshall just 57 seconds before halftime. The Rampage offense fared much better in the second half, but could never narrow the deficit to anything less than 21 points.
Colorado scored on offense, defense and special teams. Marshall returned a second-quarter kickoff 54 yards for a score, Hawkins scored on the fumble recovery and Colorado's offense accounted for eight scores -- five on John Dutton passes and three more on the ground.
Marshall ripped off a 25-yard run on a second-quarter fake field goal, helping the Crush set a franchise record with 69 rushing yards. Hawkins, John Peaua and Saul Patu all had rushing touchdowns in the win.
Colorado improved to 8-3 and finished the season with a 5-1 mark in Central Division games. Grand Rapids dropped to 3-8.
DENVER (3/5/06) -- Only the stragglers of the Grand Rapids Rampage kickoff-coverage unit kept Willis Marshall from the promised land.
Whether it was a tackle from behind or a diving, hit-absorbing stop by Rampage kicker Peter Martinez, Grand Rapids put up just enough roadblocks to keep Marshall out of the end zone on his seven kickoff returns. They didn't, however, preclude him from dashing upfield for an average of 28.3 yards on seven returns. That pace set the Colorado Crush in good field position from start to finish Sunday afternoon and helped propel them to a 66-54 win in front of 14,597 at the Pepsi Center.
But the way Colorado's offense moved the ball, it wasn't an issue. It scored on 10 of its first 11 possessions, and at one point found the end zone on six consecutive drives, a streak that wasn't snapped until the game's final seconds, when the Crush looked merely to gain positive yardage and run out the clock, and not to extend a 12-point lead.
Nine of the Crush's 10 scoring drives found the end zone, and five of the nine touchdowns landed in Damian Harrell's hands, as he snagged nine passes for a season-high 149 yards. He wasted no time beginning his scoring, catching a 20-yard scoring pass from John Dutton on the game's first play from scrimmage.
That touchdown commenced a day-long theme of running plays to get Harrell into single coverage or, in the case of that touchdown, into wide-open space. Dutton veered left upon taking the snap and the flow of the play went in that direction. Harrell, meanwhile moved to the right side of the field. By the time he got inside the 5-yard-line, no Rampage defenders were in sight, and Dutton threw across the field and found the offensive specialist at the goal line for the touchdown.
Three of Harrell's five touchdowns came on one-play possessions, including the game's first and last scores.
Colorado kicker Clay Rush missed the game with an upper-right leg strain. Jason Ball, who last kicked with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of af2, filled in and made seven-of-nine extra-point attempts, along with a 25-yard field goal.
THINGS TO WATCH:
OPENING GAMES:
The Crush are 2-2 in season openers, losing their first franchise game to Georgia 44-40 on (2/2/03). In the 2004 opener, John Dutton connected twice with Damian Harrell in the final 12 seconds of a miraculous 43-42 win over Las Vegas at Pepsi Center on (2/6). That game marked the first home win in Pepsi Center in franchise history. In 2005, Colorado opened the season for the first time on the road falling to Orlando 36-39 on (1/30).
Date Opponent Result Score
2/2/03 GEORGIA L 40-44
2/6/04 LAS VEGAS W 43-42
1/30/05 at Orlando L 36-39
1/29/06 CHICAGO W 65-56
BUILDING A WINNING TRADITION:
The Crush are the winningest team in the AFL regular season since head coach Mike Dailey's arrival, having tied for the league's best record in 2004 (11-5) and finishing with the American Conference's top seed in 2005 (10-6) and 2006 (11-5).
Team 2004 2005 2006 Total
Colorado 11 10 11 32
Orlando 10 10 10 30
San Jose 11 9 10 30
New York 9 10 10 29
Chicago 11 9 7 27
Tampa Bay 9 10 7 26
Los Angeles 9 10 5 24
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH:
After finishing their inaugural season 0-8 at home, the Crush are now 21-5 under Mike Dailey (2-1 in the postseason) at Pepsi Center. Two of the five losses consist of a field goal in overtime (42-45) vs. Indiana in 2004 and a 51-48 Chicago win in 2005 on a field goal with three seconds remaining.
LET'S MAKE IT THREE:
Last season, Colorado was the only team to repeat as a division champion. This year, they'll look to become the first team since the New York Dragons (2003-2005) to repeat as divisional champions in three consecutive seasons.
2006 2005
Central Division Colorado Colorado
Western Division Los Angeles San Jose
Southern Division Georgia Orlando
Eastern Division New York Dallas
STEEL CURTAIN:
After allowing 14 sacks in 2003 (12 on Dutton), the Crush pass protection has been stellar under head coach Mike Dailey.
The team allowed just four sacks in 2004, and none after Week 6. In 2005, Colorado allowed just six sacks, while holding 10 opponents sackless on the year.
Including last season's numbers, the Crush have allowed just 16 sacks in their last 40 regular season games (total of 1,878 plays).
HE KEEPS GOING & GOING & GOING....:
A true AFL Ironman, Kyle Moore-Brown is in his 13th season in the league and has never missed a game. ArenaBowl XIX marked his AFL record 176th consecutive start. The first 139 all came with the Firebirds organization before he signed with the Crush prior to the 2004 season.
AFL Record for Consecutive Games
Player (current team) Reg. Season Playoffs Total
Kyle Moore-Brown (Col.)* 174 18 192
Otis Moore (Gra.) 153 1 155
*streak current
HARRELL-DED RECEIVER:
Colorado Crush wide receiver and reigning back-to-back AFL Offensive Player of the Year Damian Harrell did his best to make the 20th AFL season a historical one. Harrell finished the 2006 regular season leading the league in scoring, scoring TDs, receptions and receiving touchdowns, while rewriting the league's record books along the way.
Versus Orlando (4/30), Harrell hauled in a career-high 15 receptions and a career-high tying five touchdowns. As part of his five-TD performance against the Predators, he set a new AFL single-season record for most receiving touchdowns (previously 46) and tied the AFL mark for most single-season total touchdown of 51.
With his 172 receiving yards on the night vs. Orlando, he became only the sixth player in AFL history to surpass the 10,000 career receiving yard mark.
Harrell also led the AFL with 366 points scored, which broke the league's single-season record of 310 set by San Jose WR/DB Barry Wagner in 1997, while Wagner was playing for the Orlando Predators.
HARRELL REC YARDS TDS Points
2006 stats 152 1,920 61 366
AFL Rank 1st 1st 1st 1st
old AFL mark 154 1,982 46 310
TACKLING MACHINE:
For the second time in the last three years, defensive back Rashad Floyd had broke the AFL single-season record for tackles.
Floyd finished the 2006 season with 136.5 besting Damon Mason's record of 133.5 set just last season.
After setting an AFL record with 122.0 tackles in 2004, Floyd smashed his record while recording the second most tackles in the league, 129.5, for the 2005 regular season. This despite missing almost the entire game vs. Columbus on (3/20) and being inactive in the game at Grand Rapids (4/30).
AFL Record - Most Tackle in a Season
Player Team Year Total Gms Avg.
Rashad Floyd Colorado 2006 136.5 16 8.53
Damon Mason Orl/GRR 2005 133.5* 17 7.85
Rashad Floyd Colorado 2005 129.5 15 8.63
Chris Brown Georgia 2006 124.0 16 7.75
Rashad Floyd Colorado 2004 122.0 16 7.63
A BROKEN RECORD:
WR Damian Harrell has caught a touchdown pass in an AFL record 65 straight regular season games, including all 62 games as a member of the Crush. That streak is also the longest active streak of consecutive games scoring a TD. He broke the record for consecutive games with a receiving touchdown on 4/3/05 in the win over Las Vegas. It also ties the streak of consecutive games with a TD. Harrell's streak began with the Toronto Phantoms vs. Carolina on 7/4/02.
AFL Consecutive Games with a TD Reception
Year (Week)
Player (team) Stk began Stk ended # Games
Damian Harrell (Tor/Col) 2002 (Wk 12) --- 65
Eddie Brown (Albany) 1997 (Wk 3) 2000 (Wk 1) 41
Eddie Brown (Albany) 1994 (Wk 1) 1996 (Wk 14) 33
Chris Jackson (LA) 2000 (Wk 1) 2002 (Wk 7) 28
AFL Consecutive Games Scoring a Touchdown
Year (Week)
Player (team) Stk began Stk ended # Games
Damian Harrell (Tor/Col) 2002 (Wk 12) --- 65
Eddie Brown (Alb/Ind) 1997 (Wk 3) 2002 (Wk 3) 65
Chris Jackson (LA) 2000 (Wk 1) 2003 (Wk 14) 47
Barry Wagner (Orlando) 1992 (Wk 10) 1996 (Wk 11) 43
Eddie Brown (Albany) 1994 (Wk 1) 1996 (Wk 14) 33
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