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Columbus Destroyers game notes

March 1, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Columbus Destroyers (1-3) at
Georgia Force (4-1)
Date: Sunday, March 6, 2005
Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. (ET)
Site: Philips Arena (18,200)
Officials: Dennis Lipski, Referee; Richard Brown, Umpire; Rod Pearson, Head Linesman; Art Lucky, Line Judge; Joe Duncan, Back Judge
Radio: Columbus' flagship station WAZU-107.1 FM "The Big Wazoo" will broadcast the game live with Rob Blackman and Greg Frey.
Television: None
Series Record: The Force holds a 2-1 all-time series advantage over the Destroyers in three series meetings.
Series Streaks: Sunday marks the fourth all-time series meeting between the Destroyers and Force with two of the three previous meetings taking place in Georgia. The Destroyers fell to the then-expansion Force, 54-33 in Georgia on July 6, 2002 in their first meeting. The Destroyers captured their sole win over Georgia the following season, besting the Force 63-43 on the road before dropping their second game to the Force in a lopsided affair, 72-51, on May 9, 2004 at Nationwide Arena.
Coaches: Columbus, Chris Spielman, 1st season (1-3 in 2005, 1-3 overall). Georgia, Doug Plank, 1st season (4-1 in 2005, 4-1 overall).

OVERVIEW: The Destroyers travel to Georgia to face the Southern Division-leading Georgia Force at Philips Arena Sunday afternoon. The game is the second of consecutive road games for the Destroyers, who dropped a 66-57 decision to the Grand Rapids Rampage last Sunday at Van Andel Arena. With the loss, Columbus fell to 1-3 on the young season. Destroyers quarterback Matt D'Orazio threw for a season-high five touchdowns and offensive specialist Damien Groce contributed a career-high 283 all-purpose yards, however it wasn't enough as the Destroyers fell to 0-2 on the road this season.

The Destroyers aim to get back to the other side of the ledger against a Georgia squad that has won three weeks in a row and are currently unbeaten at Philips Arena in 2005 (2-0). The Force lost quarterback Jim Kubiak to injury last weekend and as a result will hand the reigns over to Kubiak's backup, Matt Nagy, who will make his first start for the Force Sunday.

COLUMBUS DESTROYERS (1-3)
Date Opponent Time Result Record
1/28 NASHVILLE 7:00 L (47-38) 0-1
2/13 @Dallas 3:00 L (35-31) 0-2
2/19 CHICAGO 7:00 W (52-39) 1-2
2/27 @Grand Rapids 3:00 L (66-57) 1-3
3/06 @Georgia 2:00 - -
3/12 LAS VEGAS 7:00 - -
3/20 @Colorado 3:00 - -
3/26 NEW YORK 7:00 - -
4/03 PHILADELPHIA 12:00 - -
4/08 @Arizona 10:00 - -
4/16 @New Orleans 8:00 - -
4/22 DALLAS 7:00 - -
4/30 AUSTIN 7:00 - -
5/07 @New York 7:00 - -
5/15 @Philadelphia 1:00 - -
5/22 TAMPA BAY 3:00 - -

*All Eastern Time

GEORGIA FORCE (4-1)
Date Opponent Time Result Record
1/29 NEW ORLEANS 7:00 W (46-44) 1-0
2/04 @Los Angeles 10:30 L (46-41) 1-1
2/12 ARIZONA 7:00 W (61-47) 2-1
2/20 @Las Vegas 6:00 W (38-13) 3-1
2/25 @Austin 8:30 W (66-63) 4-1
3/06 COLUMBUS 2:00
3/12 @New York 7:00
3/19 ORLANDO 1:00
3/26 @New Orleans 8:00
4/02 @Tampa Bay 7:30
4/08 AUSTIN 7:30
4/15 GRAND RAPIDS 7:30
4/22 @Orlando 7:30
5/08 TAMPA BAY 1:00
5/14 DALLAS 7:00
5/21 @San Jose 10:30

A COLUMBUS WIN OVER GEORGIA WOULD...

• Give the Destroyers their second win of the season
• Give the Destroyers their first road win of the season
• Give the Destroyers their second win over a team entering with a better than .500 record

LAST SERIES MEETING

Force 72, Destroyers 51 (5/9/04)
Columbus Destroyers wide receiver/linebacker Sedrick Robinson amassed a season-high 353 all-purpose yards, scoring five total touchdowns in the process, however his efforts were for naught as the Destroyers fell to the Georgia Force 72-51 at Nationwide Arena in the only meeting between the Destroyers and Force in 2004. The Destroyers were unable make a comeback bid after giving up 31 second quarter points and facing a 44-23 halftime deficit. Robinson had a career game, catching eight passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, rushing once for one yard and one touchdown and returning nine kickoffs for 238 yards, two of which went the distance. His 353 all-purpose yards were the second most in franchise history (Lamont Cooper/415 in 2002) and marked a single-game personal best. His 238 kick return yards are the most in franchise history and his 30 points scored on five touchdowns tied a franchise high. The second quarter saw Robinson prove why he is one of the most feared return men in the AFL. He scored both of the Destroyers' touchdowns of the second quarter the hard way, taking them from pylon to pylon in back to back kickoff returns for touchdowns. However, the Force would outscore the Destroyers 31-13 in that quarter to take a commanding halftime lead. The game remained close for the majority of the first half, until Robinson fumbled on a kickoff return which was returned to the Destroyers' one yard line. On the next play the Force scored on a one-yard run courtesy of fullback/linebacker Robert Thomas to go up 41-23 on the Destroyers. The Destroyers' next possession was once again cut short by a turnover, this time by Georgia lineman Oscar Sturgis who picked off a Vena pass late in the second quarter. The mistake cost the Destroyers three more points as Force kicker Steve McLaughlin kicked a 26-yard field goal on the last second of the half to take a 21-point lead going into the break. The Destroyers matched the Force point for point in the second half, however never found an opportunity to cut into the three-touchdown deficit they faced.
ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS VS GEORGIA
Date Score
July 6, 2002 GEORGIA 54, BUFFALO 33
February 22, 2003 BUFFALO 63, GEORGIA 43
May 9, 2004 GEORGIA 72, COLUMBUS 51

PROGRAMING NOTE
This week's game between the Destroyers and Georgia Force has been moved to a 2 p.m. (ET) start time, a game that was originally scheduled to be a noon kick at Philips Arena. The game will not be televised, however can be heard on the Destroyers flagship station, WAZU 107.1 FM "The Big Wazoo" with Rob Blackman and Greg Frey calling all the action.

PLAYING TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR COMPETITION
The Destroyers have played one team this season who entered the game with a better than .500 record. That team was the Chicago Rush, a team the Destroyers beat convincingly on February 19. The three loses have come to teams with either a .500 record or below .500 record. Sunday's game with the Force will be the second meeting with a club sporting a winning record.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A QB CAN MAKE
In the first two games of the season, the Destroyers' offense averaged 34.5 points per game, 188 yards passing and 197 yards of total offense. Then-starting quarterback Chad Salisbury completed 52 percent of his passes for a total of 376 yards passing, five touchdowns and four interceptions. Since making the QB change and giving the starting job to Matt D'Orazio, in the past two games the Destroyers' offense has averaged 54.5 points per game, 255 yards passing and 282 yards of total offense. D'Orazio has completed 66 percent of his passes for a total of 510 yards passing, nine touchdowns and only two interceptions.

SECOND HALF LET DOWN
The Destroyers have established themselves as a quick-strike team, scoring first in every game this season. In four games, the Destroyers have outscored their opponents 55-28 in the first quarter, consistently jumping out to early leads. However, the team has struggled in the second half this season, being outscored by their opponents 85-62 and tapering off most when it counts, currently having been outscored 50-24 in the fourth quarter.

AN UNLIKELY SOURCE OF OFFENSE
At 6-3, 375, Destroyers lineman Jamarr Ward doesn't appear to be an offensive threat. However, the fourth-year big man delivered three touchdowns in last week's loss to Grand Rapids, two receiving and one on the ground. It was the first time Ward found the endzone since the 2003 season, when he notched one rushing and one receiving touchdown as a member of the Las Vegas Gladiators. He finished last week's game with three catches for 26 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a one-yard touchdown. His three catches and two receiving touchdowns were both career highs.

GROCE SPARKS SPECIAL TEAMS
With fellow returner Sedrick Robinson sidelined with injury, Destroyers OS Damien Groce had a career-day returning kicks last week versus Grand Rapids. The newly-acquired Groce returned nine kicks for 204 yards, including a 57-yard return for a touchdown. His nine returns and 204 return yards were both career-highs. He also added 74 yards receiving and five rushing yards before finishing with a career-high 283 all-purpose yards. Coming in to the 2005 season, Groce had one kick return for a score in his three previous years in the AFL. Through four games this year, Groce has already taken two to the house. Groce leads a Destroyers special teams offense that is first in the AFL in kick return average (23.1 yards per return) and third in yards gained via the return game (554/138.5 per game). The Destroyers are one of only two teams in the league with three kicks returned for a touchdown this season (Groce 2, Sedrick Robinson 1).

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
Wide receiver/linebacker Cornelius White became the Destroyers' all-time leading receiver in week one and continues to build on his mark in his third season with the team. He is currently 12 catches behind OS Bobby Olive, who is also still playing, to become the club's all-time leader in every major receiving category. He is currently the team's all-time leader in receiving yards (2,253), touchdowns scored (43), receiving touchdowns (43) and points scored (268). Olive currently is the club's all-time leader in career receptions (189), single-season receptions (106) and single-season receiving yards (1,184).

DESTROYER CAREER RECEIVING LEADERS
Player Career Receptions
Bobby Olive 189 (1999-2002, 2005)
Cornelius White 177 (2003-2005)

Player Career Receiving Yards
Cornelius White 2,253 (2003-2005)
Bobby Olive 1,971 (1999-2002, 2005)

Player Career Receiving Touchdowns
Cornelius White 43 (2003-2005)
Darrick Branch 29 (1999-2001)


DESTROYERS SELL OUT AGAIN
The Destroyers sold out four of eight home games during their inaugural season, eventually averaging over 16,000 fans in attendance per home game in 2004. The club has picked up where they left off last season, recording yet another sellout crowd at Nationwide Arena (17,171) two weeks ago versus Chicago. The sellout was the second consecutive this season and sixth out of 10 home games in Columbus.

DESTROYERS TACKLE HUNGER
When the Columbus Destroyers kicked off the 2005 AFL season, the team also kicked off a new community initiative in conjunction with the Mid-Ohio FoodBank to "Tackle Hunger" in Central Ohio. Beginning with the home opener and continuing throughout the 2005 season, fans are asked to bring non-perishable food items to each home game at Nationwide Arena for donation to the Mid-Ohio FoodBank. In turn, fans will receive one raffle ticket per donated food item for a chance to win a team-autographed, authentic AFL football. One winner will be announced during the fourth quarter of each game. In addition to the eight-game collection drive, members of the Columbus Destroyers plan to further support the "Tackle Hunger" initiative with visits to the Mid-Ohio FoodBank to help pack boxes for distribution to local food pantries. Players and team personnel will also lend a hand at Faith Mission to serve meals and spend time with residents during several trips scheduled throughout the season.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Destroyers and Force match up after five weeks of play.

2005 LEAGUE TEAM RANKINGS
Category (RANK) Columbus Georgia
Scoring Offense 44.5 (15th) 50.4 (11th)
Scoring Defense 46.8 (T-7th) 42.6 (3rd)
Total Offense 239.5 (16th) 291.2 (7th)
Total Defense 253.8 (5th) 297.2 (12th)
Touchdowns Scored 23 (T-16th) 34 (T-7th)
Pass Offense 218.2 (15th) 275.6 (4th)
Pass Defense 214.8 (2nd) 285.0 (13th)
Rushing Offense 21.2 (7th) 15.6 (11th)
Rushing Defense 39.0 (16th) 12.2 (3rd)
Field Goals Made 5-5 (T-3rd) 5-6 (T-3rd)
Field Goal Percentage 1.000 (1st) .833 (T-3rd)
Kick Return Yards 554 (3rd) 385 (13th)
Kickoff Return Average 23.1 (1st) 17.5 (10th)
Kickoff Coverage 14.6 (2nd) 16.4 (T-6th)
3rd Down Efficiency 13-33 (13th) 13-28 (10th)
4th Down Efficiency 4-10 (T-10th) 3-5 (T-2nd)
Red Zone Offense 11-16 (16th) 18-24 (12th)
Red Zone Defense 17-19 (15th) 14-21 (T-1st)
Avg. Time of Possession 29:19 (14th) 28:57 (12th)
Turnover Margin -5 (15th) +3 (6th)


NEXT WEEK
Following Sunday's game in Georgia, the Destroyers return home to host the Las Vegas Gladiators on Saturday, March 12 at Nationwide Arena. This will be the first time Las Vegas visits Columbus as the two teams hooked up in Las Vegas last season. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Destroyers fell to the Gladiators, 64-51 on May 30, 2004 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

DESTROYERS RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

3/1/05: Signed wide receiver/linebacker Chris Curd to the practice squad

2/24/05: Signed offensive specialist Randall Lane off the practice squad

2/17/05: Activated fullback/linebacker Juan Long off injured reserve

2/15/05: Released quarterback Chad Salisbury

2/15/05: Waived wide receiver/linebacker D.J. Humphries

2/15/05: Signed quarterback Ryan Vena

2/15/05: Traded lineman Carey Clayton to Nashville for defensive specialist Art Smith (Other League Exempt: NFL-Green Bay)

1/26/05: Signed quarterback Scott McMullen to practice squad

1/26/05: Signed offensive specialist Randall Lane to practice squad

1/26/05: Signed defensive specialist Justin Isom to practice squad

1/26/05: Signed defensive specialist Bobby Britton to practice squad

1/25/05: Waived lineman Tyronn Johnson

1/25/05: Released wide receiver/linebacker Sir Mawn Wilson

1/25/05: Placed fullback/linebacker Juan Long on injured reserve

COLUMBUS DESTROYERS 2005 RECORD WHEN...
HOME 1-1
AWAY 0-2
FRIDAY 0-1
SATURDAY 1-0
SUNDAY 0-2
VS EASTERN 0-1
VS CENTRAL 1-2
VS WESTERN 0-0
VS SOUTHERN 0-0
JANUARY 0-1
FEBRUARY 1-2
MARCH 0-0
APRIL 0-0
MAY 0-0
SCORE FIRST 1-3
OPPONENT SCORE FIRST 0-0
AHEAD AT HALF 1-2
BEHIND AT HALF 0-1
TIED AT HALF 0-0
AHEAD AFTER 3RD QTR 1-1
BEHIND AFTER 3RD QTR 0-2
TIED AFTER 3RD QTR 0-0
PLUS TURNOVER RATIO 1-0
EVEN TURNOVER RATIO 0-0
MINUS TURNOVER RATIO 0-3
MORE TOTAL OFFENSE 1-1
LESS TOTAL OFFENSE 0-2
OUTCOME 7 POINTS OR LESS 0-1
OUTCOME 3 POINTS OR LESS 0-0
OVERTIME 0-0
PLAY ON NBC 0-1
NOT ON NBC 1-2

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