Columbus Destroyers game notes

Published on March 29, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


DESTROYERS/FORCE PREVIEW

The Columbus Destroyers (1-2) will take on quarterback Matt Nagy's former team the Georgia Force (4-0) on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena. The Force defeated the Destroyers 68-50 last season. Nagy completed 23 of 27 passes for 210 yards and seven touchdowns in the game. He also rushed for a touchdown from a yard out. Nagy is the all-time Force passing leader in completions (632), yards (7,268) and touchdowns (151).

The Force are led by quarterback Chris Greisen. In his third season he gets the nod at starting quarterback after spending his first two seasons with the Dallas Desperados behind QB Clint Dolezel. Greisen leads the league in completion percentage (76.2) and touchdowns (30).

The Force receiving tandem of Chris Jackson, Troy Bergeron and Derek Lee has caught 92 passes for 1,167 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2007. Jackson leads the league with 494 receiving yards.

Defensively, the Force surrender the most yards per game in the AFL. Giving up close to 335 yards a contest, their passing defense is second worst in the league allowing 311 yards through the air. Look for Nagy and company to expose that.

DESTROYERS/RUSH RECAP

The Destroyers opened the home portion of their 2007 schedule on Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena on March 24 and fell 55-47 to the defending ArenaBowl champion Chicago Rush. A crowd of 16,390 was on hand. Rush quarterback Matt D'Orazio was named Offensive Player of the Game after accounting for all but one of Chicago's touchdowns. He completed 23-of-36 passes for 215 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, while rushing for two scores as well. Destroyers quarterback Matt Nagy completed 16-of-28 passes for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores. David Saunders led the Destroyers receiving corps with six receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Harold Wells and Brad Greetis also had rushing touchdowns for the Destroyers.

MR. RELIABLE

David Saunders has caught 21 passes for 169 yards and five touchdowns this season. He has caught a touchdown in 14-consecutive games dating back to the 2006 season.

Since the streak started on March 3, 2006 against the New York Dragons, Saunders has amassed 86 receptions for 891 yards and 22 touchdowns.

DEFENDING THE CROWN

Reigning AFL Defensive Player of the Year, Jerald Brown, picked up right where he left off as he intercepted Nashville Kats quarterback Clint Stoerner once in the end zone during a Week 1 victory at Nashville. A season ago, Brown finished second in the league with 11 interceptions and 133 interception return yards.

This season, in addition to the interception, Brown has 9.5 tackles (6 UT, 7 AT) and is tied for the team lead with three pass breakups.

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL?

The Destroyers special teams are providing a much-needed boost to the team's overall game, ranking among league leaders in field goal percentage and kick returns.

Kicker Peter Martinez is fifth in the league in field goal percentage at 60% (3-of-5); including a season high 43-yard field goal against the New Orleans VooDoo on Mar. 9.

Kick returners Damien Groce (eight KOR for 210 yds.) and Josh Bush (nine KOR for 196 yds.) have supplied great starting field position for the offense in the first three games of the season. The two have combined for 409 yards on 17 kick returns. The kick return average of 24.1 per return is second in the league.

BEAR DOWN

Rober' Freeman, now in his third year in the AFL, leads the Destroyers with 26.5 tackles (25 UT, 3 AT) which is also the 10th best mark in the AFL. The Birmingham, Alabama native spent his first two seasons with the Nashville Kats where he accumulated 61.5 tackles, seven pass breakups and one interception.

In 2004, Freeman played in NFL Europe with the Rhein Fire after being allocated by the Houston Texans.

CALLING THE SHOTS

Quarterback Matt Nagy was acquired from the Georgia Force in August of 2006. In 2006, Nagy led the AFL in completion percentage (70.6) and was the most efficient quarterback as he led the league in quarterback rating (125.5).

Last season with the Georgia Force he set career-franchise passing records for yardage (7,268), attempts (960), completions (632) and touchdowns (151).

Nagy led the Force to a National Conference Championship in 2005 and a berth in ArenaBowl XIX in Las Vegas.

IN THE CLUTCH

Nagy leads the league on third down situations. During that critical down, he's completed 53.3 percent (8-of-15) of his passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns.

DYNAMIC DUO

The tandem of Matt Nagy and Damien Groce has sparked the Destroyers offense in the first two games of the season. The two have combined for seven touchdowns.

Nagy has passed to Groce for 269 yards on 20 receptions, that consists for 40% of the Destroyers offensive output in the first three games.

THE TOLEDO TACKLER

Toledo graduate, Brandon Hefflin, is second on the team (tied for 11th in the AFL) with 25.5 tackles after three games. Now in his third year with the Destroyers, Hefflin led the team in tackles in 2005 (76.5) and 2006 (84.5).

Hefflin made a strong showing in the season opener against the Kats, he corralled 9.5 tackles and one pass breakup. Against the VooDoo a week later, he made 10 stops, two tackles for a loss totaling three yards and forced one fumble. In both games he was the Destroyers leading tackler.

RUNNIN' WITH THE JONES

Ken Jones led the Destroyers with five sacks last season. This season he leads the team with three, sacking Rush QB Matt D'Orazio twice last week.

Being able to get pressure on the quarterback is his specialty and he's making a statement against offensive lineman as he is tied for third in the AFL in tackles for loss with four (three sacks, one tackle in the backfield).

STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT NOTE

The Columbus Destroyers played their fourth AFL season opener in Nashville on Thursday, Mar. 1. Since the team has relocated from Buffalo to Columbus, they have a record of 3-1 in their season opening game. The Destroyers traveled to face the Kats and won 58-56. The Destroyers are averaging 50.8 points in their season opener while surrendering an average of 45.3.

2004 at Indiana Firebirds - W, 54-48

2005 vs. Nashville Kats - L, 47-38

2006 vs. Grand Rapids Rampage - W, 53-30

2007 at Nashville Kats - W, 58-56

O-H-I-O

Six Destroyers players have ties to the Buckeye state.

DB B.J. Barre

- Grew up in Toledo, attended Whitmer High School and played at The Ohio State University one season.

DB Brandon Hefflin

- Attended the University of Toledo

WR Tony Locke

- Born in Springfield, attended Urbana High School and played at The Ohio State University

OL Juan Porter

- Prepped at St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland) and played at The Ohio State University

DB Anthony Floyd

- Born in Youngstown

QB Josh Harris

- Prepped at Westerville High School and played quarterback at Bowling Green State University

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

The Destroyers 2007 coaching staff brings with it 37 years of coaching experience in Arena Football. Collectively the Destroyers coaches have won three ArenaBowl Championships (Head Coach Doug Kay, Tampa Bay Storm - ArenaBowl VII and Arizona Rattlers - ArenaBowl XI; Coach Mitch Matuska, Tampa Bay Storm - ArenaBowl XVII)

Offensive coordinator Skip Foster (2003) won an ArenaCup in arenafootball2 with the Tulsa Talons as head coach.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 29, 2007


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