Copperheads Head To Louisiana

April 12, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Texas Copperheads News Release


HOUSTON - It doesn't get any easier for the Texas Copperheads. After falling to the No.1 team in af2, the Florida Firecats, last week, the Copperheads travel to Louisiana to face the Bossier-Shreveport Battlewings this Saturday.

The Battlewings (1-0) won handily over the Fort Wayne Fusion last week, 67-52. It marked the first game of the Quincy Carter era. Carter, the former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, completed 20 of 29 passes for 237 yards and six touchdowns. That type of first-game outing earned the Battlewings a top-10 spot in the af2 coaches' poll this week.

"They can put points on the board in a hurry," Copperheads coach Bryan Blake said. "Quincy seems to be adapting quickly to this league. He's getting rid of the ball quickly and he played very well last week."

The Battlewings' offense was on all cylinders against Fort Wayne. Jamaal Perry led all receivers with eight catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns, while receiver Anthony Chambers scored two fourth-quarter TDs. Fullback Jason Schule anchored the ground game, rushing for two scores and catching a pass for another TD.

While the offense was in high gear for the Battlewings, their defense outplayed it. Defensive back Kendrick Walker intercepted three passes and returned a missed field goal for a touchdown. The Battlewings held Fort Wayne to 20 points in the first three quarters before each team went on a scoring spree, each scoring 32 in the final period. Bossier-Shreveport plays a straight man defense, but Blake is confident that he has the players who can get open against that scheme.

This week of practice has been a positive one for Texas. The team has been more focused and the scrimmages are more intense. The Copperheads worked on special teams play and throwing against a variety of zone coverages. "This has been a good work week," DB/WR coach Eric Jackson said. "They've been more focused and we've been able to make adjustments. The first game is always tough. But I like what we've shown on the practice field."

The lone negative has been quarterback Tony Eckert. Eckert injured the MCL in his left leg during the second half of the Florida game. He took an MRI Wednesday afternoon and was looking forward to find out the results early Thursday morning. If there are no tears, he plans to suit up and play. He said he felt very sore but that there was no sprain. There is a noticeable limp, but at the time being, there does not appear to be any significant impact.

If Eckert is unable to go, backup Damone Scott will start. "I'm a little concerned about the QB situation," Blake said. "Scott doesn't have the live arm that Tony has. He has the experience and knows when and where to throw. But the question is if he can get it there."

Regarding adjustments, the team is strongly considering moving linebacker Randy Chappell to MAC linebacker from JACK. The MAC linebacker is allowed to rush the QB straight-on without any stunting, twisting or drop-back coverage. The JACK linebacker must stay within an imaginary box from the line of scrimmage. This way, Chappell will be able to use his speed, length and agility to disrupt a quarterback's timing. While not as strong and sturdy as fellow LB Lawrence Taylor, Jr, Chappell is quicker and more agile.

Receiver Jason Deml is also healthy and expects to play against the Battlewings. His absence was sorely missed last week. Deml is long and athletic and will be a welcomed sight for either Eckert or Scott.

Special thanks to Dennis Silva, II, Copperfield News for contributions to this press release.



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