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Detroit Fury Game Notes

April 1, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Detroit Fury News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Chicago Rush (3-6) at Detroit Fury (5-4)
Date: April 4, 2003
Kickoff: 11:30 a.m. ET
Site: The Palace of Auburn Hills (14,826)
Officials: Tom McCabe (Referee), Rich Lowe (Umpire), Brent Durbin (Head Linesman), Bob McElwee (Line Judge), James Anderson (Back Judge)
Radio: WXDX, 1310 AM Matt Dary (Play-by-Play) Marc Spindler (Color Analyst)
TV: Fox Sports Net Detroit Mark Champion (Play-by-Play) Jim Brandstatter (Color Analyst)
Series Record: (1-3)
Last Meeting: Saturday, June 22 2002 Chicago 52 – Detroit 38
Streaks: Chicago – Lose 2 Detroit – Win 2
Coaches: Mike Hohensee (63-62, 3rd Year) Al Luginbill (5-4, 1st Year)

THE STAKES: The Fury won their second straight road game and return home for an early Friday game. The Fury need to keep their winning momentum going before they head out on a three-week road trip that begins at the home of the defending champion San Jose SaberCats. The Fury are still tied for first place and need a win to keep pace with the Las Vegas Gladiators.

THE SERIES: This will be the fifth meeting between Chicago and Detroit. Detroit holds a (1-3) record against Chicago. In 2002, Chicago defeated Detroit in both regular season meetings. The Fury have never beaten the Rush at The Palace, and each time these teams have met, the winner has won by at least 10 points.

HEAD COACHES:

AL LUGINBILL, Detroit (5-4, 1st Year): Luginbill enters his first season as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Fury and his first season coaching in the Arena Football League. He brings over 33 years of football experience to the Fury. Luginbill began his coaching career at Pasadena City College, where he guided Pasadena City College to Jr. Rose Bowl Championship in his final season as a head coach. He then moved on to Arizona State University and worked as an assistant coach from 1977-1984 with a one-year coaching stint at the University of Wyoming. Finishing his career as a Sun Devil, he left ASU to pursue a job with the San Diego State University Athletic department. After three years on the administrative side, Luginbill was given the control over the slumping Aztec football program, where he served as head coach of SDSU for five years. He is the only coach in SDSU to ever have five consecutive winning seasons. Luginbill's career turned when he left the collegiate ranks to coach in the NFL Europe (World League). He served as head coach and director of football operations of Amsterdam Admirals from (1995-2000). In his tenure there, he guided the Admirals to the World Bowl. Luginbill moved back to States and took a job with up-start XFL and guided the Los Angeles Xtreme to XFL's first and only league championship. Throughout his career, Luginbill is credited with finding and developing NFL stars such as Marshall Faulk (San Diego St. Player), Kurt Warner (NFL Europe / Amsterdam Player) and most recently, Tommy Maddox (XFL). Luginbill currently holds a 86-56-2 overall record as a head coach. He has won three championships and appeared in five bowl games during his coaching tenure.

MIKE HOHENSEE, Chicago (63-62, 3rd Year): Hohensee enters his third season as the Rush's head coach, but enters his tenth season as a head coach in the Arena Football League. Last season, he led a young Rush team to a 9-5 record and a 1-1 record in the ArenaBowl playoffs. Hohensee currently ranks sixth on the AFL's all-time list for most wins by a head coach. He got his coaching start in the AFL in 1989 as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bruisers. Hohensee became the first AFL player to join the AFL as a coach. He has served as a head coach of five different teams: the Washington Commandos, Albany Firebirds, Anaheim Piranhas, New England Sea Wolves and the Chicago Rush. Hohensee began his AFL career with the Pittsburgh Gladiators and played for two seasons (1987-1988), but his career was ended due to a neck injury. He threw the first touchdown pass in AFL history and appeared in the first ArenaBowl. Hohensee has also played professionally in the USFL, CFL and briefly in the NFL. Played two seasons at the University of Minnesota. Named the Gophers MVP and Athlete of the Year after both years.

FURY IN THE COMMUNITY:

FURY HOSPITAL VISIT

Members of the Fury Team visit local area hospitals to bring cheer and hope to children during their stay. Often, players and coaches will "take over" the ward, filling it with Fury decorations. Players and coaches spend time with the children, sign autographs and leave special gifts behind. The Fury hopes that these types of events will leave a lasting impression on the children and provide a life long memory they are sure to never forget.

The Fury traveled to William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak on February 21, 2003 to visit children in the hospital's pediatric unit. Fury lineman Lucas Yarnell and Jon McCall, Fury Cheerleaders, and team mascot Frenzy toured the unit brining cheer and hope to children of all ages. Several children were lucky enough to take a ride on a model John Deere tractor, with Lucas doing most of the work pushing them down the hallway. The players, cheerleaders and Frenzy brought pennants, autographed photos, stickers, pens and posters to lighten the day of the Beaumont guests.

FURY FIELD TRIPS PROGRAM

The Fury Field Trips program is designed to encourage young people's interest in science, math and technology by introducing them to real-life examples of how the sciences are used in the world around them. The goal of Fury Field Trips is to instill an interest in the sciences that they will carry through adulthood. The Fury Field Trips are proudly supported by the Metro Detroit Ford Dealers and the Towne Mortgage Company.

The Fury embarked on the first Fury Field Trip of the 2003 season with a visit to the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan on Friday, March 21, 2003. Fury players Jon McCall, Dary Myricks, Matt Norwood, Ron Carpenter and Lucas Yarnell toured the plant with sixty students from Stout Middle School in Dearborn. After the tour, Ford representatives and Fury players spoke to the children about the importance of learning about science.

Last week, the Fury traveled to Woodland Elementary School in Troy, Michigan on Thursday, March 27. Students in attendance were treated to a wonderful, educational learning experience through an interactive science show. This show was performed by Science Theatre, a student run organization from Michigan State University. These science majors involved students and players in showing physics and chemistry to students in an interesting and innovative production.

LAST WEEK:

Buffalo, NY. – The Detroit Fury defense held the Buffalo Destroyers to a season-low 14 points, as they defeated the Destroyers 34-14. The Fury shutout the Destroyers in the third and fourth quarters and held them scoreless for over 35 minutes of the game. With the win, the Fury (5-4) increased their winning streak to two and grabbed their first divisional win of the season.

The Fury and Destroyers entered halftime tied at 14, but when the teams returned, the second half belonged to Detroit. The Fury forced three turnovers in the third period and converted all of them into touchdown drives. The Destroyers were never able to get into an offense rhythm in the second half.

The Fury's offense struggled early in the game, turning the ball over twice in the first quarter and only managing to score 14 first-half points, but it returned in the second half. Quarterback Andy Kelly led the offense completing 26-of-35 for 231 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Marcus Nash led all receivers with seven catches for 89 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively, Marcus Nash and Ron Carpenter led the Fury, each with one interception. Rasheid Simmons grabbed his first sack of the season, and the defense batted down five passes. The Destroyers were held to only 178 total offensive yards.

On the Destroyers opening possession, the Fury defense turned the ball over after the Destroyers missed a 60-yard field goal, but were unable to convert the missed field into a score. Receiver Sulecio Sanford fumbled the ball inside the 10-yard line, and the Destroyers recovered it. Buffalo was able to convert the turnover into a 23-yard scoring strike from QB Tim Carey to WR Chuck Wesley.

The Fury offense continued to struggle, as QB Andy Kelly threw his 12th interception of the season. Destroyers' DS Dwayne Carpenter intercepted Kelly's pass on the two-yard line. The Destroyers were unable to capitalize on the turnover, missing a 38-yard field goal.

The Fury drove down the field after the missed field goal, and used the net to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter. Kelly's pass was tipped at the line and bounced off the rebound net, but WR Junior Lord caught the pass for the Fury's first touchdown.

Each team traded scores later in the second quarter, but the Destroyers blew an opportunity to score with less than ten seconds remaining in the half, as Destroyers QB Carey fumbled the snap on the one-yard line. The Destroyers recovered the fumble, but they had no timeouts remaining to stop the clock and were unable to snap the ball again for another play.

The Fury continued to struggle offensively after returning from halftime, as the Fury turned the ball over on downs on their opening possession.

Fortunately, the defense turned the ball right back over, when LB Marcus Nash intercepted the Destroyers' first pass of the drive. Kelly connected with Lord on the next play for their second touchdown strike of the day.

On the Destroyers' ensuing drive, DS Ron Carpenter picked off Tim Carey in the end zone for his second interception of the season. The Fury converted the turnover into a long, four-minute touchdown drive, capped off by a six-yard pass from Kelly to Sanford.

The Destroyers luck did not get any better, as they fumbled the kickoff, and Fury kicker Nick Gatto recovered the ball. Kelly and the Fury offense wasted no time scoring, as Kelly found Marcus Nash in the back of the end zone for the touchdown less than two-minutes later.

To start the fourth quarter, the Destroyers benched QB Tim Carey and replaced him with backup QB Chris Sanders. Sanders drove the Destroyers down the field, but he was unable to score on three consecutive rushing plays from inside the five-yard line. The Destroyers were forced to attempt a field goal, but the kick missed, giving the Fury possession at the four-yard line.

The Fury ran down the remaining time left on the clock to keep the ball away from the Destroyers offense.

MVP: Andy Kelly (DET)
Ironman: Marcus Nash (DET)

Attendance: (7,197)

DETROIT FURY NEXT WEEK:

The Fury prepare to hit the road for three straight weeks and their final road trips of the regular season. Next week, the Fury are traveling cross country to San Jose, California to play the defending champion San Jose SaberCats. San Jose has currently won 18 games in a row at home, and the game will be a tough challenge for the Fury. After that, the Fury head to New York and Las Vegas to face division opponents, as the race for the playoffs and the division championship draws towards the end. To finish the season, the Fury will host Buffalo, Las Vegas and Orlando at home.

FURY NOTES / TRENDS:

Battling in the Trenches: As the weeks go on, the Fury are beginning to win the war on the offensive and defensive lines. On offense, the Fury have given up the fewest sacks in the league, three. On defense, the Fury are seventh in the league in sacks with nine, and there is no one star on the line contributing more than any other. Each week, the line and linebackers are getting more and more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Added defensive pressure has led to increased turnovers (four interceptions and three fumble recoveries in two games) and a safety against Colorado.

Rotating the Specialists: So far this season, no one person has not held the offensive and defensive specialist positions for the Fury for more than two weeks at a time, with the exception of Ron Carpenter. Due to injury, OL/DL Lucas Yarnell was forced to be the Fury's OS last week, and Reggie Waddell got his first start of the season at DS. Here is how the OS and DS position has broken down so far this season:

Game OS DS
Indiana Sulecio Sanford Mario Kelso
Georgia Sulecio Sanford Ernest Ross
Carolina Marcus Nash Ernest Ross
Dallas Junior Lord Richard Jones
Tampa Junior Lord Richard Jones
Arizona Thomas Bailey Kelly Snell
New York Sulecio Sanford Kelly Snell
Colorado Sulecio Sanford Brent Browner
Buffalo Lucas Yarnell Reggie Waddell

Fury ties to all Four Branches of American Troops: Although they are playing, coaching and working with the Fury, FB/LB Errick Herrin, OL/DL Coach Steve Smith and equipment manager William "Sarge" Cordery all have ties to the American conflict Iraq. Herrin served as U.S Marine for four years, and part of his service took him to Iraq as a part of Operation Desert Storm. Smith's youngest brother (18) is a member of the U.S. Air Force and is stationed in the Kuwait desert, while his brother-in-law is stationed in the Persian Gulf as a member of the U.S. Navy. "Sarge" spent 20 years in the U.S. Army as a member of a combat infantry unit. Sarge's tours took him to Vietnam, Germany during the Cold War, border patrol in Czechoslovakia and in the U.S.

No Field Goals: In the last two weeks, the Fury have not attempted any field goals, and have won their two biggest margins of the season as a result. They beat Colorado by 15 points and Buffalo by 20 points. New kicker Nick Gatto has made more of an impact on special teams, as he had a touchdown saving tackle at Colorado and a fumble recovery at Buffalo.

RUNNING WITH THE RECORDS: Watch as Fury Quarterback Andy Kelly continues his assault on the Arena Football League's record books, as he hopes to remain the league's all-time leading passer. AFL Veterans Aaron Garcia (NY) and Sherdrick Bonner (AZ) are right behind.

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