Detroit Fury Game Notes

April 22, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Detroit Fury News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Detroit Fury (6-6) at Las Vegas Gladiators (6-6)
Date: April 27, 2003
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. ET
Site: Thomas & Mack Center
Officials: Bill McCabe (Referee), Doug Wilson (Umpire), Royce Cooley (Head Linesman), Gary Cavaletto (Line Judge), Joe Duncan (Back Judge)
Radio: WDFN, 1130 AM Jamie Samuelsen (Play-by-Play)
TV: None
Series Record: (0-2)
Last Meeting: Saturday, June 29, 2002 New Jersey Win, 62-45
Streaks: Las Vegas – Lose 2 Detroit – Lose 1
Coaches: Frank Haege (15-11, 2nd Year) Al Luginbill (6-6, 1st Year)

THE STAKES: This game could be one of the biggest the Fury will play all season. Going into this week, the Fury and Gladiators have matching overall records, yet, the Gladiators division record keeps them on top of the East. The Fury can control their own playoff destiny with a win over the Gladiators. A win would give the Fury a must-needed division win and the first win in the head-to-head series record. If the Fury can win, with a little luck, they could jump ahead in the playoff standings due to head-to-head tiebreakers over Georgia, Dallas and San Jose.

THE SERIES: The Fury have yet to beat the Gladiators since joining the AFL in 2001, holding a (0-2) record against the them. Sunday's game will be the first of two division games this season. This game will be the first between these two, since the Gladiators moved to Las Vegas

HEAD COACHES:

AL LUGINBILL, Detroit (6-6, 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.

FRANK HAEGE, Las Vegas (15-11, 2nd Year): Haege returns as the Gladiators head coach for in his second year, and is looking to pick up where his team left off last season. In his inaugural year as head coach, he guided his team to a 9-5 record, Eastern Division title and the team's first playoff berth. Before joining the Gladiators staff, Haege spent two years earning Arena Football Experience as the head coach of the Quad City Steamwheelers of af2. In his two years as head coach, his team posted a 37-1 record, including an undefeated season in 2000, and an ArenaCup Championship. Haege is no stranger to the game of Arena Football. He had coaching stints with the Milwaukee Mustangs (1994), Minnesota Fighting Pike (1996) and the New Jersey Red Dogs (1997-1999). While a coach in the AFL, Haege also coached at the collegiate level. From 1996-1998, he was the offensive coordinator for Augsburg College in Minnesota. Prior to Augsburg, Haege spent two years as the secondary coach for Bemidji State University.

FURY IN THE COMMUNITY:

FURY HOSPITAL VISITS

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.

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.

The Fury also 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.

The Fury's latest field trip will take them to Selfridge Air Base in Mt. Clemens, MI on Thursday, April 24. The base, which is still an active base for the National Guard, has a military air museum on site. Fury players and local area children will be touring the facilities, while students will learn about science and aviation. They will receive hands on demonstrations and the ability to climb into many cockpits of the planes to feel first hand what they were like. With many historic planes on display, and today's latest models flying around, the trip will be exciting and informative for all.

LAST WEEK:

Uniondale, NY – The New York Dragons offensive combination of quarterback Aaron Garcia and offensive specialist Mike Furrey was too much for the Detroit Fury, as the Dragons defeated the Fury 69-40. With the win, the Dragons (5-7) sweep the series meeting (2-0) over the Fury (6-6). The Fury fall to (1-2) in the Eastern Division and to (4-3) on the road in the loss.

Defensively, Detroit was never able to slow down New York's passing attack. Garcia and Furry combined for a total of four touchdowns in the game. Garcia finished the game, completing 22-of-28 for 260 yards and eight touchdowns. Chris Anthony led New York's receivers, catching eight balls for 79 yards and three touchdowns. Furrey caught five passes for 75 yards and four touchdowns.

The Fury offense never got on sync and struggled to move the ball for the first three quarters of the game, as they scored half of their points in the final quarter.

Quarterback Andy Kelly heated up late and completed 29-of-50 for 265 yards, two interceptions, and six touchdowns. Sulecio Sanford led all receivers, making 10 catches for 90 yards and one touchdown.

The Fury have never defeated the Dragons in the overall series meeting (0-3), and this season, Garcia has thrown 17 touchdowns against the Fury defense, 10 of them to Mike Furrey. Garcia has also thrown 649 yards against the Fury in two games this season.

New York picked off right where they left off in Detroit. It only took two plays for QB Aaron Garcia to connect with OS Mike Furrey for their first touchdown of the game. The Fury offense was unable to respond in its first drive, missing a 40 field goal attempt. The Dragons recovered the ball and returned it to their 11-yard line.

The Dragon's offense continued to click, as Garcia found WR Chris Anthony for a 22-yard touchdown strike, but kicker Ian Howfield missed the PAT.

The Fury got on the scoreboard on a one-play drive. After a 46-yard kickoff return by Ron Carpenter, Fury QB Andy Kelly connected with OS Thomas Bailey in the back of the end zone for the score.

Garcia and the Dragons would have the final score of the first quarter. Garcia hit a wide-open Furrey for a 14-yard touchdown strike, his second of the game.

Detroit's offense failed to score again, to open the second quarter. Kicker Nick Gatto missed his second field goal attempt of the night, setting a 28-yard return by New York's Donvetis Franklin. On the next play, FB Rodney Filer ran straight up the middle of the field for a 26-yard touchdown.

The Fury continued to struggle in the first half. Offensively, they could not move the ball forward, as they turned the ball over on downs, in their own territory. Defensively, Garcia continued to pick a part the Fury defense, tossing his fourth touchdown pass of the game on the first play of their next possession.

Each team traded touchdowns before the half was over, and the Detroit entered halftime, trailing New York, 41-20.

Detroit took possession of the ball at the start of the second half. They drove the ball inside the 10-yard line, but QB Andy Kelly's pass bounced off the crossbar and into the hands of New York DS Corey Johnson, for Kelly's first interception of the game.

Dragon QB Aaron Garcia and OS Mike Furrey continued to roll in the second half. Following the turnover, Garcia moved the ball downfield and capped of the drive with a nine-yard touchdown to Furrey. The touchdown catch was Garcia's sixth of the day and Furrey's fourth.

The Fury got their first points of the second half, when Kelly connected with Marcus Nash for a five-yard touchdown, but the Fury were unable to recover the following onside kick. The Dragons took possession, and two plays later, Garcia found Chris Anthony in the back of the end zone for his eighth touchdown of the game.

Detroit tried to comeback, as Kelly threw his fourth score of the game to receiver Jason Kasier, but it was too late. They were unable to recover the ensuing onside kick, and Dragon FB Kerry Taylor took the handoff 11 yards for the touchdown on the next play.

With a minute remaining in the game, Detroit took possession of the ball. They drove the ball down the field, and Kelly found Nash for their second score of the game. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

The Fury failed to recover their third onside kick of the evening, and with less than five seconds remaining in the game, the Dragons ran the clock out for the victory.

Next week, the Fury remain on the road for the third straight week. They will face off, for the first time, against the division rival Las Vegas Gladiators.

MVP: Aaron Garcia (NYD) Ironman: William Holder (NYD)

Attendance: (10,442)

FURY NEXT WEEK:

Next week, the Fury will return home to finish out the 2003 regular season with three straight home games. They will be facing off against the division rival Buffalo Destroyers on Thursday, May 1. Detroit previously beat Buffalo on the road 34-14 on Sunday, March 30.

FURY NOTES / TRENDS:

Familiar Face: Today's match-up will face WR/DB Chuck Winters against his former Fury squad. Winters was one of a few players asked to return to training camp in 2003 from last season's Fury team, but he was released prior to the start of the season.

Rotating the Specialists: So far this season, no one person has not held the offensive specialist position for the Fury for more than two weeks at a time. Today's game against Las Vegas could be the first time the same OS (Thomas Bailey) will start for the third straight week. Also, last week was the first time the same DS (Brent Browner) started for more than two weeks in a row, with the exception of Ron Carpenter.

Approaching a record: Detroit kickoff return man is close to setting a new Arena Football League record for most kickoff return yards in a season. He currently stands at 1,809 yards, but with four remaining games, he only needs to average 70 yards a game in kickoff returns to break the record.

Big Division Game: With four games remaining in the 2003 season, today's game could be one of the most important for the Fury and the Gladiators. Although they have matching overall records (6-6), the Gladiators have a (2-0) division record, which keeps them in first place over the Fury in the Eastern Division. If the Fury win the game, they will improve to (7-6) and (2-2) in the division, but more importantly, it will give the Gladiators a worse overall record. It will also put the Fury in position to leapfrog a few other teams in the playoff race. Due to head-to-head tiebreakers over Dallas and Georgia, the Fury could move up drastically. A Fury loss and a New York win this week, would drop the Fury to third in the division, since New York owns the head-to-head meeting over Detroit, and it could potentially drop the Fury from the playoffs because of head-to-head losses with Indiana and Chicago.

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.

THE IFs:

If DETROIT defeats LAS VEGAS, it would ...
· Give DETROIT a (1-2) overall record against the Gladiators
· Give DETROIT a (5-3) record on the road
· Give DETROIT its first franchise win over the Gladiators
· Give DETROIT a (2-2) record in the Eastern Division and a (4-3) vs. the National Conference
· Move DETROIT in first place in the Eastern Division
· Keep DETROIT'S above (.500) in the season
· Give the Gladiators their first divisional loss of the season



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2003


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