Fire Game Notes
July 25, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Louisville Fire News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Louisville Fire (8-7) vs Tennessee Valley Vipers (7-8)
Date: Saturday, July 28, 2007
Kickoff: 7:00 P.M.
Site: Freedom Hall (15,646)
Officials: Referee: Gus Golembiewski; Umpire: Conrad Carney; Head Linesman: Gary Schildmeyer; Line Judge: Walter Starks; Back Judge: Jabir Walker
Radio: 1570-AM The Zone; louisvillefirefootball.com; Play-by-play Rob Gidel
Series Record: Tennessee Valley leads 2-1
Streaks: Fire lost 1, Vipers won 2
Coach: Tommy Johnson - Fire (44-37; 4-2 playoffs, Fourth Season)
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Fire: Matt Heitzmann, (502) 368-0009; (502) 593-9910
THE STAKES: The Fire return to Freedom Hall to take on the Tennessee Valley Vipers for a chance to build momentum before the af2 playoffs begin.
THE SERIES: This is the 3RD meeting between the Fire and the Vipers. The Vipers lead the series 2-1. The two teams last met on May 27, 2006 at Tennessee Valley. The Fire won 62-46.
THE IFs:
If Louisville defeats Tennessee Valley it would ...
- Give the Fire a 9-7 record
- Give the Fire an 14-13 record in July
- Give the Fire a 41-50 record all-time on Saturdays
- Give the Fire a 34-23 record all-time at home
- Clinch at least the 7th seed in the American Conference
LOUISVILLE (8-7), Lost 1
Date Opponent Result Score
3/30 Boise L 52-57
4/7 @ South Georgia L 53-77
4/13 Cincinnati W 61-54
4/21 @Alabama L 47-63
5/5 @ Mahoning Valley W 52-34
5/11 @ Ft. Wayne W 48-42
5/19 Alabama W 53-35
5/25 @ Quad City L 53-59
6/2 Green Bay W 39-33
6/16 Ft. Wayne L 34-52
6/23 @ Cincinnati W 58-35
6/30 @ Albany L 53-44
7/7 Mahoning Valley W 57-32
7/14 Quad City W 54-42
7/20 @ Green Bay L 48-74
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
7/28 Tennessee Valley 7:00 W 1 TV 2 - 1
TENNESSEE VALLEY (7-8), Won 2
Date Opponent Result Score
3/30 Alabama W 44-27
4/13 Florida L 34-61
4/21 @ South Georgia L 42-64
4/28 @ Florida W 39-38
5/4 Green Bay W 26-21
5/12 @ Cincinnati W 51-21
5/18 WB/Scranton L 30-34
5/26 @ Ft. Wayne L 33-56
6/1 @ Quad City L 22-45
6/9 Florida L 37-53
6/16 South Georgia L 65-68
6/30 @ Alabama W 35-33
7/7 @ Everett L 49-75
7/14 Ft. Wayne W 61-48
7/21 Mahoning Valley W 58-39
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
7/28 Louisville 7:00 L 1 TV 2 - 1
SCHUTT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(Selected by media)
Week Opp. Player Team
1 Boise Bart Hendricks BOI
2 @ S. Georgia D. Bryant SGA
3 Cincinnati Tiger Jones LOU
4 @ Alabama Markeith Cooper ALA
6 @ Mahoning Valley Tiger Jones LOU
7 @ Ft. Wayne Cody Hodges FWF
8 Alabama Tony Stallings LOU
9 @ Quad City Tom Anthony QCS
10 Green Bay Demetrius Forney LOU
12 Ft. Wayne Cesare Manning FTW
13 @ Cincinnati Tiger Jones LOU
14 @ Albany Ryan Hart ALY
15 Mahoning Valley Tiger Jones LOU
16 Quad City Joel Steels LOU
17 @ Green Bay Gino Guidugli GB
US ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME
(Selected by media)
Week Opp. Player Team
1 Boise Lee Marks BOI
2 @ S. Georgia James Harris SGA
3 Cincinnati Demetrius Forney LOU
4 @ Alabama Demetrius Forney LOU
6 @ Mahoning Valley Eddie Yauch LOU
7 @Ft. Wayne Tony Stallings LOU
8 Alabama Eddie Yauch LOU
9 @ Quad City Jeff Macrea QCS
10 Green Bay L. Matthews LOU
12 Ft. Wayne Demetrius Forney LOU
13 @ Cincinnati Joel Steele LOU
14 @ Albany Chris Curd ALY
15 Mahoning Valley Tony Stallings LOU
16 Quad City Nikolas Kerr QCS
17 @ Green Bay Gerald Harris GB
ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
Selected by media)
Week Opp. Player Team
1 Boise Brandon Hazenburg BOI
2 @ S. Georgia Daryon Brutley SGA
3 Cincinnati Jerome Jones LOU
4 @ Alabama Willie Smith ALA
6 @ Mahoning Valley Nate Green LOU
7 @ Ft. Wayne Derek Brown FWF
8 Alabama Jerome Walker LOU
9 @ Quad City Jack Walker, Jr. QCS
10 Green Bay Nate Green LOU
12 Ft. Wayne Barry Drakeford FTW
13 @ Cincinnati Jerome Jones LOU
14 @ Albany Durrand Roundtree ALY
15 Mahoning Valley Nate Green LOU
16 Quad City Rusty Midlam LOU
17 @ Green Bay Ronnie Amadi GB
CUTTERS CATCH OF THE GAME
(Selected by media)
Week Opp. Player Team
1 Boise Lonnell Dewalt LOU
2 @ S. Georgia James Harris SGA
3 Cincinnati Quorey Payne LOU
4 @ Alabama Not Named --
6 @ Mahoning Valley Chris Archie MVT
7 @ Ft. Wayne Tiger Jones LOU
8 Alabama Tony Stallings LOU
9 @ Quad City Tom Anthony QCS
10 Green Bay Tiger Jones LOU
12 Ft. Wayne Cesare Manning FTW
13 @ Cincinnati D. Washington CIN
14 @ Albany Chris Curd ALY
15 Mahoning Valley Chris Johnson MVT
16 Quad City Kris Peters QCS
17 @ Green Bay Markevius Woods GB
HEAD COACH:
TOMMY JOHNSON, FIRE
Louisville Fire head coach Tommy Johnson, was born in Rome, Ga., and raised in Niceville, Fla. Johnson attended the University of Alabama, where he played defensive back. In 1992, he played on the Crimson Tide squad that defeated Miami for the National Championship. Johnson then continued his football career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and played in NFL Europe. He started his Arena football career with the Albany Firebirds, and moved on to the Carolina Cobras. Johnson presently holds the record for the longest interception return for a touchdown in AFL history. In 2001, Johnson began his coaching career with the Fire as defensive coordinator. Johnson, who was named head coach of the Fire in 2003, led the Fire to the ArenaCup championship game in 2005 and is the Fire's all-time leader in wins with 44. Off the field Johnson is active in the community staying busy with various speaking engagements and volunteering his time a Kentucky Country Day with their football team. Johnson is also a member of Southeast Christian Church.
FORWARD MOTION: The Fire will wrap up the regular season as they return home to take on the Vipers of Tennessee Valley on July 28th.
THE CENTURY MARK: Fire rookie wide receiver Tiger Jones has been a standout in his first five games recording 100-yards receiving in each game and currently has had ten 100-yard receiving games. Jones had a career high 169 yards in the Fire's win over Mahoning Valley. Jones is currently tied for fifth in receptions per game at 8.5, third in receiving yards with 1717, third in receiving yards a game with 114.5, and third in receptions with 128.
TEAM TRENDS
RECORD'S BROKEN: The Fire set an af2 record and a team record in the Fire's opening game against Boise. Fire defensive back Matt Forbes set the af2's all-time interception record with his third quarter interception. Forbes now has 30 career interceptions.
Also against Boise, the Fire's Demetrius "The Freight Train" Forney set the team record for yards per rush averaging 2.5 yards per carry on his 10 carries. On June 2 against Green Bay, Forney set the single season rushing record.
On May 25, against Quad City, Eddie Yauch set the single season sack record for the Fire with 6.5 sacks on the season. Rusty Midlam set the single season tackle record on July 20 against the Green Bay Blizzard.
Single Season Records:
Category Name Stat
Scoring MAGER, Rob, 2006 328
Passing Yards SAUK, Matt, 2005 5071
Passing TDs SAUK, Matt, 2005 112
Receptions MAGER, Rob, 2005 147
Receiving Yards MAGER, Rob, 2006 1918
Receiving TDs MAGER, Rob, 2006 54
100-Yd Receiving Gms JONES, Tiger, 2007 10
Rushing Yards FORNEY, Demetrius, 2007 243
Rushing TDs FORNEY, Demetrius, 2007 15
Interceptions THOMPSON, Arkee, 2003 10
Sacks YAUCH, Eddie, 2007 8
Tackles MIDLAM, Rusty 2007 69.5
MFG Return Yards MCDONALD, Brian, 2001 325
Kickoff Return Yards MCDONALD, Brian, 2001 1879
Combined Return Yds MCDONALD, Brian, 2001 2204
Field Goals Made SAMUEL, Marc, 2003 12
Single Game Records:
Category Name Stat
Scoring MANNING, Cesare, 6/24/05 42
Passing Yards SAUK, Matt, 6/16/05 396
Passing TDs DIETZ, Brett, 6/17/06 12
Receptions MAGER, Rob, 6/16/05 17
Receiving Yards SCOTT, James, 5/8/04 201
Receiving TDs MANNING, Cesare, 6/24/05 7
Rushing Yards JONES, Pookie, 7/19/03 70
Rushing TDs FORNEY, Demetrius, 5/27/05 5
Interceptions THOMPSON, Arkee, 4/19/03 3
Sacks TIPPINS, Aaron, 7/23/05 3.5
Tackles GREEN, Nate, 7/7/07 11.5
Field Goals Made Two Players Tied 3
Longest Field Goal KNIGHT, Danny, 6/24/05 61
TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Fire and Tennessee Valley stack up:
Statistical LOUISVILLE TENNESSEE VALLEY
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 14 50.1 26 41.7
Scoring Defense 17 49.3 9 45.5
Total Offense 13 277.7 28 215.5
Total Defense 10 250.0 17 258.1
Pass Offense 16 242.1 28 196.9
Pass Defense 13 230.7 7 224.2
Rushing Offense 1 35.6 18 18.6
Rushing Defense 14 19.3 30 33.9
Pass Efficiency 10 60.8 29 51.3
Turnover Margin 19 -0.27 10 0.20
Red Zone Offense % 9 82.5 27 64.1
Red Zone Defense % 19 77.8 11 75.4
Sacks By 8 26 22 19
Sacks Against 12 16 24 30
First Downs 8 287 28 205
Opp. First Downs 15 266 20 271
Penalties 19 60.5 29 74.5
Opp. Penalties 22 54.5 8 64.5
Time of Possession 7 31:11 20 29:17
LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from the Fire who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
Player Rank Category Stat
FORNEY, Demetrius T-5 Rushing/G 17.4
FORNEY, Demetrius 4 Rushing Attempts 72
FORNEY, Demetrius 3 Rushing TD's 15
FORNEY, Demetrius 6 Rushing Yards 243
STALLINGS, Tony 6 MFG Returns Yards 153
JONES, Tiger 5 Receptions/G 8.5
JONES, Tiger 3 Receiving Yards 1717
JONES, Tiger 3 Receiving Yards/G 114.5
JONES, Tiger 3 Receptions 128
JONES, Tiger T-8 Receiving TD's 32
STEELE, Joel 9 Pass Comp. Pct 63.3
MIDLAM, Rusty 24 Tackles 69.5
FORBES, Matt T-26 Tackles 68.0
JONES, Jerome T-5 Fumbles Recovered 4
JONES, Jerome T-6 Forced Fumbles 4
HENDRIX, Dave T-6 Field Goal Pct 36.0
HENDRIX, Dave T-8 Field Goals 9
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