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Force Game Notes

April 23, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Cobras (0-1) vs. Georgia Force (1-0)
Date: April 26, 2002
Kickoff: 7:30 ET
Site: Philips Arena (16,100)
Series Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between Georgia and Carolina.
Radio: WQXI 790 AM The Zone (David Hubbard: play-by-play and Ryan Stewart: color analyst).
Coaches: Robert Lyles- Georgia (6-6, 2nd Year); Mike Neu- Carolina (0-1, 1st Year).

THE GAME:

The Georgia Force will face the Carolina Cobras on Friday, April 26 at Philips Arena at 7:30 p.m. This will be the second straight Southern Division game for the Force as they look to establish early position in one of the AFL's toughest divisions. Georgia was the only Southern Division team to win their regular season opener.

The Force took their first steps last weekend in establishing themselves in the Arena Football League as they defeated the Orlando Predators 67-49 at Philips Arena. Ironman award winner WR/DB Ron Carpenter returned two kickoffs for scores and an interception for a touchdown, while MVP winner Travis Reece added two rushing touchdowns and one receiving in helping to capture the Force's first victory in club history.

The Carolina Cobras travel to Atlanta after being defeated by the Dallas Desperados 57-44 in their first game of the season last weekend. This will be the second straight game that Carolina will be facing a team in their inaugural season, as both Georgia and Dallas are new organizations joining the league this season.

Carolina is entering their third season in the AFL after reaching the playoffs last season for the first time in club history with a 7-7 record in 2001. The Cobras will look to offensive specialist Aaron Bailey to lead them into the playoffs again this season. Bailey led the team in receptions with 61, receiving yards with 915 and touchdowns with 19, despite only playing in just seven games on the year. The Cobras also added veteran leadership in the off-season, acquiring AFL veterans WR/LB Cory Fleming (Nashville), QB Connell Maynor (New Jersey), FB/LB Andre Bowden (Tampa Bay), DS Kevin Gaines (Florida) and DS Clarence Lawson (Florida).

Georgia is welcomed into this the 16th season of the AFL after the relocation of the Nashville Kats brought the team to Atlanta. The Force will look to follow in the winning tradition that Nashville started when entering the league in 1997. Over the Kats five-year tenure in Nashville, the club reached the playoffs in every season, twice reaching the ArenaBowl Championship game in 2000 and 2001.

The Force are beginning a new chapter in the AFL for themselves as the team' s name, logos and history are brand new. The Georgia roster consists of 18 players that have traveled South from Nashville to Atlanta. Adding to the roster the Force signed AFL veterans QB Kevin McDougal and QB Donnie Davis from the former Milwaukee Mustangs and selected OL/DL Michael Lawson from the Florida Bobcats with the first overall selection in the 2001 dispersal draft.

THE SERIES:

This will be the first meeting between Georgia and Carolina. The teams will meet again in a Week 9 regular season match-up in Carolina at the Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena on June 14 at 7:30p.m.

GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK:

The Force will travel to San Jose for their first road game of the regular season when they face the SaberCats on May 4 at the Compaq Center at 10:30 p.m. San Jose defeated Georgia 35-68 in a preseason match-up this season on April 12 at Philips Arena.

HEAD COACHES:

ROBERT LYLES, Georgia (6-6, 2nd Year): Robert Lyles was named the first Head Coach of the Georgia Force in December of 2001. Entering his seventh season of coaching in Arena Football, Lyles served as the interim head coach for the Los Angeles Avengers last season after replacing Stan Brock after the third game of the 2001 season. Lyles finished the season with a 5-6 record as a head coach, while leading the Avengers to a 5-9 overall mark. Prior to his promotion as Head Coach for L.A., Lyles had served as the team's defensive coordinator for their first two years since entering the league in 2000. Lyles began his coaching career with the AFL's Memphis Pharaohs in 1996, then spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Portland Forest Dragons (1997-99) before going to Los Angeles. Before joining the AFL 's coaching ranks, Lyles was a standout player earning the "Ironman of the Year" award for his play as a linebacker/fullback with the Memphis Pharaohs in 1995. Lyles played eight seasons in the National Football League as a standout linebacker- six seasons with the Houston Oilers (1984-89) and two with the Atlanta Falcons (1990-91). Lyles played linebacker at Texas Christian University.

MIKE NEU, Carolina (0-1, 1st Year): First-year head coach Mike Neu was promoted from Cobras offensive coordinator on July 26, 2001, just three days before the club's first-ever playoff game. Neu stepped in for Doug Kay, who abruptly resigned after leading the Cobras to a 7-7 regular season finish. Prior to joining the Cobras as offensive coordinator in 2001, Neu served as head coach and director of football operations for the Augusta Stallions of af2. He led the Stallions to an overall record of 14-4, including a 13-3 regular season finish and was named af2 Coach of the Year. He served as quarterback coach (1998) and offensive coordinator (1999) for the AFL's Nashville Kats for two seasons prior to becoming a head coach in af2. Neu played quarterback for the Kats during their inaugural season in 1997 and also spent one season under center for the Orlando Predators in 1996. Prior to joining the Arena Football League, Neu played one season with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders. He is a 1994 graduate of Ball State University, where he was named 1993 Mid-American Conference Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. He led the Cardinals to a MAC championship in 1993 and still holds Ball State career records for passing yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns.

CONNECTIONS:

Carolina Head Coach Mike Neu served as quarterback coach (1998) and offensive coordinator (1999) for the Nashville Kats for two seasons. Neu also played quarterback for the Kats during their inaugural season in 1997.Cobras WR/LB Cory Fleming played five seasons (1997-2001) with the Nashville Kats earning First Team All-Arena honors in two of his five seasons with Nashville and was named AFL Rookie of the Year in 1997.Carolina OL/DL Voncellies Allen played at Georgia Southern from 1996-99.Cobras OL/DL Elliot Fortune played at Georgia Tech.Carolina WR/DB Robert Davis went to training camp with the Force and was released on March 24.

LAST WEEK:

The Georgia Force (1-0) took their first steps Saturday night in establishing themselves in the Arena Football League as they defeated the Orlando Predators (0-1) 67-49 at Philips Arena. AFL Commissioner David Baker was on hand to welcome Georgia into the league and witness the Force capture their first victory in club history.

Game MVP winner Force WR/DB Ron Carpenter set the tone early for the Georgia defense. Carpenter intercepted Orlando QB Jay Gruden on his second pass attempt of the game and returned it 34-yards for a touchdown to give the Force an early 7-0 lead. The Georgia secondary of Carpenter, Clif Green and Jarrick Hillery hounded Gruden all night as they combined for a total of nine pass defenses and two interceptions. Carpenter finished the game with four kickoff returns for 143 yards, one missed field goal return for 30 yards and one interception for 34 yards adding a game-high nine tackles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed.

On Orlando's next possession, the Georgia defense stood strong holding the Predators on four straight goal-line stances as FB/ LB Travis Reece and WR/LB Darryl Hammond combined to stop Gruden's one-yard rushing attempt up the middle.

In uncommon Arena Football fashion, the Force held onto a low-scoring 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Georgia QB Kevin McDougal quickly changed that as he connected with OL/DL Ben Crosland on the first play in the second quarter for a 26-yard touchdown. The reception and score was Crosland's first of his career as he would later add another of each in the fourth quarter. McDougal completed 13-of-22 for 147 yards and four touchdowns for the game.

Georgia FB/LB Dan Curran would show his strengths on both sides of the ball as he made the tackle on Orlando's Jermain Alfred on a fake field goal to end the Predators' next possession to give the Force the ball, then made some great moves down the sideline as he barreled into the endzone from 19-yards out to give the Force a 27-7 lead.

Gruden was picked off again this time by Green who returned the ball to the Orlando six-yard line setting up the Force for their next score. It took Georgia one play to find the endzone, as Ironman winner FB/LB Travis Reece rushed to give the Force a 33-7 advantage that they would take into the half. Reece finished with a game-high four carries for 23 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Reece added one reception for a 25-yard score, while contributing on defense with 2.5 tackles, one pass defensed and one interception.

Georgia came out to start the second half the way they ended the first, as Carpenter returned the opening kickoff 57-yards for a touchdown. That would be all the scoring the Force would make in the third quarter, as the Predators started their comeback behind their Hall of Fame quarterback. Gruden finished the game completing 31-52 passes for 331 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Gruden connected with Andre Cooper for a 17-yard score, and FB/LB Tommy Dorsey and FB/LB Duke Pettijohn each had rushing touchdowns to cut the Georgia lead to 40-27 after three quarters of play.

Orlando continued their comeback trail as Gruden found WR/LB Clif Dell for a six-yard score to make it 34-40, but that is all the closer Orlando would make it. Georgia would out-score Orlando 27-15 the rest of the way to take home the victory.

In the numbers behind the game, statistics sometimes do not tell the whole story. Orlando led Georgia in first downs (33 to 12), net passing yards (331 to 145), total offensive plays (65-29) and total net yards (343 to 183). The game also featured 31 penalties between the two teams.

QUOTES:

Georgia Head Coach Robert Lyles (on the game): " I was pleased with our effort. We came out and performed well. We were aggressive. We took the game to them where last week against San Jose we had the game taken to us, so it was a big turn around. We have to be a little bit more poised in certain situations, but overall we overcame all the obstacles that were in our way."

(on the Force defense) "I think that was the key to the game. They came out and set the tone of the game early. We were aggressive. The coaches have been preaching to these guys about being able to play at this level defensively for four quarters. We have to continue to work our way into that type of conditioning and to be able to out-hit our opponents for four quarters. I thought that was the deciding factor in the game."

(on FB/LB Travis Reece): "We know we have the best fullback/ linebacker in the league with Travis Reece. I like to call him Jim Brown. I takes off and runs the ball with the mobility of a tailback. He is strong. Once he gets out there and starts running those defensive backs do not want to tackle him. You can see it on the film, they just get out of the way and grab at him so we like to get him involved as much as we can."

WR/DB Ron Carpenter (on his two kickoff returns for touchdowns against the Predators): "We take pride in kick returns on this team. I am not the fastest player in the world, but I have good vision. I got some holes, read the blocks well and had some fun."

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS FOR THE FORCE'S INAUGURAL SEASON:

Season ticket packages for the remaining Georgia Force six-game home schedule are available. The six-game package will start with the Force's game vs. Southern Division rival, the Carolina Cobras, and include the remaining five home games the Force will play at Philips Arena during their inaugural season in 2002.

Georgia is also giving current Force season tickets holders the opportunity for great team merchandise as the team looks to make Philips Arena a 'Force' in the AFL. For each new referral that a current season ticket holder makes, they can earn merchandise ranging from Georgia Force hats to T-shirts to an official Arena Football League football.

Six-game season ticket package can be purchased by calling the Georgia Force offices at (404) 878-3825.

THINGS TO WATCH:

Feel the Force: Head Coach Robert Lyles, who also serves as Georgia's defensive coordinator inherits a defensive unit that boasts 14 players from a Nashville squad that finished first in the league in points allowed per game (39.3) only giving up 550 points over 14 games in 2001. Under Lyles' direction last season, the Los Angeles Avengers defense finished the 2001 regular-season ranked number one in the AFL in total defense (249.4 yds/game) and number two in passing defense (231.5).

Battle in the Trenches: Assistant Coach Bob Kronenberg will assume the role this season of coaching the offensive/ defensive lineman. Kronenberg will see six of his players that he coached in Nashville join the Force. Last season, the Nashville offensive line contributed to a number one ranking in the AFL in rushing offense with 35.0 yards per game and tied second for fewest sacks allowed all season with nine. The defensive line finished first in the league in sacks with 157, second in the league in rushing yards allowed per game with 9.8, while only allowing a league leading 1.5 yards per game rushing average.

OS Markeith Cooper:
- Recorded his first career AFL start in the Force's home opener vs. Orlando coming in for the injured Tyronne Jones.
- Signed by the Force from the team's open player tryouts.
- His blazing speed and ability to run good routes caught the Georgia coaching staff's eye.

WR/LB Darryl Hammond:
- Entering his 12th season in the AFL this year tying the AFL career mark for years of service (Sylvester Bembery 1988-2000 and George LaFrance 1988-2000).
- Ranks 11th in career scoring with 694 points.
- Ranks 8th in career pass receptions with 525.
- Ranks 2nd with 484.5 career tackles.
- Has had 6 seasons of 50 or more pass receptions.

WR/DB Jarrick Hillery:
- Last year, became only the fourth player in AFL history to run for 100 yards and have 400 yards receiving in the same season.
- Was named to the AFL first-team in 2001.
- A 2000 AFL all-rookie selection.

OS Tyronne Jones:
- Last season, was Nashville's leading receiver in yards with 817 and touchdowns with 21 and he finished tenth in the AFL in overall touchdowns with 24.
- Jones holds the AFL record for the most consecutive games with a kickoff return for a touchdown with four.

FB/LB Travis Reece:
- Captured "Ironman" award in the Force's regular season opener vs. Orlando.
- Ranks 4th in the AFL in scoring with 18 points this season
- Looks to build on a successful rookie season that saw him capture the AFL' s rushing title with Nashville in 2001.
- Reece gained 190 yards on 38 carries on the year and for his efforts garnered AFL All-Rookie team honors.

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