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Force Game Notes

April 30, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Georgia Force (1-1) at San Jose SaberCats (2-0)
Date: May 4, 2002
Kickoff: 10:30 ET
Site: Compaq Center (12,700)
Series Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: This is the first regular season meeting between Georgia and San Jose.
Radio: WQXI 790 AM The Zone (David Hubbard: play-by-play and Ryan Stewart: color analyst).
Coaches: Robert Lyles- Georgia (6-7, 2nd Year); Darren Arbet- San Jose (30-14, 4th Year).

THE GAME:

The Georgia Force will travel out West for their first road game of the season when they face the San Jose SaberCats on May 4 at the Compaq Center in San Jose, California.

In a game that features two of the league's offensive powers, the Force will match their first rated rushing attack against the SaberCats second rated passing attack. Georgia is also first in the AFL in scoring offense averaging 60.5 points per game, while San Jose is third in the AFL averaging 56.5 points per game.

San Jose is 2-0 on the season securing victories over the Arizona Rattlers 52-51 on April 20 and Tampa Bay Storm 61-54 on April 27. Last week San Jose defeated Tampa Bay behind a strong performance from quarterback Mark Grieb. Grieb threw seven touchdowns against the Storm to bring his total to 13 for the season. He now holds the San Jose team record for most career completions after passing former SaberCats QB and current Force offensive coordinator Tony Kimbrough's record of 415 in the team's regular season opener vs. Arizona.

San Jose has averaged 60.8 points per game the last two years and became just the second team in league history with consecutive 800-point scoring seasons (871 in 2000, 831 in 2001). Last season, San Jose ranked 2nd in scoring offense (59.4 pts/ game), 2nd in total offense (322.0 yds/ game) and 1st in passer rating (130. 8).

Georgia is welcomed into this the 16th season of the AFL after the relocation of the Nashville Kats, which 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 San Jose in the regular season. The teams met on April 12 in a preseason finale at Philips Arena with the Force being defeated 68-35 by the SaberCats.

GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK:

The Force will return home to Philips Arena to face the Arizona Rattlers on Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. Arizona is led by Head Coach Danny White, who was recently inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame on April 17, 2002. As the only head coach in Rattlers history, White has guided his team to the postseason in nine of the organization's 10 seasons and two ArenaBowl Championships (1994 and 1997). During the 2001 season, he earned his 100th win as head coach - only the second AFL coach to ever reach the mark.

HEAD COACHES:

ROBERT LYLES, Georgia (6-7, 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 served as the team's defensive coordinator during 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.

DARREN ARBET, San Jose SaberCats (30-14, 4th Year): Darren Arbet became the SaberCats winningest head coach when San Jose beat Arizona in the quarterfinals of the AFL playoffs last year. The win gave Arbet 30 victories in 46 career games. He surpassed former head coach Todd Shell, who posted 29 wins in 57 career games. Arbet owns a 30-16 (.652) overall record and is 28-14 (.667) in regular season games. The SaberCats are 4-2 (.667) in pre-season games under Arbet. Named the AFL's Coach of the Year in 2000 following a league record tying 12 regular season wins, Arbet has also guided the SaberCats to an AFL record 15 consecutive regular season victories. Arbet is the only head coach in team history to post a postseason victory.

LAST WEEK:

The Georgia Force (1-1) evened their record for the season as they were defeated 55-54 by the visiting Carolina Cobras (1-1) at Philips Arena on Friday night. In a game that was not decided until the final 30 seconds, Georgia decision to go for the win failed on an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.

On the second play of the game, Force quarterback Kevin McDougal dropped back and laid out a perfect 46-yard pass to Markeith Cooper for the sure score, but the ball slipped through Cooper's hands incomplete. After two successful passes from McDougal to Darryl Hammond kept the drive alive, the Force capped their opening possession with a Jarrick Hillery two-yard end-around run to give Georgia an early 7-0 lead.

Carolina wasted no time in answering the Force's score as Clarence Lawson returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to tie the score at 7-7.

Georgia next possession had them facing a 4th and 10 from the Carolina 19-yardline. McDougal's incomplete pass would have given the ball back to the Cobras, but a roughing the passer call gave the Force new life and 1st and 10 at the Carolina nine-yardline. McDougal injured his ankle on the play, forcing back-up Donnie Davis to finish the drive. On second down, Markeith Cooper rushed in from six-yards out to put the Force back on top 14-7. Georgia would hold the seven-point lead as the first quarter came to a close.

Carolina quarterback Connell Maynor, who captured Game MVP honors, found a wide-open Carl Bond in the corner of the endzone to tie the score at 14 all early in the second quarter. Maynor finished the game completing 14 passes on 20 attempts for 177 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Georgia needed only three plays to regain the lead as Davis hit Cooper for two completions. Davis' second pass found Cooper racing across the middle of the field as he ran 44-yards for his second touchdown of the half and a 21-14 Georgia lead. Davis finished the night 2-of-3 passing for 47 yards and one touchdown.

In typical Arena Football fashion, Carolina responded in one play as Maynor completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jamaal Garman to knot the score at 21-21 with 6:26 left in the half.

McDougal returned to the game for the Force, but was still showing signs of the injury. After Force kicker Stan Whitlock missed a 61-yard field goal, Carolina put together a four play 34-yard drive capped by Mario Grier's one-yard touchdown run and a 28-21 Cobras lead that would hold for the remainder of the first half.

The Cobras began the second half the same way they ended the first half, scoring on their opening possession on a one-yard Grier touchdown run. A failed PAT by kicker Brian Schmitz left the score at 34-21.

On McDougal's first pass attempt of the second half, intended for Hammond, he was intercepted by Kevin Gaines in the endzone giving the ball right back the Cobras.

Georgia OL/DL William Gaines later sacked Maynor for a seven-yard loss to bring up fourth and one. Schimitz's field goal attempt was short setting up Ron Carpenter, who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last week vs. Orlando. Carpenter took the ball 55-yards for a touchdown and cut Carolina's lead to 34-28 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.

Carolina again answered Georgia's score, as Andre Bowden scored from one-yard out to bring the Carolina lead back to 13 points with the Cobras leading 41-28. Carolina would lead by that same score as the third quarter came to a close.

Ironman winner for the game, Georgia's Travis Reece scored his first touchdown of the night to bring the score to 41-34 in Carolina's favor. Whitlock would miss his first PAT of the night in what would later set the stage for the game's ending.

After two straight sacks by the Force defense, first by Ben Crosland and then C.J. McLain, the Cobras were left with 3rd and 22. Following an incomplete pass and a missed field attempt, Carpenter made his second big return of the game setting the Force up with great field position at the Carolina 17-yardline.

Two plays later, Georgia found the endzone on a McDougal to Hillery 12-yard touchdown pass with 6:53 left in the game. Whitlock's second straight missed PAT left the Force still trailing by one at 41-40.

Carolina again took little time to respond returning their second kickoff for a score on a 53-yard touchdown by Bond to put the Cobras back on top 48-40 with 5:41 remaining in the game.

The Force climbed their way back to give the game its fourth tie at 48-48 when Reece scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. McDougal connected with Oscar Sturgis on a successful two-point conversion to balance the score with 2:03 left to play.

The Cobras took their next possession and drove the ball down to the Force four-yard line. After a Maynor incomplete pass to bring up third and goal with 1:00 remaining, Maynor found Cory Fleming in the endzone with 55.5 seconds left to give Carolina a 55-48 lead.

McDougal was poised to lead the Force to victory as he found Hillery twice with completed passes and Cooper once to move the ball to the Carolina two-yardline. In a missed opportunity, Cory Fleming dropped a would-be interception that would have sealed game for the Cobras. Hillery scored his second touchdown of the game on the next play. His two-yard touchdown run would bring the score to 55-54 and make for an intriguing ending to the game.

Georgia took two penalties for delay of game moving the ball back from the Carolina three-yardline to the Carolina 13-yardline. This forced Georgia to go for a two-point conversion for a second time and for a victory with 30.0 seconds remaining. McDougal's pass attempt for the victory failed leaving Carolina with a one-point lead that they would hang onto for the win.

McDougal finished the game 18-of-31 passing for a game-high 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

LAST TIME THESE TWO TEAMS MET: The Georgia Force (1-1) could not find a way to stop the high-powered offensive of San Jose (2-0) as the SaberCats defeated the Force 68-35 on Friday night. Georgia concluded their inaugural preseason at their new home in Philips Arena in front of over 9,000 fans. The Force will open the regular season vs. Orlando on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Philips Arena.

San Jose jumped out to an early lead and did not let up as the SaberCats scored on all 11 of their possessions in the game. Averaging almost 10-yards per play for the game, San Jose built a 14-0 first quarter lead before Georgia answered with a six-yard touchdown run by WR/DB Jarrick Hillery.

Rookie OS Markeith Cooper closed the SaberCats lead to five points with a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter before Force kicker Stan Whitlock missed his second PAT attempt of the game leaving the score at 17-12. Cooper showed flashes of his talents hauling in a game-high ten pass for 142 yards and three touchdowns receiving as well. He also added 59 yards on three kickoff returns.

Whitlock recovered to connect on a 52-yard field goal later in the second quarter to bring the score to 30-15 with 25 second left in the half. San Jose kicker Daron Alcorn responded though with a 31-yard field goal to give the SaberCats a 33-15 halftime lead.

Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier played the entire first half and started the third quarter for the Force, finishing the night 10-of-20 for 98 yards and two interceptions. Second-string quarterback Kevin McDougal came in for Zeier and went a perfect five-for-five for 78 yards and two touchdowns, but San Jose offensive was just too much.

San Jose quarterback John Dutton connected on 12-of-15 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns for the game, while the SaberCats James Hundon was named game MVP for his six reception 157 yards and three-touchdown performance. San Jose's Barry Wagner, returning to his hometown of Atlanta, captured Ironman of the Game honors catching one pass for four yards and adding an interception, two and a half tackles and two passes defensed.

Georgia RB/LB Travis Reece, who won the AFL's rushing title in 2001, was the game's leading rusher with 14 yards on five carries.

QUOTES:

HEAD COACH ROBERT LYLES (on the game vs. Carolina): "We didn't come out and do the things we wanted to do to win this game. We got behind and we didn't execute in crucial situations. We made some mistakes coaching wise that cost us the game."

"There were some good things that happened tonight. My players know that they can be a better team. The mark of a great team is being able to come out every time and play to a certain level. We are fighting that right now. Tonight was a battle. We came out slow. We have to learn how to challenge ourselves and not let our opponent dictate how we play."

(On the two delay of game penalties at the end of the game): "No, we didn't want either of them. We had worked during the week on executing fake field goals and we saw a possible to use it from watching Carolina on film. But trying to decide on whether we could make the two-point conversion or to go for the tie without any timeouts, we didn't have the time to discuss it."

(On McDougal's performance and injury): "There were times after the injury that threw his timing off. He threw a couple of balls high, but overall I thought he did a fine job. He put us in a position to win the ballgame and that is all we can ask. We just didn't execute."

THINGS TO WATCH:

Fire Power: For the second week, Georgia leads the league in scoring averaging 60.5 points per game. The Force have scored 121 points in their two contests despite having yet to score on a field goal for the season.

Ground Forces: After two games, Georgia leads the AFL in rushing with 76 yards on 17 carries. FB/LB Travis Reece leads the league in rushing with a 21.5 yards per game average and FB/LB Dan Curran ranks 7th in the league with 11.0 yards per game.

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. The Force are second in the AFL this season with four sacks on the year.

WR/DB Ron Carpenter:
-Won the AFL's ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance vs. Orlando
-Captured Game MVP honors also for his efforts against the Predators.
- Returned two kickoffs for touchdowns vs. Orlando (4/20) and one missed field goal for a score vs. Carolina (4/26).
- Ranks 1st in the AFL in MFG return with 123 yards on three returns (41.0 avg.).
- Ranks 5th in the AFL in all-purpose yards with 373 (186.5). OS Markeith Cooper:
- Signed by the Force from the team's open player tryouts.
- Rushed for nine yards and one touchdowns vs. Carolina (4/26) adding a game-highs with eight receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown receiving.

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 in the top 15 in AFL in career scoring with 694 points.
- Ranks in the top 10 in AFL in career pass receptions with 530.
- Ranks in the top 5 in AFL in with 488.5 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.
-Rushed for five yards on three carries and two touchdowns vs. Carolina (4/26) and made five receptions for 49 yards and one score receiving. On defense, recorded 3.5 tackles.

FB/LB Travis Reece:
- Captured "Ironman" award in the Force's regular season opener vs. Orlando (4/20) and vs. Carolina (4/26).
- First in the AFL in rushing with 43 yards on nine carries.
- Ranks 10th in the AFL in scoring with 30 points.
- Reece gained 190 yards on 38 carries on the year and capture the AFL's rushing title with Nashville in 2001 and garnered AFL All-Rookie team honors.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 30, 2002


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