Former Steamwheelers Offensive Specialist To Austin

Published on October 25, 2004 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa — They used to play against each other in high school. They were teammates in the arenafootball2 league and now they are going to hit the field as teammates in the Arena Football League. Former Quad City Steamwheelers offensive specialist Ira Gooch signed with the Austin Wranglers late Friday.

Gooch will join former Steamwheelers defensive specialist and former Quad Citian Brent Browner, who joined the Wranglers last season. Browner and Gooch both played for the Steamwheelers in the 2002 season together, with Browner getting the AFL call after that season.

Gooch returned for the 2003 season and after spending the 2003 training camp with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL, Gooch joined the New Orleans VooDoo. Saints owner Tom Benson owns the VooDoo as well.

Last season he played in 10 games with the VooDoo and was fourth on the team in receiving with 28 receptions for 419 yards (41.9 yards per game) and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 21 yards on three carries and added a touchdown. He returned five kicks for 67 yards and ranked fourth in scoring. Gooch, who played the "jack" linebacker position on defense, had 5.5 tackles (four solo) and had two pass breakups.

In 2003 with the Steamwheelers Gooch was the team's top receiver and racked up 1,465 yards on 91 receptions, including 37 touchdowns. Gooch was also apart of a trio of Steamwheelers receivers who eclipsed the 1,000 receiving yard mark. It was the first time in Arena Football history that three teammates accomplished that feat.

He also tallied 1,307 return yards on 63 kick returns as he helped guide the Steamwheelers to 14 consecutive victories, the best in the af2 that season.

The Steamwheelers also won a then third National Conference Midwest Division championship.

They have since won the division again, making them winners of the division four out of a possible five seasons.

In 2002, Gooch led the league in all-purpose yards (217.0 per game), kick return yards (1,576 yards), missed field goal return yards (26.4 yards per game) and average yards per reception (15.3).

He was second on the team in receiving, behind AFL promoted Chris Anthony, who is entering his third season with the New York Dragons. Gooch caught 100 passes for 1,533 yards and 32 touchdowns. Gooch and Anthony were the first duo of teammates in Arena Football history to both have 100 receptions, 1,500 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in a season.

Gooch also rushed 14 times for 55 yards and two touchdowns. He added 77 kick returns for 1,576 yards and had a season total of 3,472 all-purpose yards.

For his career, Gooch ranks second in af2 history in most kickoff return yards (2,772), and is fifth in most all-purpose yards (6,257). He also holds the single season record for most all-purpose yards (3,472 in 2002) and has the record for most games with 200 or more all-purpose yards, which he did 10 times in the 2002 season and seven times in 2003.

Both Gooch and Browner were prep stars in Davenport, with Gooch excelling at Davenport West, where he earned letters in football and basketball. In his senior campaign he rushed for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns. Browner was a three-sport star at Davenport North and earned letters in football, track and soccer. He was all-state in track.

The Steamwheelers are gearing up for their sixth season, as a charter member of the af2. The 2005 af2 season is set to kickoff the first weekend of April and a schedule is expected in mid-November. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Steamwheelers office at (563) 324-4888 or toll free at 1-866-STEAMTIX (78326849).

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