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Fury Game Notes

February 25, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Detroit Fury News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Detroit Fury (3-1) at Tampa Bay Storm (2-2)
Date: March 2, 2003
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m.
Site: The Ice Palace
Officials: William LeMonnier (Referee), Dan Ferrell (Umpire), Allen Baynes (Head Linesman), Dana McKenzie (Line Judge), Billy Beckett (Back Judge)
Radio: WDFN, 1130 AM Matt Shepard (Play-by-Play)
TV: None
Series Record: 0-2
Last Meeting: Tampa defeated the Fury 49-47 at Detroit on July 13, 2002
Streaks: Tampa Bay – Win 1 Detroit – Win 3
Coaches: Tim Marcum (145-53, 9th Year) Al Luginbill (3-1, 1st Year)

THE STAKES: The Fury have their best start in team history going and are only one win away from matching a franchise-best winning streak of four games that dates back to June 8, 2001 to June 30, 2001. Detroit (3-1) is looking to keep their perfect road series going when they travel to an unfamiliar and unfriendly arena. They are currently tied with Buffalo for first place in the Eastern Division and a win this Sunday would keep the Fury unbeaten against teams from the Southern Division. This game will be the second of five road games played in new venues for the Fury.

THE SERIES: The Fury have lost to the Storm in each of the previous two seasons, and both games were played at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Fury and Storm have never clashed in the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida TEAM SCHEDULES:

HEAD COACHES:

AL LUGINBILL, Detroit (3-1, 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.

TIM MARCUM, Tampa Bay (145-53, 9th Year): Marcum holds the Arena Football League’s All-Time best coaching record, and he will continue to build on that record as he returns to the Tampa Bay Storm for his ninth season as Head Coach and General Manager. This is also Marcum’s 15th season as a head coach in the AFL. Marcum is a charter member of the Arena Football Hall of Fame and was the first professional football coach to be inducted while still an active coach. He has earned the AFL’s Coach of the Year Award twice (1987 & 1998), and he was the first coach in the AFL to reach 100 victories. Marcum is no stranger to the Detroit eras on Arena Football. Marcum served as the head coach for the Detroit Drive for five years, earning an overall record of 50-10 and winning three ArenaBowl titles with the Drive (1988, 1989, 1992). As a head coach, Marcum has won six ArenaBowl Championships, one with the Denver Dynamite, three with the Detroit Drive and two with the Tampa Bay Storm. Marcum has also had coaching stints in the NFL (Atlanta Falcons), College football (Florida, with Steve Spurrier) and the USFL.

LAST WEEK:

Auburn Hills, Mich. – The Detroit Fury defeated the Dallas Desperados 53-49 in another last minute comeback and defensive stand. Fury quarterback Andy Kelly connected with receiver Junior Lord on a seven-yard strike to give the Fury the lead with only 12 seconds remaining in the game, but it was the defense that held onto the Fury victory.

The Fury thought they had tied the score on a 22-yard pass from Kelly to Lord with less than two minutes remaining in the game, but on the PAT that would tie the game at 47, Dallas lineman Tim Martin blocked the kick and returned it for the Desperados two-point conversion.

With the 49-46 lead, the Desperados took over possession after the kickoff, but two plays later, Fury FB/LB Rupert Grant deflected and intercepted Desperados quarterback Jim Kubiak’s pass and returned it to the Dallas 15-yard line. The Fury then scored the game-winner, but the Desperados would not quit.

Kubiak, who completed 23-of-32 passes for 325 yards, six touchdowns and one interception, drove his team downfield, and he connected with receiver Dialleo Burks on a 13-yard pass to put the Desperados on the Detroit 18-yard line with time for one more play. With three seconds left, Kubiak rocketed a pass to receiver Andy McCullough, but Detroit’s Herman Bell tackled the diving McCullough at the one-yard line, sealing the Fury victory.

The Fury (3-1) played catch-up for most of the game against the Desperados (2-2) after giving up four straight scores to Dallas in the second quarter, but has a solid performance from Kelly, as he connected on 25-of-42 passes for 293 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Fury receivers Junior Lord, Marcus Nash, Jason Kaiser and Ty Grovesteen all had touchdown receptions in the game. Lord led all Fury receivers with 13 catches for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

DETROIT FURY NEXT WEEK:

The Fury will be packing their bags for a two-game road trip. Detroit will be heading south to sunny Tampa Bay to battle with the Storm. The game will pit old Detroit vs. New Detroit. Storm coach Tim Marcum coached the Detroit Drive to four ArenaBowl Championships, and not the Fury are looking to reclaim Detroit’s Arena Football glory. The Fury and the Storm have played each year since the team’s inaugural season in 2001, but they have never played at the Ice Palace in Tampa. This will be the Fury’s first trip into the State of Florida. The Fury have also never defeated the Storm.

FURY NOTES / TRENDS:

Old Detroit vs. New Detroit: For the Fury, this Sunday’s game could finally mark the beginning of a new era for Detroit. When the Fury face off against the Storm, the Fury will get a chance to create a name for themselves as the new Detroit AFL team. Storm Head Coach Tim Marcum was formally the head coach of the Detroit Drive, where he guided them to a 50-10 record and three ArenaBowl Championships. With new head coach Al Luginbill, today’s Detroit AFL team will be looking to establish itself as the next Arena Football dynasty in The City of Detroit. So far, the Fury hold a (0-2) record against Marcum and the Storm, but they will be looking to change that this weekend, when new Head Coach Al Luginbill takes his players down to Tampa to challenge the “Old Detroit” era.

16.7 seconds is what separates the Fury: In the last two weeks, 16.7 seconds were all that separated the Fury from victory. While on the road in Carolina, the Fury rallied back to score the game-winning touchdown with only 4.7 seconds remaining in the game. Last week, it was the Fury defense that made the final 12 seconds seem like an eternity. After a stunning interception, the Fury scored the go-ahead touchdown, but they left 12 seconds on the clock for the Fury defense to hold the lead.

Lord of the Arena: Fury receiver Junior Lord’s play last week against the Desperados was nothing short of excellent. He had a season and team high in receiving, catching 13 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Lord started for the first time of his career at the Offensive Specialist position and had a great game. If he can keep up the great performance, QB Andy Kelly will have a nice target to throw at for the next 12 weeks.

Part 2 of the Arena Tour: The Fury’s road tour of unfamiliar venues continues this week when they arrive at the Ice Palace in Tampa. So far this season, the Fury have successfully conquered the new arena in Carolina, defeating the Cobras in their inaugural game at the Charlotte Arena. The Fury will be playing in five new arenas this season, with three remaining after the trip to Tampa, and they include: The Pepsi Center in Denver, The HP Pavilion in San Jose and The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Approaching a Milestone: Although he already holds the Arena Football League’s All-Time records for career pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns, Fury QB Andy Kelly is approaching another league milestone. If Kelly throws for at least 115 yards this week at Tampa, he will be the first quarterback in the AFL to reach the 25,000 passing yards mark in his career. That is equivalent to throwing the football just over 14 miles.

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 TAMPA BAY, it would …
Give DETROIT a (1-2) record against Tampa, and their first win over the Storm
Give DETROIT a (2-0) record on the road
Give DETROIT a four-game winning streak, and tie a franchise best winning streak
Give DETROIT a (3-0) record against the Southern Division and the National Conference
Keep DETROIT in first place in the Eastern Division

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB, Andy Kelly:

- Ranks 1st in the AFL as All-Time Passing Leader for completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns

- Has lead his team to the playoffs five years in a row, including the expansion Dallas Desperados in 2002

- Has appeared in two if the last three ArenaBowls

- Has an entirely new receiving corps to throw to for the second season in a row

- Finished the 2002 ranked 2nd as the AFL’s offensive touchdown leader (75) and 3rd in passing touchdowns (73) DS, Ron Carpenter:

- Signed by the Fury in the off season to give them a proven veteran on defense but as well as kickoff and missed field goal returns

- Recorded his first interception of the season in week 2 vs. Georgia. The INT set up the Fury’s winning touchdown drive

- In week one, his 292 kickoff return yards placed him third on the AFL’s All-time leader board for most kickoff return yards in a game

WR/LB, Marcus Nash:

- Will be making his first start in the AFL - Had a great first game for the Fury, leading the Fury receivers and catching the game winning pass with 4.7 seconds remaining in the game.

- Will be looking for the UT connection all day from fellow Volunteer quarterback Andy Kelly.

Offensive / Defensive Lines:

- A completely new group of guys fighting in the trenches, they are a strong group of AFL veterans who could be the difference makers late in the game for the Fury. The line so far has only given up one sack, the fewest in the league.

- Curtis Eason comes to Detroit from Orlando and finished as the team’s second QB sack leader.

- Matt Keneley was a part of the 2002 ArenaBowl Champion San Jose SaberCats and is a proven offensive lineman.

- Dary Myricks and Jon McCall come from Carolina and are proven two-way lineman. Myricks was the team’s leading lineman tackler.

- Angel Rubio also came from Orlando and brings good balance of offensive and defensive skill to the line.

- Lucas Yarnell comes from Grand Rapids, and is well known for his pass protection skills that he displayed during ArenaBowl XV.

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