Georgia Force game notes

May 18, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS:

Georgia Force (5-9) vs. Austin Wranglers (8-6)

Date: May 23, 2004
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET
Site: Arena at Gwinnett Center (11,200).
Radio: WQXI 790 AM The Zone (David Hubbard: play-by-play, Chuck Oliver: color analyst).
WPLO 610 AM RadioMex (Luis Garcia: play-by-play, Julio Espinoza: color analyst).
Coaches: Bob Kronenberg, Georgia (1-2 overall, 1st Year).
Skip Foster, Austin (8-6 overall, 1st Year).
Series Record: Wranglers lead the series 1-0
Georgia 26, @ Austin 42 (4/11/04)


GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK:

The Force will conclude the 2004 regular season when they face the Carolina Cobras on Saturday, May 29th at 7:00 p.m. in the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Please note- the game was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 30th at 4:00 p.m. but has been changed. Former Southern Division rivals before re-alignment this season, the Force lead the all-time series against the Cobras 3-1.

CONNECTIONS:

Austin WR/DB Dameon Porter played in 10 games for Georgia this season before being released on April 13th...Wranglers OL/DL Nikia Adderson played in 8 games this year with the Force before being waived on May 6...Austin WR/LB Darryl Hammond played with the Force during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

THE GAME:

The Georgia Force return to the Arena at Gwinnett Center after two weeks on the road to begin a pair of contests to close out the 2004 regular season. Georgia will host the Austin Wranglers on Sunday, May 23rd at 3:00 p.m. on Faith and Family Day at the Arena. Following the game, there will be a free post game concert featuring national Christian recording artist ZOEgirl and featured keynote speakers such as UGA Head Coach Mark Richt and San Francisco 49ers kicker Todd Peterson. Pre-game activities will include the Coca-Cola Football Town U.S.A.

Coming off a heartbreaking last minute defeat at New Orleans last week, the Force will close out Southern Division play against the Wranglers and look to avoid the season sweep after falling to Austin 26-42 on April 11th.

If Georgia hopes to find success, it will be on the strength of their defense, which ranks 5th in the AFL. Austin enters the contest carrying with them the league's 3rd rated offense.


The Wranglers currently holds the sixth spot in the AFL playoff standings with the league's top eight teams advancing to postseason play. Austin is led by quarterback John Kaleo, who has thrown for over 3,500 yards and 73 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions this season.

For Georgia, two of the team's biggest playmakers will both look to put their names in the club's record books. At no time in the team's three-year history has the Force had a 1,000+ yard receiver in a single season. Currently, Markeith Cooper has 987 receiving yards and Dialleo Burks sits with 943 receiving yards. The closest any Force player has come to the mark was last season, when Tyronne Jones finished the year with 989 yards and Darryl Hammond with 969 receiving yards. Also with one more receiving touchdown, Cooper will set a new team record for most single-season receiving touchdowns. He is currently tied with Jones and Hammond with 20.


FAITH AND FAMILY DAY:

Free post-game concert featuring national Christian recording artist ZOEgirl


ATLANTA, GA. – On Sunday, May 23rd, the Georgia Force will be extending the total entertainment of its home game versus the Austin Wranglers with the announcement of "Faith and Family Day". Following the Force's game in the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 3:00 p.m., fans will be treated to a free post-game concert on the field featuring Top 20 Christian contemporary and Sparrow Records recording artist ZOEgirl.

In addition to the concert, festivities will comprise of keynotes speakers including Force players, ZOEgirl and special guests giving their testimony of the Christian faith. Fans attending the game will be eligible to participate in an on-field question and answer session with keynote speakers and band. As with every Georgia Force game, fans will be allowed access to all the Force players, coaches and cheerleaders for a 30 minutes post-game autograph session immediately following the game.

"It has always been a priority for our organization to provide our fans with top notch entertainment to enhance the Georgia Force game experience," said Force General Manager Eddie Rockwell. "Arena Football is such a fan-friendly sport that by adding a concert with ZOEgirl, families can enjoy the whole day with the Force from the pre-game tailgating to the post-game concert."

"We are so excited to be performing at the Georgia Force game," said Alisa Girard of ZOEgirl. "We share a common goal in that we look forward to putting together a fun, entertaining and inspiring night for the whole family."

Force WR/LB Dialleo Burks, who will be one of the keynote speakers, added, "I am excited about having a day where we can all come together and express our belief in the Lord, and to just have a good time. Our team chaplain, Randy Kennedy, approached me about sharing my testimony concerning some of the things I have been through in my life. I know, not think, that it will help at least one person that comes to the game. As a professional athlete, I am a role model of sorts. I have been through a lot and the Lord has brought me a long way and I am willing to share that."


ZOEgirl made their way onto the music scene, scoring five Top 5 radio hits, and recently headlined their first tour, which included 29 dates, with special guests Superchic(k), Joy Williams and speaker Susie Shellenberger. ZOEgirl has also appeared before more than a million people, having toured with such artists as Newsboys, Plus One, Avalon, and Carman. The group has found a rare balance between guitar-driven pop and groove-laden R&B, while maintaining their signature sound of catchy hooks and powerful choruses. With collective sales of nearly 1 million units on their first two album releases, ZOEgirl and Life, it is clear that their message has struck a powerful chord. With their new release, Different Kind Of Free, ZOEgirl continues to fill a void within pop music while simultaneously bringing to light the issues facing a younger generation. For more information on ZOEgirl, visit www.zoegirlonline.com.


THE SCHEDULE:

GEORGIA FORCE (5-9)

Date OPPONENT RESULT SCORE
Feb. 7 NEW YORK L 28-54
Feb. 13 @ Tampa Bay W 70-62
Feb. 22 NEW ORLEANS L 52-55
March 1 @ Los Angeles W-OT 53-52
March 7 LAS VEGAS W 55-40
March 12 @ Orlando W 52-44
March 20 @ Indiana L 36-73
March 27 TAMPA BAY L 24-53
April 1 @ Detroit L 40-42
April 114/ @ Austin L 26-42
April 18 ORLANDO L 7-30
April 25 SAN JOSE L 34-63
BYE
May 9 @ Columbus W 72-51
May 15 @ New Orleans L 40-44
May 23 AUSTIN
May 30 CAROLINA


STATISTICS:

A look how Georgia and Austin match-up on both sides of the ball based on 2004 regular season statistics:

Statistical GEORGIA AUSTIN
Category Stat Stat
Scoring Offense 42.1 50.6
Scoring Defense 50.4 50.3
Total Offense (yds/g) 261.3 277.1
Total Defense (yds/g) 252.5 269.0
Pass Offense (yds/g) 230.0 252.6
Pass Defense (yds/g) 229.4 246.0
Rushing Offense (yds/g) 31.3 24.4
Rushing Defense (yds/g) 23.1 23.0
Kickoff Returns 16.3 16.1
Field Goals 5-25 8-18
PAT Kicking 70-77 79-91
Sacks By (sks-yds) 10-48 15-60
Sacks Against (sks-yds) 28-91 21-105
First Downs 246 286
Penalties (#/yds) 110-628 106-653
Turnover Margin -8 +4
Time of Possession 27:56 31:59


HEAD COACHES:

BOB KRONENBERG, Georgia (1-2 overall, 1st Year):
Named Interim Head Coach on April 19th, Bob Kronenberg takes over the position after Marty Lowe was relieved of his duties. Born on November 3, 1971, he is currently the second youngest Head Coach in the Arena Football League. Currently in his fourth season in the AFL coaching ranks, Kronenberg has the longest tenure with the Force coaching staff serving as the Assistant Head Coach for the last three seasons. Over that time, his primary focus has been coaching the club's offensive and defensive lines. Prior to joining the Force's staff, he served as an Assistant Coach with the Nashville Kats during the 2001 season.

A veteran lineman himself, Kronenberg spent two years as an offensive/defensive lineman with the Kats during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. As a member of the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe from 1995-98, Kronenberg captured a World Bowl title in 1998. His playing experience includes the Las Vegas Posse and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Kronenberg also signed contacts with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins.

Kronenberg earned a degree in education from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, were he was an All-North Central Conference lineman. He is a native of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

SKIP FOSTER, Austin (8-6 overall, 1st Year): In his first season as an AFL head coach, Foster is the second most winning coach in af2 history. Prior to joining the Wranglers, Foster was the head coach of the 2003 af2 Champion Tulsa Talons. Foster made history when he led his team to the National Conference Central Division Championship two consecutive seasons and won the ArenaCup in 2003. Foster was the only af2 coach to go undefeated at home for three consecutive seasons. Prior to joining the Talons, Foster compiled an 82-39-2 record at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. In 1990, Foster led Coffeyville to a National Championship and an undefeated season. Skip took over the head coaching duties at Coffeyville after his father, Dick, won a National Championship in 1983. The two are the only father/son pair in National Junior College Athletic Association to win a national championship at the same school. Skip played football for his father from 1979-80 at Coffeyville and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Missouri Western State College.


THE FORCE THIS SEASON ARE:

1-5 at home
4-4 on the road

0-2 vs. Central Division
1-1 vs. Eastern Division
2-5 vs. Southern Division
2-1 vs. Western Division

0-1 on Thursday
2-0 on Fridays
0-3 on Saturday
2-5 on Sundays
1-0 on Mondays

1-2 in February
3-2 in March
0-4 in April
1-1 in May

1-4 in televised games on NBC

2-1 when leading at the half
1-0 when tied at the half
2-8 when trailing at the half

3-0 when leading after 3 quarters
2-0 when tied after 3 quarters
0-9 when trailing after 3 quarters

0-3 outcome 7 points or less
0-2 outcome 3 points or less
1-0 overtime games

2-2 when the Force scores first
3-7 when opponent scores first


AFL AWARD WINNERS:

AFL Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week

WEEK 2- OS Markeith Cooper

AFL ADT Defensive Player of the Week

WEEK 6- WR/LB Dialleo Burks



WEEKLY GAME AWARD WINNERS:

Baby Ruth Offensive Player of the Game
GAME TEAM PLAYER
1 New York Aaron Garcia
2 Tampa Bay Freddie Solomon
3 New Orleans Aaron Bailey
4 Los Angeles Joe Douglas
5 Georgia Leon Murray
6 Georgia Leon Murray
7 Indiana Adrian McPherson
8 Tampa Bay David White
9 Detroit Mark Lewis
10 Austin Darrin Chiaverini
11 Orlando Joe Hamilton
12 San Jose Mark Grieb
13 Georgia Leon Murray
14 New Orleans Aaron Bailey

ADT Defensive Player of the Game
WEEK TEAM PLAYER
1 New York William Holder
2 Tampa Bay Rod Williams
3 Georgia Kevin Gaines
4 Los Angeles Kevin Ingram
5 Georgia Morris Anderson
6 Georgia Dialleo Burks
7 Indiana Bill Duff
8 Tampa Bay Ernest Certain
9 Detroit Curtis Eason
10 Austin Tom Briggs
11 Orlando Jermaine Smith
12 San Jose Joe Jacobs
13 Georgia Oscar Sturgis
14 New Orleans Monty Montgomery

U.S. Army Ironman of the Game
WEEK TEAM PLAYER
1 Georgia Andy McCullough
2 Georgia Markeith Cooper
3 New Orleans B.J. Cohen
4 Los Angeles Greg Hopkins
5 Georgia Dameon Porter
6 Georgia Markeith Cooper
7 Indiana Jarrod Penright
8 Tampa Bay Lawrence Samuels
9 Detroit Thabiti Davis
10 Austin Dane Krager
11 Orlando Bret Cooper
12 San Jose Rashied Davis
13 Columbus Sedrick Robinson
14 New Orleans Dan Curran



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 18, 2004


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