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Georgia Force game notes

January 25, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS:

New Orleans VooDoo (0-0) at Georgia Force (0-0)

Date: January 29, 2005
Kickoff: 7:00 ET
Site: Philips Arena (18,200).
Radio: WQXI 790 AM The Zone (David Hubbard: play-by-play, Chuck Oliver: color analyst).
Coaches: Doug Plank, Georgia (0-0, 1st Year).
Mike Neu, New Orleans (17-13 regular season, 1-3 playoffs, 3rd Year).
Series Record: New Orleans leads the series 2-0.
@ Georgia 52, NO 55 (2/22/04)
Georgia 40, @ New Orleans 44 (5/15/04)

THE OPPONENT:

The New Orleans VooDoo enjoyed a highly successful first season in the AFL in 2004, finishing tied for the best record in the league at 11-5. New Orleans will look to defend their Southern Division title in 2005 and make a return trip to the playoffs after a first round
defeat to Colorado last year. The VooDoo are led by OS Aaron Bailey, QB Andy Kelly and WR/LB Thabiti Davis. Bailey posted a career season last year leading the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Kelly and Davis both join the team as free agents for Detroit. Kelly is the AFL's all-time career passing leaders for completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns. Davis had a breakout year in 2004 finishing among the league leaders in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

THE GAME:

A new chapter in Force history begins as Georgia takes the field to open their fourth season in the AFL. Hosting the defending Southern Division champion New Orleans VooDoo, the Force are returning to Philips Arena where a little less than three years ago they took the field for the first time ever as the Georgia Force.

Since the conclusion of the 2004 season, the face of the team and organization has seen a lot of changes. Atlanta Falcons Owner & CEO Arthur Blank purchased the Force in August beginning the process of the new-look team. Next came the hiring of new head coach Doug Plank. Plank had served as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers from 2002-2004, which included three consecutive trips to the ArenaBowl championship game. The Force-VooDoo match-up will feature Plank in his AFL head coaching debut.

In addition to the ownership and coaching changes, the Force enter the contest against New Orleans with 12 new players on the 24-man roster. Among the new additions to the Force are quarterback Jim Kubiak and lineman Jermaine Smith.

Kubiak will be the fourth different quarterback to start for the Force on opening day (Kevin McDougal- 2002, Donnie Davis- 2003, Leon Murray- 2004) and will be playing in his first AFL game since May of 2003. That season, he established new League records for single season passing yards and completion percentage. Kubiak missed the entire 2004 campaign following neck surgery.

Smith returns to the Force, where he played his first two seasons in the AFL and stills holds the team record for career sacks with 9. Last year, he earned Second Team All-AFL honors with the Orlando Predators.

Georgia is 2-1 all-time in opening day games, but are 0-2 all-time against New Orleans. Last season, the Force fell in both contests to the VooDoo by a combined total of only 7 points. This will be the first time in club history that the Force have played in the month of January and marks the earliest start for an AFL season in the League's 19-year history.

CONNECTIONS:

Force Owner & CEO Arthur Blank and VooDoo Owner Tom Benson are 2 of only 9 NFL owners currently operator or own the rights to an AFL team...Georgia WR/DB Luke Leverson and Force OL/DL Adam Metts played for the VooDoo in 2004...New Orleans OL/DL Bruce McClure played two seasons with the Force in 2002 and 2003...Force DS Kevin Gaines went to training camp with the New Orleans Saints in 1995...Georgia FB/LB Coach Brennen Booth and New Orleans Head Coach Mike Neu were on the same staff with the Carolina Cobras in 2002.


GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK:

The Force will travel out West for their first road game of the season to face the Los Angeles Avengers on Friday, February 4th at 10:30 p.m. ET in the STAPLES Center.

Georgia leads the all-time series against the Avengers 2-1 with both Force victories coming on the road. Last season, Georgia escaped L.A. with a 53-52 overtime win on a successful two-point conversion by attempt by QB Leon Murray to WR/LB Dialleo Burks in the extra session.


THE SCHEDULE:

GEORGIA FORCE (0-0)

Date OPPONENT RESULT SCORE
Jan. 29 NEW ORLEANS
Feb. 4 @ Los Angeles
Feb. 12 ARIZONA
Feb. 20 @ Las Vegas
Feb. 25 @ Austin
March 6 COLUMBUS
March 12 @ New York
March 19 ORLANDO
March 26 @ New Orleans
April 2 @ Tampa Bay
April 8 AUSTIN
April 15 GRAND RAPIDS
April 22 @ Orlando
BYE WEEK
May 8 TAMPA BAY
May 14 DALLAS
May 21 @ San Jose

STATISTICS:


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

Statistical GEORGIA NEW ORLEANS
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 18th 44.4 17th 45.2
Scoring Defense 9th 48.2 2nd 45.1
Total Offense (yds/g) 12th 260.8 15th 251.2
Total Defense (yds/g) 3rd 254.9 6th 257.3
Pass Offense 12th 228.9 17th 220.6
Pass Defense 5th 233.9 4th 230.4
Rushing Offense 4th 31.9 5th 30.6
Rushing Defense 9th 21.0 16th 26.9
Pass Rating 16th 100.3 17th 96.6
Pass Def. Rating 5th 103.7 8th 105.4
Kickoff Returns 15th 16.8 10th 17.8
MFG Returns T-17th 7.5 19th 6.4
Interceptions (int-yds) 8th 14-177 10th 12-159
Turnover Margin 12th -3 11th -1
Field Goals 19th 6-27 12th 9-21
PAT Kicking 2nd 86-94 12th 78-92
Sacks By (sks-yds) 11th 14-57 10th 15-74
Sacks Against (sks-yds) 19th 32-104 6th 10-57
First Downs 18th 283 16th 284
Opp. First Downs 12th 305 13th 306
Penalties (yds/gm) 8th 45.9 12th 48.8
Opp. Penalties (yds/gm) 16th 42.4 4th 53.2
Red Zone Offense 4th 49-57 19th 52-71
Red Zone Defense 5th 61-77 7th 67-83
Time of Possession 18th 27:54 12th 29:21

HEAD COACHES:

DOUG PLANK, Georgia (0-0, 1st Year): On July 30, 2004, Doug Plank was announced as the new head coach of the Georgia Force becoming the fourth head coach in the team's history. Plank comes to the Force having served as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers from 2002-2004, which included three consecutive ArenaBowl championship game births.

Following a 3-5 start in 2004, the Rattlers turned their season around to finish with a league-tying best 11-5 record and secure the top seed in the AFL playoffs. In 2002, Plank helped guide the Rattlers defense to a number one regular season ranking in rushing defense and scoring defense. In his three years with the Rattlers, he coached four First Team All-Arena selections, two Second Team All-Arena players and four All-Ironman Team choices, including 2003 AFL Ironman of the Year Randy Gatewood.

A former member of The Ohio State University football team, Plank played in three consecutive Rose Bowls, 1973, 1974, and 1975. While at Ohio State, he played for legendary coach Woody Hayes.

Plank brings with him a wealth of football experience that includes an impressive career in the NFL. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 12th round of the 1975 NFL Entry Draft and started at safety for eight seasons. The "46 Defense" created by Buddy Ryan was named for Plank's jersey number and aggressive style of play. Plank was also the first Bears rookie to ever lead the team in tackles.

Following his playing career, Plank became a franchisee for the Burger King Corporation owning and operating 17 restaurants in three different states.

Plank's professional history also includes experience as a member of the Rattlers broadcast team. Prior to becoming defensive coordinator, he spent five years as the Rattlers' radio analyst and two seasons as their television color analyst.

His broadcasting experience also includes stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State University Football, Fox Sports Net, Westwood One and Sports USA Radio Network.

MIKE NEU, New Orleans (17-13 regular season, 1-3 playoffs, 3rd Year): Neu was named the first head coach of the expansion VooDoo in June 2003 and led New Orleans to the most wins ever by an expansion team (11) and a Southern Division title. The VooDoo finished the regular season 11-5- tied for the best record in the league- and hosted a quarterfinal playoff game. Following the season, Neu was named the 2004 AFL Coach of the Year.

Before taking over in New Orleans, Neu served as the director of football operations and head coach of the Carolina Cobras in 2002, when he led them to the first playoff win in club history.

Prior to his coaching career in Carolina, Neu was named arenafootball2 Coach of the Year after leading the Augusta Stallions to the American Conference title. His AFL coaching career began in 1998 as the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator (1999) for the Nashville Kats.

Neu played for the Orlando Predators in 1996 and the Nashville Kats in 1997 after a stint with the CFL Calgary Stampeders. A four-year starter at Ball State, Neu quarterbacked his alma mater to a conference championship in 1993. He still holds school career passing records in yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns.

LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET:

NEW ORLEANS, LA. – New Orleans defensive specialist Calvin Coleman's interception on the goal line with two seconds remaining in the game secured a 44-40 victory for the VooDoo over the Georgia Force. With the win, New Orleans clinched a spot in the AFL playoffs. New Orleans took their final lead of the game when Dan Curran rushed in for his third touchdown of the night on a two-yard score with 44 seconds left in the game.

The VooDoo were lead by Curran, who finished with 24 yards on 10 carries and three touchdowns, and offensive specialist Aaron Bailey, who racked up 124 receiving yards on nine receptions and three touchdowns. For Georgia, quarterback Leon Murray completed 15-of-21 passes for 192 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Murray added 33 yards rushing on four carries and two scores on the ground.

New Orleans grabbed control of the game in the third quarter scoring 14 straight points and a 34-26 lead as a result of two Aaron Bailey touchdown receptions and two-stopped Georgia drives, a missed 34-yard field goal and a second interception by Montgomery. The Force outscored the VooDoo 14-10 in the fourth quarter, but fell short of avoiding the season sweep to New Orleans by a combined six points in the two games.

Georgia's offense continued to have the hot hand to open the game as Murray found Markeith Cooper for a 30-yard touchdown strike on the game's first play. Both teams would then trade scores, with Cooper hauling in another TD pass from Murray on a two-yard shovel pass and New Orleans countering with a rushing score from Dan Curran of one-yard. The Force began the second quarter in similar fashion to the first period, as Murray again stuck quickly finding Dialleo Burks for a 45-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the quarter. Curran added also rushing touchdown, this one from three-yards out to cut the Force lead to 20-13.

As Georgia looked to close out the half, the VooDoo defense stepped up creating the game's first turnover when Monty Montgomery intercepted Murray with 25 seconds remaining in the second quarter. With a chance to take their first lead of the game and a halftime advantage, Fitzgerald was forced into his first turnover of the contest as Burks picked off a pass with three seconds left before the break. Georgia kicker Steve McLaughlin missed a 49-yard field goal as time expired with the Force leading 26-20. Murray played a near perfect half completing his first five passes of the game with his only incompletion coming on the interception.

THINGS TO WATCH:


Force On Opening Night:

The Georgia Force have an all-time opening day record of 2-1. Following a perfect 2-0 start in opening day games with wins in 2002 and 2003, the Force suffered their first loss to begin a season last year against the New York Dragons. In those games, Georgia is 1-1 at home and 1-0 on the road.

New Orleans is 1-0 all-time in opening day games after defeating the expansion Philadelphia Soul 42-34 last year.

Force Opening Games (2002-2004)

Date Opponent Result Score
4/20/02 Orlando W 67-49
2/2/03 @ Colorado W 44-40
2/8/04 New York L 28-54


New Start:

With changes in ownership, venue, coaching staff and players, it is no surprise that when the 2005 edition of the Force start the season there will be a new look to the team.

Georgia's opening day roster will feature 12 players that were not with the team at the beginning of last season, including 7 players in the starting line-up.

Quarterback Jim Kubiak will be the fourth different quarterback to start for the Force on opening day in the team's four-year history (Kevin McDougal- 2002, Donnie Davis- 2003, Leon Murray- 2004).

Starting Line for the Force in 2004 vs. 2005

2004 2005

QB- Leon Murray QB- Jim Kubiak
OS- Markeith Cooper OS- Scottie Montgomery
WR/LB- Dialleo Burks WR/LB- Dialleo Burks
WR/DB- Dameon Porter WR/DB- Luke Leverson
FB/LB- Robert Thomas FB/LB- Robert Thomas
OL/DL- Matt O'Neal OL/DL- Jermaine Smith
OL/DL- Dary Myricks OL/DL- Adam Metts
OL/DL- Stacy Evans OL/DL- Shane Grice
DS- Kevin Gaines DS- Kevin Gaines
DS- Robert Williams DS- Willie Gary

JK vs. AK- Round 3:

The teams may have changed, but the faces still remain. The Force-VooDoo match-up will feature two the best quarterbacks to play in the AFL with Georgia's Jim Kubiak facing New Orleans' Andy Kelly.

Kubiak is returning to action after a one year hiatus from football following neck surgery. In 2003, as a member of the Dallas Desperados, he established new league records for single-season passing yards (4,762) and completion percentage (69.7).

Kelly is entering his 12th AFL season and currently holds the AFL career passing records for completions (2,863), attempts (4,672), passing yards (31,944) and touchdowns (621). Kelly also holds the record for most touchdowns ever by any professional quarterback in any league.

In 2002, both Kubiak and Kelly were teammates for the expansion Desperados. That season, Kelly would become the AFL all-time passing leader, while Kubiak only appeared under center in 1 game.

This will be the third time the two QBs have faced each other on the field. In 2001, Kelly's Nashville Kats won 87-48 over Kubiak and the Buffalo Destroyers. The second meeting was two years later when Kelly and the Detroit Fury took a 53-49 victory over Kubiak and the Desperados.

Kubiak
Comp. Att. Yards TDs INT Score
6/22/01 20 34 290 5 3 L 48-87
2/23/03 23 32 325 6 1 L 49-53
Totals 43 66 315 11 4


Kelly
Comp. Att. Yards TDs INT Score
6/22/01 12 17 133 5 0 W 87-48
2/23/03 25 42 293 8 2 W 53-49
Totals 37 59 426 13 2



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 25, 2005


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