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Georgia Force game notes

March 14, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS

Georgia Force (4-3) at San Jose SaberCats (2-5)

Date: March 17, 2006
Kickoff: 10:30 pm (ET)
Site: HP Pavilion (14,041)
Television: FSN
Radio: WQXI 790 AM The Zone (David Hubbard: play-by-play, Chuck Oliver: color analyst)
Coaches: Doug Plank, Georgia (17-9, 2nd Year)
Darren Arbet, San Jose (84-40, 8th Year)
Series Record: San Jose leads the regular season series 3-1 and the postseason series 1-0
2002 @Georgia 53, San Jose 59 (5/4)
2003 @ Georgia 51, San Jose 49 (2/16)
*Georgia 48, @ San Jose 69 (5/31)
2004 @Georgia 34, San Jose 63 (4/25)
2005 Georgia 48, @ San Jose 54 (5/21)

*Quarterfinal Playoff Round

THE OPPONENT

The San Jose SaberCats enter the game with a 2-5 record through seven weeks. Last week, San Jose suffered their fifth loss of the season, falling to Los Angeles 75-61 at home.

The SaberCats are led by nine-year AFL veteran QB Mark Grieb. Grieb has thrown for 2,097 yards on 167-of-256 passing for 37 touchdowns and six interceptions through seven games this year. SaberCats WR/LB James Roe leads the team in receptions (40), receiving yards (518), receiving touchdowns (13) and points scored (78). On the defensive side of the ball, the SaberCats are led by DS Clevan Thomas. Thomas leads San Jose with 36 tackles and three interceptions.

THE GAME

The Force will travel to San Jose to play the SaberCats on Friday, March 17, at 10:30 p.m. in HP Pavilion. This will be Georgia's fourth road game of the season. The Force are 2-1 on the road this season after their 68-50 win over Columbus last week, a 54-34 victory at Las Vegas in Week 4 and a 61-60 loss at Tampa Bay in Week 3. Last week, the Force prevailed 68-50 over the Destroyers to secure their fourth win of the season, improving to 4-3 on the year.

The SaberCats lead the series 3-1, including a 54-48 victory last year at HP Pavilion in Week 17. This season's meeting matches two of the top ten scoring offenses in the league. Georgia has the third ranked scoring offense in the AFL, scoring 56.0 points per game through seven weeks. San Jose's offense is ranked seventh in the AFL in scoring, putting up 52.4 points per game. After winning three of its last four games, Georgia has improved to 4-3 on the year.

Last week, Georgia won their fourth game of the season 68-50 against the Columbus Destroyers. Force QB Matt Nagy threw for seven touchdowns, on 23-of-28 passing, for 210 yards and added one rushing touchdown. Georgia's OS Chris Jackson returned after missing two weeks with a hamstring injury to lead the Force in receiving with 10 catches for 90 yards and four touchdowns. Force rookie WR/LB Jamin Elliott continued to impress, scoring four touchdowns against the Destroyers. Elliott scored three touchdowns through the air and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. With a touchdown against the SaberCats, Derek Lee will become the team's all-time leader in scoring.

WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Date Day Time
3/13 Monday 11:45-1:30
3/14 Tuesday 11:00-1:00
3/15 Wednesday 11:00-1:00
3/16 Thursday @ San Jose 3:00-4:00

*All players and coaches will be available for interviews



2006 SOUTHERN DIVISION STANDINGS

TEAM W L T PCT.
Austin 5 2 0 .714
GEORGIA 4 3 0 .571
Tampa Bay 4 3 0 .571
Orlando 4 3 0 .571
Kansas City 1 5 0 .167

GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK

Georgia will return home to Philips Arena on Sunday, March 26, to host the Tampa Bay Storm next week. The Storm lead the regular season series 7-2. In Week 3, Tampa Bay defeated Georgia 61-60 at St. Pete Times Forum.

The Storm are 4-3 through seven weeks after falling to Dallas 64-35 last week.

THE SCHEDULE

GEORGIA FORCE (4-3)

Date OPPONENT RESULT SCORE
Jan. 28 ORLANDO W 48-31
Feb. 5 COLORADO L 61-59
Feb. 10 @ Tampa Bay L 61-60
Feb. 17 @ Las Vegas W 54-34
Feb. 24 KANSAS CITY W 51-19
March 4 AUSTIN L 53-52
March 10 @ Columbus W 68-50
March 17 @ San Jose
March 26 TAMPA BAY
April 1 @ Kansas City
April 9 @ Austin
April 14 @ Orlando
April 22 DALLAS
April 29 CHICAGO
May 6 @ New York
May 13 PHILADELPHIA

CONNECTIONS

San Jose head coach Darren Arbet worked as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Falcons during the team's 2004 training camp as part of the NFL's minority coaches program.

STATISTICS

A look at how Georgia and San Jose match-up on both sides of the ball based on statistics through Week 7 of the 2006 AFL season:

Statistical GEORGIA SAN JOSE
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 3rd 56.0 7th 52.4
Scoring Defense 2nd 44.1 16th 56.3
Total Offense (yds/g) 12th 269.7 5th 303.4
Total Defense (yds/g) 11th 291.4 12th 297.6
Pass Offense 10th 254.7 4th 293.1
Pass Defense 10th 268.4 13th 280.0
Rushing Offense 10th 15.0 16th 10.3
Rushing Defense 12th 23.0 6th 17.6
Pass Rating 5th 119.1 6th 117.9
Pass Def. Rating 9th 101.1 15th 119.7
Kickoff Returns 6th 17.8 10th 17.2
MFG Returns 16th 8.5 12th 12.0
Interceptions (int-yds) t-10th 6-128 t-10th 6-113
Turnover Margin 4th +3 9th +1
Field Goals 4th 4-6 15th 4-10
PAT Kicking 15th 44-54 11th 41-47
Sacks By (sks-yds) 5th 9-69 6th 9-59
Sacks Against (sks-yds) 7th 4-26 12th 8-49
First Downs 10th 134 7th 144
Opp. First Downs 15th 146 9th 136
Penalties (yds/gm) 9th 39.4 16th 49.0
Opp. Penalties (yds/gm) 16th 32.7 10th 38.1
Red Zone Offense 11th 26-32 3rd 25-29
Red Zone Defense t-3rd 27-36 2nd 27-37
Time of Possession 18th 27:22 11th 29:55

INDIVIDUAL COMPARISONS

FORCE SABERCATS
Passing Yards
Nagy...............1,806 Grieb................2,097
Rushing Yards
Thomas...............50 Glover...................37
Receiving Yards
Lee.....................602 Roe......................518
Receiving TDs
Jackson................12 Roe........................13
Points Scored
Jackson................78 Roe........................78
Interceptions
Brown.....................4 Thomas...................3
Sacks
Wilson.....................3 Jacobs.....................3

HEAD COACHES

DOUG PLANK, Georgia (17-9, 2nd Year): Doug Plank enters his second season as head coach of the Georgia Force in 2006. In his first season as an AFL head coach, he led the Force on a magical ride to ArenaBowl XIX. Plank was voted 2005 AFL Coach of the Year after leading the Force to a league best 11-5 regular season record and a 13-6 record overall.

The 11-5 mark was the best record in franchise history (previous best 8-8 in 2003), and secured the Force's first Southern Division Championship and the number one seed in the playoffs. The Force went on to win the inaugural National Conference Championship game by defeating the Orlando Predators 60-58. The victory secured the Force's place in ArenaBowl XIX.

Plank has coached in four straight ArenaBowls. He helped lead the Arizona Rattlers to three previous ArenaBowls as their defensive coordinator. In his final season with the Rattlers, the team finished with an 11-5 record and earned the top seed in the AFL playoffs.
A former member of The Ohio State University football team, Plank played in three consecutive Rose Bowls (1973-75). 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 selected by the Chicago Bears in the 12th round of the 1975 NFL 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.
He has prior broadcasting experience with the Sports USA Radio Network, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State University Football, Fox Sports Net, and Westwood One.

Plank and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Andrea and Michael.

DARREN ARBET, San Jose (84-40, 8th Year): A two-time Coach of the Year and one of the winningest coaches in AFL history, Darren Arbet enters his eighth season at the helm of the SaberCats and will also take on responsibilities of General Manager in 2006.

Arbet guided the SaberCats to their sixth consecutive winning season and their sixth straight playoff appearance in 2005 and won his 80th career game in the process, becoming just the seventh head coach in league history to reach that mark. San Jose's 83-71 win over Dallas on April 15, gave Arbet 80 wins in 111 games, only Tim Marcum, who reached the 80-win mark in 96 games, achieved that milestone quicker.

Under the direction of Arbet, the SaberCats have claimed two ArenaBowl championships (2002, 2004), four Western Division titles (200-03) and has averaged nearly 13 wins a year since of the start of the 2000 campaign. The club also set league records for regular season wins in a season (13 in 2002), overall wins in a season (16 in 2002), consecutive regular season wins in a season (12 in 2002), regular season wins to end a season (11 in 2000) and the longest regular season win streak (15 in 2000-01).

A four-year letter winner at Sacramento State, Arbet played defensive end for the Hornets between 1981 and 1985, and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice in 1985. He also was a member of the school's track team where he competed in the decathlon, discus and shot put.

LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET

SAN JOSE, CA - The San Jose SaberCats (9-7) earned a playoff berth and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 54-48 win over the Georgia Force (11-5) in the regular season finale for both teams. Despite the defeat, Georgia is ensured to finish with the AFL's best regular season record following losses by both Colorado and Los Angeles earlier in the night.

QB Mark Grieb led San Jose with five touchdown tosses on 21-of-32 passing for 235 yards. Grieb was able to close his year by setting a new League record for single-season passing yards with 4,803 (4,762 by Jim Kubiak- Dallas, 2003). For Georgia, WR/LB Derek Lee finished with 10 catches for 114 yards and a game-high four touchdowns. Lee also established a new AFL record on the night breaking the rookie receptions mark with 113 on the season (105 by Mike Baker- St. Louis, 1996). The Force's other rookie receiver set a new League single-season record with 1,370 receiving yards (1,335 by Oronde Gadsden- Portland, 1998).

San Jose was clicking on all cylinders in the first two quarters, as the SaberCats scored touchdowns on the half's first and final plays. The game opened with San Jose's OS Rashied Davis taking the opening kickoff 56 yards for a score. The SaberCats built a 21-0 lead before Georgia was finally able to get on the board with 5:31 remaining in the half as Lee hauled in a 26-yard touchdown from QB Matt Nagy. On the ensuing kickoff, the Force attempted an on-side kick that was returned 14 yards for a second special teams' touchdown by San Jose, this time by DS Clevan Thomas and a 28-6 SaberCats advantage. Following a Georgia touchdown reception by WR/LB Chris Jackson, Grieb added two straight scoring passes to Davis, the second set up by a successful on-side kick by the SaberCats, as they took a 40-13 lead into the break.

The Force began the second half with back-up QB Glen Gauntt under center and in the third quarter. Georgia was able to chip a little at the San Jose lead. Gauntt completed touchdown passes to Lee and Bergeron of 24 and 26 yards respectively and the Force defense was able to create their first stop of the contest to outscore the SaberCats 14-7 in the quarter. The fourth quarter was much of the same as Georgia held San Jose to just seven points in the final period, while outscoring them a total of 35-14 in the second half. Gauntt continued his hot-hand with two more touchdown strikes to Lee in the four quarter and capping his night with a one-yard rush for a score to trim the final score to six points.

Score 1 2 3 4 Final
Georgia 0 13 14 21 48
SJ 14 26 7 7 54

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Glen Gauntt, 15-18-177-4
SJ- Mark Grieb, 21-32-235-5

RECEIVING:
GA- Derek Lee, 10-114-4
SJ- James Roe, 12-121-3

RUSHING:
GA- Robert Thomas, 1-2
SJ- Kevin Buck- 2-5, Joey Dozier- 2-5

Offensive Player of the Game: Mark Grieb, San Jose
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Barry Wagner, San Jose
U.S. Army Ironman of the Game: James Roe, San Jose

LAST WEEK

Georgia at Columbus

COLUMBUS, OH- The Georgia Force improved to 4-3 on the season with their 68-50 victory over the Columbus Destroyers (3-4). Georgia's QB Matt Nagy orchestrated his best game of the season completing 23-of-28 passes for 210 yards, seven touchdowns and one rushing score.

The Force opened the game by scoring the first 13 points of the game. Georgia's first score of the game came when Nagy connected with WR/LB Jamin Elliott from five yards out. On the ensuing kickoff, Elliott recovered the ball off the net in the end zone, giving the Force a 13-0 lead. The Destroyers scored their only points of the quarter on a 10-yard completion from QB John Kaleo to WR/LB David Saunders, cutting the Force lead to six, 13-7. The Force answered with Nagy and Elliott combining for another score. Georgia's OL/DL Jason Gamble blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt by Destroyers' K Mark Lewis to end the quarter, with Georgia leading Columbus 20-7.

After two quarters, Georgia led Columbus 40-24. Force OS Chris Jackson scored from 10 yards out on a pass from Nagy to begin the quarter. Columbus answered the Georgia score when Barre rushed for a one-yard score, to bring the score to 27-13. The two teams traded scores for the remainder of the quarter. Columbus scored the final three points of the quarter when Lewis hit a 21-yard field goal as time expired.

In the third quarter, Georgia and Columbus scored 14 points. The Force scored on touchdown passes to Elliott (20 yards) and Jackson (12 yards) from Nagy. Barre scored on a 41-yard pass and OL/DL Ken Jones scored on a 3-yard pass from Kaleo, for the Destroyers scores. Heading into the final quarter, Georgia led Columbus 54-38.

The Force created a defensive stop as Georgia's OL/DL Adam Metts sacked Kaleo on fourth down to open the fourth quarter. Georgia capitalized on the stop as Nagy rushed for a one-yard touchdown, extending the Force lead to 61-38. Georgia's FB/LB Kevin Aldridge added a 5-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter to seal the Force's 68-50 victory over the Destroyers.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Georgia 20 20 14 14 68
CLB 7 17 14 12 50

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 23-28-210-7
CLB- John Kaleo, 28-35-342-5

RECEIVING:
GA- Chris Jackson, 10-90-4
CLB- David Saunders, 8-70-2

RUSHING:
GA- Kevin Aldridge, 2-13-1
CLB- Harold Wells, 4-13-0

OFFENSIVE MVP: Chris Jackson, Georgia
DEFENSIVE MVP: Adam Metts, Georgia
IRONMAN: Jamin Elliott, Georgia

WEEK 6

Georgia vs. Austin

ATLANTA, GA- Georgia fell to Southern Division rival Austin, 53-52, suffering their second loss of the season at Philips Arena and third overall. With the loss, the Force fell to 3-3 on the season and Austin improved to 5-1 with the win. Force WR/LB Derek Lee hauled in three touchdowns on six catches for 106 yards, helping him etch his name in the Force record books. Lee's three scores ties him with OS Markeith Cooper for first on the Force's all-time scoring list with 274 points scored.

In the first quarter, Georgia and Austin combined to score 35 points, with the Force leading the Wranglers 21-14 at the conclusion of the quarter. The 21 points tied a Force franchise-high for points in the first quarter (last time: at Tampa Bay, 2/13/04). Georgia's FB/LB Robert Thomas scored from two yards out on the opening possession. The ensuing kickoff bounced over an Austin player and was recovered by Georgia's WR/DB Jamin Elliott for a touchdown, giving Georgia a 14-0 lead. Austin's WR/DB Sedrick Robinson returned the following kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Force lead to seven. Georgia responded when QB Matt Nagy connected with Lee for a 34-yard touchdown, stretching the Force lead to 21-7. Austin capped off the scoring in the quarter when FB/LB Torrance Marshall scored from one yard out.

Georgia produced the first defensive stop of the game on Austin's first possession of the quarter as Wranglers QB John Fitzgerald's pass to WR/DB Kevin Nickerson was short of the first down. Georgia scored after the defensive stop, when Nagy completed an eight-yard pass to Lee for a touchdown. The two teams traded scores throughout the rest of the quarter with Force K Nelson Garner drilling a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the half. The field goal gave the Force a 38-33 lead over the Wranglers heading into the half.

After three quarters, Georgia led Austin 52-46. The two teams continued to trade scores with each team scoring two touchdowns a piece. Georgia's scores came on Lee's 29-yard reception and a FB/LB Matt Huebner one-yard touchdown run to end the quarter. Austin's scores came on an eight-yard pass to OL/DL Ramon Robinson from Fitzgerald and a 10 yard fumble recovery by Robinson after a blocked field goal by Georgia's OL/DL Jermaine Smith.

Austin outscored Georgia 7-0 in the final quarter to prevail 53-52. Midway through the fourth quarter, Fitzgerald rushed for a two-yard score to give the Wranglers a 53-52 lead, and they never looked back.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Austin 14 19 13 7 53
Georgia 21 17 14 0 52

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 22-31-310-4-1
AUS- John Fitzgerald, 23-32-213-4-0

RECEIVING:
GA- Jamin Elliott, 11-145-1
AUS- Kevin Nickerson, 9-104-2

RUSHING:
GA- Robert Thomas, 3-6-1
AUS- Henry Bryant, 2-17-0

OFFENSIVE MVP: Kevin Nickerson, Austin
DEFENSIVE MVP: Jermaine Smith, Georgia
IRONMAN: Derek Lee, Georgia

WEEK 5

Georgia vs. Kansas City

ATLANTA, GA- The Georgia Force defeated Kansas City 51-19 to improve to 3-2 on the year as the Brigade fell to 1-4. The win marked the first time in the 2006 season the Force won consecutive games. The Force have won 14 of 15 games at home dating back to 2004. Georgia was led by rookie WR/LB Jamin Elliott's 10 receptions, 111 yards and a touchdown.

Georgia scored on their opening possession when QB Matt Nagy connected with WR/LB Derek Lee on an 11-yard pass. Kansas City's K Tim Seder missed a 27-yard field goal on the Brigade's ensuing possession. Following the missed field goal, Nagy was sacked by Kansas City's OL/DL Aaron Hamilton, resulting in a safety and the Brigade's only points in the quarter. Force FB/LB Matt Huebner caused Brigade OS Steve Smith to fumble the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Georgia's WR/DB Nick Ward in the end zone. The first quarter ended when Force OL/DL Jermaine Smith sacked Kelly giving Georgia a 14-2 advantage.

Force FB/LB Robert Thomas blocked Seder's field goal at the beginning of the second quarter; with the ball being recovered at the Kansas City six-yard line. On the next play, Force WR/LB Chris Johnson threw his first career touchdown pass to Lee for a three-yard score. The Brigade answered on the next possession as Kelly hooked-up with Smith for a 48-yard touchdown. Nagy threw his second touchdown of the game mid-way through the quarter when he found Elliott from six yards out. Force K Nelson Garner connected on a 21-yard field goal to end the half and extended the Force lead to 31-16.

The third quarter was highlighted by defense as the Force held the Brigade to only three points. Robert Thomas' one-yard scamper capped off a six-play drive and was the Force's only score of the quarter. Georgia stretched their lead to 38-19 at the end of the quarter.

Georgia's DS Chris Brown sealed the Force victory with a 49-yard interception return with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter. Brown's interception was his fourth in the past two games and his third straight interception return for a touchdown. Georgia held Kansas City scoreless in the final quarter to secure their third win of the season.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
KC 2 14 3 0 19
Georgia 14 17 7 13 51

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 19-30-203-2-0
KC- Andy Kelly, 29-48-277-1-1

RECEIVING:
GA- Jamin Elliott, 10-111-1
KC- Jerel Myers, 12-88-0

RUSHING:
GA- Robert Thomas, 4-10-2
KC- Jacques Rumph, 2-3-0

OFFENSIVE MVP: Jamin Elliott, Georgia
DEFENSIVE MVP: Nick Ward, Georgia
IRONMAN: Robert Thomas, Georgia

WEEK 4

Georgia at Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV- The Georgia Force, led by rookies DS Chris Brown and WR/DB Jamin Elliott, defeated the Las Vegas Gladiators 54-34. Brown recorded his first career AFL interception in the first quarter and added two more in the second quarter. Brown's three interceptions in a single game tied the franchise record for interceptions in a single game (last time: DS Kevin Gaines, 2/20/05). Elliott registered his first career touchdown reception in the third quarter on a 26-yard strike from Force QB Matt Nagy. He added two more scores in the fourth, while playing for an injured OS Chris Jackson (hamstring). The victory improved the Force's record to 2-2 and dropped the Gladiators' to 1-3.

The difference in the first quarter was an interception by Force DS Chris Brown of Gladiator QB Craig Whelihan in the end zone to end Las Vegas' first possession. The interception by Brown marked his first of his AFL career. The Force scored on both of their possessions in the quarter with Nagy connecting with WR/LB Chris Johnson for the first score and Chris Jackson for the second. Las Vegas scored their first points of the game when Whelihan connected with OS Marcus Nash for a touchdown with three seconds remaining in the quarter. The Force led the Gladiators 13-7 at the end of the quarter.

The Force continued to be led by their defense in the second quarter. Georgia's Brown added two more interceptions in the second quarter, returning both for touchdowns (36 and four yards). Whelihan, of Las Vegas threw one touchdown and two interceptions in the quarter, connecting with WR/LB Joe Douglass on a 27-yard score. The other Gladiator score came on an eight-yard run by FB/LB Marlion Jackson.

Las Vegas scored as time expired in the third quarter to cut the Force lead to six points, 40-34, as Nash hauled in a 27-yard pass from Whelihan. After an interception by Nagy, the Gladiators drive stalled after Georgia's OL/DL Gillis Wilson sacked Whelihan on third down, and Las Vegas' K Eric Houle missed the ensuing field goal attempt. Force WR/DB Jamin Elliott recorded his first AFL touchdown reception when Nagy connected on a 26-yard pass with 39 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Elliott continued to produce in the fourth quarter by adding two touchdown receptions of 23 yards and 22 yards thrown by Nagy. Georgia's defense did not allow a single point in the fourth quarter on their way to a 54-34 victory.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Georgia 13 21 6 14 54
LV 7 14 13 0 34

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 24-36-252-6-3
LV- Craig Whelihan, 25-48-323-4-3

RECEIVING:
GA- Derek Lee, 9-84-0
LV- Marcus Nash, 8-101-2

RUSHING:
GA- Robert Thomas, 4-38-0
LV- Marlion Jackson, 2-8-1

OFFENSIVE MVP: Jamin Elliott, Georgia
DEFENSIVE MVP: Chris Brown, Georgia
IRONMAN: Robert Thomas, Georgia

WEEK 3

Georgia at Tampa Bay

TAMPA BAY, FL- The Georgia Force fell to their Southern Division rival Tampa Bay Storm, 61-60, after coming up short on a two-point conversion with no time remaining in the game. Force QB Matt Nagy ran for a touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter to give the Force an opportunity for the win, but his pass to WR/LB Chris Johnson was just out of reach. Georgia fell to 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in the division, while the Storm improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the division.

The first quarter ended with Georgia trailing Tampa Bay 17-6. Storm QB Shane Stafford ran for a one-yard score on their first possession and connected with WR/LB Bobby Sippio for a touchdown on the team's second possession of the game. The Sippio score was set up by an interception by Tampa's WR/DB Lynaris Elpheage thrown by Force's Nagy. Georgia responded by WR/LB Derek Lee hauling in a 24-yard pass from Nagy.

With 2:11 remaining in the second quarter the Force trailed the Storm 30-13. Nagy hooked up with OS Chris Jackson for a score, cutting the Storm's advantage to 10-points, 30-20. On the ensuing kickoff, Storm DS Jonathan Ordway was stripped by Force FB/LB Robert Thomas and Georgia's FB/LB Chris Demaree recovered at Tampa Bay's five-yard line. Nagy connected with Lee to trim the Storm lead to three, 30-27, heading into the half.

Georgia and Tampa traded scores throughout the third quarter with the Storm leading 46-40 at the end of the quarter. The quarter was highlighted by Jackson returning a kickoff 58-yards for a touchdown. The 58-yard return set a Force franchise record for longest kickoff return (previously 57-yards, accomplished four times, last time by Chris Jackson vs. Austin, 4/8/05).

The two teams battled until the very last second of the fourth quarter. As time expired, Nagy rushed for a one-yard touchdown, making the score 61-60 in favor of the Storm. Georgia attempted a two-point conversion which failed as Nagy's pass intended Johnson fell incomplete.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Georgia 6 21 13 20 60
TB 17 13 16 15 61

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 27-37-332-6-2
TB- Shane Stafford, 26-35-328-5-0

RECEIVING:
GA- Derek Lee, 16-157-3
TB- Lawrence Samuels, 10-107-2

RUSHING:
GA- Chris Johnson, 1-8-0
TB- Jarrod Penright, 3-8-1

OFFENSIVE MVP: Bobby Sippio, Tampa Bay
DEFENSIVE MVP: Lynaris Elpheage, Tampa Bay
IRONMAN: Lawrence Samuels, Tampa Bay

WEEK 2

Georgia vs. Colorado

ATLANTA, GA- The Georgia Force suffered their first home loss in the last 14 games, falling to the Colorado Crush 61-59. The rematch of ArenaBowl XIX lived up to the hype as the game was decided in the final seconds when the Force failed to convert a two-point conversion.

At the end of the first quarter, Colorado led Georgia 14-13. The two teams traded scores throughout the first quarter, with both quarterbacks throwing for two scores. Force QB Matt Nagy completed touchdown passes to WR/LB Rob Carey from 25-yards out and OS Chris Jackson on a 14-yard completion. Crush QB John Dutton connected with OS Damian Harrell twice. The difference in the first quarter was a missed PAT by Force K Nelson Garner after the score by WR/LB Carey.

The Force produced the first defensive stop of the game at the beginning of the second quarter, when DS Nate Coggins deflected a fourth down pass intended for OS Damian Harrell in the corner of the end zone. The teams traded scores until the final minute of the half. The Crush recovered an on-side kick with one minute remaining in the first half. Six plays later, Crush QB John Dutton connected with OS Damian Harrell for his third receiving touchdown in the first half. Colorado's WR/LB Ahmad Hawkins returned a missed field goal 56 yards as time expired in the first half, giving the Crush a 34-20 lead heading into halftime.

A total of 38 points were scored between the two teams in the fourth quarter. Force QB Matt Nagy connected with WR/LB Derek Lee on an eight yard score with 25 seconds remaining. The Force attempted a two-point conversion which failed and sealed the Colorado victory.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Colorado 14 20 7 20 61
Georgia 13 7 21 18 59

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 21-32-256-6-0
COL- John Dutton, 29-42-277-6-0

RECEIVING:
GA- Derek Lee, 10-92-2
COL- Damian Harrell, 11-132-5

RUSHING:
GA- Kevin Aldridge, 2-10-1
COL- Saul Patu, 2-21-1

OFFENSIVE MVP: Damian Harrell, Colorado
DEFENSIVE MVP: Rob Carey, Georgia
IRONMAN: Willis Marshall, Colorado

WEEK 1

Georgia vs. Orlando

ATLANTA, GA- The Georgia Force defeated the Orlando Predators 48-31 in front of 13,265 fans at Philips Arena. The game was decided in the final 45 seconds as the Georgia Force returned two interceptions for touchdowns. The victory improved the Force's opening day record to 4-1 in the franchise's five-year history.

The Force (1-0) jumped out to an early lead on the first possession of the game as QB Matt Nagy completed 3-of-4 passes, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass to OS Chris Jackson, to give Georgia their first score of the 2006 season. The touchdown would be the sole score of the first quarter as the Force defense forced the Predators to turn the ball over on downs on their first possession.

Georgia appeared to be on track for another score, but a fumble by OS Chris Jackson on the Orlando two-yard line was recovered by Predators WR Scott Cloman. Orlando would take advantage of the turnover, capping an 11-play drive with a six-yard touchdown pass from QB Joe Hamilton to OS Jimmy Fryzel.

The Force responded quickly as Nagy connected with WR Rob Carey for a 34-yard gain on the first play of the drive. Three snaps later, Nagy would find Jackson in the end zone for the receiver's second score (13 yards) of the game to give the Force a 14-7 lead with 3:24 remaining in the second quarter.

On the Predators following possession, Force LB Kevin Aldridge caused a Predators FB Malon Moye-Moore fumble on the second play of the drive to give Georgia good field position at the 11-yard line. The Force, however, would not find the end zone as the team went four-and-out and were forced to turn the ball over on downs on the Predators one-yard line.

Down by seven, the Predators drove the length of the field on six plays as Hamilton did it through the air and on the ground, completing 3-of-3 passes and capping the drive with a four-yard touchdown run.

With 33 seconds left in the half and the score tied at 14 apiece, Nagy completed three quick passes to WR Derek Lee to bring the Force into ideal field goal position. Force K Nelson Garner, who enters the season having kicked in three straight ArenaBowls, connected on the 29-yard attempt to give Georgia a 17-14 lead heading into the second half.

The Predators opened up the second half backed up on their own 12-yard line, and would have little success moving the ball. A couple of deep passes downfield by

Hamilton proved unsuccessful and the Predators were forced to give the ball over on downs. With good field position on the Predators 12-yard line, the Force were able to muster a Garner field goal (29 yards), increasing their lead to 20-14.

The Predators would respond on their next possession with a 23-yard field goal by K Jay Taylor after a time-consuming nine-play drive. It wouldn't take much time for Orlando to put points on the scoreboard again as the Predators got the ball back on the Force five-yard line after a Nagy fumble. On the very next play, Hamilton found Scot Cloman in the left corner of the end zone for a XX-yard touchdown completion to give the Predators a four-point lead with 14:56 remaining in the final quarter.

The two teams would trade scores with touchdown receptions by Georgia's Derek Lee and Orlando's DeAndrew Rubin. The game was decided by two interceptions returned for touchdowns by the Force's DS Nate Coggins with 35 seconds left in the game and WR/DB Nick Ward with 15 seconds remaining to seal the Force victory.

Score 1 2 3 4 Total
Orlando 0 14 3 14 31
Georgia 7 10 3 28 48

LEADERS

PASSING:
GA- Matt Nagy, 23-28-256-4-0
ORL- Joe Hamilton, 20-40-189-3-2

RECEIVING:
GA- Chris Jackson, 9-117-3
ORL- Jimmy Fryzel, 8-63-1

RUSHING:
GA- Robert Thomas, 2-6-0
ORL- M. Moye-Moore, 3-14-0

OFFENSIVE MVP: Chris Jackson, Georgia
DEFENSIVE MVP: Kevin Aldridge, Georgia
IRONMAN: Derek Lee, Georgia

FORCE RECORD BREAKERS

Current Force Players who hold franchise records

SERVICE

Most Games Played (regular season)
52 Jermaine Smith, 2002-03, 2005-Present
44 Marcus Keys, 2003-Present

SCORING

Points, Game
36 Derek Lee, at New York, 3/12/05
Points, Season
208 Derek Lee, 2005

PASSING

Touchdowns, Career
101 Matt Nagy, 2005-Present
Touchdown, Game
9 Matt Nagy vs. Dallas, 5/14/05
Touchdown, Season
66 Matt Nagy, 2005

RUSHING

Yards, Career
424 Robert Thomas, 2004-Present
Yards, Season
228 Robert Thomas, 2004
Attempts, Career
113 Robert Thomas, 2004-Present
Attempts, Game
8 Robert Thomas vs. New Orleans, 1/30/05
Touchdowns, Career
24 Robert Thomas, 2004-Present
Touchdowns, Season
13 Robert Thomas, 2004

RECEIVING

Yards, Game
173 Chris Jackson vs. Dallas, 5/14/05
Receptions, Career
174 Derek Lee, 2005-Present
Receptions, Game
15 Derek Lee, at Tampa Bay, 2/10/06
Receptions, Season
113 Derek Lee, 2005
Touchdowns, Career
44 Derek Lee, 2005-Present

Touchdowns, Game
6 Derek Lee at New York, 3/12/05
Touchdowns, Season
33 Derek Lee, 2005

DEFENSE

Tackles, Career
217.5 Willie Gary, 2003-Present
Tackles, Season
91.5 Willie Gary, 2005
Sacks, Career
14.0 Jermaine Smith, 2002-03, 2005-Present
Sacks, Game
3.0 Gillis Wilson vs. Grand Rapids, 4/15/05
Sacks, Season
5.5 Gillis Wilson, 2005
5.5 Jermaine Smith, 2003
Interceptions, Game
3(three times) Last time: Chris Brown vs. Las Vegas, 2/17/06

ON THE HORIZON

Force franchise records to keep an eye on

SCORING

Points, Career
274 Markeith Cooper, 2002-04
274 Derek Lee, 2005-Present

PASSING

Yards, Career
5,382 Leon Murray, 2003-04
4,824 Matt Nagy, 2005-Present

RECEIVING

Yards, Career
1,928 Markeith Cooper, 2002-04
1,859 Derek Lee, 2005-Present

DEFENSE

Interceptions, Season
9 Kevin Gaines, 2003
4 Chris Brown, through Week 5 of 2006
Interception Return Yardage, Season
135 Ron Carpenter, 2002
90 Chris Brown, through Week 5 of 2006

THE FORCE THIS SEASON ARE

2-2 at home
2-1 on the road

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

3-1 on Fridays
1-1 on Saturday
0-1 on Sundays

1-0 in January
2-2 in February
1-1 in March
0-0 in April
0-0 in May

3-2 in televised games

4-1 when leading at the half
0-0 when tied at the half
0-2 when trailing at the half

4-1 when leading after three quarters
0-1 when tied after three quarters
0-1 when trailing after three quarters

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

4-1 when the Force scores first
0-2 when opponent scores first

THINGS TO WATCH

Setting the Bar

Nagy: In Week 6 against Austin, Nagy's fourth touchdown pass of the game etched his name in the Force record books. With the 29-yard completion to Lee, Nagy became the all-time leader in touchdown passes (94) in franchise history, surpassing Leon Murray (93).

Lee: On the play that put Nagy's name in the record books, Lee also found his name added to the Force record books. Lee has scored 274 career points, tying him with OS Markeith Cooper for the franchise record. With a score against San Jose on Friday, Lee will become the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

New Arrivals

Last season, Force rookies OS Troy Bergeron and WR/LB Derek Lee led the Force to ArenaBowl XIX. In 2006, rookies DS Chris Brown and WR/DB Jamin Elliott look to help the Force return to the ArenaBowl.

Chris Brown
Brown leads the team in tackles (53.5), interceptions (4) and is second in pass break-ups (7) through seven games. In Week 4 at Las Vegas, Brown tied a franchise-high with three interceptions in a single game, returning two of the three for touchdowns. In Week 5 versus Kansas City, Brown collected his fourth interception of the season and his third returned for a touchdown. Brown has returned his last three interceptions for touchdowns. Due to his performances against Las Vegas and Kansas City, Brown was named AFL Rookie of the Month for January/February.

Jamin Elliott
Elliott, who played college football at Delaware with Force QB Matt Nagy, recorded his first touchdown in the AFL in Week 4 at Las Vegas. He registered four receptions for 77 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 54-34 Force victory. Elliott registered his first 100-yard receiving game Week 5 versus Kansas City. He hauled in 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown in Georgia's 51-19 victory over Kansas City. Elliott added four scores against Columbus in Week 7, three receiving touchdowns and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Action Jackson- By the Numbers

It is amazing to look how much OS Chris Jackson has done in just over six seasons. Here is a look at what the seven-year veteran has accomplished in 82 career regular season AFL games.

80 games with at least one TD
79 games with at least one receiving TD
57 games with at least two TDs
36 games with at least three receiving TDs
17 games with at least four receiving TDs
42 100-yard receiving games
22 games with 10+ receptions

Sophomore Stud

WR/LB Derek Lee is having no part of a "sophomore slump". After a tremendous rookie season in 2005, when he set an AFL rookie record with 113 receptions (105 by Mike Baker-St. Louis, 1996), Lee is continuing to be an unstoppable force. Lee set a franchise record for receptions in a single game in Week 3 at Tampa Bay by hauling in 15 receptions. Lee ranks third in the league in receptions (61), in addition to recording 602 yards and 11 touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the season.

Defensive Toughness

Georgia closed out the 2005 regular season ranked second in the AFL in points allowed per game (46.6). The defense has continued in the same manner in 2006. After Week 7, the Force are second in scoring defense, allowing 44.1 points per game.

Scoring Defense in 2006

TEAM RANK PPG
Nashville 1 41.7
GEORGIA 2 44.1
Philadelphia 3 44.6

Pick Six

The Force defense has returned five interceptions for touchdowns through Week 7. The five interceptions returned for touchdowns is a franchise record for a single season. The previous mark was four in a single season. The AFL single season record is seven, which has been accomplished three times (last time: San Jose, 2003).

DS Chris Brown has recorded four interceptions in the last four games, including three straight returned for a touchdown. In Week 1, DS Nate Coggins and WR/DB Nick Ward returned interceptions for touchdowns in a 48-31 win over Orlando.

Interceptions Returned for Touchdowns

Opp. Player Yds.
Orlando Nate Coggins 18
Orlando Nick Ward 20
@Las Vegas Chris Brown 32
@Las Vegas Chris Brown 4
Kansas City Chris Brown 49




WEEKLY GAME AWARD WINNERS


Baby Ruth Offensive Player of the Game
WK TEAM PLAYER
1 GA Chris Jackson
2 COL Damian Harrell
3 TB Bobby Sippio
4 GA Jamin Elliott
5 GA Jamin Elliott
6 AUS Kevin Nickerson
7 GA Chris Jackson

ADT Defensive Player of the Game
WK TEAM PLAYER
1 GA Kevin Aldridge
2 GA Rob Carey
3 TB Lynaris Elpheage
4 GA Chris Brown
5 GA Nick Ward
6 GA Jermaine Smith
7 GA Adam Metts

U.S. Army Ironman of the Game
WK TEAM PLAYER
1 GA Derek Lee
2 COL Willis Marshall
3 TB Lawrence Samuels
4 GA Robert Thomas
5 GA Robert Thomas
6 GA Derek Lee
7 GA Jamin Elliott

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