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Georgia vs. San Jose Game Notes

April 8, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


QUICK FACTS:

San Jose SaberCats (1-0) vs. Georgia Force (1-0) Date: April 12, 2002 Kickoff: 7:30 ET Site: Philips Arena (16,100) Series Record: 0-0 Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between Georgia and San Jose. Coaches: Robert Lyles- Georgia (5-6, 2nd Year); Darren Arbet- San Jose (28-14, 4th Year).

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Georgia: Jason Gilham (p: 404-878-3825, c: 678-548-6430) San Jose: Phil Simon (p: 408-573-5587, c: 408-202-8744)

THE GAME:

The Georgia Force will conclude the 2002 preseason when they face the San Jose SaberCats on Friday, April 12 in Philips Arena at 7:30 pm. The Force will be playing their first home contest in the confines of Philips Arena as they face a team hailing from the State of California for the second straight week.

Both teams will be looking for their second win of the preseason as Georgia traveled to Bakersfield, Ca. last Thursday and defeated Los Angeles 51-44 in overtime, while the SaberCats held on to beat Carolina 66-64 on March 29 in San Jose.

Friday's match-up will feature two of the AFL's best in scoring offense vs. scoring defense. The Force defense boasts 16 players from a Nashville unit that finished first in the league in points allowed per game (39.3) only giving up 550 points over 14 games last season.

San Jose has averaged 60.8 points per game the last two years and became just the second team in league history with consecutive 800-point scoring seasons (871 in 2000, 831 in 2001). Last season, San Jose ranked 2nd in scoring offense (59.4 pts/ game), 2nd in total offense (322.0 yds/ game) and 1st in passer rating (130. 8).

The game between Georgia and San Jose will also be a final chance for players on each roster to show the coaches their skills. All AFL teams must cut down to the required 24-man regular season roster by Monday, April 15. Teams are allowed to carry 30 players during the preseason.

Georgia is welcomed into this the 16th season of the AFL after the relocation of the Nashville Kats brought the team to Atlanta. The Force will look to follow in the winning tradition that Nashville started when entering the league in 1997. Over the Kats five-year tenure in Nashville, the club reached the playoffs in every season, twice reaching the ArenaBowl Championship game in 2000 and 2001.

The Force are beginning a new chapter in the AFL for themselves as the team's name, logos and history are brand new. The Georgia roster consists of 18 players that have traveled South from Nashville to Atlanta. Adding to the roster the Force signed former NFL pro and University of Georgia standout QB Eric Zeier. The team also went out and signed AFL veterans QB Kevin McDougal and QB Donnie Davis from the former Milwaukee Mustangs and FB/LB Dwayne Woods from the AFL World Champion Grand Rapids Rampage.

San Jose finished 10-4 last season and captured their second consecutive Western Conference championship in route to a second straight semifinal playoff appearance in each of the last two seasons. The SaberCats have won a league-best 22 regular season games the last two years due in large part to their high-scoring offense.

THE SERIES:

This will be the first meeting between Georgia and San Jose. The teams will meet again in a regular season match-up in San Jose at the Compaq Center on May 4 at 10:30 pm ET.

GEORGIA FORCE NEXT WEEK:

The Force open up the 2002 regular season at home when the Orlando Predators travel to Philips Arena on April 20 at 7:30 pm. Orlando will feature starting quarterback Jay Gruden returning to the playing field. Gruden won four AFL championships as a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1991-1996. He later went on to capture two more AFL championships as a head coach for Predators and a third ArenaBowl appearance from 1998-2001.

HEAD COACHES:

ROBERT LYLES, Georgia Force (5-6, 2nd Year): Robert Lyles was named the first Head Coach of the Georgia Force in December of 2001. Entering his seventh season of coaching in Arena Football, Lyles served as the interim head coach for the Los Angeles Avengers last season after replacing Stan Brock after the third game of the 2001 season. Lyles finished the season with a 5-6 record as a head coach, while leading the Avengers to a 5-9 overall mark. Prior to his promotion as Head Coach for L.A., Lyles had served as the team's defensive coordinator for their first two years since entering the league in 2000. Lyles began his coaching career with the AFL's Memphis Pharaohs in 1996, than spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Portland Forest Dragons (1997-99) before going to Los Angeles. Before joining the AFL's coaching ranks, Lyles was a standout player earning the "Ironman of the Year" award for his play as a linebacker/fullback with the Memphis Pharaohs in 1995. Lyles played eight seasons in the National Football League as a standout linebacker- six seasons with the Houston Oilers (1984-89) and two with the Atlanta Falcons (1990-91). Lyles played linebacker at Texas Christian University.

DANNY ARBET, San Jose SaberCats (28-14, 4th Year): Danny Arbet became the SaberCats winningest head coach when San Jose beat Arizona in the quarterfinals of the AFL playoffs last year. The win gave Arbet 30 victories in 46 career games. He surpassed former head coach Todd Shell, who posted 29 wins in 57 career games. Arbet owns a 30-16 (.652) overall record and is 28-14 (.667) in regular season games. The SaberCats are 4-2 (.667) in pre-season games under Arbet. Named the AFL's Coach of the Year in 2000 following a league record tying 12 regular season wins, Arbet has also guided the SaberCats to an AFL record 15 consecutive regular season victories. Arbet is the only head coach in team history to post a postseason victory.

FORCE ON TELEVISION:

The Georgia Force and Turner South announced Monday, April 8 that they have reached an agreement that will televise five regular season Force games from April 20 - July 20, live and exclusive in the network's Southeast broadcast territory.

The AFL games will complement Turner South's current coverage of Atlanta's other sports teams - the Braves, Hawks and Thrashers – and gives the network a lineup that includes all four professional sports. Turner Sports, Inc., will produce the games, and an announcer line-up will be released at a later date.

Following is Turner South's five-game regular season Georgia Force schedule:

Day/Date Time Game
April 20 7:30 p.m. (ET) vs. Orlando Predators
June 1 7:30 p.m. (ET) @ Detroit Fury
June 14 7:30 p.m. (ET) @ Carolina Cobras
July 13 7:30 p.m. (ET) @ Orlando Predators
July 20 7:30 p.m. (ET) @ Tampa Bay Storm

Turner South, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour regional entertainment network, presents a mix of original programming, movies, regional news and sports to cable and DBS affiliates in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and regions of North Carolina. Available to more than 6 million subscribers, the 12-time Emmy-winning network also offers games from the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks and is the official home of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. For more information, access the Web site at turnersouth.com or AOL keyword: turner south.

Turner Sports, Inc., an AOL Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing four networks - TBS Superstation, TNT, Turner South and CNN/Sports Illustrated - Turner Sports' line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.com, Wimbledon, Atlanta Braves baseball, Atlanta Thrashers hockey, Atlanta Hawks basketball, college football, professional golf and figure skating.

LAST WEEK:

The Georgia Force (1-0) claimed their first victory Thursday night in a 51-44 preseason overtime win over the Los Angeles Avengers (0-1). In a game that featured five lead changes and three ties, the Force used a balanced offensive attack to defeat the Avengers at the Centennial Garden in Bakersfield, Ca. On the night, the Georgia offense gained 187 yards passing and 52 yards rushing. The Force defense saw Los Angeles gain 157 yards passing, while being held to negative six yards rushing. Georgia had 15 first downs compared to L.A.'s eight while almost doubling the Avengers' in time of possession 40:50 to 21:49.

Quarterback Eric Zeier started the game for the Force and completed six-of-17 passes for 61 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his first career Arena Football action. Zeier completed three-of-four attempts in Georgia's first offensive series, which ended in a 10-yard rushing score by Travis Reece.

Los Angeles quarterback and former Atlanta Falcon Tony Graziani started the game for the Avengers. The Georgia defense was able to hold L.A. to a 29-yard field goal on their first possession to bring the score to 7-3.

Zeier, who played the entire first half, was intercepted by Derek Grier on the Force's next possession. The Force's defensive unit was up to the challenge though as they held Los Angeles to another field goal, this one a 39-yard make by Remy Hamilton to cut Georgia's lead to 7-6. On the ensuing kickoff, Force offensive specialist Tyronne Jones fumbled the return as L.A.'s Russell Shaw recovered for the Avengers at their own 25-yard line to end the first quarter.

It did not take Graziani long to capture Los Angeles' first lead of the game as he connected with Greg Hopkins on a 25-yard long touchdown strike to put L.A. up 7-13. Zeier quickly answered as he found Corey Sullivan for a 28-yard score to regain the lead for the Force at 14-13.

On the Avengers' next offensive series, a fumbled snap recovered by Sullivan on the Los Angeles three-yard line paved the way for Georgia's next score. Kicker Stan Whitlock connected from 22-yards out to increase the Force's lead by four.

Georgia's special teams had trouble all night containing Los Angeles' return men as the Avengers gained 125 yards on five kickoff returns. L.A.'s Russell Shaw returned Whitlock's kickoff 45 yards to the Force 12-yard line to set-up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Avengers quarterback Matthew Saulk to Kevin Ingram and a 17-20 Los Angeles lead.

L.A.'s Carlos Fowler finished the contest with a game-high two sacks for 11 yards bringing down Zeier with 1:21 left to play in the second half. Georgia was forced to go for the field goal, as they could not manage to get a first down. Whitlock split the up-rights to give the game its first tie at 20 apiece.

Saulk took little time putting the Avengers back on top hitting Ingram for his second touchdown of the quarter on a 23-yard touchdown pass. His two-play, 30-yard scoring drive only took 11 seconds off the clock. Zeier ended the first half of play on a desperation toss that was picked off by L.A.'s Anthony Rice.

Georgia held Los Angeles to a 33-yard field goal to open the second half. Force quarterback Donnie Davis played the third quarter and went four-for-six for 33 yards. He opened the third quarter by leading the Force down to the one-yard line. Scott Thomas capped off the drive by running it in for the one-yard touchdown rush and bring the score closer at 27-30.

The Avengers wasted little time answering the Force's score as Rice returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, but a penalty brought it back to the Los Angeles eight-yard line. Another fumbled snap on the next play, recovered by Georgia, gave the Force the field position it needed for Whitlock to nail a 18-yard attempt and tie the score at 30 all to end the third quarter.

A 36-yard missed field goal by L.A. set-up Georgia's next score to open the fourth quarter. Dan Curran took a sweep right in the endzone from one-yard out to give the Force their first lead of the second half at 37-30. Curran finished the night with a game-high 21 yards on six carries and one touchdown.

Graziani returned to action in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles and struck quickly again finding Greg Hopkins for a 25-yard touchdown pass on his first pass of the drive and quarter. L.A.'s Hamilton would miss the point after touchdown, as Georgia hung on to a 37-36 lead.

Kevin McDougal orchestrated a five-play 45-yard long drive that ended with him finding Marcus Whitehead for a 15-yard pass and a 44-36 increased lead with 2:05 remaining in the game. Graziani responded with his third-touchdown pass to Hopkins on a seven-yard completion with six seconds remaining in the game. A successful two-point conversion to Ingram from Graziani knotted the score at 44.

After a 21-yard kickoff return by Markeith Cooper, the Force tried to end the game in regulation but Whitlock's 50-yard field goal attempt sailed left as time expired.

On the first play in the extra session, McDougal came out and hit Thomas for a 29-yard touchdown pass and a quick 51-44 lead. Georgia sealed the game as Jayson Bray intercepted Graziani on his second pass attempt in overtime.

McDougal finished the game five-of-nine for a game-high 104 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper added a game-high 81 yards receiving.

THINGS TO WATCH:

Two of the Best: Friday's match-up will feature two of the AFL's best in terms of scoring offense vs. scoring defense.

Head Coach Robert Lyles, who also serves as Georgia's defensive coordinator inherits a defensive unit that boasts 16 players from a Nashville unit that finished first in the league in points allowed per game (39.3) only giving up 550 points over 14 games. Under Lyles' direction last season, the Los Angeles defense finished the 2001 regular-season ranked number one in the AFL in total defense (249.4 yds/game) and number two in passing defense (231.5).

San Jose has averaged 60.8 points per game the last two years and became just the second team in league history with consecutive 800-point scoring seasons (871 in 2000, 831 in 2001). Last season, San Jose ranked 2nd in scoring offense (59.4 pts/ game), 2nd in total offense (322.0 yds/ game) and 1st in passer rating (130. 8).

Protecting the QB: Assistant Coach Bob Kronenberg will assume the role this season of coaching the offensive/ defensive lineman. Kronenberg will see six of his players that he coached in Nashville join the Force. Last season, the Nashville offensive line contributed to a number one ranking in the AFL in rushing offense with 35.0 yards per game and tied second for fewest sacks allowed all season with nine. The defensive line finished first in the league in sacks with 157, second in the league in rushing yards allowed per game with 9.8, while only allowing a league leading 1.5 yards per game rushing average.

San Jose's OL/DL Sam Hernandez is the AFL's all-time leader in sacks with 49.5. He is the only player in AFL history to record five or more quarterback sacks in six different seasons. Hernandez posted the second-highest single-season sack total in AFL history with 12 in 2000.

Better With Age: Darryl Hammond is still going strong in one of Arena Football's longest-running careers entering his 12th season in 2002...He is the AFL's all-time leading tackler with 556 and is one of the league's top two-way threats...Hammond has become only the second player in league history to record over 500 or more career tackles...He is one of the AFL's Top 10 leaders in scoring, receptions, receiving yardage and touchdowns...Hammond is currently ranked 11th among the league's all-time interception leaders with 25 career picks.

San Jose features two players with 10 plus years of service in the AFL. OL/DL Sam Hernandez is entering his 10th year and is the AFL's all-time leader in sacks with 49.5. WR/ DB Barry Wagner is entering his 12 season and is a six-time winner of the AFL's Ironman of the Year Award and a two-time AFL MVP winner.

WR/DB Jarrick Hillery: Last year, became only the fourth player in AFL history to run for 100 yards and have 400 yards receiving in the same season...Was named to the AFL first-team in 2001...A 2000 AFL all-rookie selection, Hillery is well-known throughout the league as one of the sport's rising stars.

OS Tyronne Jones: Tyronne Jones is considered one of the most dangerous all-purpose players in Arena Football...Last season, he was Nashville's leading receiver in yards with 817 and touchdowns with 21 and he finished tenth in the AFL in overall touchdowns with 24...Jones was second in the league in kickoff returns in 2000 with a 22.9-yard average, and he was the AFL's leading receiver in the playoffs...In 1999, he ranked third in the AFL with 2,748 all-purpose yards and led the team in receiving yards...As a rookie, he was chosen as the team's MVP and selected to the AFL All-Rookie squad after running back more kicks for touchdowns than any other player in the league...Jones holds the AFL record for the most consecutive games with a kickoff return for a touchdown with four.

FB/LB Travis Reece: Travis Reece looks to build on a successful rookie season that saw him capture the AFL's rushing title in his rookie season with Nashville in 2001...Reece gaining 190 yards on 38 carries on the year and for his efforts garnered AFL All-Rookie team honors...Reece entered the AFL after spending three seasons with the Detroit Lions (1998-2000).

QB Eric Zeier: Eric Zeier is an extremely intelligent and experienced signal-caller who is stepping onto the Arena Football field for the first time in his career...He boosts a NFL career-passer rating of 74.4 and has passed for over 300 yards in three of his 12 NFL career starts. In his first AFL preseason game at Los Angeles, Zeier was 6-17 for 61 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He played the entire first half for the Force.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 8, 2002


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