Gruden Looks to Erase 4th Quarter Blues

Published on October 7, 2010 under United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - Thursday, October 7, 2010 - Although it is still relatively early in the season and two games hardly defines a trend, don't think for a minute that Florida Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden hasn't noticed that his team has failed to hold on to a 4th quarter lead in dropping their last two games.

In a Sept. 25 road game against Sacramento led 17-7 heading into the fourth quarter, only to see Daunte Culpepper throw two touchdown passes in the final stanza to lead his team to 24-20 come-from-behind win.

And although Gruden saw his troops rally from a 10-0 deficit against Las Vegas last week, he still was dismayed when the Tuskers failed to hold a 17-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter as Parker Douglass booted a short field goal with time expiring for a 20-17 win. In that game, the Tuskers grabbed a 17-10 lead on Cortez Hankton's 13-yard touchdown reception at the 6:36 mark of the fourth period, only to watch Tim Rattay answer with 5-play, 71-yard drive that took just over two minutes to tie the score.

"You could make the argument that we didn't deserve to win the Las Vegas game and that we were outplayed," Gruden said. "And it would be tough to argue with that. But the bottom line is we had the lead with six minutes to go and were not able to hold it.

"In that game, we score to take the lead but our defense let us down by allowing a quick score. Still we get the ball back with four minutes to go and have a chance to drive down and kick a game-winning field goal, but then our offense lets us down."

Gruden has always taught that his players that they win as a team and lose as a team. "We don't tolerate pointing fingers around here. The truth of the matter is there is enough blame to go around for everyone including coaching. We're a little frustrated right now, but there's no question in my mind we have the talent and ability to overcome this and compete for the championship."

The slow start could also be attributed in part to the fact that league schedule makers had the Tuskers open the season with back-to-back west coast road games, followed by a Thursday night home opener. In all, the Tuskers ended up playing three games in 13 days with four very long plane rides mixed in with just two days of practice for the home opener.

Injuries have also played a factor as the Tuskers played the Las Vegas game minus defensive stalwarts JR Reed, Patrick Chukurwah and Tim McGarigle. Defensive end Chris Harrington (torn ACL/MCL), a replacement starter for Chukurwah, was also injured midway through the Las Vegas game and has been lost for the season.

"The schedule has not been fair but it is what it is. Same thing can be said for the injuries. Every team has to deal with them," Gruden said.

To lift the Tuskers out of doldrums, Gruden has been preaching intensity for this week. "With Hartford approaching, this is no time to slack off," Gruden told his team in practice. "In this league you can't afford to take a play off...not in practice, not in a game. Keep your intensity level up at all times and good things will happen."

TUSKERS NOTEBOOK: The Tuskers are still battling injuries...although LB Tim McGarigle and DE Patrick Chukurwah returned to limited practice, both remain listed as questionable for Saturday's game, while running back Maurice Hicks (hamstring) was downgraded from questionable to doubtful... "It was good to see Chuck (Patrick Chukurwah) out there today," Head Coach Jay Gruden said. "He'll still be a game-time decision, we'll see what he can give us."... The UFL is taking suggestions from fans on how to break any ties to determine who should go to the league's championship game...With five strong teams in the UFL, a three, four or even five-way tie for the two championship game spots is not out of the question...UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue - a strong proponent of interaction with the fans - has come up with several innovative ideas, including allowing fans a say in where the championship game will be played...Allowing fans a voice in breaking a possible tie is just an extension of that philosophy..."We are soliciting opinions to see what fans want to see in a tiebreaker," said Larry Upson, the UFL Vice President of Officiating Operations. "That is the whole theory behind this, to let the fans have a voice. I am hoping to tap into that resource to come up with a good tiebreaker system."...Back-up QB Chris Greisen surprised Player Relations Assistant Kenny McEntyre the other day when the right-handed quarterback teed it up at Shingle Creek Golf Course from the left hand side during the team's day off on Saturday..."Even though I throw and write with my right hand, I was taught to swing a baseball bat left handed and it was always natural for me and when I started playing golf it was the same way," Greisen says...Although he throws right handed, Greisen says that on bubble screens common in the Arena Football League he often did the quick throw left handed... "If the play was to the right side, it was a lot more efficient to just push the ball with my left hand, rather than repositioning it," Greisen said. "On plays to the left I would use my right hand."...Greisen is the polar opposite of Gruden, who writes with his left hand but plays golf right handed.

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United Football League Stories from October 7, 2010


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