Lone Stars Add '9th Man' to Roster
July 21, 2004 - Intense Football League (Intense)
Lubbock GunSlingers News Release
If there is one thing that has remained true throughout the inaugural IFL season it's that the team playing on their home field has a huge advantage. So far this year teams in the IFL are a combined 19-13 at home and just 14â20 on the road.
But no one has managed to dominate at home like the Lubbock Lone Stars. Lubbock is averaging 70 points through 4 games at the Lubbock Coliseum. That's 14 points more than they average on the road and 11 more points than their season average.
The Lone Stars are one of only 2 teams that remain undefeated at home (Amarillo is also 4-0 at home), and it's not just their offense that is better in Lubbock. The team is allowing 8 fewer points at home than on the road, and the average margin of victory is 24.5 points when the Lone Stars kicks off in Lubbock. Compare that to the road where the Lone Stars are scoring 53.7 points and giving up 53.6.
Individually though players are averaging about the same numbers at home that they get on the road. Anton Paige is averaging 9 receptions, 105 yards, and 3.8 touchdowns at home, and 9 catches, 111 yards and 2.3 touchdowns on the road.
The Lone Stars quarterbacks are also putting up equal numbers at home that they put up on the road. On the season all 6 quarterbacks have combined for an average of 252 yards and 6 touchdowns at home, while putting up 252 yards and 5 touchdowns on the road.
It's a phenomenon that is hard to explain. The Lone Stars as a team just play better at home when the Lubbock fans come and cheer them on. So maybe that's the only difference. The Lone Star faithful or the â9th Man' is becoming a big part of why the Lone Stars, who started out the year playing seven of their first nine games on the road and had a record of just 3-5 at the mid way point, are now a force in the IFL.
Intense Football League Stories from July 21, 2004
- Two of a Kind - West Texas Roughnecks
- Lone Stars Add '9th Man' to Roster - Lubbock GunSlingers
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