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Los Angeles Avengers Game Notes

April 22, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Game: Los Angeles Avengers at Dallas Desperados
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2003
Kickoff: 12 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: Dallas, Texas
Arena: Reunion Arena (16,441)
Television: NBC (Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson)
Radio: XTRA Sports 690 & 1150 (Larry Kahn, Ed Cunningham)
Web Radio: http://www.xtrasportsradio.com
Series Record: Series tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: Dallas 62, Los Angeles 55 -- June 1, 2002, STAPLES Center
Officials: David Lambros (R), Al Granado (U), Mike McCabe (HL), Craig Wrolstad (LJ), Dino Paganelli (BJ)
Head Coaches: Los Angeles -- Ed Hodgkiss (second season, 17-9). Dallas -- Joe Avezzano (second season, 14-12).

THE AVENGERS: Winners of six of their last seven games, Los Angeles has already qualified for the playoffs and currently occupies the No. 1 seed position. However, four games remain in the regular season, beginning with Sunday's showdown at Dallas. One of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league, the Avengers have scored more than 60 points in each of their last five games (65.8 average). In its last game, L.A. dismantled Buffalo, 65-14, setting new franchise records for victories in a single season (nine), points allowed (14) and margin of victory (51). The Avengers, who will play only one of their final four games at STAPLES Center, have done well on the road this year, going 4-1. Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani has been outstanding this season, throwing for 75 touchdowns and 3,203 yards in 12 games. In only his second full season at the helm of the Avengers, Graziani has established himself as an AFL "Offensive Player of the Year" candidate. Offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been on the receiving end of 36 of those scoring tosses. L.A.'s two-way standouts, WR/LB Greg Hopkins and WR/DB Kevin Ingram, are both among the AFL's best at their respective positions. Hopkins is just 109 yards shy of his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season as a receiver. Ingram is the team's third leading receiver with 35 catches for 355 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also leads the team with four interceptions and averages 92.7 all-purpose yards per game.

THE DESPERADOS: Over the past seven weeks, Dallas (7-5) has alternated wins and losses. The Desperados currently hold the No. 7 seed for the upcoming AFL playoffs after winning an overtime thriller in Chicago last week, which allowed them to creep within one game of Central Division-leading Grand Rapids. Quarterback Jim Kubiak ranks second in the league in total offense (298.2 ypg), third in TD passes (70) and has the third highest passer rating (121.6). Lineman Tom Briggs leads the AFL with 9.5 sacks.

THE HEAD COACHES: One of the brightest offensive masterminds in the AFL and a prime candidate for "AFL Coach of the Year" honors, Ed Hodgkiss led the Avengers to a franchise-best 8-6 record and No. 5 seed in the AFL playoffs last season in his first year with the club. He became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after the 2002 season. Not only did Hodgkiss lead the Avengers into the postseason for the first time in franchise history, he also instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL. In the final 2002 league statistics, the Avengers ranked at No. 2 in passing efficiency (115.0), No. 4 in total offense (275.6), No. 4 in rushing yards (20.8) and No. 5 in scoring (52.2). Prior to his arrival in L.A., Hodgkiss served as the offensive coordinator for the Indiana Firebirds for three seasons (1999-2001) ... After establishing himself as one of the top assistant coaches in the National Football League, Joe Avezzano is in his second year as a head coach in the AFL. He joined the coaching staff of the Dallas Cowboys in 1991 and has since earned NFL "Special Teams Coach of the Year" three times. Before beginning his NFL coaching career, Avezzano worked at Texas A&M, Oregon State, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Iowa State and Florida State.

THE SERIES: The two teams split a pair of meetings in Dallas' inaugural season last year, with the Avengers winning in Dallas, 52-51, on May 4, and the Desperados returning the favor, 62-55, on June 8 at STAPLES Center.

THE NEXT GAME: The Avengers are on the road for the second consecutive week, as they travel to Phoenix to face the Arizona Rattlers on May 4. Kickoff is set for noon (Pacific) and the game will be televised by NBC.

QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE: Sixty-five of L.A.'s 98 offensive touchdowns this season have been scored on "drives" of three plays or less, including seven of nine in last Friday's dominating 65-14 victory over Buffalo. In fact, 22 of them have been one-play "drives," including 10 touchdown catches by offensive specialist Chris Jackson.

Ironically, two of the 33 "long" drives are the six-play, 13- yard game-winning march in the victory over San Jose that consumed 25 of the final 26 seconds (Feb. 9) and the eight-play, 30-yard touchdown drive that killed off the final 34 seconds at New York (March 9). The Avengers have scored on two "zero-play drives" this season. The first one came on a net recovery by WR/DB Siaha Burley while covering a kickoff in the victory at Colorado (Feb. 23). Against Indiana (March 16), OL/DL Mike Ulufale recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.

EARLY FIREWORKS: In addition to late-game heroics, the Avengers have also been good at the start, scoring on their first offensive snap of the game four times this season -- in the season opener against Las Vegas (Feb. 2, Chris Jackson), at Chicago (Feb. 23, Kevin Ingram), at Indiana (March 16, Jackson) and against Carolina (April 4, Jackson). On April 4 against Carolina, the Avengers scored touchdowns on their first three offensive plays, the other two going to WR/LB Greg Hopkins.

STEADY IMPROVMENT: With four games remaining in the regular-season, the Avengers have already established a new high for wins in a season with nine. After combining for eight wins in the franchise's first two seasons, L.A. had its first winning season in 2002.

Avenger History

Season (head coach) Record
2000 (Stan Brock) 3-11
2001 (Stan Brock/Robert Lyles) 5-9
2002 (Ed Hodgkiss) 8-6 (playoffs 0-1)
2003 (Ed Hodgkiss) 9-3

THE "IF" SECTION:

If the Avengers defeat the Desperados, it would ...
- Assure the Avengers of holding the No. 1 seed for the upcoming AFL playoffs
- Be L.A.'s eighth win in their last 10 road games
- Give the Avengers a league-best 14-5 record in their last 19 regular-season games, dating back to last season
- Assure the Avengers of remaining in first place in the Western Division
- Give L.A. a 15-3 record in the past two years versus non-divisional foes (19-12 all-time)

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss on the 65-14 victory over Buffalo: "The team came out and did a good job. It was a similar situation to the Carolina game. We were on a short week and had some injury concerns. We stayed focused and showed maturity and came out and won a game we should win. It was a combination of our defense playing well and their offense struggling. We really dominated an offense that hasn't found its rhythm. They are struggling at quarterback and we took advantage."

Hodgkiss on the final four games of the season: "Our long-term focus is this last quarter of the season. We want a winning record and we'll see where it puts us. We've done a good job in the first three quarters. Our short-term focus is Dallas. Our goals haven't changed yet. We're looking for consistent play at a high level."

Hodgkiss on having four days off: "It's good because it allows us to get healthy. We got by on the short week with a win, so we are rewarded with time off. Everyone in the league is banged up right now, so it is good to heal some bumps and bruises."

Hodgkiss on the Dallas Desperados: "They are a very good team. Jim Kubiak is playing as well as any quarterback in the league. They have big prototypical wide receivers who are good players. That gives them one of the top offenses in the league. Tom Briggs is having an MVP-type season. He is the most dominant lineman as a rush guy in the league this year. It will be a tough task to play there against a good team, but that's what the AFL is all about."

THE LEAGUE'S HOTTEST TEAM: Winners in six of their last seven, the Avengers are now 13-5 in their past 18 regular-season games. That mark ties them with the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats, who snapped a two-game losing streak last week, for the best record over that period of time.

DEFENDING THE HOME FRONT: In the "Ed Hodgkiss Era," which began at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Avengers have been particularly stingy on defense at home, allowing just 46.4 points per game at STAPLES Center (649 points in 14 games). After allowing 82 points to Arizona on April 13, which are the most scored against the Avengers in team history, they gave up just 14 points to the Buffalo Destroyers five days later. That total is six points less than the previous record for the fewest points allowed in a game, which was the 20 points allowed to Indiana on March 16. The 24 points allowed by the Avengers in their victory over the Tampa Bay Storm on May 17, 2002, had been the all-time best for the L.A. defense at home. It surpassed the effort in the 2002 season opener, which saw the Avengers defeat the New York Dragons, 43-25, on April 19, 2002, which was Hodgkiss' first game as the Avenger head coach.

PERFECT GAME: Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani tossed a "perfect game" against the Las Vegas Gladiators on opening day (Feb. 2). His passer rating of 158.3 from that contest is the highest mark possible and ties an AFL record. In the 60-48 victory, Graziani was 18-of-23 for 288 yards. He threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to offensive specialist Chris Jackson on the first play of the 2003 season and went on to throw for a total of seven scores. Graziani also rushed for a touchdown from three yards out to cap the scoring with 53 seconds remaining.

SMART GAME: The Avengers are the AFL's least penalized team, averaging just 4.4 flags per game (26.5 yards). This brings a smile to the face of head coach Ed Hodgkiss, whose motto is "Play Hard, Play Smart." L.A. was especially sharp in the season opener on Feb. 2, getting called for only two penalties for a loss of just a yard, establishing a pair of new team records.

BLOWING PAST THE CENTURY MARK: With five touchdowns in last Friday's game against the Buffalo Destroyers, offensive specialist Chris Jackson has now scored 105 touchdowns in his 45-game AFL career. ("C.J." has also passed for three touchdowns, all this season, but they don't count in his official scoring totals.)

Top Scorers in Avenger History
Player TDs Points
Chris Jackson (2000-present) 105 638
Greg Hopkins (2002-present) 56 340
Remy Hamilton (2002-present) 0 247
Travis Hannah (2000-01) 27 162

IN A ZONE OUT EAST: The Avengers have won six of their last seven games in the Eastern Time Zone, including victories over Orlando, New York and Indiana this season. L.A.'s victory at Orlando on March 30, marked a third consecutive road game within the Eastern Time Zone.

HEART-STOPPING HEROICS: Four of L.A.'s nine victories in 2003 have come on the final play of the game. Two of their three losses have also come down to the wire, as they lost 54-53 at Chicago on Feb. 23, and 82-76 in overtime (on the last play of the game) versus Arizona on April 13. On Feb. 9, the Avengers defeated the San Jose SaberCats, 73-72, on a one-yard touchdown blast by FB/LB Mathias Vavao and a two-point conversion pass from Tony Graziani to Greg Hopkins with one second left. The following week in a game on the road against the Colorado Crush, L.A. forced overtime with a field goal by Remy Hamilton on the final play of regulation and then won on a TD pass from Graziani to Hopkins. On March 9, the Avengers defeated the New York Dragons, 65-61, on a one-yard touchdown run by FB/LB Kevin Clemens with no time remaining. Their most amazing victory of the season came on March 30, at Orlando, as they rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 35 seconds to defeat the Predators, 64-63. The "miracle" occurred as Graziani hit offensive specialist Chris Jackson to cut the lead to five with 19 seconds remaining and defensive specialist Cornelius Coe recovered an onside kick five seconds later. That set up another Graziani-to-Hopkins game-winning TD on a "Hail Mary" pass off the rebound net as time expired.

RECORD "D" DAY: The Avengers came into their game against Buffalo (April 18), allowing 54.4 points per game, but held the Destroyers to 14 points, establishing a new team record. That eclipsed the record set earlier in the season, when the Avengers held the Indiana Firebirds to 20 points on March 16.

ALL-PURPOSE AVENGER: Over the past three seasons, L.A.'s new offensive weapon Siaha Burley has racked up the most all-purpose yards in the league (5,442). That yardage is the equivalent of 2.9 miles, which is farther than the distance between STAPLES Center and Dodger Stadium. Acquired in a trade with the Orlando Predators, Burley moves to the WR/DB position (he was primarily an offensive specialist with the Predators). His single-game high as an Avenger came against his former team, as he racked up 169 all-purpose yards in L.A.'s victory at Orlando on March 30.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2003


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