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Marcum, Two Rookies Up For End Of Season Awards

June 27, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


Tampa - As the dust settled on the whirlwind season of the Tampa Bay Storm, head coach Tim Marcum, quarterback Brett Dietz and kicker Seth Marler were all nominated for end of season awards. Marcum is nominated for AFL Coach of the Year, Dietz is up for Rookie of the Year and Marler has been nominated for Kicker of the Year.

Despite a 0-5 start, Marcum and the players had no doubt the team would return to the playoffs after a disappointing finish in 2006. After missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history the previous season, Marcum led the Storm, with strong leadership and resolve, in what may become known as the best comeback in AFL history. It is easy to say that no other team in the AFL faced as much adversity as Marcum was forced to guide his team through this season.

The Storm were the fourth team in league history to begin the season 0-5 or worse and still make the postseason, while being the only team in history to end the season with a record over .500 with their 9-7 record. They finished their final 11 games with a record of 9-2 and were rewarded with the conference's no. 3 seed.

A big factor in the team's turnaround was Dietz, who was also named as the quarterback on the AFL's All-Rookie Team. The Storm went 8-1 since his first appearance in Week 9 against Columbus. The Hanover College alumnus finished the season with 199 completions on 302 attempts for 2,395 yards. He also hooked up for 47 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Dietz threw for seven or more touchdowns three time times, including eight touchdowns twice this season tying a franchise single-game high. His eight touchdown performance in Week 14 at New Orleans earned him AFL Offensive Player of the Week.

Dietz finished the season with a 119.3 passer rating which tied for second highest all-time in the AFL for a rookie quarterback. His 65.9 completion percentage is the third highest by a rookie in AFL history and highest in franchise history for a signal-caller with more than 200 attempts.

Also a rookie, Marler has had a great first season after he joined the team just before Week 3. He accounted for 140 points this season, as he went 16-for-20 (80.0%) on field goals and 92-for-99 (92.9%) on extra points. His 16 field goals were one shy of the Storm single-season record set by Matt George in 2005, while his 92 extra points ranked third all-time.

Marler put together the longest streak of consecutive extra points made this season when he was true on 48 consecutive kicks from March 17 until May 12. It was the second longest such streak in league history. The longest was Clay Rush who hit 49 consecutive point after attempts for Colorado in 2006. Despite not being on an AFL roster until Week 3 and missing the first two games, Marler ranks sixth in the league for points by a kicker with 140. He has the highest average of points per game by a kicker in the AFL this season.

In a rematch of the battle from Week 9, a 34-32 Tampa Bay Storm victory, the Storm host the Columbus Destroyers at the St. Pete Times Forum Saturday, June 30 at 12:00 p.m. EST in Wild Card Round action for the Mitsubishi Motors Drive to ArenaBowl XXI. For Storm ticket information, including tickets for the Wild-Card Round playoff game call 813.301.6780 or visit www.tampabaystorm.com.

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