Miami Morays week one game preview
Published on March 18, 2005 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Miami Morays News Release
Due to the recent passing away of his brother David, Morays coach Larry Little will not be making the trip to New Jersey.
Asst. coach Ray Isaac will be serving as interim head coach for the game. "Coach Little has done a wonderful job in preparing the players and coaches for this game," Isaac said, "On the behalf of the entire coaching staff and front office staff, we want to express our deepest condolences to Coach Little for this loss, and his entire family is in our prayers."
The Game: Miami Morays (0-0) at New Jersey Xtreme (0-0)...Saturday, March 19th, 7:35 p.m. ET at the Continental Airlines Arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
This will be the first match-up between the two teams, and the first game in Morays team history. This will be the first season for the Xtreme in New Jersey since relocating at the end of last season from Staten Island.
Internet Radio: The Xtreme will have the game broadcast live over the internet. Broadcasting the game will be NJIR.net and handling the game duties will be Joe Nolan, Butch Seltzer, Marty Yudichek, and Debbie DuHaime. The game can be found at www.njir.net
Media Contact: Morays Media Contact: Mark Fischel (954)296-4362 Mark@miamimoraysfootball.com
Head Coach: This will be Morays Head Coach Larry Little's first time at the helm of a professional indoor football team. Little's previous professional experience was as the head coach of the Ohio Glory in the World Football League in 1992.
Larry Little was previously the head coach for North Carolina Central University from 1993 to 1998, compiling a record of 33 wins and 32 losses, and at his alma-mater Bethune-Cookman College from 1983 to 1991, where he compiled a record of 43-49-1. Little led Bethune-Cookman to two MEAC titles in 1984 and 1988, and was named the MEAC Coach of the Year in 1984.
Little spent 13 seasons in the NFL, 12 of which were with the Miami Dolphins. He was a member of the Dolphins Super Bowl championship teams in 1972 and 1973, and he was named to the Pro Bowl five times. He was inducted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame in 1993, the same year that he was inducted in the Dolphins Ring of Honor at Dolphins Stadium.
Got to Coordinate: Assisting Coach Little in his duties will be two very experienced indoor football coaches in Tony Wells and Ray Isaac. Asst. Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Ray Isaac brings several years of knowledge as a former player and coach. In 2003, Isaac served as the offensive coordinator with the Myrtle Beach Stingrays and as head coach with the Greenville Riverhawks. Ray also spent time as a quarterback with the Cleveland Thunderbolts, Memphis Pharaohs, and Charleston Swamp Foxes. Isaac attended Youngstown State and led them to their first Division I-AA championship.
Offensive Coordinator Tony Wells is a familiar face to South Florida indoor football fans, having played as a receiver/defensive back with the Miami Hooters and Florida Bobcats from 1995 to 1998. Wells entered the coaching ranks with the Pensacola Barracudas in 2002 and was promoted in 2003 to the asst. head coach position. In 2004, Wells served in the same capacity with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers where he helped them to a 14-4 record.
Dolphin Way: The Morays have several connections to the Miami Dolphins. Team owner Oronde Gadsden played six seasons at wide receiver, offensive line coach Jamie Nails played two seasons at offensive line. Head coach Larry Little was a 12 year member of the Dolphins. Receivers coach Leslie Shepherd played one season at receiver, and strength coach Terry Kirby was drafted by the Dolphins in 1993 and played for them for three seasons.
Home-Grown: The Morays opening-night roster consists of nine players who attended Florida colleges. Attending University of Florida was Arpedge Rolle and Steven Bell. Matriculating from Florida State University was Donald Heaven, graduating from FAMU was Tyronn Johnson, Bethune-Cookman had Antwon Robinson and Jimmy Williams attending, Daniel Hernandez attended Florida Atlantic University, and University of Miami graduates include Ethenic Sands and Alan Symonette.
Starting QB: Derrick Vickers has been named the Morays starting quarterback. Vickers. A graduate of Miami's Monsignor Pace High School, Vickers attended Central Michigan University where he ended up as one of CMU's top quarterbacks in school history. Vickers ended his career ranked second in total offense (5747 yards), second in passes attempted (937), third in TD passes (34) and third in passing yards (5388). Saturday will be Derrick Vickers professional football debut.
Take a Load Off: Moray opponents are going to be very sore after dealing with the Morays backfield, which consists of two players, Ben Labelle and Leroy McFadden, who weigh a combined 515 pounds.
Sure-Handed: The Morays receiving corps will consist of two players with previous indoor football experience in NIFL All-Star Kevin Heard, formerly of the Huoma Bayou Bucks, and University of Miami stand-out Ethenic Sands, who spent parts of last season with the Florida Firecats in the af2. Rounding out the receivers are two tall natives of Miami in 6'3 James Robinson and 6'4 Patrick Rouzard.
Florida Guard: The state of Florida stands on guard for the Morays. The offensive line consists of linemen who all played for colleges in the state of Florida. Steven Bell attended University of Florida, Donald Heaven attended Florida State University, Tyronn Jones attended FAMU, and Alan Symonette attended the University of Miami.
Get the QB: The Morays defensive line will be a combination of old and new experience. Bringing the experience to the first line of defense will be Kai Zeigler, Lashawn Pugh, and Deryl Lane. All three have previously played together with the Myrtle Beach Stingrays. New faces to the indoor game will be two graduates of Florida colleges. Arpedge Rolle of the University of Florida and Daniel Hernandez of FAU will be making their professional football debuts this season.
Patrol the Middle: Backing the line or dropping into coverage are two hard-hitting linebackers. Jimmy Williams of Bethune-Cookman brings a physical style to the game and will be entering his first season of indoor football. Lernard Mack is an experienced player with a nose for the ball and has previous NIFL experience.
Last Line of D: The Morays boast a defensive backfield that has extensive experience in the indoor game. Antwon Robinson, Vic White, and Quincy Sorrell all have one or more seasons under their belt, and they will be counted on in an offensive-minded league to keep a comfortable distance between the teams on the scoreboard.
Use your Foot: Michael Elorreaga won the Morays kicking job. Coming out of Earlham College in the North Coast Athletic Conference, Elorreaga was a pre-season All-American and also held punting duties.
I Know You: The Morays coaching staff has some familiarity with the roster. Players who previously played for Coach Ray Isaac were Travis Wilson, Kai Zeigler, Lashawn Pugh, Lernard Mack, Vic White, and Fred McCants. Tony Wells has previously coached Ben Labelle with the Wilkes-Barre Pioneers and Leroy McFadden with the Charleston Swamp Foxes.
Support the Kids: Don't forget about the Morays Youth Football Pass! Every child who was registered to play with a youth football program last season in Dade County is eligible for the program, which allows a youth football participant to receive a free season ticket or game-night ticket for all 2005 regular season Morays games with the purchase of a matching adult season or individual ticket. Interested parties can contact the Morays at 305-374-8950 X309 for details.
Atlantic South: The Morays will be competing for the bragging rights for the state of Florida by competing against fellow first-year expansion teams Daytona Beach Hawgs, Kissimmee Kreatures, and the Lakeland Thunderbolts in the Atlantic South Division.
The Web: www.miamimoraysfootball.com is the place to go for the latest team news, statistics, player profiles, game notes, standings, and a live scoreboard to follow the game (when available).
www.nationalindoorfootballleague.net offers the latest in league news and notes, updated standings, scoreboards, and much more.
Home Opener: Tickets are now on sale for the Morays first home game at the Miami Arena on Saturday, April 2nd at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available through the Miami Arena box-office or on www.ticketmaster.com.
Ticketmaster can also be reached at 305-358-5885 for Dade residents, and 954-523-3309 for Broward residents. A link to the Morays page for Ticketmaster can also be found at www.miamimoraysfootball.com/tickets.single
The Miami Morays will play in the National Indoor Football League, entering its fifth season with 21 teams located across the United States. The NIFL provides players with an opportunity to develop their skills and continue their careers in professional football.
The Miami Morays home opener is April 2nd at 7:00 PM at the Miami Arena against the Lubbock Lone Stars. Tickets are available at the Miami Arena Box Office or through Ticketmaster. For additional information about the Miami Morays, please call Mark Fischel at 305-374-8950 X309 or visit us at www.miamimoraysfootball.com.
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