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Orlando Predators game notes

March 22, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


GAME DETAILS
Orlando Predators (5-3) at Austin Wranglers (3-5)
Date: Friday, March 25, 2005
Kick the Pig Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Site: TD Waterhouse Centre/Hummer Field (13,692)
Officials: Referee: Riley Johnson; Umpire: Rick Podraza;
Head Linesman: Julian Mapp; Line Judge: Paul Engelberts;
Back Judge: Bud McCleskey
Radio: WFLA 540 AM (Marc Daniels and Dan Pearson)
TV: None
Series Streak: Orlando has won one in a row
Series Record: Series Tied 1-1
Coaches: Orlando: Jay Gruden (6th season, 58-33, .637); Austin: Skip Foster (2nd season, 11-13, .458)

THE STAKES: PREDS LOOK TO REBOUND FROM TOUGHT LOSS AS SECOND HALF OF SEASON STARTS
The Orlando Predators will look to get back on the winning track when they host the Austin Wranglers (3-5) on Friday night in "The Jungle." For the Predators, now 5-3 on the season, it will be an important game as they attempt to regain position in the Southern Division. Orlando lost a hard-fought road game to Georgia on Saturday, slipping into third place, one game behind both the Force and New Orleans VooDoo, both at 6-2.

New Orleans meets Georgia this week, giving the Predators an opportunity to move into a second place tie with a win. "I said at the beginning of the year, it would be important to win all our home games and get a split on the road. We're 3-2 on the road, but we have already lost one at home. With five of our last eight at home, we need to re-establish "The Jungle" as the toughest place in the league for an opposing team to win," Orlando Predators Head Coach Jay Gruden said.

Friday's opponent presents a unique challenge. The Wranglers have lost five games by an average of 17.6 points, but have also recorded two wins in their last three games – including an impressive 10-point win over then 5-1 New York. "We need to be totally focused, as Austin is certainly capable of beating us," Gruden added.

Orlando Predators (5-3-0) *All Times Eastern
Date Opponent W/L Score
Jan. 30 Colorado W 39-36
Feb. 3 At Arizona W 51-40
Feb. 11 Tampa Bay W 61-46
Feb. 17 At Dallas L 28-42
Feb. 25 At Chicago W 48-35
Mar. 6 San Jose L 38-57
Mar. 13 At New Orleans W 63-52
Mar. 19 At Georgia L 47-49
Mar. 25 Austin 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 3 Los Angeles 12 Noon
Apr. 9 At Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 15 New York 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 22 Georgia 7:30 p.m.
May 1 At Philadelphia 1 p.m.
May 7 At Austin 8:30 p.m.
May 20 New Orleans 7:30 p.m.

Austin (3-5-0)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 30 Philadelphia L 35-66
Feb. 6 At Tampa Bay L 45-62
Feb. 11 Los Angeles L 51-64
Feb. 19 At Grand Rapids W 73-61
Feb. 25 Georgia L 63-66
Mar. 4 At Las Vegas W 42-41
Mar. 13 Dallas L 28-52
Mar. 19 New York W 57-47
Mar. 25 At Orlando 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 1 New Orleans 8:30 p.m.
Apr. 8 At Georgia 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 17 Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
Apr. 22 At Arizona 10:00 p.m.
Apr. 30 At Columbus 7:00 p.m.
May 7 Orlando 8:30 p.m.
May 14 At New Orleans 8:00 p.m.

QUOTE/UNQUOTE
"The real season starts on Friday. We have eight games left, five coming against division opponents with five of the eight at home. We have to come out ready to play every week and prove we belong in the playoffs. We can't be watching scoreboards and praying for help. We need to establish that we are contenders."
--Jay Gruden on Friday's Game with Austin

THE COACHES
PREDS HEAD COACH JAY GRUDEN
JAY GRUDEN is in his second stint and his 6th year overall as Head Coach and Director of Football Operations for the Orlando Predators. After a Hall of Fame career as a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm, Gruden began his coaching career in 1997 by serving as offensive assistant for the Nashville Kats. One season later, the Predators made him the youngest head coach in the AFL. Gruden would go on to lead the Predators to three consecutive appearances in the ArenaBowl and a pair of championships. After guiding the Predators to a fourth consecutive trip to the playoffs in 2001, Gruden announced his intentions to resign in order to return to the playing field after a five-year layoff. In two seasons as Predators quarterback, Gruden directed Orlando to back-to-back appearances in the semifinals, falling one game short of his goal of returning to the ArenaBowl as a player. In 2003, he recorded a 10-0 mark with 49 touchdown passes and two interceptions as a starting quarterback. Off-season surgery, combined with the tragic loss of former Head Coach Fran Papasedero in a June 19, 2003 traffic accident, resulted in Gruden returning to the sideline. Gruden will take a 58-33 (.637) all-time coaching record into the Georgia game. He is 50-30 in regular season games (.625) and a solid 8-3 as a head coach in playoff games (.727).

ORLANDO PREDATORS
HEAD COACHING RECORDS
Coaches, Years Record Pct.
Jay Gruden, 1998-2001, 2004-05 58-32 .637
Fran Papasedero, 2002-03 22-13 .629
Perry Moss, 1991-97 67-31 .684

AUSTIN HEAD COACH SKIP FOSTER
Following an outstanding career in the Arena Football League's developmental league "af2," Skip Foster is in his second season as Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator of the Austin Wranglers. In 2004, Foster led the expansion Wranglers to an impressive 8-8 mark, which included first-season wins over traditional AFL powers Orlando, Tampa Bay, and Dallas. Prior to taking the Austin job, Foster spent three years in af2, posting a 44-10 record to become the all-time winningest coach in that league. His legacy includes a 16-3 record at Tulsa that included a 13-3 regular season mark and an "ArenaCup" championship in 2003. He never lost a home game in three seasons at Tulsa. Previous coaching experience included 12 seasons at Coffeville Community College in Kansas, where he recorded an overall record of 82-39-0. His 1990 team went undefeated and won a national championship.

Fun Fact: Wrangler head coach Skip Foster succeeded his father Dick as head coach at Coffeyville CC after serving as his assistant for several years. Dick won a national championship at
Coffeyville in 1983. When Skip followed suit in 1990, they became the first and only father-son combination in National Junior College Association history to win a national championship at the same school.

GRUDEN RANKED IN TOP
Predators Head Coach Jay Gruden is ranked in the top 10 in AFL career coaching wins.
ALL-TIME AFL WINNINGEST COACHES
1. Tim Marcum 171*
2. Danny White 141
3. Mike Hohenssee 89
4. Perry Moss 86
5. Mike Trigg 80
6 Mike Dailey 80
7. Darren Arbet 77
8. John Gregory 73
9. Jay Gruden 58*
10. Todd Shell 48*
*Active Coach

SERIES HISTORY AND NOTES:
Austin joined the Arena Football League in 2004 and promptly shocked AFL power Orlando with a 49-48, overtime road win in its first game ever played...the Predators tried to win the game in overtime, but Joe Hamilton was ruled out of bounds as officials claimed his right foot hit the sideline dasherboard prior as he was stretching the ball over the goal line...Orlando had little trouble in the re-match, dominating both sides of the line of scrimmage in a 43-26 win...Cory Fleming has 147 yards receiving in the first game...the 2005 Austin Wranglers roster includes former Predators Charlie Davidson, Cedric Walker, and Angel Rubio...Austin joins Georgia, Nashville, Chicago, San Jose, and Columbus as the six AFL teams to beat Orlando in their first try...Orlando limited Austin to just 147 yards in the second game, after giving up 307 yards in the air to John Kaleo in the first game...the Predators defense recorded four sacks, an interception and safety in the rematch...Orlando's defense also recorded eight quarterback sacks in the two games...the teams will meet again in Austin on May 7 of this year.

SERIES RECORDS
All-time Series tied 1-1

Date ORL AUS
Feb. 13, 2004 (H) 48 49 (OT)
May 16, 2004 (A) 43 26


GAME SUMMARIES FROM 2004 MEETINGS


Game 2
Austin 49, Orlando 48 (OT)
Feb. 13, 2004 -TD Waterhouse (13,218)

Austin: 7 14 14 7 (7)--49
Orlando: 14 14 7 7 (6)--48

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Joe Hamilton was ruled out of bounds just short of the goal line on a two-point conversion as the expansion Austin Wranglers escaped the TD Waterhouse Centre with a 49-48 win overtime win over the Orlando Predators.

Orlando took a 42-35 lead in the game with 12:55 remaining on a 1-yard touchdown run by Rupert Grant; but Austin forged a 42-42 tie with 7:06 remaining on Daryl Hammond's 4-yard touchdown reception on third down. After a defensive stop, Austin had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Tony Dodson's 36-yard field goal attempt at the buzzer sailed wide right.


TEAM STATS AUS ORL
First Downs 21 21
Rush Yards 14-29 6-12
Passing Yards 293 290
A-C-I 39-28-1 33-23-0
Fumbles/Lost 1-1 1-1
Penalties/Yards 5-43 6-21
Sacks By 2-6 4-14

Rushing
A: Beutler 4-17, Davidson 3-8, Alexander 5-3, Kaleo 2-1
O: Moye-Moore 3-5, Grant 2-4, Hamilton 1-3

Passing
A: Kaleo 28-39-1-307
O: Hamilton 23-33-0-296

Receiving
A: Davison 13-151; Hammond 7-53, Culver 5-61, Briggs 1-19, Alexander 1-15, Arnold 1-7
O: Fleming 8-147, Bowden 7-57, Cooper 6-72, Williams 2-20


Game 14
ORLANDO 43, AUSTIN 26
May 16, 2004 - Erwin Center (13,831)

Orlando 10 14 7 10 –-43
Austin 3 10 6 7-- 26

AUSTIN, TX -- Joe Hamilton threw for two touchdowns and ran two others as the Orlando Predators recorded a 43-26 win over the Austin Wranglers.

The Predators used a 44-yard Hamilton to Anthony Bright pass with 20 seconds remaining in the first half to set up a 1-yard TD run by Hamilton as Orlando took a controlling 24-13 lead at the half.

Orlando's defense was spectacular, limiting the high scoring Wranglers to just 26 points and 147 yards of total offense. That total represented the lowest of the season by a Predators opponent and also marked the third time in the last seven weeks that a Predators opponent gained less than 200 yards of total offense in a game.

The Predators defense accounted for four sacks, an interception, and a safety as Orlando won for the fifth time in six weeks.

TEAM STATS ORL AUS
First Downs 20 14
Rush Yards 17-33 6-13
Passing Yards 220 134
A-C-I 24-16-0 35-17-1
Fumbles/Lost 6-2 1-0
Penalties/Yards 4-21 7-41
Sacks By 4-18 2-3

Rushing
O: Hamilton 5-50, Grant 6-7, Price 1-0
A: Beutler 2-6, Krager 3-5, Hammond 1-2

Passing
O: Hamilton 20-15-0-220; Whelihan 4-1-0-3
A: Kaleo 35-17-1-152

Receiving
O: Cooper 8-88, Bright 5-79, Fleming 3-56
A: Chiaverini 6-70, Hammond 3-33, Fontaine 3-27, Davidson 3-9, Humphrey 1-11, Beurtler 1-2


How The 2005 Predators Were Built
Veteran Retained From 2004 Season (17): Bret Cooper, Damon Mason, Travis McGriff, Idris Price, Michael Brown, Cory Fleming, Joe Hamilton, Kenny McEntyre, Rupert Grant, Justin Cleveland, Greg Krause, Cecil Caldwell, Buck Gurley, EJ Burt, Doug Miller, Reggie Lee, Marlon Moye-Moore

Veteran Free Agents Signed (2): Reggie Doster, Chris Sanders.

Rookie Free Agents (4): Jimmy Fryzel, David Upchurch, Jerrian James and Justin Skaggs.

Obtained by Trade: None

BY THE NUMBERS...ORLANDO PREDATORS
Orlando Predators by the numbers for 2005:

2005 Overall Record: 5-3-0
National Conference Record: 2-1-0
Southern Division Record: 2-2-0
Against American Conference: 3-1-0
At Hummer Field: 2-1-0
On the road: 3-2-0
When scoring first: 3-1-0
When other Team Scores First: 2-2-0
When leading after one quarter: 2-0-0
When trailing after one quarter: 2-1-0
When tied after one quarter: 1-2-0
When leading at the Half: 4-0-0
When trailing at the Half: 1-3-0
When tied at the Half: 0-0-0
When Leading after three quarters: 5-0-0
When trailing after three quarters: 0-3-0
When tied after three quarters: 0-0-0
By Days of the Week:
Thursday: 1-1-0
Friday: 2-0-0
Saturday: 0-1-0
Sunday: 2-1-0
All-Time Home Record: 79-33-0
All-Time Road Record: 68-44-0*
Consecutive Seasons Winning Record: 14**
Consecutive Seasons In Playoffs: 14

*Includes neutral site away game at Lakeland, Fla. Against the Florida Bobcats in 1998.

**Includes playoff games. Team finished at .500 in 1999, but won two playoff games to finish with a 9-8 record.


PREDS NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES, AND TRENDS

LAST WEEK'S GAME: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY:
The Good: Joe Hamilton had perhaps his best game of the season, hitting 74% of his passes and reaching season highs in both that category and yards passing (307)...falling behind by 14, the Predators had a chance to go down by 21 at the half but battled back to come within one point of Georgia last week...Orlando scored on all four final possessions of the second half. The Bad: Orlando missed a key extra point in the third quarter that would have tied the game and remain one of the worst teams in the AFL in converting point after touchdowns attempts...mental mistakes and key penalties against played a huge role in Orlando's loss. The Ugly: Five-time All-Arena and three-time ADT Defensive Player of the Year Kenny McEntyre missed most of the Georgia game after going head first into the sideline dasher boards while trying to break-up a pass...McEntyre was removed from the field via stretcher and transported to an Atlanta –area hospital in one of the scariest moments in Predators history.

IMPORTANT RADIO/TV/INTERNET INFORMATION
The Predators game with Austin this week will not be seen on local television. Good seats remain available by calling TICKETMASTER or 407-44-PREDS or logging on to www.ticketmaster.com. Due to a previous commitment, the Predators game with Austin will not be broadcast on its normal outlet -- WQTM 740 AM. Instead the game will be made available on WQTM's sister station, the 50,000-watt WFLA 540 AM. Marc Daniels and Dan Pearson will have the call beginning with a 6:45 p.m. pre-game show. Finally, the jumbotron feed from the Orlando vs. Austin game will be streamed live on the internet. Click on to www.AFL.com for details.


McEntyre's Incredible Streak in Jeopardy

Kenny "The Glove" McEntyre's incredible streak of 113 consecutive starts for the Orlando Predators could come to an end this weekend when the Predators host the Austin Wranglers.

McEntyre was hurt during the first quarter of Saturday night's 49-47 loss to the Georgia Force after going head first into the sideline dasherboards while attempting to break-up a pass. He was removed from the field on a stretcher and admitted to an Atlanta-area hospital for tests. He was released after midnight and returned home with the team on Sunday morning.

"The good news is there doesn't appear to be any damage to the spinal column and he should be able to return to the playing field," Predators Director of Sports Medicine Joel Johnson said. "But Kenny received a pretty good jolt to the neck and you always want to err to the side of caution when dealing with this type of injury. He's going to be sore for a while."

McEntyre, who has won three ADT Defensive Player of the Year awards and has been named first-team All-Arena for the last five seasons, has never missed a game since signing with the Predators in 1998 -- starting a team-record 113 consecutive games (including playoffs).

"It's too soon to determine when Kenny will be back," Johnson added. "We'll just have to evaluate him this week and see how he responds to rehab." The Predators will most likely go with second-year player Michael Brown as McEntyre's replacement in the interim.


FLEMING STEAK REMAINS ALIVE; MOVES INTO SOLE POSSESSION OF SECOND PLACE IN ORLANDO PREDATORS ALL-TIME POINTS SCORED LIST
With three touchdown receptions against Georgia, Cory Fleming has now caught a touchdown in 32 consecutive games with the Predators. Including playoff games, Fleming has at least one touchdown catch in 40 of 42 career games with the Preds. Fleming has now scored six touchdowns in two games since coming off the injured reserve list. With 78 points scored this season, Fleming now has 458 points for his Orlando career, and has moved past David Cool for second place in Orlando Predators all-time scoring list in just 2½ seasons played.

ORLANDO PREDATORS
All-Time Points Scored List

Name Seasons Points
1. Barry Wagner 8 1,766
2. Cory Fleming 2.5 458
3. David Cool 5 457
4. Bret Cooper 5.5 396
5. Herkie Walls 5 324


WHEN PREDATORS LEAD AT HALFTIME GOOD THINGS HAPPEN
When Orlando takes a lead into the locker room at halftime, the Predators usually hold it. Counting the game against New Orleans two weeks ago, the Predators hold an all-time record of 106 wins against just 22 losses when they lead at halftime (82.8% winning percentage). They are 5-0 this year when leading at the half.

PREDATORS RUN THE ROCK
With the exception of three seasons (2001-2002-1991), the Orlando Predators have always been one of the most effective teams in the AFL for running the football – finishing in the top five in rushing yards per game in 11 of their 14 seasons. The trend is continuing in Orlando's 15th year, with the team currently ranked 3rd in the league in rushing at 32.4 yards per game.

Year Yards Per Game TD League Rank
2005 259 33.9 16 3rd
2004 606 37.9 29 1st
2003 367 22.9 25 3rd
2002 215 15.4 16 11th
2001 194 14.1 14 15th
2000 551 36.8 24 2nd
1999 430 30.7 12 2nd
1998 433 35.7 18 3rd
1997 655 46.8 27 1st
1996 606 42.9 37 2nd
1995 406 35.8 26 3rd
1994 503 45.6 24 2nd
1993 447 37.2 15 3rd
1992 413 41.3 12 4th
1991 303 30.3 14 6th

*Through 6 games; AFL Rank based on rushing yards per game.

PREDATORS PRODUCE COACHES
Maybe it would be going too far to call the Orlando Predators "The AFL Cradle of Coaches," but at least 20 current and former Predators players have gone on to the coaching ranks, including former Predators quarterbacks Mike Neu, who is head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo and Scot Semptimphelter, who was named QB coach of the Nashville Kats this week. Other former and current Predators players in the coaching ranks include: Doug Miller (High School), Chris Barber (High School), Ben Bennett (af2), Webbie Burnett (af2), Victor Floyd (High School), Rick Hamilton (AFL), Jay Gruden (AFL, NFL), Kevin Guy (AFL, af2), Bret Munsey (af2, AFL), Jerry Odom (High School, Colleges), Pat O'Hara (High School), Connell Maynor (College), Jeff Parker (College), Fred Ray (High School), Barry Wagner (College), Bill Stewart (High School), Durwood Roquemore (af2, high school) and Herkie Walls (High School). Miller, Wagner, and Ray remain active in the Arena Football League as players – coaching football in the off-season.

McENTYRE'S INTERCEPTIONS COME IN BUNCHES
In his illustrious career, Orlando Predators defensive specialist Kenny McEntyre holds AFL records for career regular season interceptions (57), post-season interceptions (11) and total interceptions (68). It's interesting to note that McEntyre's interceptions tend to come in bunches. Throughout his career, McEntyre has had multiple interception games a league-record 10 times, and has also had two post-season multiple interception games. McEntyre has intercepted three passesin a single game twice. McEntyre has intercepted two or more passes against Nashville on three occasions, and has posted multiple interception games twice against Tampa Bay. A review of McEntyre's multiple interception games follows:

Date Opponent Total
Aug. 7, 1998 Nashville 2*
Apr. 23, 1999 Nashville 2
Aug. 7, 1999 Tampa Bay 2*
May 12, 2000 Tampa Bay 2
May 19, 2000 Nashville 3
June 2, 2001 Toronto 2
June 16, 2001 New York 2
May 4, 2002 New Jersey 2
Feb. 21, 2003 Carolina 2
April 11, 2003 Buffalo 3
April 20, 2003 Las Vegas 2
Mar. 13, 2004 New Orleans 2
*Indicates playoff game


HAMILTON ON RECORD SETTING PACE
With 34 touchdown passes in eight games, Orlando Predators quarterback Joe Hamilton is on pace to throw 68 touchdown passes this season. If he succeeds in hitting that number, he would tie Jay Gruden's club record of 68 touchdowns set in 2002. Here is the Predators all-time list for touchdown passes in a season:

1. Jay Gruden 2002 68
2. Pat O'Hara 1998 67
3. Craig Whelihan 2001 60


PREDATORS TOUGH AGAINST PASS
Through the first half of the 2005 season, the Orlando Predators remain one of the toughest teams in the Arena Football League to pass against. The Predators ranks as one of only three teams in the Arena Football League whose opponents have less than a 60% pass completion percentage against. Here's how the Predators stand in league pass defense category:

Category Stat AFL Rank
Pass Defense Rating 95.0 3rd
Opponent Pass Comp. Percentage 58.9 3rd
Pass Yards Allowed 240.8 5th
Passing TD Allowed Per Game 4.1 1st

ATTENDANCE/MERCHANDISE STRONG IN 2005
Despite playing two of their first three home games on Sunday afternoons – traditionally poor drawing days for the Predators – Orlando continues to have an outstanding year at the gate. The team has drawn 39,863 fans to three homes games at Hummer Field, reaching 97.4% of Arena capacity (13,692). Highlights included a sellout crowd of 14,478 against Tampa Bay – where the Predators set a TD Waterhouse record for concession sales for an Arena Football League game at $142,000, that total did not include $12,000 in merchandise sales. Last week, the Predators set a club record with more than $16,000 in merchandise sales against San Jose.

Year G Attendance Avg. % Capacity
2005 3 39,863 13,287 97.04%

SOUTHERN DIVISION TOUGH
At the mid-point of the 2005 season, the Southern Division can claim the lead as the Arena Football League's toughest division. Following last week's games, the Southern Division boasts a league-best 17-7 against non-division opponents (.708).

ROAD WARRIORS: PREDS AMONG LEAGUE'S BEST ON THE ROAD IN LAST THREE SEASONS
Although the Orlando Predators dropped a heart-breaking decision to Georgia last week, they have continued to enforce their rapidly growing reputation as one of the league's best road teams. In regular season contests, the Predators have won 19 of their last 26 road games – a winning percentage of .731. In the same time period the Predators are just 15-11 at home, a winning percentage of .577.

LAST 26 PREDATORS ROAD GAMES
3-19-05 at Georgia L, 47-49
3-13-05 at New Orleans W, 63-52
2-25-05 at Chicago W, 48-35
2-17-05 at Dallas L, 28-40
2-3-05 at Arizona W, 51-40
5-30-04 at Los Angeles W, 52-50
5-15-04 at Austin W, 43-26
5-9-04 at New Orleans W, 45-40
4-18-04 at Georgia W, 30-7
4-4-04 at Columbus L, 46-55
3-21-04 at Chicago L. 15-50
2-28-04 at Carolina W, 59-42
2-2-04 at Tampa Bay L, 41-52
5-16-03 at Detroit W, 50-38
5-4-03 at Colorado W, 46-40 (ot)
4-26-03 at Georgia W, 38-27
4-6-03 at Arizona L, 36-62
3-16-03 at Tampa Bay L, 32-52
3-2-03 at New York W, 72-56
2-21-03 at Carolina W, 70-42
2-2-03 at Chicago W, 47-35
7-20-02 at Dallas W, 44-41
7-7-02 at Tampa Bay W, 55-48
6-28-02 at Carolina W, 52-48
6-15-02 at New York W, 52-33
5-24-02 at Indiana W, 40-37


LET JAMES RUN
Since breaking lose against San Jose two weeks ago with the 6th best effort in Orlando Predators history with 163 kickoff return yards, Jerrian James has been held to just 40 yards on four returns in the last two weeks. How have teams contained James? Two weeks against New Orleans, kicker Brian Schmitz attempted five on-sides kicks and had two touchbacks to effectively keep the ball out of James' hands. Last week, in one of the most impressive kicking displays in recent memory, Georgia's Nelson Garner had three touchbacks, including kicking the ball over the top crossbar twice. Garner also hit the top of the crossbar once and drew iron another time, presenting James with just one decent return opportunity in the game.

Predators All-Time Top Return Games
Siaha Burley Indiana 2001 222
Barry Wagner Iowa 1996 205
Barry Wagner Albany 1998 205
Barry Wagner Tampa Bay 1999 185
Siaha Burley Tampa Bay 2001 177
Jerrian James San Jose 2005 163
Barry Wagner Iowa 1999 161
Barry Wagner Anaheim 1996 158
Antonio Stanley San Jose 2002 157
Barry Wagner Grand Rapids 1999 157
Herkie Walls Albany 1994 154
Barry Wagner Tampa Bay 1998* 154
Siaha Burley New York 2001 153
Barry Wagner New Jersey 1998 153
Barry Wagner Tampa Bay 1999 153
Travis McGriff Tampa Bay 2004 150

TRAVIS vs. JIMMY: Early Numbers Favor UCF Star
After Jay Gruden benched popular offensive specialist Travis McGriff for Jimmy Fryzel four weeks ago, McGriff requested and was granted a trade. Both players appeared in four games for the Orlando Predators this year and this how they have stacked up at wide receiver, with Fryzel holding an advantage in most categories:

Player G Rec. Yards Avg. TD's
Fryzel 4 23 383 16.7 6
McGriff 4 20 221 11.1 4

PREDATORS KICKING WOES CONTINUE
Orlando's PAT kicking woes continued this week, as Brian Gowins missed a key extra point midway through the third quarter that would have tied the game. "It was a huge miss because it dictated how we had to play the rest of the game, including going for two after a touchdown. Had we made the extra point in the third quarter and kicked subsequent extra points, we would have had a chance to kick and extra point to tie the game or go for two at the end of the game to win," Predators Head Coach Jay Gruden said. Orlando's troubles started in 2005 with Steve McLaughlin, who missed seven of 13 extra points to start the season and was waived in after week two. Gowins replaced him and hit seven of nine in his first game and then hit 14 in a row. But in the last three games, Gowins has missed five extra points and the Predators now rank dead last in extra point percentage at .720.

EXTRA POINT PERCENTAGE 2005
Three Best
Dallas 53-56 .946
Tampa Bay 49-53 .925
Columbus 35-38 .921

Three Worst
Las Vegas 34-43 .791
Nashville 30-38 .789
Orlando 36-50 .720

ORLANDO PREDATORS VS. AUSTIN WRANGLERS
AFL STATISTICALLY RANKINGS

Category ORL AUS
Scoring Offense 46.9 (13th) 51.1 (11th)
Total Offense 251.8 (16th) 297.6 (4th)
Scoring Defense 44.6 (3rd) 57.4 (16th)
Total Defense 257.0 (4th) 329.1 (17th)
Rushing Offense 32.4 (3rd) 19.4 (9th)
Pass Rating 102.8 (3rd) 106.5 (11th)
Pass Rating (Def) 95.0 (3rd) 120.6 (16th)
Passing Offense 219.4 (17th) 278.2 (4th)
Had Intercepted 8 (T-10th) 8 (T-15th)
Pass Defense 240.8 (5th) 299.1 (17th)
Field Goal Pct. 33.3 (13th) 35.7 (10th)
PAT Pct. 72.0 (17th) 82.2 (13th)
Kickoff Returns 14.6 (17th) 15.3 (15th)
Interceptions 8 (T-10th) 8 (T-15th)
Turnover Margin +4 (5th) -1 (11th)
3rd Down Efficiency 32.0 (17th) 40.4 (14th)
4th Down Efficiency 43.8 (10th) 38.5 (13th)
Opp. 3rd Down Eff. 33.3 (1st) 45.0 (9th)
Opp. 4th Down Eff. 43.8 (10th) 62.5 (14th)
Sacks 11 (3rd) 6 (9th)
Sacks Allowed 13 (16th) 2 (2nd)
Penalties Yds-Fewest 466 (5th) 471 (4th)
Red Zone Offense 88.6% (2nd) 73.9% (13th)
Red Zone Defense 73.5 (4th) 89.7 (15th)

PREDS PRACTICE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Tuesday, Mar. 22 9 – 11 a.m. Thunder Field
Wednesday, Mar. 23 9:30 -1130 a.m. Thunder Field
Thursday, Mar. 24 9-9:45 a.m. Thunder Field
PREDATORS PLAYERS TO WATCH

OS Jimmy Fryzel
In just four career AFL games, former UCF star Jimmy Fryzel has posted two 100-yard receiving games and leads the Predators with a 16.7 yards per catch average. He has also scored six touchdowns. Fryzel is not a particularly big receiver nor does he have blinding speed, but he runs excellent routes and is extremely strong for his size – often gaining extra yards by breaking tackles.

QB Joe Hamilton
After watching game film from Saturday's loss to Georgia, Predators head coach Jay Gruden had some praise for Orlando Predators quarterback Joe Hamilton. "Except for a few plays, Joe made some great decisions Saturday," Gruden said. "He threw on time and made his progressions. When he hits 70% of his passes, he's a very effective quarterback." Hamilton hit 74.1% of his passes for 307 yards against Georgia –reaching season highs in both categories.

PREDS SELLOUT FIRST ULTIMATE TAILGATE EXPERIENCE, FANS GET SECOND OPPORTUNITY
The Orlando Predators sold out their first "Ultimate Tailgate Party" as 110 fans attended the Predators win over New Orleans. The Ultimate Tailgate Party was an all-encompassing trip that includes airfare, hotel, one meal, all ground transportation at the destination city, game ticket, beverages and snacks on the plane. The Predators have scheduled a second Ultimate Tailgate Tour for the Philadelphia game April 30-May 1. Call Sylvia Bova for details at 407-44-PREDS.



HUMMER OF ORLANDO BECOMES
PREDATORS' FIRST TITLE SPONSOR
The Orlando Predators announced that Hummer of Orlando is the team's first title sponsor in the franchise's 15-year history. The three-year comprehensive partnership, which runs through the 2007 season, gives Hummer of Orlando name recognition in practically every aspect of the Orlando Predators operations. As the presenting sponsor, Hummer of Orlando will receive exposure on approximately 80 billboards throughout the 2005 season. Hummer will also be prominently featured on 100,000 schedule cards, all Predators newspaper advertising, website and all printed materials. Subject to final approval from the Arena Football League, Hummer of Orlando receives naming rights to the Predators playing field. The team will now list its home field as Hummer Field at the TD Waterhouse Centre. Advertising elements of the agreement include sideline dasherboard, turf logo, television and radio spots on Predators broadcasts, program advertising, player and cheerleading appearances, on-field and outside the arena promotions, and VIP and promotional season tickets. "Without question, this is the largest and most important corporate partnership in club history," Orlando Predators President and Managing General Partner Brett Bouchy said. "Hummer of Orlando was one of our larger sponsors last year and they have taken their commitment to Arena Football and the Orlando Predators to a whole new level. Our goal is to justify the faith they put in our product by showing the same faith and commitment to promote their products." "This promises to be a banner year for both the Orlando Predators and Hummer of Orlando, and we're excited to move forward as a team," Hummer of Orlando General Manager Gavin Hutchinson said. "It makes sense for the toughest vehicle on the road to partner with the toughest team in Arena Football. Hummer of Orlando is proud to be a part of the Predators' winning tradition." Hummer of Orlando is scheduled to open a new dealership on 434 in Altamonte Springs in late April.

2005 US ARMY IRONMAN, OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME and ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME (selected by media):
After each Arena Football League game, media in attendance select the "US Army Ironman of the Game" as well as the "ADT Defensive Player of the Game" and the "Offensive Player of the Game." All three awards went to Georgia players last week, as the Force beat the Predators, 49-47.


Week Opp. Player
1 Colorado Ironman: Cory Fleming (O)Offensive: Joe Hamilton (O)Defensive: Damon Mason (O)
2 Arizona Ironman: Cory Fleming (O)Offense: Joe Hamitlon (O)Defensive: Damon Mason (O)
3 Tampa Bay Ironman: Idris Price (O)Offensive: Michael Brown (O)Defensive: Rupert Grant (O)
4 Dallas Ironman: Will Pettis (D)Defensive: Duke Pettijohn (D)Offensive: Jason Shelley (D)
5 Chicago Ironman: Marlon Moye-Moore (O)Defense: Damon Mason (O)Offense: Jimmy Fryzel (O)
6 San Jose Ironman: James Roe (SJ)Defense: Tremain Mack (SJ)Offense: Mark Grieb (SJ)
7 New Orleans Ironman: Cory Fleming (O)Offense: Joe Hamitlon (O)Defensive: Kenny McEntyre (O)
8 Georgia Ironman: Ricky Parker (G)Offensive: Derk Lee (G)Defensive: Kevin Gaines (G)

League Wide Honors
Week 1:
Cory Fleming - - US Army Ironman of the Week

Week 2:
Damon Mason – ADT Defensive Player of the Week

Week 3:
Idris Price – US Army Ironman of the Week

Week 7:
Kenny McEnture – ADT Defensive Player of the Week


2005 ROSTER MOVES
Date Action Player


1/23 Waived WR-LB Leroy McFadden, OS Kerry Watkins, QB Ryan Schneider, WR-LB Andre Cooper, DS Jamie Hatley, WR-DB Ernest Ross, FB-LB Chris Morrant, OL-DL Patrick Scott, OL-DL Joe Fantigrassi, OL/DL Deon White, OL/DL Thomas Pittman
1/23 Placed on IR FB/LB Marlon Moye-Moore
1/24 Waived OL/DL Shawn King, FB/LB Kevin Jefferson, OS Anthony Bright.
1/28 Placed on IR OS Jimmy Fryzel
2/7 Waived K Steve McLaughlin
2/7 Activated from NFL-Exempts OL-DL David Upchurch
2/23 Placed on IR WR/LB Cory FlemingOL-DL Bret Cooper
2/23 Activated from IR FB/LB Marlon Moye-MooreOS Jimmy Fryzel



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 22, 2005


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