Philadelphia Soul game notes
April 5, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Philadelphia (5-5) vs. Colorado (7-2)
Site: Pepsi Center (18,063 capacity)
Officials: Referee: Wes Fritz; Umpire: Paul Frerking; Head Linesman: Kelly Saalfeld; Line Judge: Dave Chesney; Back Judge: James Cole
TV: NBC Sports (WCAU-10)
Play-by-Play: Tom Hammond
Color: Pat Haden
Sideline: Lewis Johnson
RADIO: Soul Radio Network
WNTP 990-AM (Phila.)
106.7 FM WDOX (Atlantic City)
Play-by-Play: Ari Wolfe
Color: Bill Osborne
COACHES:
Soul: James Fuller, 3-2 regular
season; 0-0 postseason; 3-2 overall
Crush: Mike Dailey, 76-49 regular season; 6-5 postseason; 82-54 overall
THE MATCHUP:
The Philadelphia Soul (5-5) look to add to their franchise record three-game winning streak vs. the Colorado Crush. Last Sunday the Soul, led by the three forced turnovers created by their defense, defeated the Columbus Destroyers, 62-45. Tony Graziani had another spectacular performance throwing for seven touchdowns to continue to lead the League with 63. Marcus Knight, who has been a key to the offense since Coach Fuller took over the reigns, scored three touchdowns in the game. The Colorado Crush (7-2) are on their own winning streak, looking to make it seven in a row against the Soul. Last week, the Crush scored six touchdowns against Las Vegas, four of which were caught by Offensive Specialist Damian Harrell. Harrell holds the AFL record for consecutive games with a touchdown reception with 42.
PHILADELPHIA SOUL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Date Opponent Time (ET) Result/Streak
1/30 @ Austin 12:00 p.m. W, 66-35/ W1
2/6 @ Chicago 1:00 p.m. L, 51-41/ L1
2/13 Nashville 3:00 p.m. W, 59-48/W1
2/20 @ New Orleans 12:00 p.m. L, 61-47/L1
2/27 Dallas 3:00 p.m. L, 72-43/L2
3/6 New York 12:00 p.m. L, 61-54/L3
3/11 @ San Jose 10:30 p.m. L, 52-26/L4
3/20 Tampa Bay 12:00 p.m. W, 69-63/W1
3/26 Grand Rapids 7:00 p.m. W, 64-41/W2W
4/3 @ Columbus 12:00 p.m. W, 62-45/W3
4/10 @ Colorado 1:00 p.m.
4/17 Las Vegas 1:00 p.m.
4/24 @ New York 1:00 p.m.
5/1 Orlando 1:00 p.m.
BYE
5/15 Columbus 1:00 p.m.
5/22 @ Dallas 3:00 p.m.
COLORANDO CRUSH SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Opponent Time (ET) Result/Streak
1/30 @Orlando 10:00 a.m. L, 39-36/L1
2/5 Grand Rapids 12:00 p.m. W, 72-56/W1
2/13 Chicago 1:00 p.m. L, 51-48/L1
2/19 @Arizona 7:30 p.m. W, 74-69/W1
2/27 @ Los Angeles 1:00 p.m. W, 58-40/W2
3/6 BYE
3/12 @Nashville 6:30 p.m. W, 42-35/W3
3/203/25 Columbus@Dallas 1:00p.m.6:30p.m. W 52-37/W4W, 66-58/W5
4/3 Las Vegas 1:00 p.m. W, 61-40/W6
4/10 Philadelphia 11:00 a.m.
4/17 @ Chicago 11:00 a.m.
4/22 San Jose 7:00 p.m.
4/30 @Grand Rapids 5:30 p.m.
5/8 @ New Orleans 11:00 a.m.
5/13 Nashville 7:00 p.m.
5/21 @New York 5:00 p.m.
If the Soul defeat the Crush, it would...
· Mark the Soul's longest winning streak (4) in franchise history and snap Colorado's six-game winning streak.
· Elevate the Soul's record above .500 for the first time since Week 3.
· Mark the Soul's first win over the Crush in the teams' history.
The Coaches Corner
James Fuller: Now in his eighth year of Arena Football, James Fuller (3-2 reg. season) takes over as the Soul's interim Head Coach after more than a season as the team's defensive coordinator. His time with the Soul follows a two-year stint as head coach of the Bakersfield Blitz (af2). Fuller spent two seasons with the Oklahoma Wranglers and established himself as one of the top coaches in Arena Football. His team ranked number one in total defense and pass defense in 2000 while he served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Previously, Fuller spent two years as an assistant defensive coach for the Portland Forest Dragons of the AFL, where he played in 1998. An 8th round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers and coach Bobby Ross in 1992, he went on to play for the New Orleans Saints under Jim Mora and the Philadelphia Eagles under Ray Rhoades. Fuller was an All NFL-Europe free safety for Scotland under Jim Criner before a knee injury ended his career.
Mike Dailey: In his first year as the Head Coach of the Crush, Dailey took a 2-14 team and turned it into a legitimate playoff threat, finishing the season with a league best 11-5 record. Now in his second season, Dailey has Colorado off to a blazing start with a record of 7-2 through the first half of the season. Dailey, one of the AFL's all-time most successful coaches (82-54 career record), spent 13 seasons with the Albany/Indiana Firebirds before joining the Crush in 2004. In his seven seasons as the Head Coach of the Firebirds, Dailey posted a record of 63-46, and led the team to their only ArenaBowl championship in 1999. That same year he was named the AFL Coach of the Year.
Philly Phlavor
Two players on the Soul's active roster are Philadelphia natives: Sean Scott and Keita Crespina. Scott, last year's Soul MVP, grew up in Overbrook and attended Millersville University in Lancaster. Crespina, who grew up in North Philly and continues to reside there, graduated from Temple University and was voted the Owls' MVP in 1992.
Soul WR/DB Rob Milanese is a rookie and a graduate of Penn, where he holds the school record in receiving yards.
2005 Standings
Philadelphia Soul â 5-5 (3rd in Eastern Division)
Colorado Crush â 7-2 (1st in Central Division)
2005 Record When...
Wachovia Center 3-2
On the Road 2-3
Score First 2-1
Opp. Score First 3-4
Leading at Half 5-0
Trailing at Half 0-5
Friday 0-1
Saturday 1-0
Sunday 4-4
On NBC 4-4
Hammond/Haden 0-2
Hammond/Bentley 0-2
Papa/Bentley 2-0
Papa/Pawlawski 1-0
Weber/Pawlawski 1-0
On FSN/CSN 1-1
Vs. Eastern 1-2
Vs. Central 2-1
Vs. Western 0-1
Vs. Southern 2-1
January 1-0
February 1-3
March 2-2
April 1-0
May 0-0
Tracking the Soul's New Superstar
· In October, Tony Graziani signed the wealthiest contract in AFL history. As the most coveted free agent on the market, Graziani's addition sent waves through the National Conference.
· Graziani now leads the AFL in TD passes with 63.
· In his last three games (all Soul wins, he has thrown 23 TDs and no interceptions.
· He is currently on pace to throw a career-high 101 TDs this season.
· For the 2005 season, Graziani has completed 196 of 329 passes for 2,680 yards and nine INTs.
· As 2004 All Arena First Team QB, he threw a career-best of 99 touchdowns and added four rushing scores.
Soul = Road Warriors?
After managing just one road win a season ago, the Soul have doubled that total this season. Philadelphia is 2-3 at visiting arenas this season.
Scott's the Heart of the Soul
· Philadelphia-born WR/LB Sean Scott has been the Soul's Ironman through the first 10 weeks of the season, winning US Army Ironman of the Game honors five times.
· Last Sunday, Scott sparked the Soul with a TD reception, 8.5 tackles and a forced fumble.
· Scott leads the AFL with 12.0 special teams tackles.
· Scott leads the team (t-6th in the AFL) with 22 TDs and is 2nd w/ 51 catches.
· His 40.0 tackles and 582 receiving yards are second on the team.
· For his performance in Chicago in Week 2, Scott was named the AFL's US Army Ironman of the Week for the second consecutive week.
· With the award, Scott became the first AFLer to win back-to-back US Army Ironman of the Week honors since Chicago's Dameon Porter in Weeks 7 and 8 of 2001.
Soul Defense Forcing Turnovers
The Soul defense has picked up the pace over the last three weeks. In Sunday's win over Columbus, the unit forced three turnovers, including two interceptions. The team also forced six fumbles, which was a franchise record. Over the last two weeks, the Soul defense has allowed just 43.0 points per game.
Marcus Knight Impresses Early
Despite not making his Soul debut until Week 6 of this season, Knight has been a solid addition to the team's receiving corps. An ex-NFLer who played with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, performance over the last three weeks has been particularly impressive. Knight has caught 11 touchdown passes from Graziani in that time. Below are his numbers in the five games he has played this season.
Receptions Yards TDs
26 415 13
Graziani Earns First AFL MVP
Graziani picked up his first Offensive Player of the Week honors from the AFL this week. His seven-TD performance against Columbus earned him his third-straight Offensive Player of the Game honors.
Day of Rest?
The Soul play a league-high 14 of their 16 games on Sundays this season. Philadelphia will also be featured 14 times on NBC, also most among all AFL teams.
Coleman Provides a Boost
Soul DS Calvin Coleman â acquired in Week 6 in a trade with New Orleans â has provided an instant boost to the Soul defense. He has interceptions in two of the last three games and his four picks on the season lead the Soul and place him in a tie for seventh in the AFL.
Moten's Streak Reaches 3 Games
Soul DS Eddie Moten now has an interception in each of his last three games. Prior to sitting out with an injury in Weeks 6 & 7, he had not recorded an INT all season. He now has 40.0 tackles, which place him in a tie for second on the team.
Record Watching
After 23 TDs in his last two games, Soul QB Tony Graziani has upped his "pace" to 101 for the season. He threw a career high 99 TDs a year ago and may come within striking distance of the AFL's single season record of 104, set by Aaron Garcia in 2001. Graziani would need to throw seven TDs/game over the final six games to break the mark.
Local Connections
The Soul obtained their first player in the expansion draft, Dwayne Missouri, in September of 2003, from the Crush. OL/DL Cyron Brown and Winfield Garnett also played for the Crush.
Crush Offensive/Defensive lineman Dustin Barno is a native of Souderton, PA. He attended Easton Area High School and still resides in Souderton in the off-season. OL/DL Donny Klein is a graduate of Temple University and has a Temple Owl tattooed on his calf.
Graziani vs. Colorado
Tony Graziani is 2-1 in games against the Colorado Crush franchise. In those games, he connected on 61 of 93 passes (66%), for 738 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
2005 vs. 2004
Below are the numbers of Tony Graziani and his top two receivers through 10 games in 2004 in L.A. vs. his 2005 numbers with Steve Smith and Sean Scott:
2004
comp-att-yards-TDs-INTs
Graziani: 209-318-2746-64-1
rec.-yards-TDs
Chris Jackson: 83-1219-30
Greg Hopkins: 46-512-10
2005
comp-att-yards-TDs-INTs
Graziani: 196-329-2680-63-9
rec.-yards-TDs
Steve Smith: 60-899-19
Sean Scott: 51-582-20
Approaching Milestones
· Soul OS Steve Smith is 12 catches shy of 300 for his career and 16 receiving TDs away from 100.
Philly Football's New Ironman
Following in the footsteps of another #7, Ron Jaworski, Tony Graziani has started 59 straight games â the second longest current streak in the AFL.
Good Things Come in Small Packages
· At just 5-foot-9, Steve Smith is not one of the biggest offensive specialists in the League, but he is one of the most explosive.
· His 1912 total yards place him first in all-purpose yardage.
· His 21 TDs are also tied for eighth-best in the League
· His 899 receiving yards rank fifth in the AFL and his 60 catches are 12th.
· He ranks first in both kickoff returns (44) and kick off return yards (942).
· Smith's five TDs in Week 1 set a career and franchise record, which was then tied by Sean Scott's 5-TD performance in Weeks 2 and 6.
Recent Milestones
· Tony Graziani surpassed the 15,000 career passing yards mark last Sunday with a fourth quarter pass.
· Newly acquired kicker Tim Seder converted his first AFL field goal â a 25-yarder â in the Week 9 win over Grand Rapids.
· Scott caught the 100th pass of his career in the Soul's Week 9 win over Grand Rapids.
· Ryan picked up his 200th career carry in the first quarter of the Soul's 3/26 win over Grand Rapids.
· Graziani threw his 300th career TD in the Soul's loss on 3/6 to NY.
· Tyronne Jones caught his 500th career pass in the Soul's 3/6 loss to NY.
Hammond/Haden = Bad Luck?
The Soul are winless this season in their two games called by Tom Hammond and Pat Haden. However, the team has gone 4-2 in its other six games broadcast by NBC.
Players to Watch
Philadelphia
#7 â QB Tony Graziani
Armed with a wealth of talented receivers, led by Sean Scott and Steve Smith, Graziani continues to put up big numbers. He has thrown 23 TDs and zero INTs in the past three games (all Soul wins). For the season, #7 has thrown 63 TDs (1st in the AFL), amassing 2,680 passing yards (4th) and a QB rating of 113.86.
#88 â WR/LB Sean Scott
Sean Scott won US Army Ironman of the Game honors for the fifth time in 10 games with his performance in Sunday's win over Columbus. Scott's two-way play is raising eyebrows throughout the League. His 20 TD catches lead the Soul while his 51 receptions are second. Scott's 40.0 tackles place him second on the team.
#24 â DS Calvin Coleman
A second-year player out of Montana, Coleman came over in a trade with the New Orleans VooDoo four weeks ago. In just seven games this season, he has racked up 32.5 tackles, four interceptions and four pass breakups. His pick two weeks ago came via Michael Bishop on a throw off the net in the back of the end zone.
#12 â WR/LB Marcus Knight
After being inactive through the season's first five games, Knight has caught fire since entering the lineup. In the past three games he has tallied 19 catches for 310 yards and a very impressive 11 touchdowns. Knight's play two weeks ago earned him his first ever US Army Ironman of the Week award.
Colorado
# 8 â QB John Dutton
Dutton, a classic dropback passer, joined the Crush three seasons ago after leading San Jose to an ArenaBowl championship. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder enters Sunday's tilt riding a five-game winning streak with his Crush perched atop the Central Division standings. Going 21 for 32 with 192 yards and 6 TDs, Dutton led the Crush to a 61-40 win over the Las Vegas Gladiators. For the season, Dutton has completed 198 of his 321 passes for 2269 yards, 51 touchdowns and seven interceptions, for a QB rating of 112.39.
#1 â OS Damian Harrell
A six-year veteran, Harrell set the AFL record for consecutive games with a TD catch last week with 42, including all 30 games as a member of the Crush. Thus far he has hauled in 61 passes (11th in AFL) for 791 yards (9th) and 25 TDs (3rd).
#6 â WR/DB Kevin McKenzie
Through the first half of the season McKenzie has wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks, picking off four passes (t-7th in AFL) for 53 return yards and two touchdowns (1st).
#42 â FB/LB Rich Young
In his sixth year in the AFL, Young has become the premier pass rusher for Colorado. At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Young has the size and speed that allow him to disrupt opponents in the backfield. In the first nine games he has recorded five sacks (t-3rd in AFL) and two forced fumbles (t-7th).
#4 â WR/DB Rashad Floyd
A key component to the Colorado secondary, Floyd has made a name for himself as both a solid tackler and cover man. So far he has recorded 78.5 total tackles (1st in AFL), 73 solo tackles (1st), and 13 pass breakups (13th).
Turnovers are Telling
The Soul are 9-5 all-time when the team ties or wins the game's turnover battle and 1-11 when they don't. They are 3-2 when winning the battle and 1-3 when losing it this season.
ROCK vs. JOCK, Part III
Jon Bon Jovi's Soul and John Elway's Crush will meet for the third time in the franchises' young histories this Sunday. Elway and Bon Jovi filmed NBC's "Rumble in the Montecito" commercial (along with the cast of NBC's hit show Las Vegas) just before the season, the second spot the duo has appeared in together.
A season ago, the Crush were victorious in both meetings with the Soul. On 3/21 in Philadelphia Colorado held off Philly, 40-33, and six weeks later on 5/1, the Crush downed the Soul 58-40.
QB Stats 2004 vs. 2005
The Soul's top offseason priority was an upgrade at the QB position. Here's a breakdown of the position's play in 2004 vs. 2005:
Through 10 Games
2004:
Nick Browder and Todd Hammel â 167 of 290 (58%); 2,023 yards; 36 TDs; 9 INT; 45.5 pts/game; 4 wins.
2005:
Tony Graziani â 196 of 329 (60%); 2,690 yards; 63 TDs (1st in League); 9 INT; 53.1 pts/game; 5 wins.
2005 Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Game:
Week 1: Steve Smith (PHI)
Week 2: Raymond Philyaw (CHI)
Week 3: Steve Smith (PHI)
Week 4: Andy Kelly (NOV)
Week 5: Clint Stoerner (DAL)
Week 6: Mike Horacek (NY)
Week 7: James Roe (SJS)
Week 8: Tony Graziani (PHI)
Week 9: Tony Graziani (PHI)
Week 10: Tony Graziani (PHI)
US Army Ironman of the Game:
Week 1: Sean Scott (PHI)
Week 2: Sean Scott/John Moyer (PHI/CHI)
Week 3: Sean Scott (PHI)
Week 4: Lamont Moore (NOV)
Week 5: Duke Pettijohn (DAL)
Week 6: Sean Scott (PHI)
Week 7: Matt Kinsinger (SJS)
Week 8: Keita Crespina (PHI)
Week 9: Marcus Knight (PHI)
Week 10: Sean Scott (PHI)
Defensive Player of the Game:
Week 1: Arkee Thompson (PHI)
Week 2: Russell Shaw (CHI)
Week 3: Arkee Thompson (PHI)
Week 4: Monty Montgomery (NO)
Week 5: Jermaine Jones (DAL)
Week 6: Chris Angel (NY)
Week 7: Tremain Mack (SJS)
Week 8: Eddie Moten (PHI)
Week 9: Calvin Coleman (PHI)
Week 10: Eddie Moten (PHI)
Results in the Red Zone
Phi offense TD%: 80% (2nd)
Col offense: TD%: 78% (3rd)
Phi defense TD%: 74% (13th)
Col defense: TD%: 72.1% (10th)
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