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Philadelphia Soul game notes

April 13, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Las Vegas (6-5) vs. Philadelphia (5-6)
Site: Wachovia Center (17,639 capacity)
Officials: Referee: Perry Havener; Umpire: Tom Laverty; Head Linesman: Neil Brunner; Line Judge: David Meslow; Back Judge: Barry Anderson

TV: NBC Sports (WCAU-10)
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Color: Ray Bentley
Sideline: Vai Sikahema

RADIO: Soul Radio Network
WNTP 990-AM (Phila.)
106.7 FM WDOX (Atlantic City)
Play-by-Play: Ari Wolfe
Color: Bill Osborne

THE MATCHUP:
The Philadelphia Soul (5-6) look to rebound from last week's loss and return to .500, as they meet the Las Vegas Gladiators. Last Sunday's loss included an interception by Tony Graziani early in the game, which was returned for a touchdown. Though he didn't start out well, Graziani went on to complete 25-of-37 passes for 275 yards, and five touchdowns and his 68 touchdown passes continue to lead the League. The Las Vegas Gladiators (6-5) snapped a two-game losing streak last week with a win over Grand Rapids. Quarterback Clint Dolezel threw five touchdowns, two of which were caught by U.S Ironman of the game Coco Blalock. Blalock recorded six receptions for 66-yards. The game marks the teams' second meeting; Las Vegas won 63-35 on 5/8/04.

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. L, 77-56/L1
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.

LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Opponent Time (ET) Result/Streak
1/30 Los Angeles 12:00 p.m. W, 46-37/L1
2/5 @San Jose 6:00 p.m. L, 31-66/L1
2/11 New York 7:00 p.m. W, 41-37/W1
2/20 Georgia 3:00 p.m. L, 13-38/L1
2/26 Nashville 5:30 p.m. W, 40-32/W1
3/4 Austin 7:00 p.m. L, 41-42/L1
3/12 @ Columbus 4:00 p.m. W, 63-34/W1
3/193/28 ArizonaSan Jose 6:00 p.m.7:00 p.m. W, 66-63/W2L, 75-81/L1
4/3 @ Colorado 12:00 p.m. L, 40-61/L2
4/8 Grand Rapids 7:00 p.m. W, 56-28/W1
BYE
4/17 @ Philadelphia 1:00 p.m.
5/1 @Chicago 1:00 p.m.
5/7 Dallas 10:00 p.m.
5/14 @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
5/22 Arizona 3:00 p.m.

If the Soul defeat the Gladiators, it would...

· Get the Soul back to the .500 mark.
· Be the Soul's first-ever win over Las Vegas.
· Give the Soul their fourth win in their last five games.

The Coaches Corner

James Fuller: Now in his eighth year of Arena Football, James Fuller (3-3 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.

Ron James: Ron James enters his first season as the head coach of the Gladiators. He spent the previous three seasons as assistant head coach/offensive defensive line/special teams coach. James previously served as line coach for the Houston ThunderBears and Director of Player Personnel from 1999-2001. He is entering his seventh season in the Arena Football League. Prior to his time in the AFL, James served as the Assistant Football coach, offensive line coach, and Admissions Support Officer at Army in 1998 and 1999. Army captured two Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) rushing titles during his stint, averaging more than 257 yards per game.

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 – 5-6 (3rd in Eastern Division)

Las Vegas Gladiators – 6-5 (3rd in Western Division)

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 68.
· In his last three games, he has thrown 28 TDs and only one interception.
· He is currently on pace to match a career-high 99 TDs this season.
· For the 2005 season, Graziani has completed 221 of 366 passes for 2,955 yards and 10 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 2-4 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 11 weeks of the season, winning US Army Ironman of the Game honors five times.
· Last Sunday, Scott hauled in six passes for 83 yards and a TD.
· Scott leads the AFL with 13.0 special teams tackles.
· Scott leads the team (7th in the AFL) with 21 TDs and is 2nd w/ 57 catches.
· His 41.0 tackles and 671 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.

Home Cooking

Saturday marks the first time all season that the Soul will be able to do their home walk-through on their field at the Wachovia Center.

Soul Defense Forcing Turnovers

The Soul defense has picked up the pace over the last three weeks. In Week 10'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 four weeks, the Soul defense has forced seven turnovers.

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 four weeks has been particularly impressive. Knight has caught 15 touchdown passes from Graziani in that time. Below are his numbers in the six games he has played this season.

Receptions Yards TDs
32 498 15

Battle of Strengths?

Sunday's game marks a battle of both teams' strengths, as the No. 1-ranked Las Vegas defense looks to harness the No. 5-ranked Soul offense. Las Vegas allows a league-low 249.2 yards/game while the Soul score 54.3 points/game.

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 – acquired in Week 6 in a trade with New Orleans – has provided an instant boost to the Soul defense. He has interceptions in two of the last four games and his four picks on the season lead the Soul and place him in a tie for eighth in the AFL.

Moten's Streak Reaches 4 Games

Soul DS Eddie Moten now has an interception in each of his last four games. Prior to sitting out with an injury in Weeks 6 & 7, he had not recorded an INT all season. His 45.5 tackles are tops on the team.

Record Watching

After 28 TDs in his last four games, Soul QB Tony Graziani has upped his "pace" to 99 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 just over seven TDs/game over the final five games to break the mark.

Local Connections

Soul OL/DL Cory Stone and Dwayne Sabb played for the Gladiators briefly in 2003 and Sabb was with the team from 2001-2002. WR/DB Keita Crespina played with the organization from 1999-2001 and Terrill Shaw played seven games with Las Vegas last season.

Gladiators FB/LB Marlion Jackson played with the Soul in 2004 and part of this season. WR/LB Ricky Ross played for the Soul in 2004.

Graziani vs. Las Vegas

Tony Graziani is 3-0 in games against the Las Vegas Gladiators franchise. In those games, he connected on 58 of 77 passes (75%), for 779 yards, 20 touchdowns and no interceptions.

2005 vs. 2004

Below are the numbers of Tony Graziani and his top two receivers through 11 games in 2004 in L.A. vs. his 2005 numbers with Steve Smith and Sean Scott:

2004
comp-att-yards-TDs-INTs
Graziani: 228-343-3007-72-1
rec.-yards-TDs
Chris Jackson: 93-1356-31
Greg Hopkins: 48-541-11

2005
comp-att-yards-TDs-INTs
Graziani: 221-366-2955-68-10
rec.-yards-TDs
Steve Smith: 70-987-20
Sean Scott: 57-671-21

Approaching Milestones

· Soul OS Steve Smith is two catches shy of 300 for his career and 15 receiving TDs away from 100.

Philly Football's New Ironman

Following in the footsteps of another #7, Ron Jaworski, Tony Graziani has started 60 straight games – 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 2073 total yards place him first in all-purpose yardage.
· His 20 TDs are also tied for eighth-best in the League
· His 987 receiving yards rank fifth in the AFL and his 70 catches are 10th.
· He ranks first in both kickoff returns (47) and kick off return yards (1011).
· 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 – a 25-yarder – 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.

Players to Watch

Philadelphia

#7 – 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 28 TDs and only one INT in the last four games. For the season, #7 has thrown 68 TDs (1st in the AFL), amassing 2,995 passing yards (4th) and a QB rating of 114.2 (7th).

#88 – 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 Week 10's win over Columbus. Scott's two-way play is raising eyebrows throughout the League. His 21 TD catches lead the Soul while his 57 receptions are second. Scott's 41.0 tackles place him second on the team.

#24 – 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 eight games this season, he has racked up 39.5 tackles, four interceptions and five 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 – WR/LB Marcus Knight
After being inactive through the season's first five games, Knight has caught fire since entering the lineup. In six games of play, he has tallied 32 catches for 498 yards and a very impressive 15 touchdowns. Knight's play two weeks ago earned him his first ever US Army Ironman of the Week award.

Las Vegas

# 13 – QB Clint Dolezel
At 6'5" and 205 pounds, Dolezel is the quintessential quarterback in terms of size and ability. One of the most successful quarterbacks in AFL history, Dolezel has a 66% career completion rate, and has amassed over 28,800 passing yards on 2,441 completions. Through the first 11 games of this season, he had connected on 167 of his 259 passes (64.5%) for 2007 yards. His 42 touchdown passes are overshadowed by his 12 INTs.

#82 – OS Marcus Nash
In just his third season in the AFL, Nash has made a name for himself as one of the premier offensive specialists in the League. Through the first half of the season he has recorded 93 receptions (1st in AFL) for 1,335 yards (1st). He is also second in the League in scoring with 30 total touchdowns.

#21 – DS Marvin Taylor
A three-year veteran out of Florida A&M, Taylor has become one of the top "lock-down" defenders in the AFL. His six interceptions are tied for first in the league, and his four pass breakups are among league leaders as well. Taylor has also recorded 41.5 total tackles (t-24th).

#27 – FB/LB Frank Carter
At 6'2" and 260 pounds, Carter has the ability to break open any hole. His strong two-way play has been his most coveted ability. Through the first 11 games, Carter has recorded a league leading nine sacks, while rushing for 73 yards and five touchdowns.

#9 – WR/DB Cornelius Bonner
In his second year in the AFL, Bonner has combined with Taylor to shut down opposing quarterbacks. His seven pass breakups rank 21st in the League, and his 54 tackles (11th) help to solidify his defensive praise.

Turnovers are Telling

The Soul are 9-5 all-time when the team ties or wins the game's turnover battle and 1-12 when they don't. They are 3-2 when winning the battle and 1-4 when losing it this season.

NFL Experience

Soul players boasting NFL exp:
Donovan Arp - Wash, Car, Tenn
Cyron Brown - Den
Marvin Brown - KC, Bal, Cle
Keita Crespina - Phi, Ari
Winfield Garnett - Minn, NO, Sea
Tony Graziani - Atl, Cle
Marcus Knight - TB, Oak
Tim Levcik - Mia, Pit
Arnold Miller - Cle
Dwayne Missouri – Bal
Wes Ours – Ind, Tenn, Pit
Dwayne Sabb - S.D., Buf, NE
Sean Scott - Phi
Tim Seder -- Dal
Terrill Shaw - KC
Charles Stackhouse - NYG, Min

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 11 Games
2004:
Nick Browder and Todd Hammel – 184 of 319 (57.7%); 2,278 yards; 41 TDs; 9 INT; 48.1 pts/game; 5 wins.

2005:
Tony Graziani – 221 of 366 (60%); 2,955 yards; 68 TDs (1st in League); 10 INT; 53.4 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)
Week 11: John Dutton (COL)

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)
Week 11: Kevin McKenzie (COL)

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)
Week 11: Rashad Floyd (COL)

Results in the Red Zone

Phi offense TD%: 81% (2nd)
LVG offense: TD%: 68.5% (11th)

Phi defense TD%: 77.2% (14th)
LVG defense: TD%: 69.4% (9th)



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 13, 2005


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