Philadelphia Soul game notes
January 31, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
SOUL VS. AVENGERS: THE FACTS
Date: Sunday, February 5, 2006
Kickoff: 1:00 PM
Site: Wachovia Center (Philadelphia, PA)
Officials: Referee: David Cutaia, Head Linesman: Greg Shields, Line Judge: Dave Chesney, Back Judge: James Cole, Umpire: Doug Wilson, Supervisor: Buddy Ward
THE GAME CAN BE HEARD...
On SportsTalk950 in Philadelphia with Ari Wolfe handling play-by-play and former Soul WR/DB Keita Crespina adding color analysis.
THE GAME CAN BE SEEN...
On NBC10 with Allen Bestwick, Pat Haden and Marty Snider.
THE SERIES - SOUL VS. AVENGERS
0-0
This will be the first meeting between the teams since the inception of the Philadelphia Soul franchise in 2004.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
If the Soul win, it would
- Give the Soul a 1-0 record vs. the Avengers
- Give the Soul a 2-0 overall record
- Give the Soul a 2-0 home record
THE SOUL'S GAME vs. Tampa Bay Storm
Offensive Player of the Game: Tony Graziani, Philadelphia
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Kevin Gaines, Philadelphia
ARMY Ironman of the Game: Sean Scott, Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - Tony Graziani threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead the Philadelphia Soul to a 52-34 victory over the Tampa Bay Storm on Sunday in the opener for both teams. Graziani was 19-of-34 for 283 yards. Sean Scott caught eight passes for 87 yards and a score and ran for two touchdowns, and Mike Brown had six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown and also ran for another score. Shane Stafford was 23-of-42 for 285 yards and five touchdowns for the Storm.
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 SCORE
Tampa Bay 13 0 21 0 34
Philadelphia 14 21 10 7 52
THE COACHES
Brett Munsey (First Season)
Bret Munsey becomes the third head coach for the Philadelphia Soul, as the organization heads into its third season in 2006. With an extensive coaching background, this will be Munsey's first head coaching position in the League.
Munsey, 37, joins the Soul after serving on Orlando's staff for three seasons under Jay Gruden. After joining the Predators in 2003 and serving as the team's offensive coordinator and wide receivers/defensive backs coach, he was promoted to assistant head coach in August of 2003. This role also included his director of player personnel and defensive coordinator roles throughout the last two seasons.
In 2005 the Predators finished with a 10-6 regular season record and lost in the conference finals to the Georgia Force. The team ranked third in the League in scoring defense (47.2 ppg), fifth in total defense (269.2 ypg) and second in pass rating defense (98.9).
In his role as defensive coordinator, Munsey organized Orlando's defensive game plans and served as defensive backs coach. His 2004 defense ranked first in the league in scoring defense (43.1), total defense (236.8 ypg) and pass rating defense (95.7).
The Soul look to capitalize on Munsey's defensive knowledge. Philadelphia was the worst in the League against the run last season, allowing 576 yards. They also allowed the second most touchdowns in the League and made the least amount of tackles. Cutting down on stats like these are Munsey's top priority.
In his role as assistant head coach, Munsey handled several administrative duties for the Predators -- including planning and conducting training camp, tryouts and player housing. He was also in charge of recruiting and handled contract compliance with the League.
In his first season with the Predators, Munsey served as offensive coordinator and coached the wide receivers and defensive backs.
Munsey came to the Predators from the Carolina Cobras, where he served as defensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the Cobras were ranked in the top five in the Arena Football League in many defensive categories and came within one play of earning a spot in the semifinals.
Prior to his stint in Carolina, Munsey served as head coach and director of football operations for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the af2. During his first season as a head coach, Munsey led his team to a 14-2 regular season record (15-3 overall). His defense ranked in the top five in all major categories and three defensive players were named to the "All-af2" team.
Following that outstanding season, Munsey was named "af2 Coach of the Year" in a vote by his peers.
Munsey began his coaching career with the Augusta Stallions of af2 in 2000. As defensive coordinator, he helped the Stallions to a 13-3 record and an American Conference Championship. Augusta's defense was one of only three defenses in the 16-team league to allow less than 600 points in the 16-game season. In addition, Munsey's defense ranked in the top five in total defense (4th), pass defense (5th), rushing defense (4th), first downs allowed (1st), and turnover margin (2nd). Three of his players were named to the first unit of the All-af2 team.
Prior to becoming a coach, Munsey was an Orlando Predators player. He appeared on the team's active roster in 1991, catching two passes for 29 yards. He would spend parts of the next four seasons (1992-95) on the Orlando's practice roster.
Munsey played college football at Concord College, a NCAA Division II institution located in West Virginia. A standout wide receiver, he led his team in receiving in three of his four years and was an All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Concord and served as a graduate assistant coach for the team in 1991.
A native of Orlando, Munsey was born August 19, 1968 and attended Winter Park High School.
Ed Hodgkiss (Fifth Season)
Ed Hodgkiss, one of the brightest offensive masterminds in the Arena Football League, is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Avengers. He owns an overall record of 38-24 and has advanced to the AFL Playoffs in each of his previous four seasons as a head coach.
Last season, Hodgkiss guided the Avengers to their first Western Division championship. The star-studded team, which finished with a 10-6 regular-season record, featured "U.S. Army Iroman of the Year" Kevin Ingram, "ADT Defensive Player of the Year" and "Lineman of the Year" Silas Demary and "Kicker of the Year" Remy Hamilton.
The 2005 Avengers led the league in offensive scoring percentage (74.4 percent) and turnover margin (+17). In addition, the L.A. offense gained 4,389 yards and scored 861 points on just 701 total plays, while tossing the fewest interceptions in the league (nine).
"Ed's passion for the game and advanced knowledge of how offenses operate at the highest level are extremely impressive," Avenger owner and chief executive officer Casey Wasserman says. "I have every confidence that Ed Hodgkiss is the one to lead the Avengers to a championship."
In 2004, the Avengers went 9-7 and led the AFL in scoring, averaging 56.5 points per game. Under Hodgkiss' direction, three major team records were broken as quarterback Tony Graziani threw 99 touchdown passes and offensive specialist Chris Jackson caught 125 passes for 1,803 yards.
The Avengers won a franchise-best 11 games in 2003 and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. Hodgkiss oversaw the league's most efficient offense, which scored 122 touchdowns (most in the AFL) on only 619 total plays (least in the AFL). Particularly lethal through the air, the 2003 Avengers averaged a league-leading 13.8 yards per reception and Jackson tied an AFL record with 46 touchdown receptions, earning him the league's "Offensive Player of the Year" award.
Hodgkiss became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after a 2002 season that saw him adroitly pilot the team to an 8-6 mark and into the postseason for the first time in franchise history. In his first season as a head coach at any level, he instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL, scoring an average of 52.2 points per game. In addition, wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins took home the AFL's prestigious "Ironman of the Year" award.
2006 SEASON
Offensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 TB Tony Graziani
2 LA
ADT Defensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 TB Kevin Gaines
2 LA
Army Ironman of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 TB Sean Scott
2 LA
MILESTONE WATCH
PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Tony Graziani 400 Touchdown Passes 362 38
Kevin Gaines 500 Total Sacks 430 70
Also:
-Tony Graziani is the only quarterback in League's history to throw 90 or more touchdown passes in three consecutive seasons.
-Kevin Gaines is ranked ninth all-time in the Arena Football League in total tackles (430) and is sixth all-time in interceptions (36).
SOUL'S NOTES AND TRENDS
LET'S GET IT STARTED
The Soul and Avengers will meet for the first time this Sunday in both teams existence.
FINDERS KEEPERS
QB Tony Graziani will face his former team this week for the first time since being signed by the Soul in the offseason of the 2005 season. While with the Avengers, he set several team records that are still in tact (career pass attempts - 1,509, game/career pass completions - 334/943, season/career passing yards - 4,290/12,376, season/career touchdowns 99/269). He also surpassed 300 yards passing in a game 11 times in his four years in Los Angeles.
HOME GROWN
Coming back to the state of Philadelphia for the first time to play, Avengers WR/LB Greg Hopkins was born in Washington, Pa. and WR/DB Kevin Ingram resides in Morrisville, Pa. Hopkins was raised and still resides in Nineveh, Pa. The Slippery Rock graduate was a four-year letterman in college and played quarterback at Waynesburg Central High School. Ingram attended Harry S. Truman High School and went on to being a two-time (1998-1999) Associated Press "Little" All-American selection at West Chester University.
THE GOOD OL' DAYS
Five current members of the Soul will be facing their former team this week when the Avengers travel across the country (OL/DL Cecil Caldwell, '03, FB/LB Chad Dukes, '02, QB Tony Graziani 2001-04, FB/LB Wes Ours, '03, Matt Sauk, 02).
PUT YOUR DUKES UP
FB/LB Chad Dukes played with Los Angeles in 2002 and set team records in rushing attempts in a game (9), season (81), rushing yards in a game (49) season (223) and rushing touchdowns in a season (12).
VIVA LA FRANCE
In kicker Todd France's first game in the AFL he connected on a 49-yard field goal attempt. It is currently the longest field goal made in the League thus far this season. He also had three touchbacks that leads the League and had Tampa Bay starting each drive deep in their own territory (7-yard line average).
DY-NO-MITE
WR/LB J.J McKelvey kicked off his premiere season with the Soul and had astonishing 45 yard touchdown. On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Graziani found McKelvey in the endzone for the longest reception in the League through the first week.
HOME SWEET HOME
Head coach Bret Munsey was just the man the Soul was looking for to lead the team to their first ever home opener victory.
GIVE "ORR" TAKE
FB/LB Raheem Orr began his first season in the AFL with a sack of Tampa Bay quarterback Shane Stafford.
FEEL THE RUSH
In the first game under the leadership of new head coach Bret Munsey, the Grey and Blue rushed the for a team record 16 times while getting in the endzone four times for another team record. The previous records were 13 and three.
COAST-TO-COAST
The Avengers are the first of two teams the Soul will face this season from the Western Division this season. Philadelphia will travel to Las Vegas to take on the Gladiators on Sunday, March 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
NOW HE'S HOT...THEY ALL KNOW HIM
WR/DB Mike Brown started his first game with Soul last week and had an Ironman performance as he caught six passes for 104 yards with one touchdown. He also rushed for a touchdown and gained a League-high 204 all-purpose yards. On defense, he caught his first interception of the season.
GAINING ON THEM
DS Kevin Gaines intercepted his 36th interception of his career last week to move up to "soul" possession of sixth all-time in the League record book. His next interception will tie him for fifth with Tracey Perkins (Tampa Bay 1991-99, San Jose 1995-96).
MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH
Last week against the Storm, the Soul were up at the midway point by a 22 point margin (35-13). That was the second largest advantage for Philadelphia to enter the second half with. The most points they have been up by to enter the second half was last seasons first game of the season when they played the Austin Wranglers and were up by 24 (45-21).
HADEN FACTOR
The Soul are 0-5 with NBC's Pat Haden calling Philadelphia games in team history.
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