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Philadelphia Soul game notes

April 19, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release


SOUL VS. DESTROYERS: THE FACTS

Date: Friday, April 21, 2006
Kickoff: 7:00 PM ET
Site: Wachovia Center
Officials: Referee: Bill McCabe, Umpire: Jeff Carr, Head Linesman: Kelly Saalfeld, Line Judge: Gary Cavaletto, Back Judge: Jimmy Buchanan

THE GAME CAN BE HEARD...

On SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia with Ari Wolfe handling the play-by-play and former Soul WR/DB and current Team Ambassador Keita Crespina adding color analysis. Also, online at www.philadelphiasoul.com.

THE SERIES - SOUL VS. DESTROYERS

This will be the sixth meeting between the Soul and Columbus. The Soul led the series 3-2 and split their season series last year. Earlier this season in Week 8, the Soul suffered its worse loss in franchise history when the Destroyers defeated Philadelphia 53-20 in Nationwide Arena in Ohio.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

If the Soul win, it would
- Give the Soul a 4-2 record vs. Columbus
- Give the Soul a 8-5 overall record
- Give the Soul a 5-2 home record
- First three game win streak of the season

THE SOUL'S GAME vs. Nashville
Offensive Player of the Game: Matt Sauk (PHI)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Eddie Moten (PHI)
Ironman of the Game: Sean Scott (PHI)

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Matt Sauk threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to lift the Philadelphia Soul to a 49-33 victory over the Nashville Kats.

Holding a 28-27 lead entering the fourth quarter, the Soul (7-5) took control behind Sauk, who had TD passes of 10, nine and nine yards. Two of the scores went to Sean Scott.

Sauk completed 20-of-29 passes for 198 yards and six TDs. Scott had nine catches for 103 yards and four scores.
Clint Stoerner passes for three touchdowns for Nashville (7-5).

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 FINAL
Philadelphia 7 14 7 21 49
Nashville 7 6 14 6 33

THE COACHES


Brett Munsey (First Season)

Bret Munsey became the third head coach for the Philadelphia Soul and had posted a 7-5 record through the first 12 games. With an extensive coaching background, this is Munsey's first head coaching position in the League.

Munsey, 37, joined 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.

Doug Kay (First Season)

Doug Kay was named head coach of the Columbus Destroyers on July 14, 2005. Kay became the third coach in Columbus Destroyers history and sixth in the Buffalo/Columbus franchise history. He has compiled a 5-7 record with the Destroyers this season and has more than 40 years of football experience including 12 seasons in the Arena Football League. Overall Kay's teams have made the postseason in 10 of his 12 AFL seasons.
His AFL experience began in 1993 as defensive coordinator of the ArenaBowl VII champion Tampa Bay Storm. Four years later, Kay was once again defensive coordinator of a championship team, as the Arizona Rattlers captured ArenaBowl XI in 1997.
Kay will be guiding his third club in the AFL. He was head coach of the Charlotte Rage in 1995 and returned to Charlotte as the head coach of the Carolina Cobras in 2000 and 2001. Prior to the AFL, Kay spent four seasons in the United States Football League with Boston/New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.
Kay's coaching career began in 1960 at his alma mater, Western Illinois, as the quarterback's and wide receivers coach. In 1961, Kay took over at Deerfield (Ill.) High School and coached there through the 1966 season.
From 1967-1969 Kay served as the defensive coordinator at Indiana State University. Kay was then named the head coach of Olivet (Mich.) College in 1970. He spent the next six seasons with Olivet before taking over as the offensive coordinator at San Jose State in 1976.
Kay moved to UCLA in 1977 where he was an assistant coach, working mainly with the linebackers and defensive line. In 1980, he took over at the University of Hawaii as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for three seasons.
A native of Chicago, Kay served in the U.S. Army for two years between 1954 and 1956. He received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Western Illinois in 1961 where he played both football and baseball.
On the gridiron, he played under the tutelage of Lou Saban as a quarterback, defensive back, tight end and punter. Kay earned a master's degree in physical education at Indiana State in 1966. He and his wife Dawn have two children, Kimber and Bart.

SOUL'S NOTES AND TRENDS

PICK A WINNER
The Soul have picked off the second most passes in the League with 19 through 12 weeks (Eddie Moten - 9, Mike Brown - 4, Kevin Gaines - 3, Sean Scott - 2, Reggie Doster - 2, Raheem Orr - 1).

RUN TO VICTORY
When Philadelphia runs the ball more than 10 times a game they have compiled a 7-2 record. When they don't run the ball at least 10 times they have suffered defeat three times without a victory.

FORCE THE ISSUE
Philadelphia have forced opponents into a League-high 101 penalties this season for a loss of 578 yards.

SACK ATTACK
The Soul have already matched last season's total for sacks after adding two to the record books in last week's game, tallying 16 for the season. Sean Scott and Raheem Orr each added to the total last week against the Kats. While in his rookie season, Orr leads the Soul with four sacks this season.

AND THE WINNER IS...
For his efforts in last week's game against the Nashville Kats, WR/LB Sean Scott was honored by the League for the second time this season as the Ironman of the Week. The first time this season was in Week 4 vs. New York. Also, in the Soul's seven wins this season, Scott has been named Ironman five times and Offensive player of the Game once.

BACK-UP PLAN MAN
Soul QB Matt Sauk, in for injured Tony Graziani, has compiled a 3-1 record while leading Philadelphia this season. He has started two of those contests and is 1-1 in those games while both being on the road (Week - 3 @ Orlando, Week - 12 @ Nashville). In his other two victories, he entered the game due to an injury sustained by Graziani (Week - 2 vs. Los Angeles, Week - 11 vs. Chicago).

WHITE WHERE HE BELONGS
Soul WR/LB Cornelius White played three seasons for the Destroyers between 2003-2005. White was picked up by the Soul early this month and Friday's contest will be his first game against his ex-team. While with the Destroyers, he caught 232 passes for 3,047 yards with 59 touchdowns. He was also named to the League's All-Ironman team after his performance in the 2005 season.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
Friday, April 21 will mark the third Friday game of the season. The Soul are 1-1 on Friday nights games and have never had a Friday night showdown prior to this season.

FRIDAY KNIGHT
Destroyers WR/LB Marcus Knight will battle his former team for the second time this season this Friday. Knight was released from the Soul and picked up by Columbus after Week 7. This will be his first return to the Wachovia Center since his release. In his first game against Philadelphia, he caught two passes for 15 yards.

LET'S JUST SAY
At this point in the season, if the playoffs were to begin today, the Soul have the fourth seed in the National Conference and would host a home playoff game. They have yet to make the playoffs in their two-year history.

NOT THIS TIME
The last time the Soul faced-off against Columbus was in Week 8 when Philadelphia recorded the biggest margin of loss in franchise history, with a score of 53-20. Prior to Week 8, the Soul's worst loss came to Dallas in 2005 when the Desperados crushed the Soul by a margin of 29.

TWENTY SPOT
The 20 points Philadelphia scored in Week 7 against the Destroyers marks the lowest point total the Soul have put up in its three-year history. The prior low was 26 points at San Jose (March 11, 2005) last season.

LUCKY 7
With the Blue and Grey securing a victory last week against the Nashville Kats, they have now surpassed their franchise record for wins in a season with seven. Last season, they finished the year with a 6-10 record and the previous year was completed with a 5-11 mark.

THREE IS NOT A CHARM
In the 2006 season, the Soul have yet to score more than seven points in the third quarter since Week 4 against the New York Dragons when the Soul tallied 24 points in the beginning of the second half.

SOUL SAVIOR
Last week, Eddie Moten picked off his seventh interception of the season. He has now recorded an interception five out of the last six games. Prior to his interception tear, he had only tallied one pick off in the Soul's first six games to start the season. Also in last week's victory, Moten picked off a two-point conversion attempt. It was the second consecutive week he was able to deny a two-point conversion.

GROUND EFFECT
This past weekend, the Blue and Grey were able to charge by the Kats to run into the endzone for one rushing touchdown. Philadelphia has recorded 23 touchdowns on the ground this season and it has equaled the total they reached last season when they recorded 23 for the entire year.

TOP OF THE HEEP
The Soul currently have four players in the Top 20 for rushing yards (8th, Wes Ours-100; 14th, Sean Scott-94; 15th, Mike Brown-82; 15th, Chad Dukes-82).

IT'S A CELEBRATION
Soul WR/DB Mike Brown (April 29) and OL/DL Mike Mabry (April 26) celebrate their birthdays later this month.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 19, 2006


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