Philadelphia Soul game notes
March 13, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
WEEK 3 - SOUL @ RAMPAGE: THE FACTS
Date: Thursday, March 15, 2007
Kickoff: 7:00 PM ET
Site: Van Andel Arena
Officials: Referee: Steve Pamon, Umpire: Wes Fritz, Head Linesman: Neil Brunner, Line Judge: Paul Engelberts,
Back Judge: Reggie Smith
THE GAME CAN BE HEARD...
On in Philadelphia with Ari Wolfe handling the play-by-play with Director of Communications Brian Sternberg adding color commentary.
THE GAME CAN BE SEEN...
On tape-delay this week on Comcast SportsNet with the day and time TBD.
THE SERIES - SOUL @ RAMPAGE
This week's game between Philadelphia and Grand Rapids will be the second meeting between the two teams. The Soul hold a 1-0 record against the Rampage after defeating them in Week 9 of the 2005 season at the Wachovia Center, 64-41. Quarterback Tony Graziani set a franchise record eight touchdown passes in the contest and connected with Marcus Knight five times for scores. Knight finished the game with 11 receptions for 142 yards and Graziani completed 21-of-34 passes for 297 yards.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
If the Soul win, it would
- Give the Soul a 2-0 record vs. Grand Rapids
- Give the Soul a 2-0 overall record
- Give the Soul a 2-0 road record
SCHEDULES
Philadelphia Soul (1-0)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
-- BYE -- -- --
March 9 @ Nashville 8:00 W 63-30
March 15 @ Grand Rapids 7:00
March 22 Colorado 7:00
April 1 @ New York 1:00
April 9 Georgia 7:30
April 16 @ Dallas 8:00
April 23 @ Columbus 7:30
April 30 @ Chicago 7:30
May 5 Kansas City 7:00
May 14 New York 7:30
May 21 New Orleans 7:30
May 27 @ Austin 4:05
June 1 Dallas 7:30
June 9 @ Tampa Bay 7:30
June 16 Columbus 7:00
June 21 Orlando 7:00
All Times EST
Grand Rapids Rampage (1-1)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
March 4 @ Colorado 3:00 W 44-42
March 8 Las Vegas 7:00 L 69-79
March 15 Philadelphia 7:00
March 23 @ Utah 9:00
-- BYE -- -- --
April 7 New York 7:00
April 14 @ Kansas City 8:00
April 21 Chicago 7:00
April 28 @ Los Angeles 10:30
May 5 Nashville 7:00
May 11 @ Columbus 7:00
May 19 @ San Jose 10:30
May 26 Colorado 7:00
June 2 Kansas City 7:00
June 9 @ Chicago 8:00
June 16 Tampa Bay 7:00
June 23 @ Nashville 8:00
THE SOUL'S GAME vs. NASHVILLE (Week 2)
Offensive Player of the Game: Tony Graziani (PHI)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Eddie Moten (PHI)
Ironman of the Game: Sean Scott (PHI)
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tony Graziani threw five touchdown passes -- three to Charles Pauley -- to lead the Philadelphia Soul to a 63-30 victory over the Nashville Kats on Friday night in the Arena Football League.
Graziani was 14-for-21 for 215 yards for the Soul in their season opener. Pauley finished with four catches for 81 yards.
Jeff Smoker threw two TD passes for the Kats (0-2).
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 FINAL
Philadelphia 14 7 21 21 63
Nashville 9 7 0 14 30
THE COACHES
Bret Munsey (2nd Season) (10-7 regular season) (1-1 postseason)
Bret Munsey became the third head coach for the Philadelphia Soul and helped led them to their first postseason last year. He compiled a 9-7 regular season record for the first winning season in the Soul's three year history. Following the 2006 season, he received a two-year contract extension through the 2008 season.
Munsey, 38, came to 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 his final two seasons there.
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.
Sparky McEwen (3rd Season) (10-23 regular season)
Sparky McEwen is in his third year as head coach and director of football operations for the Grand Rapids Rampage. In two seasons, he has led the team to a 9-23 record, including a 5-11 mark in 2006. Last season, the Rampage showed significant growth for the second straight year, however, boasting one of the league's stingiest defenses. Grand Rapids improved its win total in each of McEwen's first two seasons as head coach.
In 2006, McEwen led a Rampage squad that battled through injuries for much of the season, with 97 games missed due to injury. The team featured several bright spots, however, highlighted by its stellar defense. The Rampage were tops in the Arena Football League in passing yards allowed per game (243.1) and ranked fifth in the league in total yards allowed per game (274.9). With McEwen at the helm, the defense set several team records, including least passing yards allowed per game, most takeaways in a season (30), most interceptions in a season (19), and most forced fumbles in a season (13). The 2006 Rampage also controlled the ball on offense, leading the league in average time of possession (31:30).
McEwen also oversaw the incredible 2006 season of Timon Marshall, who was named to the AFL U.S. Army's All-Ironman Team, becoming just the fourth Rampage player to earn such an honor. Marshall, who McEwen recruited while coaching with the Oklahoma Yard Dawgz of arenafootball2 in 2004, led the AFL and set a team record in single-season all-purpose yards with 2,734.
McEwen's ties to the Rampage go back to the team's inaugural season in 1998. He appeared in five games and had a 2-1 record as the starting quarterback with 477 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and six rushing scores. In 2000, McEwen joined the team as a pro scout and assistant coach. His experienced scouting led to the signing of two future ArenaBowl MVPs, Terrill Shaw and Willis Marshall. A year later, McEwen was promoted to offensive coordinator and helped guide the Rampage to their ArenaBowl XV win. In his three seasons (2001-03) as the Rampage offensive coordinator, Grand Rapids' offense scored more points and gained more yards than any other team in the AFL.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Offensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 BYE ---
2 @ NAS PHI - Tony Graziani
3 @ GRR
4 COL
5 @ NYD
6 GEO
7 @ DAL
8 @ CMB
9 @ CHI
10 KCB
11 NYD
12 NOV
13 @ AUS
14 DAL
15 @ TBS
16 CMB
17 ORL
Defensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 BYE ---
2 @ NAS PHI - Eddie Moten
3 @ GRR
4 COL
5 @ NYD
6 GEO
7 @ DAL
8 @ CMB
9 @ CHI
10 KCB
11 NYD
12 NOV
13 @ AUS
14 DAL
15 @ TBS
16 CMB
17 ORL
Ironman of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 BYE ---
2 @ NAS PHI - Sean Scott
3 @ GRR
4 COL
5 @ NYD
6 GEO
7 @ DAL
8 @ CMB
9 @ CHI
10 KCB
11 NYD
12 NOV
13 @ AUS
14 DAL
15 @ TBS
16 CMB
17 ORL
SOUL'S NOTES AND TRENDS
ROAD TRIP
Only three players on the Soul roster have ever been to Grand Rapids (Tony Graziani, Johnnie Harris and Charles Pauley). Other than those three, only two other players have ever even stepped foot in the state of Michigan (Phil Bogle and Felipe Claybrooks).
IT'S A CELEBRATION
J.J. McKelvey (27) will be stepping on the field for the first time on his birthday this week when the Soul face the Rampage, but he won't be the only player enjoying a birthday. Former Soul and current starting quarterback Matt Sauk will be turning 30.
UNDEFEATED
Philadelphia came away with a win in last week's game against the Nashville Kats giving them an undefeated record against them (3-0). The Soul hold undefeated records against four other teams and one of those teams is this weeks opponent (Grand Rapids). Other than the Kats, the Soul have a 1-0 record against the other competitors (Georgia, Los Angeles and Kansas City).
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING...
The upcoming contest for the Soul will be the first time they play the Rampage in Grand Rapids. Philadelphia hosted Grand Rapids in Week 8 during the 2005 season. Philadelphia took the contest 40-27.
JOHNNIE BE GOOD
DB Johnnie Harris heads back to his old stomping grounds when the Soul play the Rampage on Thursday. He played for the Rampage in 2006 where he was the defensive leader of the team with 80 total tackles including four tackles for losses six interceptions, 18 pass breakups and one sack.
GIVE ME SOME MO-TEN
Eddie Moten started his 2007 campaign right were he left off the 2006 season and that was with an interception. Last week against the Nashville Kats, he returned a pick 43 yards for a touchdown. In the first six games of the 2006 season, he picked off only one pass (Week 2 vs. Los Angeles) while adding 12 more in the next 10 games to finish out the regular season.
CP ARE YOU WITH ME
In his first appearance in a Soul uniform, AFL veteran Charles Pauley had three touchdowns off four receptions for 81 yards. Last season with the San Jose SaberCats, he recorded 53 receptions for 646 yards with 12 touchdowns.
PICTURE PERFECT
Todd France began his 2007 campaign on the right foot. In last week's contest against Nashville, France converted 9-of-9 extra points. The nine conversions tied a team record that he tied last season (2/19/06 vs. New York). The record was set previously in 2005 by Tim Seder after he connected on nine extra points on two different occasions (3/20/05 vs. Tampa Bay and 5/22/05 vs. Dallas).
DONUT
The Soul defense stepped it up last week holding the Kats to the third lowest point total in team history (30), but more impressive was holding Nashville scoreless during the third quarter. Last season, the Blue and Grey were able to shutout only one team in the third quarter (3/13/06 @ Kansas City).
ALUMNI
When Tony Graziani went down with and injury last season Matt Sauk came in as his replacement. Sauk is now the starting quarterback for the Rampage since Chad Salisbury went down midway through their first contest this season against the Colorado Crush. Also, Reggie Doster (2006) was part of the Soul roster who made the postseason for the first time a season ago. During the 2004 season, Brian Gowins spent some brief time on the Philadelphia roster and Defensive Coordinator Robert Smith helped start the Soul get off the ground in 2004. Coach Smith is the only member of the Soul alumni who have faced the Soul since staying in Philly and that was while he was on the coaching staff last season with Kansas City.
KNOCKED OUT
Head coach Bret Munsey has not faced the Rampage since he was a defensive coordinator for the Carolina Cobras. While with the Cobras, he helped knock out the reigning ArenaBowl champions from repeating in 2002.
OLD TEAMMATES
Rampage WR Jerome Riley will go up against former teammate Tony Graziani this week and they are a little familiar with each other since they were both members of the Los Angeles Avengers in 2004. Also, Mike Brown, Idris Price and Rampage kicker Brian Gowin will meet again for the first time since all playing together in Orlando in 2005.
MUST SEE THURSDAY
Philadelphia will play the first Thursday game in franchise history this week against Grand Rapids. The Soul will have three more Thursday games this season including their home opener on March 22 against the Colorado Crush.
THIRD TIMES THE CHARM
After the victory over the Nashville Kats last week, this season marks the third consecutive year the Soul have begun their season at 1-0. The previous wins came against the Austin Wranglers (2004) and Tampa Bay Storm (2005).
MILESTONE
Mike Brown picked up his 100th career tackle in last weeks contest against the Kats. Brown had four tackles and one assist giving him 4.5 total tackles for the game.
BREAKING
Eddie Moten has been known to break up passes throughout his two-year career and he started last week tying a team record with four in a game. He breakup four passes last season against the Orlando Predators (2/26/06).
UNDEFEATED
Philadelphia has an undefeated record against four teams in the AFL since its inception in 2004. They start the 2007 season against two of those teams (Nashville, 3-0 and Grand Rapids, 1-0). The other two teams are the Georgia Force (1-0) and Tampa Bay (1-0).
TRAVELLING MEN
The Blue and Grey travel to Grand Rapids this week for the first time in the franchises history. This also marks the first time the Soul will not have a home game until Week 4 of the season.
GET AT'EM
Felipe Claybrooks, Dwayne Missouri and Bryan Save put constant pressure on Nashville's two quarterbacks last week and registered three sacks and four tackles for losses.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
It only took the Soul a little more than 22 minutes of offense to defeat the Kats last week 63-30. Nashville's offense controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes.
THE BIG Z
Tony Graziani set a team record last time he faced the Rampage in 2005 by throwing eight touchdown passes. He finished the game completing 21-of-34 passes for 297 yards and no interceptions.
SAVE THE DAY
Bryan Save starting his AFL career last week by getting a push up the middle from the nose guard position. He recorded his first sack midway through the third quarter and also forced a fumble to go along with two total tackles.
THE WOOD
Backup quarterback Juston Wood came into the game last week against Nashville to spell Tony Graziani during the fourth quarter. While in the game, he completed 3-of-5 passes for 29 yards with one touchdown.
LEAGUE RECOGNITION
Eddie Moten was recognized by the League as the ADT Defensive Player of the Week after his performance last week. He tallied 3.5 tackles, four pass breakups and returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown.
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