Pirates Put Perfect Home Record on Line vs. Frisco
June 2, 2023 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
The Massachusetts Pirates will host one of the Indoor Football League's top matchups this week when they meet the Frisco Fighters on Saturday night at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center at 6:05 p.m. CT. The Pirates are 4-0 at home this season and will look to improve on their 6-3 overall record. Massachusetts is currently on a two game winning streak and are in third place in the IFL's Eastern Conference. Their .667 winning percentage is third best in the league. The Fighters sport the IFL's best overall record at 8-1 and are 1-1 in their last two contests.
The Series:
The Pirates are 3-2 all-time against the Frisco Fighters and are 2-1 in games played at Phoenix Field at the DCU Center.
The Last Meeting: April 15, 2023 - Comerica Stadium, Frisco, TX
Pirates wide receiver Isaac Zico led all receivers with nine receptions and returner Jimmie Robinson had a 51-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but it was not enough as the Frisco Fighters defeated Massachusetts 56-39. Zico had 59 receiving yards and a touchdown while Robinson had 116 all-purpose yards with 16 yards rushing (including a touchdown) and 96 yards on four kick returns.
The Pirates never led in the contest. Robinson's 51-yard touchdown did put the Pirates down by eight in the third quarter, but Massachusetts would get no closer. Quarterback Anthony Russo was 17 of 33 passing in his second start for 169 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Fighters quarterback TJ Edwards was 14 of 23 for 154 yards with two scores and no interceptions. Edwards also ran 10 times for 42 yards and four touchdowns.
The Last Time Out: The Pirates defeated the Tulsa Oilers 54-48 at the BOK Center in Oklahoma. Massachusetts trailed 33-32 in the third quarter but came back as quarterback Anthony Russo threw this third touchdown pass of the game to Isaac Zico to put the Pirates out front with 2:24 left in the third quarter. With the score tied at 40 in the final quarter, Russo connected with Jimmie Robinson with an eight-yard strike for a 46-40 advantage. Defensive back Chris Ingram intercepted a halfback option pass by Jo-El Shaw with 4:18 remaining in the game which set up the Pirates final touchdown drive which culminated with Russo rushing four-yards for a score with 1:03 left on the clock.
Russo finished the night 21 of 27 passing for 235 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. Robinson was the game's top rusher with 11 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. Zico led all receivers with nine receptions for 111 yards and three touchdowns. Defensive back Harlan Miller led the defense with seven tackles with an interception and a pass broken up.
The Frisco Fighters bounced back from their first loss of the season to defeat the San Diego Strike Force 70-56 at Comerica Stadium in Texas. The Fighters did not lead in the game until the fourth quarter when quarterback TJ Edwards scored on a two-yard run with 14:38 to play. Edwards, who had five rushing touchdowns on the night, added two more to ensure the victory. Edwards ran 11 times for 78 yards and was 10 of 14 passing for 191 yards with three passing touchdowns. Jerminic Smith was his top target with four receptions for 80 yards and a score.
Charles Headed had two touchdowns in the game with a 35-yard reception and a 50-yard kickoff return for a score. Headen had 230 all-purpose yards with his one reception along with a missed field goal return of 30-yards and six kickoff returns for an additional 165 yards. Defensively Derrick Jones led Frisco with five tackles and two passes broken up.
Team Stats: (Includes IFL Rankings)
The Massachusetts Pirates are fourth in the IFL in scoring, averaging 51.4 points per game and are allowing 49.9 points per contest (11th). Their 256.1 yards per game is second in the league. Frisco leads the league in scoring at 56.2 points per game and the Fighters defense is second, yielding 38.4 points per outing. Frisco is fourth in yards per game at 251.1 but is number one on defense allowing 200.4 yards per night.
As in years past, on paper, this game appears to be the classic run vs. pass match up. Frisco is second in the IFL with 95.3 rushing yards per game (while allowing a league low of 34.1 rushing yards) and the Pirates are fourth in the IFL in passing (180.2 yards per game). The Massachusetts offensive line is the best in the league at protecting the quarterback, having allowed just one sack this season. The Fighters rank seventh giving up seven sacks. Both teams are very efficient on third down conversions as Frisco is number one in the league at 54.4 percent while the Pirates convert at a rate of 52.5 percent (third).
Massachusetts may have an edge in the kicking game as the Pirates are first in extra point percentage (.941) while Frisco is 12th (.750). The Fighters lead the IFL in field goal percentage at .571 while the Pirates are right behind at .417. Both teams have returned three kickoffs for touchdowns this season. Defensively Frisco has 13 interceptions to the Pirates four.
Players to Watch: (Includes IFL Rankings)
This game will feature the top two rushers in the IFL. Jimmie Robinson of the Pirates leads the league with an average of 65.5 rushing yards per game. In eight games he has rushed 95 times (fifth) for 524 yards (second) (5.5 per carry/10th) with 16 touchdowns (fourth), including the longest touchdown run this season of 45 yards. Robinson is third in the IFL with 128 points and with 16.0 points per game. The Pirates rookie is also fifth in the league with a kick return average of 23.1. When it comes to all-purpose yards, Robinson is first with 1,103 and 137.9 yards per game.
Charles Headen of the Fighters is sixth with a kickoff return average of 22.6. Both he and Robinson have returned three kickoffs for touchdowns to lead the league. Headen is also sixth with 105.6 all-purpose yards per game.
TJ Edwards of the Fighters is second in the league with an average of 58.8 rushing yards per game. In nine contests, Edward has rushed 107 times (first) for 529 yards (first) (6.0 per carry) with 29 rushing touchdowns (first). Edwards also leads the league in scoring with 176 points and with 19.6 points per game.
In eight games, Pirates' quarterback Anthony Russo leads the league with 1,433 passing yards. He is third in the IFL with 179.1 passing yards per game. Russo is 124 (second) of 197 (second) for a 62.9%. He has 29 touchdown passes (second) and five interceptions. His efficiency rating is 167.5. Russo is eighth in the league in total offense with 184.3 yards per game.
Frisco quarterback TJ Edwards has played nine games and is 128 (first) of 201 (first), completes 63.7 % of his passes (ninth) for 1,414 yards (third) with 18 touchdowns and one interception. He averages 157.1 passing yards per game (seventh) and has an efficiency rating of 151.3. Edwards is also second in the league in total offense with 215.9 yards per game.
Pirates' wide receiver Isaac Zico has 54 receptions to lead the league. He is fifth in the IFL averaging 64.9 receiving yards per game. Zico has 12 touchdowns (sixth). He averages 10.8 yards per catch and 6.0 receptions per game (first). Thomas Owens of Massachusetts has 500 receiving yards (ninth) on 33 receptions with ten touchdowns. His 15.2 yards per catch is fifth in the league and he pulls in 55.6 receiving yards per contest.
Phazione McClurge of the Fighters is eighth in the league with an average of 58.8 receiving yards per game. He has 30 receptions for 353 yards with five touchdowns. He averages five catches per game and 11.8 yards per catch.
Jerminic Smith of Frisco is ninth in the league with 58.6 receiving yards per game. Smith has 45 catches (fifth) for 527 yards (sixth) and eight touchdowns. He averages 11.8 per catch and has five receptions per game (seventh).
Pirates' kicker Josh Gable is third in the league for kickers averaging 7.0 points per game. His 63 kicking points are also third in the league. Gable has made five of 12 field goal attempts for a percentage of 41.7 which is fifth in the league.
Bryce Crawford of Frisco is second in the IFL for kickers with an average of 8.0 points per contest. He is also second with 72 kicking points. Crawford is second with a made field goal percentage of 57.1 making eight of 14.
Defensively, Harlan Miller of Massachusetts has broken up eight passes (sixth). Kordell Jackson of Frisco has broken up 16 passes to lead the IFL. He is also number one with 18 passes defended. Teammate Michael LoVett is second with 17 passes defended. He is second with six interceptions and 11 passes broken up.
Lovett and defensive lineman J.D. Griggs are in the top ten with two fumble recoveries. LoVett has also forced a pair of fumbles this season. Defensive lineman Charles Williams of Frisco has 3.5 sacks which is fifth in the league.
The Coaches:
Mark Stoute is now 6-3 as the Head Coach of the Pirates. Stoute joined the organization in June of 2021 as a senior advisor. He served as Offensive Coordinator last season.
Stoute is the fifth head coach in Pirates history and has 27 years of coaching experience in the indoor game. He had his most success as a head coach from 2012 to 2016 with the Cedar Rapids Titans leading them to four-straight playoff appearances. After an impressive 2013 season, Stoute was named the IFL Coach of the Year.
Billy Back is in his second season with the Fighters. Back joined Frisco last season after coaching the Spokane Shock into the playoffs in 2021. Back is 7-3 lifetime against the Pirates having coached against Massachusetts with Spokane and with the Carolina Cobras of the National Arena League. He has an overall record of 135-49 in 10 seasons and is a five-time Indoor Football Champion as a head coach.
In addition to coaching the Shock last season, Back led the Carolina Cobras to a pair of appearances in the NAL Championship game, winning it all in 2018. Prior he led the Wichita Falls Nighthawks in 2016 and was the IFL Coach of the Year. Other head coaching stops included the Nashville Venom in 2014 & 2015, 2013 with the Texas Revolution and the Cincinnati Commandos (2009-2012). Back won three championships in Cincinnati and had a perfect 12-0 season in 2011. He was named Co-Coach of the year in 2010. Back enjoyed a six-year career in the NIFL. He attended Miami-University of Ohio and was inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame for his time there as a student athlete.
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