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Rampage Game Preview

April 22, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Grand Rapids Rampage vs. Indiana Firebirds
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2002
Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. (EST)
Site: Van Andel Arena (10,454)
Radio: WBBL 1340 AM, Joe Parson, Bret Bakita & Bret Muller
TV: WXSP-TV 18, Bill Simonson & Tom Sullivan
Series Record: Grand Rapids leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Indiana 74, Grand Rapids 80 (Saturday, June 23, 2001 in Grand Rapids)
Coaches: Grand Rapids Rampage, Michael Trigg (55-52 overall, 9th Year).
Indiana Firebirds, Mike Dailey (45-26 overall, 6th Year)

THE STAKES: For the second game of the season, the stakes are pretty high for both teams. If the Rampage win, they move to 2-0 in the Central Division. If the Firebirds lose, they fall into the cellar of the division at 0-2.

THE SERIES: The Rampage hold a 2-0 lead in the regular season series against the Firebirds, with both games coming last season. Grand Rapids opened the 2001 regular season with an overtime thriller in Indiana (4/14), slipping by the Firebirds 60-59. Neither team had the answer to the other's offense in the record setting re-match on June 23 in Grand Rapids, but the Rampage scored last and swept the season series with the 80-74 victory.

THE IFs:
If Grand Rapids defeats Indiana, it would ...
* Give the Rampage a 3-0 series record with Indiana
* Give the Rampage a 2-0 home record in 2002
* Give the Rampage a 2-0 record in the Central Division
* Give Michael Trigg a 55-52 record as a coach
* Give the Rampage 7 wins in last 7 games (including playoffs)

HEAD COACHES:

MICHAEL TRIGG, Grand Rapids Rampage (55-52, 8th Year): Michael Trigg enters his fifth season with the Rampage, boasting a history of achievement both on the sidelines and on the field. That history reached new heights on August 19, 2001 when the AFL's smallest market team won ArenaBowl XV in front of a sold-out Van Andel Arena and a national television audience on ABC. Last season, Trigg not only guided the Rampage to the team's third consecutive playoff berth and first championship, but he also led the team to a league-best 11-3 record. For his efforts last season, Trigg was named the 2001 AFL Coach of the Year. He is just the sixth coach in AFL history to reach the 50-win plateau and now ranks as the fifth winningest coach in AFL history.

MIKE DAILEY, Indiana Firebirds (45-26, 6th Year): Mike Dailey enters his sixth season as head coach and twelfth season in the Firebirds organization. Dailey led the Firebirds to a 9-5 regular season record in 2001 and a spot in the AFL playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons as a head coach. In 1999, Dailey led the Firebirds to their first ever ArenaBowl championship en route to being named AFL Coach of the Year. Dailey guided Indiana to a 14-3 record that season, the most wins in franchise history. Under Dailey, the Firebirds own a 39-21 record and three Eastern Division Championships. Dailey took over as the Firebirds head man when his best friend Mike Hohensee (current Chicago Rush head coach) resigned prior to the 1997 season. Coach Dailey experienced some difficulty in his first season as the Firebirds finished with a record of 6-8 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season. Dailey turned the ship around in 1998 as the Firebirds fielded the strongest teams in franchise history before winning the championship in 1999.

RAMPAGE LAST WEEK: Grand Rapids opened their 2002 regular season with a championship celebration and a 49-45 win over intra-state rival Detroit. Clint Dolezel finished 28 of 35 for 307 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. Dolezel's favorite targets on the night were Terrill Shaw and Willis Marshall. Shaw earned game MVP honors by catching nine passes for 113 yards and one touchdown, while Marshall was named Ironman of the game after catching six passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns on offense. He also added 1.5 tackles and a defended pass on defense. The Rampage, who jumped out to an early 42-19 lead, were able to hold off Detroit's second half scoring fury to move to 1-0 on the season.

RAMPAGE NEXT WEEK: The Rampage open their 2002 road schedule next week against another Central Division foe, the Chicago Rush. Last season, Grand Rapids went 3-0 against the Rush, winning twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs.

2001 REVIEW:

* In just their fourth Arena Football League season, the Grand Rapids Rampage won their first ArenaBowl championship, defeating the Nashville Kats 64-42 in front of an overflow crowd at Van Andel Arena and a national television audience on ABC.

* The Rampage's finished the regular season with a league best 11-3 record, winning their first Central Division title.

* The Rampage began the season with records of 5-0 and 7-1, marking the best starts in franchise history. In addition, the team's five consecutive wins to start the season set a record for the longest winning streak in franchise history.

* QB Clint Dolezel enjoyed the most prolific season ever for a Rampage hurler, breaking his own AFL record with 574 attempts while establishing team marks for touchdown passes (80), passing yards (3,952) and completions (364). The 80-TD threshold has been eclipsed just seven times in AFL history, and Dolezel became the only man to do it three times (81 in 1998, 80 in 2001 and 1999).

* Two Rampage players added their names to the AFL's all-time greats. In a 41-38 win vs. Carolina on May 11, WR/LB Michael Baker became the fifth player in league history to accumulate 5,000 receiving and 5,000 return yards for his career. Then, in a 79-58 win vs. Chicago on July 7, QB Clint Dolezel became just the seventh player in AFL history to record 300 passing touchdowns and the tenth player to record 2,000 passing attempts.

* Five members of the Rampage were honored by the AFL. After leading the Rampage to the league's best regular season record, coach Michael Trigg was chosen as the AFL's Coach of the Year. In addition to Trigg, K Brian Gowins was named AFL Kicker of the Year and DS JoJo Polk was presented with the league's Most Inspirational Award, following his miraculous recovery from a broken neck. QB Clint Dolezel, WR/LB Michael Baker, and Gowins are also named to the All-Arena Second Team. Polk was also named to the All-Rookie Team.

LAST MEETING: Indiana 74, Grand Rapids 80 (6/23/01) - In a record setting night at Van Andel Arena, the Rampage scored a franchise best 11 touchdowns en route to an 80-74 victory over the Firebirds. Rampage quarterback Clint Dolezel added to the memorable evening completing a franchise best 34 passes for 402 yards and eight touchdowns. The 80-point offensive explosion and the 154 total points also set club records.

Grand Rapids would strike first as Dolezel connected with Michael Baker on a four-yard pass less than two minutes into the contest. Indiana would score the next ten points, before Ricky Ross recorded 53-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that put the Rampage ahead 14-10 after one quarter of play.

In a wide open second quarter each squad's offensive specialists stole the show as they both recorded a pair of touchdowns. Indiana's Eddie Brown pulled in scoring strikes of 31 and 24 yards, while Terrill Shaw pulled in touchdown passes from 30 and nine yards out. Ironman of the Game Greg Hopkins added an additional two scores for the Firebirds, while Dolezel connected with Ross on a 24-yard bomb. Rampage kicker Brian Gowins drilled a 31-yard field goal with no time remaining in the quarter to knot the game at 38.

In the third, Dolezel hooked up with Shaw on a five-yard score and with Demo Odems on a 32-yard touchdown reception. The Firebirds would muster just nine points, on a touchdown and a safety, as the Rampage took a 52-47 advantage into the last 15 minutes of play.

In the final frame, the offensive explosion continued with both Grand Rapids and Indiana scoring four times each. Brown's four-touchdown effort in the fourth was not enough, as Grand Rapids countered with a pair of touchdowns from Chris Ryan and touchdown receptions from Shaw and Ross. Grand Rapids would run out the clock on their final possession of the game, as they picked up their second win of the season against their divisional foe.

Shaw recorded eight receptions for 137 yards and four touchdowns, while Baker and Ross recorded ten catches for 80 and 98 yards, receptively. Indiana's Brown pulled in 12 passes for 237 yards and five scores. Hassan Shamsid-Deen led the Rampage defense totaling seven tackles and one pass deflection.

SERIES NOTABLES: Rampage QB Clint Dolezel is 65 of 87 for 648 yards and 16 TDs/0 INTs in two games vs. Indiana (2-0 record)...Following his two performances against Indiana last season, Dolezel was name AFL Player of the Week...Rampage WR/DB Ricky Ross has racked up 16 catches for 155 yards and four TDs in two games vs. the Firebirds...He also has returned five kicks and 168 yards, including a 53-yard TD return in the team's last regular season meeting...Indiana OS Eddie Brown has caught 20 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the two-game series, including a 12-catch, 237 yards, and five touchdown performance on June 23...Indiana QB Raymond Philyaw is 41 of 64 for 706 yards and 15 TDs/1 INT in two games vs. Grand Rapids (0-2 record).

FAMILIAR FACES: Rampage WR/LB Michael Baker spent the 1997 season with the Firebirds while they were in Albany...Rampage QB Clint Dolezel and Firebirds' WR/LB Gary Compton were teammates with the Milwaukee Mustangs (1995-96)...Coach Michael Trigg and Compton were college teammates at East Texas State University...Trigg went on to coach Compton his junior and senior seasons...He also coached Compton at Dallas, Fort Worth, and Milwaukee in the AFL...Firebirds' QB John Fitzgerald attended the 2000 & 2001 training camps with the Rampage.

TEAM NOTES:

Smile for the Camera: Saturday night's match-up will be the second of four Rampage home games that will be televised locally and/or nationally. WXSP-TV 18 televised last week's home opener and will air Saturday's game (April 27) and the June 15 game against Los Angeles. The National Network (TNN) will air the Sunday, June 23 game against the Georgia Force nationally.

Tickets Going Fast: As of today, only 300 single-game tickets remain for Saturday's game against the Firebirds. Additional tickets are available through Rampage full season ticket and mini-plan packages.

Back-to-Back: No not that one. As of right now, the Rampage are closer to back-to-back sell-outs, than they are back-to-back championships. With a little over 300 tickets remaining for Saturday's game, Grand Rapids could register consecutive sell-outs for the first time in the team's five-year history. Including ArenaBowl XV, it would mark the Rampage's third consecutive sell-out

Home Sweet Home: In their last 11 games (regular season + playoffs + last week's game) at the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena, the Rampage sport an impressive 10-1 record.

Party & Game Time Delayed: Due to the Grand Valley State University graduation being held in Van Andel Arena on Saturday, the Sprint PCS Pre-Game Street Party will be delayed until 6:30 p.m., and the Rampage/Firebirds kickoff is at 8:00 p.m., instead of the usual 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. starts.

Schools' in Session: Saturday night's game is dubbed The Best School Night Ever, and it most certainly will be, as over 5,000 students from area schools will be in attendance.

East Texas State Reunion: Three former Lions will be on the prowl when these two teams meet this weekend. Rampage coach Michael Trigg, Rampage QB Clint Dolezel and Firebirds' WR/LB Gary Compton were all standouts at the school that is now known as Texas A&M- Commerce.

Third Time was a Charm: After beating Indiana for a third time last season, the Rampage advanced to ArenaBowl XV, and became just the eighth team in AFL history to complete a three-game sweep with a playoff win.

RAMPAGE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB Clint Dolezel: Dolezel, who just recently signed a two-year contract extension, returns for his second season with the Rampage after setting Rampage single-season records in passing yards (3,952), pass attempts (574), pass completions (364) and touchdowns (80). He also broke Rampage single-game records in passing yards (402), pass attempts (50), pass completions (35) and touchdowns (8). Dolezel enjoyed his games against the Firebirds last season, throwing for 648 yards, 14 touchdowns and no interceptions. After each game (4-14 & 6-23), Dolezel garnered AFL Player of the Week honors. The former East Texas State star opened the 2002 season with a six-touchdown performance in the win over intra-state rival Detroit.

OS Terrill Shaw: After signing a two-year contract during the off-season, Terrill Shaw returned to the Rampage during the preseason. The ArenaBowl XV Most Valuable Player once again earned Game MVP status for his 127-yard and one touchdown performance against Detroit in the season opener. After one game, Shaw is second in receiving yards and tied for fifth in catches with nine.

WR/LB Michael Baker: Baker returns for his fifth season with the Rampage. He is the only holdover from the 1998 inaugural team. Last season, Baker led the Rampage in catches (77), kick returns (37) and return yardage (697). He also added 721 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. Against his former team last season, Baker racked up 19 catches for 131 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 8.5 tackles in the two contests.

WR/DB Ricky Ross: Ross, who returns for his second season with the Rampage, looks to be ready for a breakout season. A multi-dimensional athlete, Ross is perfect for the Arena game. In his short career he has played as a receiver, defensive back, linebacker and kick returner. Last season, Ross was another Rampage player that saved his best for the Firebirds, catching 16 passes for 155 yards and four TDs. He also returned four kicks for 168 yards, including a 53-yard return for a touchdown in the teams' last meeting.

WR/DB Willis Marshall: Maybe no other offensive player, other than Ross, had a better camp than Willis Marshall. The second-year player from Youngstown State showed glimpses of what he was capable of last season, finishing the playoffs as the Rampage's second leading receiver. Due to a knee injury, Marshall only played in seven regular season games, but still finished with 35 catches for 440 yards and five touchdowns. He also added 17 tackles and five pass deflections on defense. Proving that he's ready to take his performance to the next level, Marshall was named Ironman of the Game for his efforts against Detroit in week one. The Detroit native led the Rampage with three receiving touchdowns and also added 1.5 tackles on defense.

DS Joseph Todd: Another player that had a great training camp for the Rampage was Joseph Todd. But since he plays on the defense side of the ball, he probably doesn't get as much recognition as the flashy offensive guys. Last weekend against Detroit, Todd, a second-year player out of Mississippi Valley State, showed he could be a top-notch defensive specialist in the AFL. His defensive efforts, one interception and six defended passes, helped secure the Rampage's five-point victory over the Fury. He currently leads the league in defended passes and is tied for the league lead in interceptions. FIREBIRD PLAYERS TO WATCH:

OS Eddie Brown: Widely considered as one of the greatest offensive players in the history of the AFL, Eddie Brown is the league's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns and receptions. He also ranks second in receiving yardage. Last season against the Rampage, Brown caught 20 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns. His best game came in the June 23 shootout, hauling in 12 catches for 237 yards and five touchdowns. Expect to hear from Brown tonight after he was held to four catches, 58 yards and one touchdown in last weekend's loss to Chicago.

QB Raymond Philyaw: In his first season as a starting quarterback in the AFL, Philyaw spearheaded an offensive unit that finished third in the league in scoring (58.1 PPG) and total offense (301.6 Yds/G). In his two games against the Rampage last season, Philyaw completed 41 of 64 passes for 706 yards and 15 TDs, including a 10-touchdown effort on June 23.

WR/LB Gary Compton: After losing Greg Hopkins to the Los Angeles Avengers during the off-season, all Firebirds' head coach Mike Dailey did was merely replace him with one of the greatest wide receiver/linebackers to play the game. Compton, a ten-year veteran of the AFL, ranks among the league leaders in scoring (5th), receptions (3rd), receiving yards (3rd) and receiving touchdowns (151). While with the Milwaukee Mustangs last season, Compton caught eight passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns in two games against Grand Rapids. Last season's Built Ford Tough Man of the Year picked up right where he left off last season with seven catches for 114 yards and three touchdowns on offense, and two interceptions on defense against Chicago on Friday.

BUILT FORD TOUGH AWARD (selected by coaches)

The Built Ford Tough Award is a national recognition award given after every game to the player or players on each team best demonstrating determination and toughness in that game. The award honors the players who made a game-saving tackle or score-saving tackle, threw a key block on the big play or exhibited physical sacrifice or consistent tough blocking and tackling on both sides of the ball. The honored players receive a helmet sticker that recognizes the Built Ford Tough Player of the Game. Week Opp. Player 1 DET Michael Baker, Travis McDonald, Willis Marshall, Chris Ryan, Lucas Yarnell

GAME MVP AWARD (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 DET Terrill Shaw

GAME IRONMAN AWARD (selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 DET Willis Marshall

RECENT ROSTER MOVES:
Date Action Player
4/19 Placed on IR DS JoJo Polk
4/18 Signed QB Todd Hammel
Signed to Practice Squad OL/DL Madison Johnson
4/16 Signed to Practice Squad DS Terrance Joseph, WR/DB Kenyatte
Morgan, OL/DL Tyshaun Whitson
Waived QB Nick Browder

RAMPAGE INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
DS JoJo Polk Knee Out
OS Terrill Shaw Foot Probable

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

Head Coach Michael Trigg, on the team's performance in week one: "We didn't really play well in the second half. We only had the ball four times [in the second half], with long time consuming drives. Credit them for their defensive pass rush and they got us to turn the ball over."

On the match-up with Indiana: "It really is a big game, especially for them. We watched them play last week and I think we will be able to score a lot of points. The question is can our secondary get a little better and start shutting [opponents] down."

DS Joseph Todd, on the secondary's performance against Detroit: "We played real hard and tried to focus in on our coverages. We came in and didn't want to make any mental mistakes; we knew we could do it physically."

On the match-up with Indiana: "Indiana is a great rival. They picked up a lot of great guys in the off-season and they will be a tough team to beat."

WR/DB Willis Marshall, on the game against Detroit: [In the first half] I just took what they gave me and made plays. In the second half, I think we just came out flat. It is a lot easier for us to win when we don't have to play catch-up, when we are ahead it is almost impossible for a team to comeback to beat us."

On the dangers of facing Indiana in week two: "Indiana is going to come out ready. They already lost to Chicago and they're not going to want to lose two in a row in the division. I'm sure they're going to make it really hard for us next week."

WR/DB Ricky Ross, on the Rampage's second half struggles against Detroit: "We are still learning how to finish. As the season goes and we learn to gel with each other, I think we will be fine."

On expectations for the game against Indiana: "It really doesn't matter to us if we win by one or if we win by 20. I know we are going to come out [against Indiana] and give it all we've got. Hopefully, we will have a better showing in the second half next week."

QB Clint Dolezel, on the game plan for the Firebirds: "Indiana is going to put points up plain and simple. Hopefully we can outscore them again like we did last year. We just need to get a couple stops here and there and take care of the ball."



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2002


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