Renegades' motivation late, but early enough
Published on July 26, 2005 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Rome Renegades News Release
ROME, Ga. - No one believed that a roller-coaster team like Rome could get itself in the National Indoor League championship game. But with everything that is cliché correct, the Renegades find themselves flying west later this week.
Rome (10-7) will meet the Tri-Cities Fever (12-5) in Kennewick, Washington, at 10:05 p.m. (Eastern) in Three Rivers Coliseum for Indoor Bowl V.
"I think the best motivation we have had is the fact we were not given any credit or a chance to find ourselves in this position," said an elated head coach David Humphreys, whose Renegades ended the season 7-7. "I've used this saying with them (the players) for some time: 'All I've ever wanted is an opportunity to prove something and not be a nobody,' and I think it has worked."
Four games into the 2005 season, Rome found itself on its heels at 1-3 and then after eight games it was 3-5. Humphreys explains this was a turning point for his band of young players.
"I think the Montgomery loss was the low point, but then again we lost the next week at home to Lakeland (31-23)," said Humphreys. "We had several closed door meetings at that point and I challenged the team. Our backs were up against the wall and I told them we had to be more competitive.
"I really learned some things in that Lakeland loss and we had to jump in and figure this thing out," he said of the urgency in turning the 'Gades around. "You have to remember; when I took over I didn't know these players and only three of them had any experience at this level. All the rest were pretty much rookies."
Humphreys started out the year as the defensive coordinator; went to offense when the team placed him in charge and then put a special emphasis on the defense again after that eighth game. The team responded and in the last six games held their opponents to 41 points a game and compiled a 4-2 record. The 7-7 mark got them in the playoffs and an opening-round game rematch against Lakeland.
"I've preached defense the whole time and think, like all coaches, you can't win unless you play defense," said the 40-year-old Humphreys of the indoor game that relies on possibly one or two defensive stops a game to make the difference. "
The defensive difference could not have been more spectacular than Rome's semifinal and Atlantic Conference championship game in Cincinnati last week. Behind 31-16 at the end of the third quarter, it appeared the Renegades had run out of ammunition and the Marshals would prevail.
Two turnovers on downs and an interception played right into the Renegades hands. "Cincinnati scored on every possession in that first half," said Humphreys. "At halftime we were very businesslike and told them to get more pressure on the quarterback (Brett Dietz). He's a good one, so we couldn't let him throw so easy."
Humphreys said the team was extremely tight in the first half. "When we realized we could not get any further down than two scores, we stepped it up on the defensive end and made some things happen. They finally made some mistakes we could take advantage of and we were fortunate."
Rome has won by 46 points against Lakeland in the opening round of the playoffs (53-7) and gone to Montgomery for a 47-31 win and then the come-from-behind victory at Cincinnati in front of 5,114, 51-41. Two out of three road game wins.
"To tell you the truth, I like playing in front of another crowd," he said about hostile road venues. "What I don't do is talk about it to the team. We changed a few things in the second half of the season on how we travel and I think it has helped.
"I just don't make a big deal about it and I think the players respond professionally."
Humphreys, who has been coaching since 1985, including an 11year high school stint in Georgia, is from Russellville, Arkansas.
"I don't think a lot of guys are sleeping well thinking about this championship game," he added. "But we've been there before, so it won't be something new to play in front of a large visiting crowd."
National Indoor Football League Stories from July 26, 2005
- Bus ride calls make Fever rise in NIFL - Tri-Cities Fever
- Come out and watch your Atlantic Conference Champs prepare for Indoor Bowl V - Rome Renegades
- Renegades' motivation late, but early enough - Rome Renegades
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