Rhinos Game Notes
May 28, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Carolina Rhinos News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Rhinos (2-5)
at Louisville Fire (0-7)
Date: 5/31/02
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Freedom Hall
RHINOS RADIO: 1070 âThe Sportszone' WCSZ-AM and at rhinosfootball.com. âRhino Talk', featuring head coach ROD MILLER, airs Mondays on 1070 âThe Sportszone' at 6 p.m. live from Wild Wing Café in downtown Greenville.
LAST TIME OUT: The Rhinos suffered a last-minute 39-34 road loss to the Norfolk Nighthawks while Louisville fell 72-20 on the road to the Peoria Pirates Saturday.
STREAKS: The Rhinos have lost two straight games while Louisville has dropped all seven games this season including three in a row at home.
THE SERIES: This will be the first-ever meeting between the Rhinos and Louisville.
THE STAKES: The Rhinos need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive while Louisville is searching for the first victory in franchise history. The Rhinos are tied with the Columbus Wardogs and trail the second-place Macon Knights by four games in the Eastern Division. The Fire trail the third-place Wichita Stealth by two games in the Midwest Division and are just a half game ahead of the last-place Mobile Wizards in the overall af2 standings.
THE IFs:
If THE RHINOS defeat LOUISVILLE, it would...
·MAKE them 3-5 on the season, 2-3 on the road.
·BE their second win in three road games.
·SNAP a two-game losing streak.
·BE the first for either team in the all-time series.
·ALLOW them, with out of town scoreboard help, to pass Columbus in the division standings.
HEAD COACHES:
ROD MILLER takes over the reigns of the Rhinos after two seasons as the special teams coordinator and receivers / defensive backs coach.
Louisville native JEFF BROHM leads the Fire into their first season. After starring at the University of Louisville, he played in the NFL from 1994 through 2000 and was first-team XFL last year, 2001.
ROAD TRIPS: Friday's game will be the second straight on the road for the Rhinos. It will also be the second of a stretch in which they will play four out of six games away from home. Friday's game will be the lone home game of a stretch in which Louisville plays four out of five games, as well as seven out of nine games away from home. The Fire opened the season with two home games then went on the road for three straight, returned home and ventured out on the road again. Following this week's game, Louisville will visit the Birmingham Steeldogs Friday June 7th, the Wichita Stealth Saturday June 15th and the Memphis Xplorers Saturday June 22nd. The next Fire home game will be on Saturday June 29th when they will host Wichita.
PLAYERS / MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
SPECIAL TEAMS - The Rhinos blocked two Norfolk kicks and hit two field goals but also surrendered a 47-yard missed field goal return touchdown last week. RHINOS DS ARKEE THOMPSON -AFL veteran has just two games with the team but has been an impact player each time he has taken the field for the Rhinos.
RHINOS HEAD COACH ROD MILLER, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR & LINE COACH TIM EDWARDS, OL/DL JASON LEACH and WR/LB XAMON GLASPER - All have ties to the city of Louisville and/or the state of Kentucky. Miller and Edwards both coached at, and Leach and Glasper both played at Kentucky State University. Leach is a Louisville native, and Edwards has also worked summer camps at the University of Louisville.
LOUISVILLE PASSING GAME - Two different QBs, MATT PIKE and DAN ENGLISH, have led the Fire offense while five different receivers have caught multiple touchdown passes led by AFL vet ANTHONY PAYTON who has 36 total catches for 531 yards and nine scores and CHAR SHEFFIELD who has six total catches for 337 yards and six TDs.
THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:
·ROD MILLER on this week's game, "The bottom line is, it's do or die. We can't afford to lose any more games. You can say all you want about playing well enough to win and things like that, but we have to starting winning games."
·ROD MILLER on the team's ties to the city of Louisville and the state of Kentucky, "It's another added twist to a big game for us. Myself, coach Edwards and some of the players have a home interest in this game. It should add a little more enthusiasm to the game."
RHINOS STAT LEADERS: Total Offense, CALEB SLOVER, 1339 yards; All Purpose Yards, MAL LAWYER, 737 yards; Rushing, CALEB SLOVER, 131 yards; Passing, CALEB SLOVER, 100 for 202 for 1211 yards; Receiving, MAL LAWYER, 34 catches for 425 yards and ten TDs; Scoring. MAL LAWYER, 66 points; Interceptions, MAL LAWYER, three; Fumbles Recovered, ROBERT GARTH, two; Sacks, MIKE BYRLEY, two; Total Tackles, JERMAINE DERRICOTT, 15.5.
RECENT RHINOS TRANSACTIONS: OS RICO CANNON has been traded to Cape Fear for future considerations. FB/LB RASHAAN KEARNEY and OL/DL LEON BUCHANAN have returned to the active roster. WR/DB JAMI OATES has been assigned to the team. WR/LB ROBERT GARTH and OL/DL SCOTT BUCHANAN have been placed on injured reserve.
GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM INJURY REPORT:
WR/LB ROBERT GARTH, Shoulder, Day To Day
OL/DL SCOTT BUCHANAN, Ankle, Day To Day
DS DOMARCO FOX, Back, Day To Day
WR/LB JERMAINE DERRICOTT, Knee, Day To Day
FB/LB CRAIG KING, Knee, Long Term
OL/DL KEITH ENOS, Calf, Long Term
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: This week's game will be the second of two straight on the road, as well as the second of a stretch in which they will play four of six games away from home, for the Rhinos who will return home to host the Roanoke Steam June 7th and Cape Fear June 15th. They will then visit Roanoke June 22nd and Columbus June 29th. Louisville will play its next three games on the road.
THIS WEEK'S PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Rhinos will practice at the BI-LO Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. The team will depart for Louisville Thursday morning. Call 864-467-4777 to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.
arenafootball2 Stories from May 28, 2002
- Stoker Leads Wolves - af2
- Brigade Game Notes - Rochester Brigade
- Wolves Game Notes - Mohegan Wolves
- Rhinos Game Notes - Carolina Rhinos
- World Wrestling Entertainment Star to be at Wolves game Friday Night - Mohegan Wolves
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
