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Rhodes Looking to Take Shirt off Culpepper's Back

September 22, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010- When the Florida Tuskers travel to face the Sacramento Mountain Lions this weekend there will be a lot on the line. The Tuskers are a perfect 7-0 in regular season United Football League match-ups after a 27-20 win over the Las Vegas Locomotives last Saturday and can grab some major momentum if it can sweep a two-game Western road swing to start the season.

After Florida defeated Las Vegas, it was brought to our attention that the perfect regular season record will not be the only thing the Tuskers lay on the line Saturday night in Sacramento.

Florida running back Dominic Rhodes is a former teammate of Sacramento quarterback Daunte Culpepper from their days in the National Football League with the Oakland Raiders. Rhodes told us that not only are the two former teammates looking forward to seeing each other again, but they have already made a friendly little wager on the game.

"I'm very excited to go to Sacramento this week and get another victory," Rhodes said from the Tuskers locker room at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. "Daunte Culpepper and I are great friends and we decided we'll be putting our jerseys on the line on Saturday. If we win I will get his jersey and if he wins he will get my jersey so I am really looking forward to it."

Rhodes showed this confidence after a two touchdown performance in the win over Las Vegas. His first score came on a play that had broken down and quarterback Brooks Bollinger scrambled to his right finding him open in the back of the end zone. Rhodes next touchdown came on a one-yard dive play.

"For the most part I would say I benefitted from everybody else's work on both of my scores," he says. "Brooks made a great play to find me open on the first one and on the second one I just followed solid blocking by the line and the fullback."

Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden got his first victory as an outdoor head coach on Saturday. Gruden's offense ended up being quite pass heavy because of the Locos efforts to neutralize the Tuskers rushing attack.

The coach spoke highly of Rhodes' performance which was his first live action in two years.

"Dominic ran the ball hard for us but was a little impatient waiting for the holes to open up. I feel like he will get better with his vision and seeing the gaps in the defense as the season goes on," Gruden says of his running back. "He does allow us another threat out of the backfield and Brooks did a great job of finding him for a touchdown last week."

The Tuskers and Mountain Lions face off Saturday at 11 p.m. eastern on the campus of Sacramento State University and will be televised live on Versus (DirecTV Channel 603). Tuskers' fans can head downtown to Ember for the viewing party with team staff and dancers.

TUSKERS NOTEBOOK: DB JR Reed (ankle) and DT Eric Powell (ankle) were both placed on the team's injured reserve list; while the team waived defensive tackle Antwon Burton...Under UFL rules Reed and Powell must miss the next four weeks of the season and would be eligible to return to action for the Sacramento game on Oct. 21...The Tuskers also signed DE Darion Scott, DB Nate Salley, and DT Claude Wroten to the active roster...Both Scott and Wroten played for the Tuskers last season...Scott will take over at starting defensive end for Powell, while Wroten will back up at defensive tackle...Keith Davis takes over at starting safety for Reed with Salley listed as the back-up...The Tuskers defense will face off against former University of Central Florida and Minnesota Vikings star Daunte Culpepper this weekend...Culpepper got off to a rough start last week, completing 21 of 40 for 171 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 27-10 loss...Culpepper who played his first college game and professional game (Florida vs. USA all-star game) in the Citrus Bowl, is scheduled to return to that historic venue on Oct. 21 when the Mountain Lions face the Tuskers in a Week 6 rematch...Former UCF head coach Mike Kruczek is on the Sacramento Mountain Lions coaching staff, where he serves as offensive coordinator under Dennis Green...In six seasons as head coach, Kruczek guided UCF to a 36-30 record. In his first season as head coach in 1998, Kruczek and Culpepper led the Knights to school-best 9-2 mark.



United Football League Stories from September 22, 2010


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