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Riptide-Blizzard Game Preview

April 6, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release


2003 RECORDS:
San Diego Riptide (6-10, 4th National West)
Green Bay Blizzard (2-14, 4th National Midwest)

SERIES HISTORY:
2 games – Blizzard 1, Riptide 1
June 7, 2003, Green Bay, WI: Blizzard 53, Riptide 43
July 25, 2003, San Diego, CA: Riptide 31, Blizzard 28

2004 SEASON:
The Riptide will travel to Green Bay on July 17 to play the tail end of a home-and-home series this season.

GAME NOTES (Junior Seau Night):

The Riptide return to San Diego this week for their home opener against the Green Bay Blizzard. They opened the season last week in Arkansas, falling to the Twisters by a score of 48-38.

The game in Arkansas left the Riptide with several key questions that they will need to answer this week against a Green Bay team that has yet to play a game in 2004, but finished the 2003 season with the worst record in af2.

The biggest question mark appears to be at the QB position. Week 1 starter Kane Claunch had difficulty moving the football throughout the first half of the game, completing just 43% of his passes and fumbling twice on the QB/Center exchange before being lifted for newcomer Kevin Feterik. Feterik, a former BYU standout, entered the game in the middle of the 3rd quarter and, despite some early problems, led a stunning Riptide comeback in the 4th to draw to within three with under a minute remaining. Another Twister TD put the game out of reach, but Feterik's success (4-5, 53 yds, 2 TD's) will certainly force Coach Mouse Davis to consider a change at QB.

The defense will need to step up as well if the ‘Tide hopes to improve on the disappointing week 1 results. Although they got intermittent pressure on Arkansas QB Kevin Williams, his ability to run with the ball led to two rushing scores on QB scrambles. The ‘Tide gave up four TD's on the ground in the game.

Green Bay has several problems of their own, however. The team has yet to settle on a starting QB after the departure of 2003's leading passer and rusher, Ramon Robinson. New Head Coach Brian Noble will decide who'll be under center on Thursday or Friday. He'll have to decide between second-year QB Dennis Gile and former NFL'er Chris Greisen. Gile, who was Robinson's backup in 2003, played in just two games, completing 5-of-9 passes for 2TD's. Greisen, who spent four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, has thrown just 16 career NFL passes, completing seven, for 69 yds and a TD.

SHARK BITES: WR Ryan Smith had three TD's in the ‘Tide's Week 1 loss, setting a new career high. He had just one TD last season, and his previous season high is seven (2002)... Claunch, who may be starting the game on the bench, did the same in his last meeting with GB. He entered the game at the start of the 4th and led the ‘Tide to a victory in their last game of 2003, taking home game MVP honors... The ‘Tide ran just one running play in Week 1, garnering just five yards on the ground... Darnell Lacy came off the bench in Week 1 to lead the team in tackles with 4.5 (3 solo, 3 assisted)... Blizzard head coach Brian Noble is not just a former GB Packer, but also a Southern California native, having grown up in Anaheim and attended Fullerton Junior College... This week's game will feature Junior Seau Riptide t-shirts to the first 5,000 fans and the Charger great will be in attendance for the game... All ‘Tide games can be heard live on www.WorldTalkRadio.com...



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