Stoerner Injured, Murray To Start For Kats
March 13, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
NASHVILLE (Mar. 13, 2006) - Nashville Kats quarterback Clint Stoerner has been placed on injured reserve and will miss 3-6 weeks after suffering a fractured tibia, just below his left knee, in last week's loss at Utah. Stoerner will be replaced as the starter by Leon Murray, who started 13 games for the Kats last season.
"Clint will be alright," said Kats head coach Pat Sperduto. "The trainers feel good about it. Situations like this are why we have Leon. It is great to have an experienced guy like him ready to step in, and we know he'll go a great job."
Murray (6-3, 230) stepped in for Stoerner after he was injured in last Friday's game, completing 13-of-25 passes for 150 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. In 2005, he completed 250 of 416 throws for 2,851 yards, 48 TD's and 10 INT's. He led the Kats on a six-game unbeaten streak in the second half of the season and went the last six games of the year without throwing an interception.
Murray battled throughout training camp for the starting job, but the role went to Stoerner, who has completed 122-of-205 passes for 1,548 yards, 28 TD's and eight interceptions through week seven. After throwing only one INT in the first four games of the season, he has been picked off seven times in the last three weeks. After sustaining the injury on the Kats' first offensive possession, Stoerner returned to the game later in the first half, but was finally removed for good for physical reasons in the third quarter.
"I'm ready to get in there and play," said Murray, who saw his first action of the season when he came off the bench on Friday. "It humbles you when you have to sit and watch from the sidelines, but I think I've learned from it and I think it has made me a better player."
The Kats (4-3) have lost two in a row and return home to face the Chicago Rush in a key Central Division battle on Friday at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.
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