Texas Copperheads game notes
June 29, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Texas Copperheads News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Lubbock Renegades (5-6)
at Texas Copperheads (2-9)
Date: Saturday, June 30, 2007
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CST
Site: Berry Center
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: N/A
Officials: Referee: Mike Defee
Umpire: Eric Griffin
Head Linesman: Otis Cliatt
Line Judge: Keith Garmond
Back Judge: Joe Machol
Radio: None
TV: None
Series Record: Second Meeting
Last Meeting: Lubbock won 65-27
Streaks: RENEGADES: Won 1, COPPERHEADS: Lost 4
Coaches: Rodney Blackshear (5-6; 2007), Texas Tech
Bryan Blake (2-9, 2007), Tarleton State
THE STAKES: Can Texas avoid a sweep of an af2 Texas foe.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
All practices at Berry Center
Tue-Thurs: 7 p.m.
THE SERIES: This is the second meeting between Texas Copperheads and Lubbock Renegades. The Copperheads lost the first game at Lubbock 65-27.
THE IFs:
If Lubbock defeats Texas, it would ...
- Give Lubbock a 2-0 series record with the Copperheads
- Give Lubbock its first af2 Texas sweep in team history
If Texas defeats Lubbock, it would ...
- Give Texas a 1-1 series record with the Renegades
- Give Texas their third home win in 2007
Lubbock Renegades ( 5-6, Lost 9)
Apr. 6, 2007 L Lubbock Renegades 26 at Amarillo Dusters 65 Final
Apr. 15, 2007 L Arkansas Twisters 51 at Lubbock Renegades 48 Final
Apr. 21, 2007 L Lubbock Renegades 26 at Spokane Shock 63 Final
Apr. 28, 2007 W Texas Copperheads 27 at Lubbock Renegades 65 Final
May. 5, 2007 W Amarillo Dusters 52 at Lubbock Renegades 55 Final
May. 12, 2007 L Lubbock Renegades 42 at Tulsa Talons 60 Final
May. 19, 2007 L Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz 64 at Lubbock Renegades 61 Final
May. 26, 2007 W Laredo Lobos 44 at Lubbock Renegades 71 Final
Jun. 2, 2007 W Lubbock Renegades 51 at Arkansas Twisters 49 Final
Jun. 9, 2007 L Lubbock Renegades 68 at Central Valley Coyotes 74 Final
Jun. 23, 2007 W Amarillo Dusters 35 at Lubbock Renegades 42 Final
Jun. 30, 2007 Lubbock Renegades at Texas Copperheads 7:00 p.m.
Jul. 7, 2007 Tulsa Talons at Lubbock Renegades 7:05 p.m.
Jul. 14, 2007 Central Valley Coyotes at Lubbock Renegades 7:05 p.m.
Jul. 21, 2007 Lubbock Renegades at Rio Grande Valley Dorados 7:30 p.m.
Jul. 28, 2007 Lubbock Renegades at Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz 7:05 p.m.
Texas Copperheads (2-9, Lost 4)
Apr. 6, 2007 L Florida Firecats 54 at Texas Copperheads 13 Final
Apr. 14, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 0 at Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings 52 Final
Apr. 21, 2007 W Corpus Christi Sharks 42 at Texas Copperheads 56 Final
Apr. 28, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 27 at Lubbock Renegades 65 Final
May. 3, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 27 at Alabama Steeldogs 58 Final
May. 13, 2007 W Laredo Lobos 34 at Texas Copperheads 42 Final
May. 19, 2007 L Corpus Christi Sharks 39 at Texas Copperheads 28 Final
May. 26, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 60 at Tri-Cities Fever 77 Final
Jun. 2, 2007 L Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings 64 at Texas Copperheads 21 Final
Jun. 9, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 7 at Rio Grande Valley Dorados 71 Final
Jun. 16, 2007 L Texas Copperheads 41 at Laredo Lobos 66 Final
Jun. 30, 2007 Lubbock Renegades at Texas Copperheads 7:00 p.m.
Jul. 7, 2007 Texas Copperheads at Corpus Christi Sharks 7:00 p.m.
Jul. 14, 2007 Texas Copperheads at South Georgia Wildcats 6:30 p.m.
Jul. 21, 2007 Tulsa Talons at Texas Copperheads 7:00 p.m.
Jul. 28, 2007 Rio Grande Valley Dorados at Texas Copperheads 7:00 p.m.
HEAD COACHES: Lubbock Head Coach Rodney Blackshear
Lubbock: The Head Coach of the Lubbock Renegades is Rodney Blackshear, who is in his second season as
serving as a head coach and his first as a head coach inthe af2. His previous head coaching stint came last
season while leading the Belton, Texas based Intense Football League's CenTex Barracudas to a third place
regular season finish with an 8-6 record.
Blackshear is no stranger to arena football and has previously coached in the af2. He spent the 2004 season
as the Offensive Coordinator/Director of Player Personnel for the af2's Rio Grande Valley Dorados in Hidalgo, Texas. Following the 2004 season, Blackshear joined the University of Houston's coaching staff as the receiver's
coach.
A native of Houston, Blackshear played four years at Texas Tech University from 1987-1991, before embarking
on a career in the Arena Football League (AFL), where he played in 60 games, spanning five seasons. Blackshear
combined for 204 receptions for 2,482 yards and 45 receiving touchdowns in 52 games in Houston. He also
recorded a touchdown off an interception and off a missed field-goal attempt. The 1998 All-Arena First Team
(WR/DB) honoree closed out his AFL career with the 2001Arena Bowl Champion Grand Rapids Rampage.
The former Red Raider was a member of Spike Dykes' inaugural recruiting class. Blackshear led the Red Raiders
in receiving in 1990 (44 rec., 973 yds, 9 TDs) and 1991 (30 rec., 649 yds, 5 TDs). He ranks third at Tech with 973
single-season yards in 1990 and also is tied for third at Tech with nine single-season TD receptions in 1990 (junior
season). Overall, he ranks fourth in career yardage (1,980) and is tied for third with 14 career receiving
touchdowns on Tech's all-time list. Blackshear holds the Southwest Conference (SWC) and Texas Tech single-game
record with 251 against Houston (five receptions- 50.2 avg.) in 1991.
He left Tech holding Tech's all-time record for career yards per reception with 20.4 and was awarded the Red Raiders "Team MVP" honor in 1990 and "Team Leadership" honor in 1991. Blackshear was honored as a two-time All-SWC member from 90-91, and received invitations to the Blue-Gray Game and the Japan Bowl in 1991. One of his biggest accomplishments was becoming the first ever player to return a kickoff for a touchdown against the
legendary 12th Man kickoff unit of Texas A&M, which led to A&M discontinuing the tradition the following season.
Blackshear also spent one season as a student assistant at Texas Tech in 2002. He spent the 2003 season as the
offensive coordinator at Harvest Christian High School in Fort Worth. Blackshear earned his Bachelor's degree in
telecommunications from Tech in 2003.
TEXAS HEAD COACH: Bryan Blake
Blake brings a host of experience on the field and the sidelines to the newest af2 franchise. The native Houstonian, who grew up in League City, TX, coached the Copperheads to a 12-4 record and a first-round playoff win in their only season in the National Indoor Football League.
Blake began his coaching career in 2003 as a defensive coordinator with the NIFL franchise Beaumont Drillers. A year later, he took the reins of the entire team and lead the Drillers to an 8-6 record, good for second place in the Pacific South Division. In 2005, his coaching career landed him with the NIFL expansion team Lubbock Gunslingers.
After one season with the Gunslingers, Blake added the word "owner" to his portfolio as he founded the NIFL Katy Copperheads. He then paired with Doug MacGregor to help establish the franchise in a more competitive league.
LAST SERIES MEETING: Second meeting with Lubbock Renegades. The Copperheads lost to Lubbock in its first match-up.
SERIES NOTABLES: The Lubbock Renegades improved to 5-6 with their win over Amarillo this past weekend and
moved into a tie with the Alabama Steeldogs for the final playoff spot in the National Conference. Alabama
currently owns the tiebreaker with their strength of schedule, but Lubbock can gain control of the preceding
tiebreaker (record against common opponents) if they defeat the Texas Copperheads this week on the road.
Lubbock and Alabama each defeated Texas in prior meetings this season and Lubbock can gain a 2-1 record
against common opponents with a win, which will place them ahead of Alabama's 1-1 record against common
opponents. Common opponents between the two clubs include Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Texas (Alabama has not
played Oklahoma City yet). The Steeldogs will play the Tennessee Valley Vipers this week. Lubbock is 1-0 against
Texas this season after defeating them 65-27 on April 28th.
THE SERIES: This is the second and final meeting this season between the two teams and the only scheduled
meeting in Houston this season. Lubbock leads the series 1-0 folllowing a 65-27 win in Lubbock on April 28th.
LAST SERIES MEETING: 4/28/07 - The Lubbock Renegades (1-3) earned their first win in franchise history
Saturday night with a 65-27 decision over the Texas Copperheads (1-3) at City Bank Coliseum in front of a
crowd of 2,641. Newly acquired quarterback Robert Kent was 13-for-31 in his Renegades debut for 197 yards
passing with five touchdowns. He also rushed for a pair of touchdowns. Chris Highshaw, a former Copperhead and
also a new edition to the Renegades, led the team with six receptions for 123 yards and three touchdowns against his
former squad.
The two teams were in a 13-13 deadlock midway late in the first half until Highshaw recorded a 26-yard
touchdown pass from Kent with four seconds remaining in the half. The score began a 20-0 run for Lubbock who
would go on to tally a franchise-high 65 points in a game. Highshaw's pair of touchdowns and Joey Hawkins
touchdown catch would not be the only way Lubbock found the endzone in the second half. They were able to
get a trio of touchdowns on the ground with Kent going the distance on a couple of runs and Victor Mann getting
his second of the game with a rush in the final seconds of the game. Kenyon Scott added an exclamation point with
a fumble recovery for a touchdown as time expired. The touchdown served as a reward to the Renegades defense
that collected seven sacks, including a pair by Scott.
The Copperheads went 26:22 of time between scores and they attempted to rebound with a Treveco Lucas fumble
recovery for a touchdown with 6:51 remaining in regulation, and a Patrick Norton touchdown reception, but
it was not enough to overcome the deficit.
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