The OSC Interview: Philadelphia Soul Quarterback Matt Sauk
by Fran Stuchbury
February 6, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul
OSC contributor Fran Stuchbury interviewed Philadelphia Soul backup quarterback Matt Sauk who replaced an injured Tony Graziani and passed for 147 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in leading the Soul to a 47-33 victory over the Los Angeles Avengers Sunday.
This past season while with arenafootball2's Louisville Fire, Matt put up outstanding numbers, setting league records with touchdowns (99), yards (4,489) and completions (408). His performance earned him af2 Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Fran Stuchbury: How prepared were you to come into the game when Tony Graziani went down with an injury?
Matt Sauk: About as prepared as a backup can be. You do not get a lot of reps so you really have to prepare mentally during the week.
FS: Did playing under coach Brett Munsey in Tennessee Valley (af2) help you be more prepared?
MS: I think having a great coach like Brett Munsey and Offensive Coordinator Jim Kubiak helped without a doubt. He always says you can be one play away...that is the backup's theme.
FS: Did it help having a solid offensive line giving you time to throw the ball?
MS: Without a doubt! These guys are the lifeblood of this team. They have the hardest position on the field. They go all out on one side, and then have to protect ugly guys like me on the other side. It is a very tough job, yet they do it play in and play out.
FS: What is the biggest difference with the WR's/OS's in the AFL compared to the ones in af2?
MS: I would say in af2 you have one great WR, in the AFL you have two or three. You have more of the really good ones.
FS: Is the offense you ran with the Louisville Fire last season similar to the one you run with the Philadelphia Soul?
MS: I believe all offenses are similar to a degree. The difference your going to find is terminology and formations used during a game. The offense in Louisville was 20 formations and a ton of verbiage. This offense is simplified with less verbiage.
FS: Was it nice to perform so well against a team you used to play for?
MS: I think the win was better, the decent performance was icing on the cake.
FS: How did you feel after the sure TD reception to J.J. McKelvey that turned into an interception? Did you give him a hard time after the play?
MS: The film on the play was pretty funny as I did a 10 yard sprint (if you can call it that) with my arms in the air celebrating thinking it was a touchdown, to only hear the crowd go, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." I then noticed it was picked off! But no, I didn't. J.J. will make those plays. I am sure when given the chance he will make up for it.
FS: Let's talk about your ArenaCup performance - 32-46, 271yds, five TD's, four INT's in a 63-41 loss to the Memphis Xplorers. Was it bad performance or a choke job like some fans say?
MS: Choke or bad, is the same to me. We lost, and I didn't play well. Some call it a choke. I call it a learning experience.
FS: Was it nice to have your family on hand to see you play this past Sunday?
MS: Yeah, the cool part was the family not here that got to see me. It was cool to have 10 messages on my phone with 10 more text messages all saying great game and what not...It makes you happy to be able to do something like that.
FS: You signed a one-year deal with the Soul. Would you be interested in staying in Philadelphia after this season?
MS: Without a doubt. This is a place that I am comfortable with right now. At my age I am looking for security and guys that I want to be around with for 20 weeks. I would hate to be in a situation where I am not having fun. I hope that I do well enough this year that they want me back. I will have to continue to work hard and when given the chance, play well.
If you have any questions or comments for Fran feel free to email him at arenazone@yahoo.com and he will be more than happy to get back to you.
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