Undre Giant in Augusta Victory
June 11, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
CHICAGO - A week after seeing their perfect record fade away, the Augusta Stallions needed a pick-me-up. UNDRE WILLIAMS provided one last weekend, earning af2 Week 11 Offensive Player of the Week honors in the process, the league office announced today.
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound OS/KR out of Florida A&M University exploded for a Week 11-high 30 points against Jacksonville on Saturday, helping his club to a win by that exact count (67-37). His five-touchdown effort included two by air and three via the return, tying an af2 record for combined return scores. ADLAI TRONE (Birmingham) and BRIAN McDONALD (Louisville) each had three kickoff return touchdowns on June 2, 2000, and July 8, 2001, respectively. SHON KING (Quad City) accomplished the "three-feat" in ArenaCup 2000 (two kickoff returns, one missed field goal return)
Williams' first return score came on a 43-yard runback of a missed field goal; the other two were a pair of 50-yard kickoff returns. Overall, he totaled 151 yards on five combined returns. He tallied a team-high 81 yards receiving on eight receptions, giving him a game-high 232 all-purpose yards as Augusta moved to 8-1. For the season, Williams is among the league leaders in missed field goal returns, totaling 259 yards on 13 opportunities with a 19.9 yards-per-return average, good for third in af2.
Bossier City DS CEDRIC ROBINSON, the ADT Defensive Player of the Week, made two critical interceptions that helped the Battle Wings earn a last-second 56-54 win at Arkansas. In a seesaw battle, his first pickoff in Bossier's end zone stopped a Twisters' threat and sparked a 14-0 Battle Wings' run midway through the game. His second INT, coming at the Bossier City one-yard line, snuffed out another Arkansas scoring chance and led to a fourth-quarter go-ahead TD. Robinson also had five tackles and three pass breakups as Bossier City moved past the Twisters into second place in the National Conference Central Division.
San Diego WR/LB RICO CURTIS is this week's Ironman honoree. The league's leading tackler caught the game-winning nine-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left in the game in the Riptide's 46-43 upset victory at Western Division-leading Bakersfield. The scoring grab was Curtis' third overall touchdown on the night (two receiving, one rushing). Defensively, the rookie collected 10.0 tackles and made an interception. Curtis, who has 81.0 tackles on the year, was af2's Built Ford Tough Man in Week 6.
The Week 11 Built Ford Tough Man is Tennessee Valley OL/DL ANDY FULLER. Fuller helped the 8-1 Vipers to a 60-40 victory at Quad City, Tennessee Valley's first win against the Steamwheelers in team history. On offense, the Auburn product pulled in three receptions for 32 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, the former Miami Dolphin recorded two sacks and forced a fumble that led to a Vipers' score.
Every team's coaching staff selects up to five players who display a "get it done" attitude after each game. At season's end, the league will honor the "Built Ford Tough Man of the Year," a player who will win a Ford truck.
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QUOTES FROM AROUND af2
"I'M NOT GOING TO BACK DOWN, THOUGH I'M NOT AIMING TO FIGHT. THAT'S THE LAST THING I'M TRYING TO DO. BUT I'M GOING TO HOLD MY GROUND. ALL'S FAIR UNTIL SOMEONE'S TRYING TO HURT ME. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE BIG-TIME HIT, FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, 'AWW, KIBBLE LAID THAT GUY OUT.' BUT REALLY, I'M JUST TRYING TO FULFILL MY JOB IN BEING THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE." - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton kicker JIMMY KIBBLE speaking of the hits he has taken during the season.
"IT'S HARD TO CATCH A PASS WHEN YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE SHADOWING YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO. I GO TO BED AT NIGHT PRAYING I CAN GET A GUY COVERING ME ONE-ON-ONE, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS." - Birmingham OS WAYNE THOMAS, hoping to see more single-man coverage in the coming weeks.
"I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE NOW, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN. (HEAD COACH CREE MORRIS) HAS BEEN TAUGHT BY SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN FOOTBALL, AND ALL I'M TRYING TO LEARN IS AS MUCH AS I CAN FROM HIM AND HOPEFULLY WIN A LOT OF GAMES DOING SO." - San Diego QB KANE CLAUNCH on his learning experience with the Riptide.
"THIS IS TOUGH BECAUSE I THOUGHT MARCUS WAS BEGINNING TO COME ALONG. I THINK HE CAN HAVE A VERY GOOD CAREER AT THE (AFL) LEVEL AT LEAST. SOMETIMES THESE SETBACKS CAN SCARE PEOPLE AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T. THIS WILL DEFINITELY HURT OUR TEAM." - Jacksonville Head Coach EARNEST WILSON on the news of QB MARCUS OUTZEN being lost for the season with a dislocated elbow.
"I FEEL VERY WONDERFUL RIGHT NOW. THE GUYS ARE HIGH, I'M HIGH. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS TO STAY FOCUSED AND KEEP THE WIN STREAK GOING." - First-year Tallahassee Head Coach MIKE McCLENTON on Tallahassee's solid start to the season.
"EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE TO BE UNDEFEATED, BUT IT'S A TOUGH LEAGUE. WE'VE PLAYED WELL, AND WE CONTINUE TO GET BETTER EACH WEEK. OUR FOCUS NOW IS TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AND TO CUT DOWN ON WHATEVER MISTAKES WE MAKE. BUT SO FAR, I'M REAL PLEASED." - Augusta Head Coach MIKE HOLD on his team's performances in building an 8-1 mark so far this season.
"LIKE A SOLDIER IN THE ARMY, YOU HAVE TO BE AT ATTENTION. WE KNOW IF WE WANT HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE THEN WE HAVE TO WIN OUT. WE CAN'T HAVE A LETDOWN, BECAUSE EVERY TEAM IS SHOOTING TO BEAT US." - Augusta OS/KR UNDRE WILLIAMS on the Stallions' need to remain focused heading down the stretch.
"PEOPLE LOOK AT OUR RECORD AND THINK, 'THESE GUYS ARE HORRIBLE. FIRE EVERYBODY.' BUT THERE AREN'T MANY PEOPLE IN THIS LEAGUE WHO HAVE PLAYED THE SCHEDULE WE HAVE. IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO WANTS THAT THREE-GAME STRETCH WE JUST HAD WITH QUAD CITY AND TULSA, I'LL TRADE WITH 'EM. I'M NOT CRYBABYING ABOUT IT. I'M JUST SAYING: DON'T GIVE UP ON US YET." - Wichita Head Coach LAND JACOBSEN on the Stealth's difficult schedule.
"I CAN SEE THE NOOSE HANGING OUTSIDE MY WINDOW. YOU HAVE TO BE RESILIENT AND WHAT WE LOOK FOR IS PLAYING EACH GAME ONE AT A TIME.'' - Quad City Head Coach RICH INGOLD joking about the Steamwheelers' uncharacteristic start to the year.
''IT'S OUR TURN FOR PAYBACK. RIGHT NOW, TEAMS HAVE AN HONEST CHANCE AGAINST THEM AND THEY'RE FALLING.'' - Tennessee Valley OL/DL BRAD JEFFERSON before the Vipers' 60-40 win at fierce rival Quad City.
"IT ISN'T SORT OF SCARY, IT IS SCARY. WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A VACATION, BUT A BUSINESS TRIP. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SQUEEZE IN SOME FUN. HOPEFULLY AFTER THE GAME, WE CAN DO THAT ON SUNDAY (BEFORE RETURNING)." - Peoria Head Coach BRUCE COWDREY on his team's road trip to Hawaii. The Pirates won 64-50.
"IT WAS BACKYARD FOOTBALL. BOTH TEAMS KEPT SCORING. IT WAS BACK AND FORTH ALL NIGHT. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE GAMES OF WHOEVER HAD THE BALL LAST WOULD WIN." - Bossier City QB SHERARD POTEETE on his team's 56-54 shootout victory over Arkansas.
"WE HEARD A LITTLE SOMETHING THEY SAID ON THE TV. WE JUST WANTED TO GO OUT AND SHOW THEM. THEY TOOK TWO GAMES AT OUR HOUSE. WE WANTED TO TAKE ONE AT THEIRS." - San Diego WR/LB RICO CURTIS on the Riptide's 46-43 upset win over Bakersfield.
"WE DID NOT TAKE THEM LIGHTLY. IT TAKES A LOSS LIKE THIS TO WAKE YOU UP. I HOPE WE PLAY THEM IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS SO WE CAN SHOW THEM THAT THEY AREN'T READY TO PLAY WITH US. TELL THEM I SAID THAT." - Bakersfield WR/DB YORK FRIERSON looking for revenge after the Blitz's loss to San Diego.
"WE TALKED AT HALFTIME ABOUT HOW WE COULD USE THIS GAME AS A BAROMETER AGAINST ONE OF THE BETTER TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE. I'M PROUD OF THESE GUYS. WE STAYED TRUE TO THE GAME PLAN AND WE PLAYED PRETTY WELL." - Rochester Head Coach MARK SAUNDERS on his team's 49-41 defeat at Richmond.
"THERE ARE NO MORAL VICTORIES IN FOOTBALL. WE JUST DIDN'T EXECUTE SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTALS, LIKE THE CENTER-QUARTERBACK EXCHANGE. I WAS AFRAID OF THAT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH WORK. WE LOST OUR REGULAR CENTER (JAMES LAWRENCE), WHO DECIDED HE DIDN'T WANT TO PLAY ANYMORE THIS WEEK. WE STOPPED OURSELVES SOME. WE GOT IN THE RED ZONE AND HAD TO SETTLE FOR THE FIELD GOAL WHEN WE NEEDED A TOUCHDOWN." - Mobile Head Coach ALAN RISHER after his team lost to Florida 40-37 on a last-second field goal.
"IT COULD BE MENTAL. WE LOST OUR COMPOSURE AND BEAT OURSELVES. WE HAD THE BALL WITH TWO MINUTES TO GO WITH A GOOD OFFENSIVE SCHEME AND STILL MANAGED TO GIVE THE GAME AWAY. OUR HEADS JUST AREN'T IN IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FOURTH QUARTER." - Greensboro Head Coach JOHNNY SMITH about his team's inability to close out games.
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