Utah Warriors at Billings Outlaws game preview
March 26, 2004 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Utah Warriors News Release
This may be the most anticipated game of the 2004 NIFL season with all of the offseason moves made by the Outlaws. Billings brought in former Warriors Danny Ragsdale, Cory Grow and Jason Quinn to bolster their offense. In their first game last week they put up 66 points in their rout of the Black Hills Red Dogs.
Utah enters the game winners of two straight, including a 51-49 win over the Sioux Falls Storm last Monday night. This will be the first road game of the season for the Warriors. Warriors quarterback Doug Smith leads the offensive attack, averaging 182 passing yards per game and has thrown nine touchdowns to just one interception. Smith also leads the Warriors in rushing, averaging 37.5 yards per game.
Emmett White has a team high 14 receptions for 117 yards and five touchdowns. White has 324 all-purpose yards to lead the team, second most in the league. Cody Weight is second on the team with 94 receiving yards on only four receptions. Weight plays both ways and has recorded eight tackles, second most on the team.
Linebacker Bart Amundson leads the team with 13 tackles, including eight solo. He also has one fumble recovery. Jason Potter and Trevor Bell are tied for the team lead with two interceptions each. Bell is out with a knee injury but could return for the Warriors game against Wyoming in two weeks. A weakness of the Warrior defense is their inability to pressure the quarterback. In their two games this season they are yet to record a sack.
Outlaws quarterback Ragsdale holds every Utah Warrior game and career passing record. After leading the Warriors to Indoor Bowl III last season, he bolted for Billings in the offseason, saying that offered him the best possibility for a championship. Last week against Black Hills Ragsdale was 24x36 for 256 yards and four touchdowns.
Brian Meier leads the Outlaw receiver core with 11 receptions for 91 yards. Meier grabbed one touchdown, and didn't even start the game. Grow had two catches for 25 yards and one touchdown and Quinn had one catch for 38 yards. Verna Owens was named Pacific Conference Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 35 yards and five touchdowns.
Andy Petek leads the Outlaws with five tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Travis Salter and Shon Flores each have 4.5 tackles. The Outlaws have no sacks or interceptions.
AIRING IT OUT
In his first year as quarterback of the Warriors, Doug Smith is off to a hot start. In tow games Smith is 30x44 for 364 yards and nine touchdowns. He has a quarterback rating of 111.0 and has thrown just one interception. Smith hasn't thrown an interception in his last 28 attempts.
Emmett White leads the receivers with 14 catches and 117 yards. White has also hauled in five of Smith's nine touchdowns. Cody Jamison and Omar Bacon each have five catches and Cody Weight has 94 yards on four catches. Weight also has two touchdowns.
GROUND ATTACK
Omar Bacon has carried the ball 34 times for 70 yards in two games this season. He is averaging 35 yards per game and has scored four times. Smith leads the team with 75 yards rushing and has scored twice on the ground. He also leads the team averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.
INSIDE BLITZ
Linebacker Bart Amundson has recorded a team best 13 tackles this season, including eight solo tackles. He also has one fumble recovery. Weight is second on the team with eight tackles, playing both ways. Jason Potter has recorded seven tackles to go with his two interceptions. Jeff Main has 7.5 tackles and Shawn Kojima also has seven tackles. Trevor Bell recorded two interceptions against Colorado before going down with a knee injury. Bell should be out another two weeks.
EXTRA SPECIAL
Kicker Pete Garces is a perfect 14x14 on PATs this season. Last week he went 5x5 along with going 2x2 on field goals. His second field goal was from 49 yards. Garces performance Monday night earned him Pacific Conference Special Team Player of the Week.
AWARD WINNING PERFORMANCE
Utah has claimed two player of the week awards this season. Smith won the offensive award in week one after going 15x22 for 187 yards and five touchdowns. Garces received the special team award in week two after making all seven of his kicks, including a 49-yard field goal.
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