Virginia Destroyers Vs. Las Vegas Locos Game Notes
September 21, 2011 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Virginia Destroyers News Release
Game: 2
Las Vegas at Virginia
Virginia Beach Sportsplex
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (EDT)
Radio: ESPN (1310 AM)
2011 Destroyers Schedule
Date Opponent Time/Score
9/15 at OmahaW 23-13
9/24 LAS VEGAS 7 p.m.
BYE
10/7 SACRAMENTO7 p.m.
10/15 at Sacramento7 p.m.
10/21 OMAHA7 p.m.
10/27 at Las Vegas10 p.m.
2011 UFL Standings
TeamW-LPct.
Virginia1-01.00
Las Vegas1-01.00
Sacramento0-1.000
Omaha0-1 .000
This week's game
9/24 Las Vegas at Virginia 7 p.m
Sacramento and Omaha BYE
Virginia PR Contact:
Vicki L. Friedman
(757) 373-0477
Vicki.Friedman@ufl-football.com
Stephanie McCombs
(757) 636-8177
Stephanie.McCombs@ufl.football.com
Las Vegas PR
Matt Guidish
(403) 737-3100 (o)
(403) 403-7300 (c)
mquidish@kirvindoak.com
THE GAME
Saturday's game between the Virginia Destroyers and the Las Vegas Locos marks the debut of professional football in the Commonwealth. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. John Castleberry (play-by-play) and William Fuller (color) are the broadcast team on ESPN 1310 AM. Tony Cordasco (play-by-play), Doug Marsh (color) Fox Radio 920 AM will have the call for Las Vegas.
Saturday's game features the lone two unbeaten teams in the UFL. The Destroyers won their UFL opener on Sept. 15, defeating the Omaha Nighthawks 23-13. Dominic Rhodes, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007, rushed 23 times for 77 yards with one touchdown and quarterback Chris Greisen completed 19 of 34 passes for 248 yards with one touchdown. Delbert Alvarado kicked three field goals (42, 22 and 20 yards) for the Destroyers, who scored 16 straight points before Omaha added its only touchdown with 50 seconds on the clock.
Virginia went 4-of-5 in the red zone.
Two-time defending UFL champion Las Vegas also earned a victory on the road, defeating the Sacramento Mountain Lions 23-17. The Locomotives got a pair of touchdowns from running backs Chase Clement and DeDe Dorsey along with three field goals from Aaron Pettrey (21, 28, 23 yards).
The UFL's only other 1-0 vs. 1-0 game was between the Florida Tuskers and Locos on October 14, 2009 at Sam Boyd Stadium, as Florida defeated Las Vegas on the road, 29-15, behind three Brooks Bollinger touchdown passes and a defense that racked up six sacks, which is still a UFL record.
THE SERIES
First meeting between the teams, however, Saturday night's matchup is a quasi-extension of the most intense UFL rivalry to date, as the Destroyers feature many ex-Florida Tuskers players. The Locos and Tuskers played each other six times in 2009 and 2010, finishing 3-3, and Las Vegas topped Florida in both of the previous UFL Championship Games. .
SCHOTTENHEIMER ADDS TO HIS LEGEND
Virginia's season-opening victory over Omaha marked the UFL debut for Virginia Destroyers head coach Marty Schottenheimer, who brings with him more than 30 years of National Football League coaching experience. Schottenheimer ranks sixth all-time in NFL history with 200 regular-season victories. His NFL head coaching record is 205-139-1 (.596), and he is one of a handful of NFL head coaches to lead at least three different franchises to the playoffs. Schottenheimer's regular-season record is 200-126-1.
Schottenheimer was Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers from 2002-06, guiding the franchise to two AFC West championships and a 47-33 regular-season record. In 2004, Schottenheimer led the Chargers to one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, taking a team that finished last in the AFC West (4-12) in 2003 and turning it into an AFC West Champion (12-4) in 2004. It was the franchise's first division title since 1994, and the Chargers became the 22nd team in NFL history to go from worst to first since 1967.
The Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, the Professional Football Writers of America, SportsIllustrated.com, American Football Monthly, The Dallas Morning News, CBS SportsLine.com and the NFL Alumni Association named Schottenheimer NFL Coach of the Year in 2004. He also was chosen as Professional Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club and AFC Coach of the Year by the NFL 101 Committee in Kansas City.
Prior to his time in San Diego, Schottenheimer was the Head Coach of the Washington Redskins during the 2001 season, going 8-8.
For a decade from 1989-98, Schottenheimer was the Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, during which time the Chiefs averaged 10 wins a season and made seven playoff appearances. Under Schottenheimer, the Chiefs won the AFC West title three times and finished second in the division six times.
Schottenheimer's combined regular-season and postseason record in Kansas City was 104-65-1 (.615). While with the Chiefs, he was named AFC Coach of the Year by Football News in 1995, and the NFL Coach of the Year (Football Digest) and AFC Coach of the Year (USA Today) in 1997.
Schottenheimer's time as an NFL Head Coach began in the middle of the 1984 season, when he was named by the Browns to replace Sam Rutigliano. After going 4-4 to finish that season, Schottenheimer guided the Browns to four consecutive playoff appearances from 1985-88, including three straight AFC Central Division titles from 1985-87. Cleveland played in the 1986 and 1987 AFC Championship Games.
Schottenheimer, who was 46-31 (.597) combined with the Browns, was named 1986 AFC Coach of the Year by United Press International and Football News.
Marty versus the field
vs. Joe Moglia, OMA 1-0
vs. Jim Fassel, LV - 1-2 vs. Fassel
- October 28, 2001 - WAS beat NYG, 35-21
- October 7, 2001 - WAS lost to NYG, 23-9
- December 20, 1998 - KC lost to NYG, 28-7
vs. Dennis Green, SAC - 2-1 vs. Green
- December 31, 2006 - SD beat ARI, 27-20
- November 3, 1996 - KC beat MIN, 21-6
- December 26, 1993 - KC lost to MIN, 30-10
*In the case of Schottenheimer vs. Green, their last head coaching meeting was the last time either one coached in a National Football League regular-season game - December 31, 2006. Schottenheimer's San Diego Chargers defeated Green's Arizona Cardinals, 27-20. The Chargers fell behind 7-0, and then ripped off 27 unanswered points en route to the victory.
ÃÂ * The last time Schottenheimer and Fassel were head coaching adversaries was nearly 10 years ago, on October 28, 2001, when both were in the NFC East - Schottenheimer with the Washington Redskins and Fassel with the New York Giants. On that day, the Redskins topped the Giants, 35-21, thanks to a pair of big plays - an 89-yard punt-return touchdown by Eric Metcalf and a 76-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tony Banks to wide receiver Michael Westbrook.
UFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
The reigning Offensive Players of the Week will all be on the field on Saturday. Joint winners were selected on offensive:Dominic Rhodes, RB, VIR (23 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD) is the UFL's all-time leading TD scorer with 11 and has scored at least one TD in eight of nine all-time UFL regular-season games) and Chase Clement, QB, LAS (ran for a touchdown and completed 20 of 28 pass attempts for 233 yards).
The defensive Player of the Week is Locos CB Marquis Floyd (4.5 total tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception and two pass breakups in his UFL debut).
ÃÂ BROTHERS ON THE FIELD
Defensive volunteer Kurt Schottenheimer has worked for the San Francisco 49ers, and is a former defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and Detroit. Before coming to the Destroyers, he most recently coached the secondary for the Green Bay Packers. Kurt is the younger brother to head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
OVER THE HILL GANG'
The Destroyers' roster features 12 players age 30. Of those 12 players (running back Dominic Rhodes, quarterback Chris Greisen, wide receivers Cortez Hankton and Huey Whittaker, guards Anthony Davis and Adrien Clarke, cornerback Keiwan Ratliff and linebacker Terrence Melton) were productive players last fall for the Florida Tuskers. Tight end Ronnie Ghent has been a solid player in his two UFL seasons, running back Adrian Peterson played several seasons with the Chicago Bears and quarterback Mike McMahon has played in three different leagues.
All of this is old hat for Schottenheimer. In his final NFL coaching season of 2006 with the San Diego Chargers, six starters were at least 30 years old. That team went 14-2 in the regular season.
TUSKER ROOTS
The Virginia Destroyers are a successor to the Florida Tuskers, who advanced to the 2010 Championship Game. Nineteen of the current Destroyers were Tuskers last season. Last year's Tuskers were 2-3 when QB Chris Greisen (now the Destroyers' QB) took over as starter on Week 8, and Florida won its final three games, advancing to its second straight UFL Championship game against the Las Vegas Locomotives. Florida fell in the championship 23-20.
WHY DESTROYERS'
A destroyer is a small, fast lightly armored but heavily armed warship. The Destroyers' home is the Hampton Roads area in southeastern Virginia, which is notable for its heavy military presence, with each branch of the armed forces represented, including the United State Navy, the Coast Guard, Air Force, NASA, the Marines and Army facilities. Hampton Roads boasts a population of 1.7 million and is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the nation. Hampton Roads is comprised of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Yorktown and Virginia Beach. Also included are the counties of Isle of Wight, James City, Surry and York. Each of these entities shares a close association to the water and the harbor called Hampton Roads.
STRONG ARM
Chris Greisen (4-0 UFL regular-season record, 0-1 UFL postseason record, 12th professional season): started and won the final three regular-season games for the Florida Tuskers last season, and his 97.5 passer rating would have been No. 1 in the UFL had he had enough passing attempts. He finished 58-for-84 for 664 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions during the regular season, then 24-for-42 for 346 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the UFL Championship Game.
Greisen had a strong debut for the Destroyers, completing 19 of his 34 pass attempts for 248 yards with 1 touchdown.
DON'T THROW IT THEIR WAY
The Destroyers picked off three passes in the season opener on Sept. 15 against Omaha. FS Jerome Carter (20-yard return), middle linebacker Tony Taylor (10-yard return) and CB Kyle Whitehurst (21-yard return) each came down with interceptions.
HEY, NEIGHBOR
Destroyers Coach Marty Schottenheimer, head coach of the Washington Redskins, is neighbors with another Redskin legend: Joe Gibbs. Schottenheimer and Gibbs both have homes in Cornelius, N.C., and both are avid golfers. Schottenheimer claims to have a slight edge over Gibbs in that game, but noted, "You can never be too sure with Joe. He's so competitive."
DESTROYER CAPTAINS
QB Chris Greisen, LB Tony Taylor, S Jerome Carter and a special teams player to be decided on a game-by-game basis will be captains for the Destroyers. RB Clifton Smith was the special teams captain for the Destroyers' opener on Sept. 15.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE FANS
The Destroyers opened the season in front of 15,836 fans in Omaha. The Locos played in front of 19,938 fans at Sacramento on Sept. 17. The combined attendance of 35,774 set a new record for opening week in the three-year history of the UFL, beating 25,495 in 2009 and 23,487 in 2010.
CHEERS FOR THE CHEERLEADERS
The Virginia Destroyers held tryouts in February and welcome 29 women hailing from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Carrollton. Kimberly Vaughn, an 8-year veteran of the Washington Redskins' cheerleading team, is dance team director. Vaughn was with the Redskins in 1998 and from 2000 to 2007. She was a Pro Bowl representative in 2007.
THE OTHER ADRIAN PETERSON
The Destroyers' No. 29 was a four-time All-American at Georgia Southern, where he rushed for a Division I-AA record 6,559 career yards and won the Walter Payton Award as the nation's top Division I-AA offensive player. Peterson also set Division I-AA records for points in a career (524). His brother, Michael Peterson, plays linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons. He is not related to "the other Adrian Peterson," a running back for the Minnesota Vikings.
DESTROYERS ROSTER FEATURES NFL EXPERIENCE
When you ask some football fans about the United Football League, you may hear some disparaging remarks like "the league for wannabes," "minor league" or even "semi-pro." Nothing could be further from the truth, especially as it concerns the Virginia Destroyers, as the chart below indicates:
Category# of Destroyers PlayersPercentage of Players
Players with some type of NFL Experience45 of 5188.2%
Players who appeared on NFL practice/active Roster45 of 5188.2%
Players who have played in at least one NFL game34 of 5166.6%
Players who have played in at least 16 NFL games18 of 5135.2%
Players who have played in at least 32 NFL games11 of 5121.6%
Players who have played in at least 50 NFL games4 of 517.9%
All told, the current Virginia Destroyers roster of 51 players has played in 897 NFL games!
Destroyers' UFL experience
Tra Battle - 09 New York, 10 Hartford
McKinley Boykin - 09-10 Florida
Antwon Burton - 10 Florida-Sacramento
Jerome Carter - 09-10 Florida
Adrien Clarke - 10 Florida
Joe Clermond - 10 Florida
Anthony Davis - 09-10 Florida
Jason Davis - 10 Hartford
Ronnie Ghent - 09 New York, 10 Hartford
Na'Shan Goddard - 10 Florida
Chris Greisen - 09-10 Florida
Cortez Hankton - 10 Florida
Kenny Ingram - 10 Hartford
Mike McMahon - 09 California
Terrence Melton - 09-10 Florida
Shane Olivea - 10 Florida
Keiwan Ratliff - 10 Florida
Dominic Rhodes - 10 Florida
Aaron Rouse - 10 Omaha
Calvin Russell - 10 Florida
Ryan Senser - 10 Florida
John Standeford - 10 Florida
Tony Taylor - 10 Florida
Darius Vinnett - 09-10 Florida
Kyle Whitehurst - 10 Hartford
Huey Whittaker - 10 Florida
Kyle Young - 10 Florida
DESTROYERS QUICK HITTERS
*WR Aundrae Allison was the first player in East Carolina history to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season (83 catches, 1,024 yards as a junior in 2005). ¬Â¦Allison loves to cook and can't resist flipping through cooking magazines in grocery stores. Among his specialties: chimi cheesecake, a dessert that includes deep fried taco shells and caramel.
*S Tra Battle, whose mother, Tonya, is an ordained Baptist minister, has collaborated with Athletes for Education to create a foundation titled "Battle for Success," dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the less privileged that is geared toward all age groups in the San Diego community. He has worked in elementary schools and convalescent homes.
*LB Diyral Briggs has two indulgences: Xbox (especially "Call of Duty") and the "Real Housewives" series.
*CB Ahmad Carroll, a first-round draft pick (25th overall) by the Green Bay Packers in 2004, founded the Humble Grind Foundation in Atlanta to help youngsters develop life skills and healthy lifestyles. The foundation partners with business leaders, athletes and entertainers to show youth their potential. The foundation aims to enrich lives with athleticism, health education, academics and career development while implementing life skills that will lead to personal success. ¬Â¦Carroll was a violinist as a child. He enjoys bowling and coaching the T-ball team his son, Jeremiah, plays for.
*FB Jason Davis and RB Adrian Peterson enjoy singing karaoke together, including songs from Journey, Kool and the Gang and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
*QB Chris Greisen was a two-time All-American at Northwest Missouri State and led the Bearcats to the NCAA Division II National Championship as a senior. He is the all-time leader in school history in passing yards (5,731) and touchdown passes (51). As an All-American, Greisen threw for a school-record 2,937 yards and 25 touchdowns. He runs the "Chris Greisen Quarterback Academy" during the offseason in Green Bay and co-hosts "Talking Football with Chris Greisen," a radio show in the Green Bay/Appleton area. Greisen has four children: Michaela, 7, Hannah, 6, Patrick, 3, and Andrew, 18 months.
Greisen's grandfather, Stan Kramer, played for the Green Bay Packers in 1946. Kramer made sure Chris and his younger brother, Nick, were at every home Green Bay Packers game, and Greisen vividly recalls the first game Brett Favre ever played in. Linebacker Nick Greisen, currently a free agent, was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. Nick has also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. The boys are cousins to former Washington Redskins center Casey Rabach.
*P Matt Henry played shooting guard at Cresskill (NJ) High School, where he became the school's all-time leader in points with 1,791.
*LB Kenny Ingram enjoys basketball, soccer, chess and karate.
*DT Orien Harris enjoys working in his parents' Palm Beach (Fla.) bistro when he's not playing football. He's also a cartoon junkie with a passion for Kung Fu movies.
*Linebacker Terrence Melton majored in sports science at Rice University, where he was team captain in 1998. Melton also attended the Harvard Business School. ¬Â¦ In his spare time, Melton loves to tinker with cars. He owns a '73 Buick Centurion convertible that is candy red with a peanut butter top.
*DE Jeremy Navarre won back-to-back Group 2A-1A North wrestling state titles his junior and senior years at Joppatowne (Md) High School. His father, George, also was a wrestling state champion (1981). As a junior, Jeremy was also a key player in Joppatowne's football state championship. Jeremy played defensive end, was a long snapper and fullback in the team's power-I set for the Mariners.
*OL Shane Olivier loves to ski, particularly in Aspen. He's a diehard fan of the New York Yankees and lists his all-time favorite player as Babe Ruth.
*CB Keiwan Ratliff was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and named MVP of the Florida Gators (2003). Football isn't the only game he loves. He's been playing Dominoes since he was a kid, noting, "That's how my dad taught me how to count."
*RB Dominic Rhodes carried 21 times for 113 yards with one touchdown to lead the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007. Though Colts QB Peyton Manning won the MVP Award, many considered Rhodes the MVP. He accounted for 143 all-purpose yards and in the second half carried 14 times for 87 yards.
One game day ritual that Rhodes considers a must: Skipping the body lotion. "I never put on lotion before a game," he said.
*Safety Aaron Rouse, a former Green Bay Packer and New York Giant, hails from Virginia Beach, home to the Destroyers. Rouse attended First Colonial High School before going on to star at Virginia Tech. Rouse is one of two Virginia natives on the roster. Cornerback Kyle Whitehurst graduated from Bethel High School before attending Hampton University. Rouse enjoys fishing and his 1968 midnight blue Chevy C10.
LS Ryan Senser was a tight end and outside linebacker until he blew out his knee in high school. Retearing the knee his freshman year of college at Ohio University convinced him to become a long snapper.
OL Kyle Young enjoys skeet shooting and hunting. He raises pigs at his northern San Diego home.
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United Football League Stories from September 21, 2011
- Virginia Destroyers Vs. Las Vegas Locos Game Notes - Virginia Destroyers
- Las Vegas Locos Week 2 Game Notes - Las Vegas Locomotives
- UFL Transactions - UFL 1
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