Week Nine Preview: Utah at Georgia
May 3, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Utah Blaze News Release
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Blaze (3-3) come off of a bye week and are preparing to take on the Georgia Force (5-2) who are guided by former Blaze QB Brett Elliott (6-3, 200, Linfield) this Friday at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.
The Blaze have fallen short in the first three road games this season, but have shown they are a team to be reckoned with. In their last matchup, Utah fell short in overtime to the top-ranked Arizona Rattlers, pushing them to the last play of the game.
The Force are coming off of a dominating performance over the Pittsburgh Power, one in which they scored 21 unanswered points to pull away from their visiting opponent.
Utah will look to use its powerful offense led by QB Tommy Grady (6-7, 245, Utah) and WR Aaron Boone (6-3, 215, Kentucky), who have both been key components in the Blaze's turnaround this year. The offense is currently leading the league in scoring, with 63.2 points per game. Boone leads the league in individual scoring per game with 19.3 points per game, while Grady ranks second in passing with 315 yards per game.
Grady's productivity has been a major factor in the team's success this season. He ranks in the top three in the league in every statistical category regarding passing and the Blaze have already surpassed last season's total wins. Former Blaze QB Elliott, now is at the helm of the Force, is currently ranked eighth in the league in passing yards per game. Grady hopes to continue his hot start to the season in the team's endeavors to beat their former quarterback and pick up their first road victory of the year.
The Blaze will also look to other offensive weapons this week against the Force. The Force currently ranks last in the AFL in rushing defense. FB Chris Solomona (6-4, 265, Oregon) and FB Ryan Blaszczyk (6-3, 310, Rutgers) will look to exploit this weakness in their offensive attack.
Another area the Blaze look to take advantage of is their own ability to create turnovers. The Blaze are currently third in the league in turnover margin. DB Brandon Taylor (5-11, 195, New Hampshire) was named Riddell Defensive Player of the Week for his performance versus Arizona in Week Seven, where he tallied 13.0 total tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He currently leads the AFL in total forced fumbles with four.
If Utah can take advantage of Georgia's weak rushing defense and can win the turnover battle, they can leave Atlanta with their first road victory before returning home for two back-to-back home games.
Coverage of the game will begin at 6 p.m. (MT) on Utah's Flagship Station, 1280/104.7 The Zone, who will be broadcasting the game live. The game can also be viewed online on AFL LIVE at www.niftytv.com/afl.
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