Week six IPFL preview

by IPFL Press Release
Published on May 19, 2001 under Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL)

IPFL Press Release

Week six in the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) features two Saturday night tilts: Tennessee (4-0) at Trenton (0-5) and St. Louis (1-3) at Boise (1-2). Kickoff at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton is slated for 7:30 p.m. EST, while the kickoff at the Bank of America Centre in Boise is set for 7:30 p.m. MST.

Undefeated Tennessee is aiming to become just the second team in league history to start the season 5-0. A victory at winless Trenton Saturday night would give the ThunderCats the second-best start in IPFL history.

Tennessee, which won the first two meetings with Trenton by an average of 20 points, held the Lightning to an average of 25.5 points during the first two games in the season series. Still, Tennessee Head Coach George Lemon wasn't pleased with everything he saw in last week's 39-26 home win over Trenton.

"The defense rose to the occasion, and I was pleased with the play of our special teams," said Lemon. "But I was disappointed with our lack of intensity and focus."

Defense, defense, defense is Tennessee's motto. The ThunderCats lead the IPFL in every major defensive team statistic: scoring defense (surrendering a league-low average of 27.0 points per game); total defense (giving up a league-low average of 140.8 yards per game); pass defense (92.5 ypg); and rushing defense (48.2 ypg). Tennessee's defense has also registered an IPFL-best 19 sacks.

Individually, leading the ThunderCats' defense is a group of league leaders: DL James Beavers (6-0, 265); DB Scotty Stewart (6-1, 195); DB Roland Jackson (6-0, 190); and LB Tony Scollieri (6-0, 225). Beavers leads the IPFL in both sacks (9.5) and tackles for a loss (14). Stewart is tops in interceptions with a total of three. Jackson, the reigning IPFL Defensive Player of the Week, is tied for the league lead in passes defended (5). And Scollieri has recovered an IPFL-best three fumbles.

Another Tennessee defender, defensive back Clayton Holmes (5-11, 190), was named the IPFL Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the ThunderCats' latest win over Trenton. Holmes, a former NFL player with the Dallas Cowboys, returned a kickoff 51 yards for a touchdown against the Lightning.

"Clayton [Holmes] takes up half the field because teams stay away from him," Lemon said. "Most teams don't throw at him because quarterbacks know who he is. So it's nice to see him make an impact in another area of the game."

Once again Beavers and company are likely licking their chops over a Trenton offense that has yielded an IPFL high 23 sacks. Furthermore, the Lightning offense is ranked last in every major offensive team statistic: scoring offense (23.4 ppg); total offense (148.0 ypg); pass offense (99.2 ypg); and rushing offense (48.8 ypg).

Despite the low team production, a trio of Trenton players has posted quality numbers. Quarterback Bill Ward (6-3, 210) has completed 47 of 85 passes (against seven interceptions) for 532 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ward's leading target is wide receiver Tom Patten (6-3, 242), who has a league-high total of six touchdown receptions. And kick return specialist James DeMaise (5-9, 185) has amassed league-high totals for both kickoff return yards (415) and all purpose (667 yards).

Tennessee' statistical leader on offense is wide receiver Brent Bardellini (5-10, 185), who has a league-best total of 20 receptions and an IPFL-high average of 5.0 receptions per game. Aside from Bardellini's 256 receiving yards and five touchdowns, the ThunderCats are paced by quarterback Derek Brown (6-2, 180) and running back Michael Cosey (5-11, 220). Brown has passed for 572 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54-96-2 passing, and Cosey has averaged 3.8 yards per carry while rushing for 204 yards and seven touchdowns.

Call it superstitious if you like, but the Boise Stallions have elected to play on natural grass again. After opening the season with a victory in the first-ever indoor football league game played inside on a natural sod surface, the Stallions dropped two road games, both of which were played on the normal artificial indoor surface. In hope of helping the team get back on the winning track, Boise has once again installed a grass field inside the Bank of America Centre.

"One of the things you have to do in this league is win at home, and we hope to go 2-0 at home and on the grass," Boise Head Coach Ed Jenkins said. "We've practiced on the field the last two nights. The guys are excited about it, and I think that gives us another mental edge."

Turnovers will likely decide the outcome in this game, as both teams are ranked at the bottom of the league team statistic for turnover margin. Boise, which has given up an IPFL-high 12 turnovers (five fumbles and seven interceptions), is ranked last in turnover margin with an average of -2.67 per game. St. Louis, which hasn't fared much better, has surrendered 11 turnovers (five fumbles and six interceptions) and has a turnover margin average of -1.75 per game.

"Once we get our groove going in the right direction, we'll have a chance to be there," said St. Louis Head Coach Demetrious Johnson. "We're right at the edge of putting it all together. Every game we've lost, we've made mistakes and beat ourselves. If we stop making turnovers, it'll be very difficult for teams to beat us."

When St. Louis has held onto the ball, its receiving tandem of Jerome Hurd (6-2, 210) and Mario Patton (5-11, 185) has been effective. The duo has combined for 24 receptions for 358 yards and seven touchdowns. In addition to turnovers, St. Louis has had some problems defensively as well. The Renegades are ranked last in scoring defense (40.8 ppg), total defense (235.2 ypg) and pass defense (162.0 ypg).

Although the Renegades' defense is ranked last in three of the four major team defensive statistics, a trio of defenders is ranked among the top four in tackles. Defensive back Cory Bennett (5-7, 175) leads the IPFL with 38 tackles. Fellow Renegades' defensive back Gary Bolden (5-11, 190) ranks third with 26 tackles, while defensive lineman Kevin Haynes (6-5, 235) is tied for fourth with 24 stops. Another member of the Renegades' secondary, Randy Potter (5-9, 185), is tied for the league lead in passes defended with five.

"Their record doesn't do justice to the amount of talent they have on their team," Jenkins said of St. Louis. "They present a lot of matchup problems for us because they have great team speed. They get to the ball defensively, and they have a lot of speed on offense."

One Stallion who is sure to be loose and running Saturday night is wide receiver/ kick returner Tacoma Fontaine (6-0, 190). Among the league leaders, Fontaine leads the IPFL in both receiving yards per game (76.7) and average yards per reception (23.0). In addition to his 10 receptions that have netted 230 yards and five touchdowns, Fontaine is a dangerous return man who also leads the league in all purpose yards per game (176.7).

"We have to cover [Tacoma] Fontaine," said Johnson. "He has great hands, he's quick and he can run. But if we can control him, we'll be fine."

Aside from Fontaine, a major concern for St. Louis is the status of its own quarterback, Corby Jones (6-1, 220). In last week's hard-fought 55-47 loss to undefeated Omaha, Jones returned to action for the first time since he suffered a separated shoulder injury back in week two. Although Jones saw just limited playing time last week, backup Lester Anderson (6-3, 250) has shown steady improvement in his absence.

"We'll take it one step at a time and see how Corby [Jones] feels," Johnson said. "But Lester [Anderson] is a good quarterback too. He's proven that he can also make things happen for us on offense."

Indoor Professional Football League Stories from May 19, 2001

• Week six IPFL preview - OSC Original by IPFL Press Release

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