Post by David on May 26, 2016 0:20:27 GMT -8
Spokane Empire at Colorado Crush
What: Spokane makes its first trip to the state of Colorado to take on the Crush.
When: Friday, May 27, 6:30 p.m. (PT).
Where: Budweiser Events Center, Loveland, Colorado
Empire Media: Radio - 700/1080 AM ESPN
National Media: Stream (paid subscription) - IFL Live TV
This Season: April 9 - Empire 97, Crush 72
Series History: Empire lead 1-0 (First meeting in Colorado).
Note: The Empire and the Crush are the only teams this season to score 90+ points in a game.
HELPFUL LINKS
Indoor Football League Rules
Indoor Football League Schedule and Results 2016
Spokane Empire Schedule 2016
IFL Franchises and Links
The Empire are 9-2 overall, 3-2 on the road and 6-1 in conference play. Spokane is coming off a 46-23 home win against the Tri-Cities Fever on May 20. They are averaging 57.1 points per game (3rd in IFL) and are allowing 46.1 points per game (5th). The Empire are first in the Intense Conference.
The Crush are 2-10 overall, 1-5 at home and 0-6 in conference play. Colorado is coming off a 39-49 road loss to the Billings Wolves on May 21. They are averaging 52.6 points per game (4th) and are allowing 56.7 points per game (9th). The Crush are fifth in the Intense Conference.
BREAKDOWN
Total Yards per Game - Empire 264.6; Crush 268.7
Pass Yards per Game - Empire 168.5; Crush 184.8
Rush Yards per Game - Empire 96.2; Crush 83.8
3rd Down Conversion - Empire 47.0%; Crush 47.1%
4th Down Conversion - Empire 50.0%; Crush 40.9%
Total Tackles - Empire 447; Crush 476
Tackles for Loss - Empire 52; Crush 49
Total Sacks - Empire 20.0; Crush 12.0
Fumble Recoveries - Empire 9; Crush 8
Interceptions - Empire 18; Crush 14
SPOKANE EMPIRE
Empire WR Carl Sims (image courtesy of Colin Mulvany / Spokesman-Review)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Samuel Charles (WR)
2 - Lorenzo White Jr. (DB)
3 - Josh Ferguson (DB)
4 - Carl Sims (WR)
5 - Tyree Robinson (DB)
8 - Aaron Aiken (QB)
11 - Charles Dowdell (QB)
16 - Robert Brown (DB)
17 - Pasquale Vacchio (LB)
18 - Trevor Kennedy (RB/WR)
19 - Diondre Borel (WR/QB)
22 - Adrian James (DB)
27 - Pat Clarke (K)
44 - Brett Bowers (DL)
47 - Nick Haag (LB)
52 - D.J. Yendrey (LB)
56 - Dave Lefotu (OL)
62 - Dominique Duster (DL)
70 - Mike Trice (OL)
72 - Kyle Fischer (OL)
76 - Michael Boyefio (OL)
78 - Brandon Haskin (OL)
80 - Jefferson "JJ" Hayes (WR)
88 - Justin Helwege (WR)
93 - Benjamin Perry (DL)
95 - Bryon Bennett (DL)
Adam Shackleford - Head Coach
Cleveland Pratt - Assistant Head Coach
Ameer Ismail - Defensive Coordinator
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Charles Dowdell 1,865
Passing TDs - Charles Dowdell 47
Passing INTs - Charles Dowdell 12
Rushing Yards - Trevor Kennedy 710
Rushing TDs - Trevor Kennedy 27
Receptions - Carl Sims 53
Receiving Yards - Carl Sims 622
Receiving TDs - Carl Sims 15
Tackles - Pasquale Vacchio 65.0
Sacks - Benjamin Perry 7.5
Interceptions - Robert Brown/Josh Ferguson 4
KO Return Ave - Trevor Kennedy 18.4
KO Return TDs - Trevor Kennedy 1
COLORADO CRUSH
Crush QB Damien Fleming (image courtesy of Colorado Crush / Facebook)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Jermaine Jones (WR)
2 - Rashard Smith (WR/DB)
3 - Evan Frierson (LB)
4 - Breon Allen (RB)
5 - Louis Covington (DB)
6 - Jerome McGee Jr. (WR)
7 - Demarius Washington (WR)
8 - Kyle Kaiser (WR)
10 - Jake Johnson (LB)
13 - Josh Ford (RB)
19 - Damien Fleming (QB)
20 - Corey Sample (DB)
21 - L.J. Stroman (DB)
22 - Spencer Groner (K)
24 - Carl Miles Jr. (DB)
28 - Quinton Richardson (DB)
33 - Tevin Davis (DL)
55 - Bill Vavau (OL)
66 - Scott Stuller (OL)
75 - James Atoe (OL)
78 - Brandon Leary (OL)
93 - John Griggs (DL)
95 - Mario Stephens (DL)
97 - Armonti Yharbrough 97
98 - Braylon Broughton (DL)
Heron O'Neal - Head Coach
Brian Arndt - Assistant Defensive Coordinator, Special Teams; Defensive Backs Coach
Robert Reed - Offensive Coordinator
George Martinez - Wide Receivers; Running Backs Coach
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Damien Fleming 1,752
Passing TDs - Damien Fleming 35
Passing INTs - Damien Fleming 6
Rushing Yards - Damien Fleming 342
Rushing TD's - Damien Fleming 15
Receptions - Demarius Washington 67
Receiving Yards - Demarius Washington 1,002
Receiving TDs - Demarius Washington 21
Tackles - Quinton Richardson 52.5
Sacks - John Griggs 12.5
Interceptions - Rashard Smith 9
KO Return Ave - Breon Allen 19.0
KO Return TDs - Breon Allen/Rashard Smith/Louis Covington 1
DAVID'S TAKES
SPOKANE:
The Empire have officially clinched a berth in the IFL Playoffs, but don't expect Spokane to be satisfied with just getting into the playoffs. This team wants to clinch home field in the Intense Conference, not to mention the opportunity to avenge their loss to Sioux Falls and put themselves in the mix to host the United Bowl. Spokane still has three games to play before the rematch, and it starts with a road trip to Colorado to take on the Crush.
The last time Spokane and Colorado met, it was high scoring affair that resulted in a 97-72 victory for the Empire. Spokane scored 14 touchdowns on all 14 possessions in the game, crushing the spirit of the Crush's defense. The score could have been much closer, but the Empire's defense made key stops that put the game out of reach. That said, the Empire still gave up 72 points, not exactly their finest game performance of the season.
Spokane has the edge on the offensive side of the ball, boasting one of the IFL's Top 5 offense. Spokane ranks 3rd in the IFL in scoring (57.1 points/game), 4th in total offense (264.6 yards/game), 3rd in rushing (96.2 yards/game), and 4th in passing (168.5 yards/game). Colorado ranks at or near the bottom in several defensive categories, and everything about this match-up should favor Spokane. However, the Empire offense was Jekyll & Hyde last week against Tri-Cities; they dominated the first half, holding a 39-9 lead going into halftime. However, the second half was a mess; the Empire only managed to score 6 total points in the second half; QB Charles Dowdell finished the game last week 13/22, 123 yards and 3 TD passes, but the majority of those yards came in the 1st half. He was ineffective in the 2nd half, completing 5 out of 12 passes for 13 yards. The Empire's offensive personnel admitted after the game last week that they were slacking in the 2nd half. This cannot happen against Colorado's offense, which also a Top 5 unit in the league.
The Empire's offense can control the game, but they have to keep their foot on the gas pedal for all 4 quarters and limit turnovers, especially within the red zone. QB Charles Dowdell leads the IFL with 47 touchdown passes, but he has 12 interceptions (3rd in the IFL). Despite the threat of Colorado DB Rashard Smith, who leads the IFL with 9 interceptions, expect the Empire to help Dowdell out by running a healthy dose of RB Trevor Kennedy. The rookie RB has had a magical season this year, leading the league with 710 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns. The Crush rank 8th in the IFL in rushing defense had a difficult time containing him, allowing 59 yards and 7 total touchdowns (4 rushing) in the last meeting. WRs JJ Hayes (50 receptions, 588 yards, 13 TDs), Carl Sims (53 receptions, 622 yards, 15 TDs), and Samuel Charles (22 receptions, 293 yards, 9 TD) should get healthy amounts of receptions and yards against Colorado's 9th ranked rushing defense.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Empire are going to have their hands full with a powerful Crush offense that has scored 60 points in 5 of their last 7 games, including 72 against Spokane. LB Nick Haag (62.5 total tackles, 3.0 sacks), did not play in last week's game against Tri-Cities, should be back in the lineup against Colorado. It's presumed that Haag didn't play last week so he could get some rest due to the fact the Empire are over halfway through a 13 straight week schedule without a bye week. Pasquale Vacchio performed well without his fellow LB, taking over the team lead with 65.0 total tackles. Both Vacchio and Haag will have to keep active on their feet in order to contain the rushing attack of QB Damien Fleming (342 yards, 15 TDs) and RBs Breon Allen (281 yards, 6 TDs) and Josh Ford (216 yards, 9 TDs).
The Empire's defensive backs will also have their hands full containing WR Demarius Washington, who leads the IFL in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. WR Kyle Kaiser is quietly having a great year as well for the Crush (41 receptions, 721 yards, 14 TDs). DBs Robert Brown and Josh Ferguson are tied for the team lead with 4 interceptions each, but Tyree Robinson isn't that far behind (3 INTs). Their success at containing Washington and Kaiser will benefit from Spokane's pass rush, especially that of DL Benjamin Perry (7.5 sacks, 29.0 total tackles, 2 fumble recoveries) and Bryon Bennett (3.5 sacks).
Player to Watch: Carl Sims (WR)
It's hard to believe that Carl Sims is as old as the IFL itself. The 8 year veteran has participated in every IFL season since the league's formation in 2009. He's shown to be a reliable set of hands, something the expansion Spokane Empire are fortunate to have.
Recently, Sims has caught fire in Spokane's passing game as of late and looks to continue that hot streak against the 9th ranked pass defense of the Crush. Sims has led the Empire in receiving in 3 of the last 4 games, catching 23 passes for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns. Sims currently leads the Empire in all three receiving categories, dethroning teammate JJ Hayes for the lead in receptions (53), yards (622) and touchdowns (15).
Sims had an excellent game the last time he played the Crush, catching 7 passes for 52 yards and 3 scores and should have similar production in Friday night's game. The Crush may try and counter Sims' recent production increase with DB Rashard Smith, which could also free up opportunities for Hayes and Samuel Charles to make some big catches.
COLORADO:
It's been a rough season for the Crush, who currently sit at the bottom of the overall league standings with a 2-10 record. Despite their overall record, including zero wins in Intense Conference play, Colorado isn't as bad as their record. The Crush has not seen luck on their side this season, beginning with the injury bug that has seemed to have found a home in the Rocky Mountains. They have come up short in several close contests, losing 6 games this season by 8 points or less, including 3 games decided by a field goal.
Amazingly, the Crush are still alive in the playoff hunt in spite of their record. If Crush can win out and finish with a 6-10 record, and Nebraska and Tri-Cities fail to win a total of 6 games, Colorado can still get in. However, Spokane's arrival this week doesn't present an easy opportunity for the Crush to do so. Despite scoring 72 points in the last meeting, Colorado was unable to stop the Empire's powerful offense, giving up a total of 14 touchdowns on all 14 Spokane possessions. Colorado has scored 60 points in 5 of their last 7 games, but have only come out with a 2-3 record in those games. Teams typically tend to win when hitting 60 points or more, but giving up just as many is not a recipe for success.
The success of the Crush will likely lean on their offense, which ranks 3rd in total yards (268.7), 4th in rushing (83.8) and 3rd in passing (184.8). The majority of that success has come from QB Damien Fleming, who has adapted to the indoor game after starting the season on the bench. He's a threat on the ground, which gives a big boost to RBs Breon Allen (66 rushes, 281 yards, 6 TDs) and Josh Ford (66 rushes, 216 yards, 9 TDs). However, the star of the offense is WR Demarius Washington, who is having an outstanding season. He leads both the team and the IFL in receptions (67) and touchdowns (21), and is the only player in the IFL with 1,000 yards receiving (1,002). He also has an average of 15.0 yards/reception, which is also a league high. Washington's play has given WR Kyle Kaiser plenty of opportunities to catch the ball. Kaiser hasn't received much attention for his play, as he has quietly caught 41 passes for 721 yards and 14 TDs. Washington and Kaiser have also provided some opportunities for Doug Williams, who ranks 3rd on the team with 29 catches for 313 yards and 6 scores.
Colorado will need a big boost from their defense, which ranks 9th in points allowed (56.7 points/game), last in total defense (288.7 yards/game), 8th in rushing defense (96.0 yards/game) and 9th in passing defense (192.7 yards/game). The Crush's big star on defense is DB Rashard Smith, who leads the IFL with 9 interceptions on the season and has been twice recognized as IFL Defensive Player of the Week. Smith also has 40 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 7 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery to his stat totals. His teammate, DB Quinton Richardson, has an interception and return for a touchdown to his credit, and leads the team with 52.5 total tackles. Smith, Richardson, and DB LJ Stroman (3 INT) will have their hands full trying to shut down Spokane's passing game.
The key to the Crush's success on defense will be pressure on Dowdell. DL John Griggs and Braylon Broughton are going to have to step up their game if they want to try and pull off the upset. Griggs has only played in 5 games for the Crush, but leads the team with 3.0 sacks. Broughton has 2.5 sacks and 22.5 total tackles, but both need to disrupt Spokane's backfield if they're going to win.
The Crush are also known to have success with their special teams. Breon Allen has 837 return yards and a KO returned for a touchdown this season, possessing a 19.0 kick return average. Lately, the Crush's special teams star is kicker Spencer Groner, who was acquired May 2nd. He's only played in 3 games this season, but he's made a positive impact on the team, going 5 of 10 on field goal attempts, including 2 of 5 from 50+ yards out. He tied an IFL record with a 60 yard boot against Wichita Falls and followed it up with a 53 yarder against Billings last week. The Empire might stop the Crush offense, but they don't appear to be afraid of opting to kick the field goal, which could net crucial points should the game turn into a high-scoring shootout.
Player to Watch: Damien Fleming (QB)
An injury to starting QB Brandon Mitchell in the Crush's second game of the season pushed rookie QB Damien Fleming into the starting QB role. He struggled in his first initial starts, which is to be expected, but since then, he's been one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He has put up very effective passing numbers, completing 159 of 265 passes (60%) for 1,752 yards, 35 TDs and 6 INTs. He's been very effective in the run game as well, leading the Crush with 342 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Despite the 72-97 loss to Spokane the last time these teams met, Fleming had a good game for Colorado, completing 19 of 27 passes for 193 yards and 6 touchdown passes, although he did throw one interception. He also scored 2 rushing touchdowns in the contest, giving him a total of 8 for the game. His favorite target, Demarius Washington, caught 7 passes for 107 yards and 4 touchdowns. Fleming faces an Empire defense which has played better in defending the pass since the first meeting, but it would be surprising if he struggles heavily on Friday.
QUOTABLE
Empire WR JJ Hayes on the team's 2nd Half struggles in the win vs Tri-Cities.
"I think we just got ahead of ourselves. We had the lead and we slacked off a bit, but as long as we win that's all that matters."
Hayes on the stellar play of the Empire's defense.
"If we didn't have those defensive stops it might be a different story. Our defense played outstanding. We usually kind of work off each other in games but they really stepped up."
HC Adam Shackleford's assessment of the Empire's offense in the 2nd Half.
"We were off a bit. We had a receiver go down and come back in, another receiver go down and come back in, and part of it was their scheme. We had guys pressing to make plays instead of moving the chains. We can't do that."
Shackleford on player fatigue resulting from playing 13 consecutive weeks.
"The only guy that really ran around fresh was (Tyree) Robinson and he had last week off. These guys are tired. The league gave us a schedule that honestly we have had to come up with something completely different to handle."
FEATURED TWEETS
IFL SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
May 27 - Sioux Falls Storm (11-1) at Iowa Barnstormers (4-7), 5 p.m.
May 27 - Wichita Falls Nighthawks (7-4) at Nebraska Danger (5-7), 5 p.m.
May 27 - Spokane Empire (9-2) at Colorado Crush (2-10), 6:30 p.m.
May 28 - Green Bay Blizzard (3-9) at Tri-Cities Fever (3-9), 7 p.m.
Byes - Billings Wolves (6-6), Cedar Rapids Titans (9-4)
EXTRA
In the previous Spokane/Colorado game thread, our featured Extra featured the original Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League. This week, we take a look at the current Colorado Crush and the re-brand process the team went through after the 2015 season.
(image courtesy of Colorado Crush / Facebook)
The Colorado Crush were founded in 2006 by Danny DeGrande, a Colorado real estate executive. The team, known as the Colorado Ice, began play in the United Indoor Football league in 2007. Based out of Fort Collins, CO, the Ice played their games at the Budweiser Events Center in nearby Loveland, CO. In 2009, the Ice were part of the merger between the UIF and the Intense Football League, creating the current Indoor Football League.
In 2010, the team was purchased by Tom Wigley and his wife, Patty. According to the Loveland Reporter Herald, Wigley wanted to change the team's name, but the Crush trademark was unavailable at the time. Five years later, Wigley would finally get the name he always wanted for his football team.
In 2014, the AFL Crush trademark expired, and Wigley jumped at the chance to acquire the rights to the trademark. On July 15, 2015, the Ice announced their re-brand as the Colorado Crush. Despite the name, the Crush retain their history as the Ice and have no connections to the AFL Crush, which was owned by former Denver Broncos QB John Elway, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, and billionaire Stan Kroenke (owner of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, NBA's Denver Nuggets, MLS's Colorado Rapids).
If you look closely, the Crush's primary logo is not all that different from the Ice logo; it retains the dark blue mountains in the background and a football emerging from behind the mountains at the bottom, forming a "C" shape representing "Colorado." The only changes to the logo included the new name as well as adopting orange into their color scheme to identify with the former Crush franchise. Wigley discussed the slight modifications to the logo at the team's press conference, stating it was "designed to keep some historical features of the Ice."
"We are very excited about our name change to the Colorado Crush," Wigley said during the press announcement. "It's a reflection of our continued commitment to improving Northern Colorado's premier professional football team, both on the field and in the community."
"Rebranding will connect us to the past of the highly successful Colorado Crush...we feel it'll take the Colorado franchise to that next level of professional sports recognition," said team CEO and co-owner, Art Clarkson. "We're not reinventing the wheel, but we are latching on to something that has a great history in Colorado."
The name generated mostly positive responses from fans, while others were more partial to the Ice name. According to their Facebook page, part of the reason the team changed the name to Crush was to identify as an arena/indoor team "instead of the confusion with the name Ice and hockey."
Quotes from the Colorado Crush's press announcement and the Loveland Reporter Herald was used in this extra. You can view the original content here and here.