Game 5 - Screaming Eagles at Empire, 3.24.17, 7 p.m.
Mar 23, 2017 16:48:08 GMT -8
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Post by David on Mar 23, 2017 16:48:08 GMT -8
Salt Lake Screaming Eagles at Spokane Empire
What: The Screaming Eagles look for revenge as they travel to Spokane to take on the Empire.
When: Friday, March 24, 7 p.m. (PST)
Where: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, WA
Empire Media: Radio - ESPN 700 AM/105.3 FM
National Media: Stream - YouTube
This Season: March 13 - Empire 41, Screaming Eagles 35
Series History: Spokane leads series 1-0 (First meeting in Spokane)
Note: Screaming Eagles Co-Defensive Coordinator Sergio Gilliam played for Spokane from 2008-2009 and 2015
HELPFUL LINKS
Indoor Football League Rules
Indoor Football League Schedule and Results - 2017 Season
2017 Spokane Empire Schedule
Spokane Empire - Vital Statistics
2017 Salt Lake Screaming Eagles Schedule
Salt Lake Screaming Eagles - Vital Statistics
IFL Franchise Index
The Screaming Eagles are 1-2 overall, 1-0 on the road and 1-2 in conference play. Salt Lake is coming off a 35-41 home loss to the Spokane Empire on March 13. They are averaging 41.3 points per game (7th in IFL) and are allowing 53.3 points per game (8th). The Screaming Eagles are tied for third in the Intense Conference.
The Empire are 3-1 overall, 1-0 at home and 2-0 in conference play. Spokane is coming off a 70-37 road win over the Colorado Crush on March 17. They are averaging 50.2 points per game (4th) and are allowing 40.0 points per game (4th). The Empire are first in the Intense Conference.
BREAKDOWN
Total Yards per Game - Screaming Eagles 227.7; Empire 239.0
Pass Yards per Game - Screaming Eagles 161.7; Empire 152.2
Rush Yards per Game - Screaming Eagles 66.0; Empire 86.8
3rd Down Conversion - Screaming Eagles 46.9%; Empire 38.5%
4th Down Conversion - Screaming Eagles 50.0%; Empire 57.1%
Total Tackles - Screaming Eagles 91; Empire 171
Tackles for Loss - Screaming Eagles 3; Empire 3
Total Sacks - Screaming Eagles 0; Empire 11
Fumble Recoveries - Screaming Eagles 0; Empire 4
Interceptions - Screaming Eagles 6; Empire 5
SALT LAKE SCREAMING EAGLES
Screaming Eagles WR Devin Mahina (image credit: Nicole Boliaux / Deseret News)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Verlon Reed (QB/WR)
2 - Breon Allen (RB)
3 - Don Unamba (DB)
4 - Brock Lutes (WR/DB)
5 - Jesse Scroggins (QB)
6 - Ed Burns (DB)
7 - Justin Brown (WR)
9 - Devon Price (WR)
10 - Trent Andrus (K)
11 - James Calhoun (DB)
12 - Rashad Greene (DB)
13 - Cy Strahm (WR/K)
14 - Dorian Buford (WR)
15 - Gianni Olivas (DB)
17 - James "Bubba" Poole (RB/WR)
25 - Antion McBee (DB)
51 - Alex Land (OL)
52 - Michael Ward (DL)
56 - Steven Gurrola (OL)
59 - Visesio Salt Jr. (OL/DL)
84 - Devin Mahina (WR)
93 - Seante Williams (DL)
96 - Ben Compton (DL)
97 - Jerrod Black (DL)
99 - David Gilbert (DL)
Matthew Sauk - Head Coach
The Fans - Offensive Coordinator(s)
Sergio Gilliam - Co-Defensive Coordinator
Kevin Bello - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coach
Jaren Skinner - Offensive and Defensive Line Coach
Ron McBride - Special Assistant to the Head Coach
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Verlon Reed 537
Passing TDs - Verlon Reed 15
Passing INTs - Verlon Reed 2
Rushing Yards - Verlon Reed 150
Rushing TDs - Verlon Reed/*Zavier Steward 1
Receptions - Devin Mahina 18
Receiving Yards - Cy Strahm 169
Receiving TDs - Devin Mahina 6
Tackles (Solo) - Don Unamba 14
Sacks - N/A
Interceptions - Don Unamba 4
KO Return Ave - Breon Allen 15.8
KO Return TDs - James Calhoun 1
*Not on Active Roster
Note: Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Roster information is gathered from the IFL and the team's official websites.
SPOKANE EMPIRE
Empire WR Bryan Pray (image credit: Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Samuel Charles (WR)
2 - Bryan Pray (WR)
5 - Tyree Robinson (DB)
6 - Robert Brown (DB)
7 - Mulku Kalokoh (RB/KR)
8 - Andrew Jackson (LB)
10 - Devonn Brown (WR)
11 - Charles Dowdell (QB)
12 - Toby Jackson (DL)
13 - Pasquale Vacchio (LB)
16 - Aaron Wilmer (QB)
18 - Trevor Kennedy (OS)
19 - Craig Peterson (K)
22 - Adrian James (DB)
24 - Dejuan Miller (WR)
33 - John Hardy-Tuliau (DB)
41 - Toney Hurd Jr. (DB)
47 - Nick Haag (LB)
55 - Bill Vavau (OL)
63 - Junior Alexis (DL)
70 - Jonah Austin (OL)
72 - Kyle Fischer (OL)
74 - Darren Pinnock (OL)
93 - J.D. Griggs (DL)
99 - Harold Love III (DL)
Adam Shackleford - Head Coach
Cleveland Pratt - Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams
Anthony Payton - Assistant Coach
Marquise Liverpool - Assistant Coach
Marshall Hart - Line Coach
Joshua Artis - Assistant Coach
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Charles Dowdell 614
Passing TDs - Charles Dowdell 16
Passing INTs - Charles Dowdell 7
Rushing Yards - Charles Dowdell 172
Rushing TDs - Mulku Kalokoh/Trevor Kennedy 3
Receptions - Bryan Pray 10
Receiving Yards - Bryan Pray 160
Receiving TDs - Devonn Brown 4
Tackles (Solo) - Pasquale Vacchio 21
Sacks - J.D. Griggs 4.5
Interceptions - Pasquale Vacchio 2
KO Return Ave - Mulku Kalokoh 27.0
KO Return TDs - N/A
*Not on Active Roster
Note: Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Roster information is gathered from the IFL and the team's official websites.
HEIDI'S TAKE
SALT LAKE:
With byes in two of their last three weeks, the Screaming Eagles are about to settle into the meat of the schedule. All 13 of their games will be in consecutive weeks, beginning with this trip to Spokane.
The bye weeks could not come at a better time for Salt Lake, which dismissed Head Coach William McCarthy after two games. Even with the bye weeks, which were interrupted by the Screaming Eagles 41-35 loss at home to these same Spokane Empire on March 13, they should serve to give new Head Coach Matthew Sauk a chance to ingrain his offense into the team. What Sauk will need to do is to work on the execution on those plays, to trim the penalties and curtail the turnovers.
In the previous match up on March 13, the Screaming Eagles gave up two first quarter fumbles (both recovered by the Empire's Pasquale Vacchio) and put themselves into an early hole. They trailed 14-0 before newly acquired kicker Tim Andrus booted a 37-yard field goal to get them on the board. Salt Lake scored on a three-yard pass from quarterback Verlon Reed to running back Breon Allen as time expired in the first half. Still though, Salt Lake found itself down 28-10 at the break. They made things interesting by pulling to within 13 points by the end of the third quarter, and cut the Spokane lead to 41-36 with just 56 seconds left, before the Empire were able to run out the clock and come away with the win in West Valley City.
The Screaming Eagles actually dominated the time of possession, 38:06 to 21:54. Reed went 19/36 for 144 yards and four touchdowns, but he did have a costly fumble in the first quarter. Wide receivers Cy Strahm and Devin Mahina were Reed's primary targets in the game, tallying 81 receiving yards and three touchdowns, respectively. James Calhoun scored the first kickoff return in Screaming Eagles history in that game.
Reed, a rookie who attended Ohio St. and Findlay, has been impressive in his first three games under center. Sauk will want to build a trust with Reed. The coach is a veteran coordinator who has mentored a number of arena football standout quarterbacks. A quarterback himself during his AFL and af2 playing days, Sauk is familiar with the dynamic of working with young quarterbacks. He has already told SCtoC's Bannock that he is already impressed with Reed's athleticism and is teaching him to go through progressions. Reed has completed 63 percent of his passes this season for 537 yards, 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing with 159 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown.
Allen is a talented rusher, but is being hampered by fans' play calls which heavily favor the pass over the run. So far, that is about at a two-for-one ratio, and only 22 of the team's rushes have come from a non-quarterback. On Thursday, the Screaming Eagles released Zavier Steward and announced they had signed James "Bubba" Poole. Strahm, Mahina and Juwan Dotson make up a talented group of wide receivers. At various points in the season, each has stepped up as the featured receiver. Salt Lake is without Derwyn Lauderdale for the remainder of the season, out due to injury. Lauderdale caught the first touchdown in Screaming Eagles history, on a five-yard strike from Reed in the first quarter of the season opener, a 78-47 loss at home to the Nebraska Danger.
Defensive back Don Unamba could be a key on this game for the Screaming Eagles. He leads the Indoor Football League in interceptions with four through Salt Lake's three games. Unamba was featured last week on our exclusive Screaming Eagles Player Q&A. He also leads the team in tackles with 16 total stops. Defensive back Ed Burns is second on that list with 12, and he and fellow defensive back Antion McBee have an interception. The Screaming Eagles have been unable to record a sack, forced fumble, or a fumble recovery.
Empire defensive end John Griggs had three sacks on Reed in the previous game between the teams. The Screaming Eagles will need to do a much better job of protecting their quarterback in this game. For his part, it will be up to Reed to make quick decisions with his receivers when the ball is in his hands.
Spokane stole the first game in Utah, so it will be up to Salt Lake to be opportunistic, force turnovers and take advantage of any and every miscue should they want to come away with the win. With the team's fan-run format, it largely will be up to fans to balance the play calling, but it will be even more important for the Screaming Eagles to put themselves in advantageous situations, such as second-and-medium and third-and-short. That will help open up the playbook to give the Screaming Eagles, and their fans, the best chance for success in a hostile environment.
Player to Watch: Don Unamba (DB)
DAVID'S TAKE
SPOKANE:
After a three week road trip that included two games in the span of five days, the Spokane Empire have to be feeling good about themselves. They currently sit atop first place in the Intense Conference with a 3-1 record, coming off a dominating 70-37 victory over the struggling Colorado Crush. QB Charles Dowdell had his best game of the season, completing 17 of 23 passes for 200 yards and 7 touchdowns. Rookie WR Devonn Brown finally broke out onto the scene, leading all Empire receivers with 8 catches for 75 yards and 4 touchdowns. RB Mulku Kalokoh stepped in for Trevor Kennedy (scratched), rushing for 38 yards and 2 touchdowns and also recording a touchdown through the air. The Empire's defense also stepped up, limiting the Crush offense to 174 yards, 3.0 total sacks and two interceptions, one each off of QBs Sean Goldrich and Aaron Aiken.
With the road trip finished, the Empire return home for the first time in nearly a month to take on a Salt Lake Screaming Eagles team they played against merely 11 days ago. The Screaming Eagles are coming off their second bye in three weeks and are looking to avenge their 41-35 loss. Despite struggles in the passing game, Spokane dominated the Screaming Eagles in the first half, leading by as much as 24 points late in the second quarter. The Empire would lead 41-22 early in the 4th Quarter, but an ill-advised interception by Charles Dowdell and the Empire's failure to recover an onside kick made the game much closer than it needed to be. RB Trevor Kennedy was arguably the biggest factor in the Empire's win, rushing for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns.
QB Charles Dowdell looks to carry over his performance against Colorado into this game. In the last game against Salt Lake, Dowdell struggled against the Screaming Eagles, completing only 5 of 9 passes for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns. The killer for Dowdell was his three interceptions, two of which came in the Empire's first four drives of the game. Even with the comforts of home field advantage, Dowdell will have to play better than in the first meeting. The hope is that the more experience he has with his new wide receivers, the stronger he'll become further along in the season. Last week's game against the Crush was a great booster for his confidence, but he'll still have to keep an eye on Screaming Eagle DB Don Unamba, who is tied for the league lead with 4 interceptions.
The ground game may see more attention come its way, regardless of who gets the nod at running back. Statistically, Salt Lake ranks 9th in the IFL in rushing defense and dead last in rushing yards per carry (6.3) and rushing touchdowns (13), including Trevor Kennedy's 101 yards and 3 touchdown performance on March 13th. Kennedy, who was held out in last Friday's game against the Crush, should be expected to play in Friday night's game. If he is held out again, the Empire in capable hands with RB/KR Mulku Kalokoh (19 rush, 68 yards, 3 TDs), who possesses similar talent rushing as he does as a receiver in the passing game.
Spokane's wide receivers could be the key in this game. Samuel Charles comes into the game on a hot streak with 6 receptions for 86 yards and 3 touchdowns. Despite only playing in two games this season, he's become Dowdell's favorite target, building on the chemistry the two built up in 2016. His tall, physical frame in the red zone opened opportunities for Devonn Brown last week, resulting in 4 touchdowns after failing to score in his first three games. Veteran Bryan Pray, who was shut out in the previous game against Salt Lake, is the big play receiver for the Empire, leading the way with 10 receptions for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns. With or without Dejuan Miller, who was not active last week against Colorado, Spokane's receivers need to continue playing at a high level against a Screaming Eagles defense that ranked third in the IFL with 6 interceptions.
Defensively, the Empire held their own against the playcalling of Salt Lake's collective mind of fans. They had success in the first half, but hung on down the stretch as turnovers and two miscues on special teams brought the Screaming Eagles back within 6 points. QB Verlon Reed, arguably the team MVP, has had a great rookie season in the IFL, completing 63% of his passes for 537 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also has a low turnover rate, with only two picks on the season. Spokane was unable to record an interception in the previous game, in which Reed was 19 of 36 for 144 yards and 4 touchdown passes. DBs Robert Brown (15 solo tackles, 7 pass breakups, INT), Tyree Robinson (19 solo tackles, INT), and rookie John Hardy-Tuliau (13 solo tackles, 2 pass breakups, INT) will lead the passing defense against Salt Lake's talented wide receiving core, and may focus extra attention on WR Devin Mahina, who scored 3 touchdowns in the last game. The hope is the defensive backs can limit the deep pass and opt for short dump off passes, allowing for LBs Pasquale Vacchio (21 solo tackles, 2 INT, 4 pass breakups) and Nick Haag (10 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks) to make plays in the middle of the field.
This week's key on defense will be the effectiveness of Spokane's defensive linemen. J.D. Griggs leads the Empire with 4.5 sacks on the season, including 3 against Salt Lake. Despite missing Toby Jackson (6 solo tackles, 1.0 sacks) and Harold Love III (3 solo tackles, 1.0 sacks) on the line against Colorado, rookies Junior Alexis (3 solo tackles, 1.0 sacks) and Andrew Jackson (10 solo tackles, 1.0 sacks) stepped up with impressive performances. Depending on who returns on the line for the Empire, the key will be forcing pressure on Reed. The Empire rank 2nd overall in rushing defense, which could cause problems for a Salt Lake offense that has only been able to run with its QB while the running backs have struggled to get established. If Salt Lake's fans opt to pass more than to run, Spokane will have to put the pressure on and force turnovers to walk away with their third straight win.
Player to Watch: Samuel Charles (WR)
QUOTABLE
Empire RB Trevor Kennedy writes about his recovery from last season's injury in a guest column for PACE.
"There were days that I wanted to give up or maybe not try as hard, but I have great friends and family that support me and have helped to keep me positive."
FEATURED SOCIAL MEDIA
IFL SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
March 25 - Colorado Crush (0-4) at Nebraska Danger (2-2), 5:05 p.m.
March 25 - Wichita Falls Nighthawks (4-0) at Sioux Falls Storm (4-0), 5:05 p.m.
March 26 - Arizona Rattlers (1-2) at Green Bay Blizzard (2-2), 1:05 p.m.
March 26 - Cedar Rapids Titans (0-4) at Iowa Barnstormers (2-2), 1:05 p.m..
EXTRA
Spokane vs Utah in a 2013 Arena Football game (image credit: Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)
From 2010-2013, the Spokane Shock and the Utah Blaze were division rivals as members of the Arena Football League. Flash forward to 2017, Spokane and a team from Salt Lake City are re-united in the Indoor Football League.
Friday's game will mark the first time an arena/indoor team based out of Salt Lake City has played in Spokane since the 2013 Arena Football League season. The last time the two cities met, the Shock extinguished the Blaze in an 80-41 victory.
Spokane's victory was fueled by the duo of QB Erik Meyer and WR Brandon Thompkins. Meyer completed 20 of 27 passes for 229 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs. Thompkins led all receivers with 11 receptions for 174 yards and 1 TD. On defense, LB Terence Moore recovered two Utah fumbles, one in the Blaze's end zone and the other 17 yards for a touchdown. DB/KR Terrance Sanders returned 3 kickoffs for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Utah tied the game 13-13 at the end of the first quarter, but would proceed to give up 27 unanswered points, trailing 40-13 early in the 3rd Quarter. Blaze QB Jason Boltus completed 30 of 44 passes for 362 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT, but was sacked a total of five times. WRs Mario Urrutia (10 receptions, 138 yards, 3 TD) and Chase Deadder (8 receptions, 112 yards, TD) both had outstanding evenings against the Shock defense. However, turnovers (1 interception, 4 fumbles) and a bar-ball kickoff return doomed the Blaze.
Following the 2013 season, Utah would suspend operations for 2014 before eventually folding altogether.