Post by David on Apr 27, 2016 23:47:08 GMT -8
Tri-Cities Fever at Spokane Empire
What: Tri-Cities and Spokane face off in the second of back-to-back home-and-home games.
When: Friday, April 29, 7 p.m. (PT).
Where: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington
Empire Media: Radio - 700/1080 AM ESPN
National Media: Stream (paid subscription) - IFL Live TV
This Season: February 20 - Empire 60, Fever 51; April 23 - Empire 52, Fever 39
Series History: Empire lead 2-0 (First home meeting).
Note: Dating back to their af2 days, Tri-Cities has never won a road game in Spokane..
HELPFUL LINKS
Indoor Football League Rules
Indoor Football League Schedule and Results 2016
Spokane Empire Schedule 2016
IFL Franchises and Links
The Fever are 3-5 overall, 1-2 on the road and 3-3 in conference play. Tri-Cities is coming off a 39-52 home loss to the Spokane Empire on April 23. They are averaging 41.0 points per game (8th in IFL) and are allowing 43.5 points per game (2nd). The Fever are fourth in the Intense Conference.
The Empire are 6-1 overall, 3-0 at home and 3-1 in conference play. Spokane is coming off a 52-39 road win over the Tri-Cities Fever on April 23. They are averaging 57.9 points per game (3rd) and are allowing 48.9 points per game (4th). The Empire are first in the Intense Conference.
BREAKDOWN
Total Yards per Game - Fever 221.1; Empire 248.6
Pass Yards per Game - Fever 160.5; Empire 152.4
Rush Yards per Game - Fever 60.6; Empire 96.1
3rd Down Conversion - Fever 34.2%; Empire 51.0%
4th Down Conversion - Fever 53.3%; Empire 50.0%
Total Tackles - Fever 253; Empire 304
Tackles for Loss - Fever 30; Empire 39
Total Sacks - Fever 8.0; Empire 13.0
Fumble Recoveries - Fever 6; Empire 5
Interceptions - Fever 16; Empire 12
TRI-CITIES FEVER
Fever QB Pat McCain (image credit: Sarah Gordon / Tri-City Herald)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - DeJay Lester (WR)
2 - Bradley Njoku (DB)
3 - Stephen Godbolt (DB)
4 - Pat McCain (QB)
6 - Brent Michaels (RB)
7 - Rob Brown (RB)
8 - Akeem Foster (WR)
10 - Aaron Ray (DB)
11 - Hunter Wanket (QB)
12 - Daniel Zeidman (K)
14 - Austen Alber (DL)
17 - Sheldon Galloway (WR)
20 - Dee Maggitt (DB)
21 - Boubacar Cissoko (DB)
22 - Brandon Wilson (LB)
24 - DeJuan Miller (WR)
27 - Leon Jackson (LB)
40 - Brandon Rankin (DL)
56 - Viondy Merisma (OL)
59 - Jarius Spain (OL)
60 - Jarad Martin (OL)
72 - Rodrick Gladney (OL)
90 - Maurice Chavis (DL)
91 - Roosevelt Holliday (DL)
96 - Omoniyi Adebayo (DL)
Ryan Lingenfelder - Head Coach
Brian Schmidt - Offensive Coordinator
Shon King - Defensive Backs & Special Teams
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Hunter Wanket 782
Passing TDs - Pat McCain 15
Passing INTs - Pat McCain 4
Rushing Yards - Pat McCain 251
Rushing TDs - Pat McCain 10
Receptions - DeJuan Miller 36
Receiving Yards - DeJuan Miller 449
Receiving TDs - Akeem Foster 8
Tackles - Boubacar Cissoko 34.0
Sacks - Brandon Wilson 3.0
Interceptions - Dee Maggitt 6
KO Return Ave - Dee Maggitt 21.8
KO Return TDs - Dee Maggitt 1
SPOKANE EMPIRE
Empire WR Justin Helwege (image credit: Tyler Tjomsland / 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)
7 - Demetruce McNeal (DB/KR)
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 - Steven Wakefield (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 1,093
Passing TDs - Charles Dowdell 32
Passing INTs - Charles Dowdell 6
Rushing Yards - Trevor Kennedy 441
Rushing TDs - Trevor Kennedy 17
Receptions - JJ Hayes 34
Receiving Yards - JJ Hayes 408
Receiving TDs - Carl Sims 11
Tackles - Nick Haag 52.5
Sacks - Bryon Bennett/Benjamin Perry 3.5
Interceptions - Robert Brown/Josh Ferguson/Demetruce McNeal 3
KO Return Ave - Trevor Kennedy 22.6
KO Return TDs - Trevor Kennedy 1
DAVID'S TAKES
TRI-CITIES:
Tri-Cities didn't get off to the start they wanted to against their in-state rival, finding themselves in a 20-0 hole after the 1st Quarter. Starting QB Hunter Wanket struggled in the first quarter, completing only 3 of 10 passes for 22 yards and an interception. He was replaced in the second quarter by QB Pat McCain, who triggered a small spark in the Fever's offense. McCain finished the game 12 of 21 for 91 yards, 1 TD and an interception. His impact came in the running game, rushing for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.
While the Fever gave up 52 points to Spokane, the defense managed to get pressure on Empire QB Charles Dowdell, who completed less 40% of his passes and threw interceptions to Dee Maggitt and Austen Alber. The Fever held the Empire to 4 of 8 on 3rd Down Conversions and benefited to two missed kicks by kicker (and former Fever player) Steve Wakefield. It was enough to keep the Fever in the game, climbing back to within 10 points at the end of the 3rd Quarter. But Spokane would pile on the lead, winning 52-39.
Expect the Fever to try and extract revenge on the Empire this week; at the end of last week's game, a bus of Spokane fans began to chant "Whose House? Our House," a phrase associated with Spokane's home field advantage. The chant was an indicator of Spokane's dominance over Tri-Cities at the Toyota Center, where they finish the season 2-0 on the Fever's turf. This sparked frustration and some pushing & shoving by the players. Fever players will be highly motivated to try and steal a win in Spokane, not only for payback, but because the Fever have never won a game in Spokane in team history.
Entering Friday, the Fever offense has yet to score more than 39 points in five consecutive games. With McCain as the potential starter, his running threat should bring opportunities for RB Rob Brown. Brown, the twin brother of Spokane DB Robert Brown, had a decent game against Spokane's #1 ranked rushing defense, rushing for 35 yards and 2 touchdowns. Combined, McCain and Brown rushed for 144 yards. If the Fever can find success in the run game, it could help their passing offense get the ball to WRs DeJuan Miller (36 rec, 449 yards, 7 TD), Akeem Foster (33 rec, 391 yards, 8 TD), and DeJay Lester (23 rec, 287 yards, 6 TD) find the endzone and put points on the board.
Tri-Cities will likely lean on their defense to pull off an upset; the Fever rank 2nd in scoring defense (43.5 points/game), 3rd in total defense (226.0 yards/game), and 1st in pass defense (124.4 yards/game). The Fever notched 2 interceptions on Dowdell last week, giving them a total of 16 interceptions on the season, and a league leading 6th interception by Dee Maggitt to lead all IFL defenders.
Player to Watch: Pat McCain (QB)
Don't be surprised if McCain gets the nod over Hunter Wanket this week. Wanket was 3 of 10 passes for 22 yards and 1 INT against Spokane before Fever Head Coach Ryan Lingenfelder gave him the hook and threw McCain in. McCain performed better, going 12 of 21 for 91 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. His 107 rushing yards helped keep the Fever in the game until the 4th Quarter. It's clear that the offense was moving the ball with more efficiency with McCain under center, which should convince Lingenfelder to start McCain.
McCain may not have a high completion percentage (45.6% for McCain, 50.7% for Wanket), but he leads the Fever in touchdown passes (15) and is the Fever's leading rusher (60 rushes, 251 yards, 10 TDs).
If McCain does not get the starting nod for the Fever this week, expect Wanket to be on a relatively short leash. Coach Lingenfelder is not afraid to throw McCain in to spark the offense, and wouldn't be surprising if he were to throw McCain in. If Wanket can find success against Spokane, McCain may enter the game in red zone situations.
SPOKANE:
The Empire return home to Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena for the first time in two weeks. Spokane has not lost a home game this season and look to keep that streak alive against the Fever, who are looking for revenge after the Empire swept the games in Kennewick. Historically, these two teams met played from 2007-2009 in the af2 and Spokane won every meeting at home. That streak goes on the line Friday night.
The Empire played well against the Fever last weekend and look to keep that momentum going this week. Spokane's offense, while efficient, struggled at times against the Fever's defense. Despite 4 touchdown passes from Charles Dowdell, he struggled in the passing game, completing only 8 of 20 passes for 108 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against the Fever. The offense suffered a scare with an ankle injury to leading WR JJ Hayes, who was injured after scoring a rushing touchdown in the 4th Quarter. Spokane has quality depth at wide receiver in WRs Justin Helwege, Carl Sims and Samuel Charles, which shouldn't be a major blow depending on how long Hayes may or may not be out. Thankfully for Spokane, they have RB Trevor Kennedy, who appears to be the front runner for IFL Rookie of the Year. Kennedy had another solid game for the Empire, rushing for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns last week, as well as hauling in a 30 yard pass for a score.
Like last week, Spokane's offense should have the edge over a very good Tri-Cities defense. Spokane remains the only team to score more than 50 points against the Fever (twice), but Spokane has to be careful with turning over the football. Tri-Cities is a team that feeds on defensive stops, and it's what keeps their struggling offense opportunities to score.
Defensively, Spokane will face a tough test in defending the run. Pat McCain and Rob Brown ran all over the #1 ranked rushing defense, accumulating 144 total yards on the ground. The focus will be on the offensive line, as DL Toby Jackson and Brett Bowers will miss Friday's game due to injury. Don't be surprised if LB Nick Haag lines up more along the offensive line to get some pressure on McCain, which he did last weekend in Tri-Cities. OL Brandon Haskin and Dave Lefotu are being pushed into playing some iron man football as well, and their battles in the trenches will be a key on whether or not Spokane can disrupt the Fever's offensive rhythm.
Player to Watch: Justin Helwege (WR)
Helwege is due for a breakout game, and he might just get the opportunity to shine on Friday night.
leading WR JJ Hayes suffered an ankle injury late in the game last week and his status for Friday night in question, making this a prime opportunity for Helwege to do some damage. He's had a good season so far, hauling in 17 passes for 145 yards and 5 touchdowns (all 3rd on the team) but could step into a bigger role should Hayes not play or if he isn't 100% while playing against the Fever.
The last time Hayes was out (against the Barnstormers in Iowa), Carl Sims got a bulk of the targets, but Helwege's targets increased after only having 1 catch the week before. With Hayes questionable, Helwege should get a fair number of targets his way, and with Samuel Charles and Trevor Kennedy, it should provide plenty of opportunities for open space in the field and prime opportunities to add to his touchdown totals.
QUOTABLE
Empire DB Robert Brown on having to play his twin brother, Fever RB Rob Brown prior to Saturday's game.
“First time in our lives we’ll be playing each other. I have that competitive feeling but you still have that feeling of ‘OK this is my brother, my identical twin so I don’t want him to get too hurt,’”
Empire HC Adam Shackleford on the revolving door at Kicker.
"We want it to be closer to 80 percent or higher (on PATs). If we’re attempting field goals it’s because I’m not doing my job and we’re not getting in the end zone."
Shackleford compliments the success of the offensive line.
"I believe this offensive line is the best I’ve had since 2009. I see a lot of similarities in these guys. Just big bodies, people movers, athletic for their size and really work well together."
Shackleford on playing the Fever back-to-back.
"Anytime you face a team back-to-back, the first game doesn’t matter and what happened the weekend before is over. In a rivalry game, anyone can win on any given day."
Empire OL Dave Lefotu on the importance of the run game in the IFL.
"I love that aspect. I was looking at some AFL teams. When I heard about the IFL and the way they play, that really pulled me in. It’s more fitting for me to get this kind of film to translate over to outdoor football."
FEATURED TWEETS
IFL SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
April 29 - Iowa Barnstormers (3-5) at Nebraska Danger (5-4), 5 p.m.
April 29 - Wichita Falls Nighthawks (5-2) at Colorado Crush (0-8), 6:30 p.m.
April 29 - Tri-Cities Fever (3-5) at Spokane Empire (6-1), 7 p.m.
April 30 - Green Bay Blizzard (2-6) at Sioux Falls Storm (7-1), 5 p.m.
April 30 - Cedar Rapids Titans (5-4) at Billings Wolves (4-4), 6 p.m
EXTRA
Last Thursday, the IFL announced a new expansion franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The new franchise will begin play in the 2017 season.
(image credit: Kelsey Nover / twitter.com/kelsnov)
The Salt Lake City ownership is a group called Project FANchise, a unique organization that will attempt to bridge the gap between fantasy sports, video games, and live sports. It'll be the first fan-run organization in all of professional sports. Its mobile app will encourage fans to become involved in team decisions, from interviewing and hiring the team's General Manager, Head Coach, coaching staff, and influencing which players to sign and cut on the final roster. The fans will also have a say in the design of the team's logo, their name, their uniforms, the mascot, and the merchandise.
This will not be the only expansion franchise to join the IFL in 2017. According to Tri-Cities Fever owner Teri Carr, there are more expansion announcements expected later this season.
If you would like to read about SCtC's full coverage of the Salt Lake City expansion announcement, click here.