Post by Nevadanut on May 16, 2018 19:39:28 GMT -8
Iowa Barnstormers at Arizona Rattlers
What: The Barnstormers head to the Territory to face the Rattlers.
When: Sunday, May 20 at 1:05 p.m. pacific (3:05 p.m. central).
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena; Phoenix, Arizona.
Stream: Barnstormers at Rattlers on Indoor Football League Official Youtube Channel.
2018 Head to Head: March 10 - Barnstormers 38, Rattlers 28. June 2 - Rattlers at Barnstormers.
Note: These teams are the current lone members of the IFL which have moved from the AFL in recent years. The Rattlers were members of the AFL for 24 seasons and the Barnstormers for 11.
HELPFUL LINKS
Indoor Football League Rules
Indoor Football League Schedule and Results - 2018 Season
Iowa Barnstormers 2018 Schedule
Iowa Barnstormers Vital Statistics
Arizona Rattlers 2018 Schedule
Arizona Rattlers Vital Statistics
IFL Franchise Index
The Barnstormers are 7-2 and 3-1 on the road. They are coming off a 48-21 home win over the Cedar Rapids Titans on May 11. They are averaging 43.8 points per game and are allowing 33.4 points per game.
The Rattlers are 9-1 overall and 6-0 at home. They are coming off a 62-26 road win over the Green Bay Blizzard on May 12. They are averaging 53.6 points per game and are allowing 39.4 points per game.
2018 REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN
Total Yards per Game - Barnstormers 239.6; Rattlers 257.7
Pass Yards per Game - Barnstormers 127.9; Rattlers 125.8
Rush Yards per Game - Barnstormers 111.7; Rattlers 131.9
3rd Down Conversion - Barnstormers 49%; Rattlers 49%
4th Down Conversion - Barnstormers 46%; Rattlers 56%
Total Tackles - Barnstormers 310; Rattlers 384
Tackles for Loss - Barnstormers 27; Rattlers 44
Total Sacks - Barnstormers 5; Rattlers 18
Fumble Recoveries - Barnstormers 5; Rattlers 8
Interceptions - Barnstormers 12; Rattlers 12
Note: The Barnstormers have played nine games and the Rattlers have played 10.
IOWA BARNSTORMERS
Barnstormers DB Bryce Enyard (Photo via goifl.com)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Ryan Balentine (WR)
2 - Drew Powell (QB)
3 - Jourdan Wickliffe (DB)
4 - Rocky Hayes (DB)
5 - Sheldon Augustine (WR)
6 - Jermey Gloston (DB)
7 - Tyrell Pearson (DB)
8 - Bryce Enyard (DB)
9 - Skyler Scott (WR)
11 - Brady Roland (WR)
15 - Grant Rohach (QB)
19 - Cody Barber (K)
20 - Robert Haynes (LB)
21 - Jamal Tyler (RB)
22 - Donavan Williams (RB)
35 - Zachary Allen (LB)
44 - Dame Ndiaye (DL)
55 - Keith Jones Jr. (DL)
56 - B.J. Butler (DL)
72 - Randall Jackson-Clemons (OL)
77 - Brandon Haskin (OL)
90 - Bryon Bennett (DL)
91 - D'Vonn Brown (DL)
N/A - Corey Madlock (OL)
N/A - Ken Van Heule III (OL)
Short Term IR
14 - Jonathan Duarte (WR)
Season Ending IR
None
Transfer
79 - Isame Faciane (OL) [CFL - Toronto Argonauts]
RTR
57 - Terrance Boyd Jr. (OL)
71 - Kyle Grome (OL)
Coaching Staff
Dixie Wooten - Head Coach
Marcus Coleman - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach
Michael Cluster - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach
Malcolm Nelson - Defensive Line Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
2017 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Drew Powell 954
Passing TDs - Drew Powell 17
Passing INTs - Drew Powell 3
Rushing Yards - Drew Powell 498
Rushing TDs - Drew Powell 11
Receptions - Brady Roland 37
Receiving Yards - Brady Roland 498
Receiving TDs - Ryan Balentine/Brady Roland 9
Total Tackles - Bryce Enyard 50
Sacks - Keith Jones Jr. 2
Interceptions - Bryce Enyard 8
KO Return Ave - Rocky Hayes 16.5
KO Return TDs - Rocky Hayes 1
Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Rosters and team information is gathered from the IFL's 2018 Media Guide and other sources, and will be updated as further roster information becomes available.
ARIZONA RATTLERS
Rattlers K Sawyer Petre (Photo via azcentral.com)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Verlon Reed Jr. (QB)
2 - Jamal Miles (RB/WR)
4 - Nathan Lindsey (DB)
5 - Anthony Amos (WR)
8 - Davontae Merriweather (DB)
11 - Arkeith Brown (DB)
12 - Anthony Jones Jr. (WR)
13 - Jeff Ziemba (QB)
15 - Dillion Winfrey (WR)
16 - Jarrod Harrington (WR)
17 - Dezmon Epps (WR)
22 - Sawyer Petre (K)
24 - Keith Trumps (DB)
28 - Shadrach Thornton (RB)
30 - Justin Shirk (LB)
31 - Chris McAllister (DL)
32 - Dylan Peebles (RB)
50 - Chris Boles (OL)
55 - Lene Maiava (OL)
56 - Steven Gurrola (OL)
64 - Vernon Sainvil (OL)
91 - Justin Martin (DL)
94 - Lamar Mady (OL)
95 - Joshua Gordon (DL)
97 - Terrence Surratt (DL)
Short Term IR
14 - Darrell Monroe (RB)
45 - Ryan Langford (LB)
49 - Edward Mosley (DL)
N/A - Fahraad Johnson (OL)
Season Ending IR
3 - Allen Chapman (DB)
N/A - Mark Munson (WR)
Transfer
None
RTR
6 - Sean Goldrich (QB)
N/A - Dante Cattaneo (OL)
N/A - Terrell Clinkscales (DL)
N/A - Leon Hill (OL)
Coaching Staff
Kevin Guy - Head Coach
Jeff Jarnigan - Defensive Line/Special Teams Coach
Kani Kauahi - Offensive Line Coach/Assistant Head Coach
Steve Axman - Offensive Coordinator
2018 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Jeff Ziemba 1,214
Passing TDs - Jeff Ziemba 29
Passing Ints - Jeff Ziemba 8
Rushing Yards - *Darrell Monroe 633
Rushing TDs - *Darrell Monroe 24
Receptions - Jamal Miles 42
Receiving Yards - Jamal Miles 320
Receiving TDs - Anthony Amos 23
Total Tackles - Arkeith Brown 44
Sacks - Justin Shirk 4.5
Interceptions - Arkeith Brown/Allen Chapman 4
KO Return Ave - Dezmon Epps 29.5
KO Return TDs - Dezmon Epps 2
*Has been placed on Short Term IR
Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Rosters and team information is gathered from the IFL's 2018 Media Guide and other sources, and will be updated as further roster information becomes available.
ANALYSIS
This game will likey have major playoff seeding implications for both teams. With a win, the Rattlers could all but seal up the first seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Should the Barnstormers come away with the victory, they put themselves in a position to earn the league's top spot heading into the playoffs The key would be winning the final game between the teams this season on June 2 in Des Moines. The Barnstormers lead the all-time series 2-0, winning 51-47 in the only meeting last season, and thwarting the Rattlers 38-28 in week 3 of this year's campaign. Iowa and Arizona made the leaps from the Arena Football League to the Indoor Football League in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The Barnstormers enjoyed their best IFL season in 2017, finishing 13-3 overall and with a playoff berth. They would come up short in the United Conference championship to the Sioux Falls Storm. Sioux Falls would go on the United Bowl, where the were defeated by the Rattlers.
Iowa comes in winners of four straight, including an impressive 49-42 week 11 win over the Sioux Falls Storm in South Dakota. As mentioned above, the Barnstormers are vying to be the top seed in the IFL playoffs. It won't be an easy task, but a pair of wins over the Rattlers, here in week 13 and in week 15. Another notable task will come in week 16 at the Storm. While the Barnstormers have never lost a game in the teams' current league, this meeting in the Rattlers' "Snake Pit" is no easy task. Their victory in Phoenix in 2017 came early in the season when the Rattlers were gaining their IFL footing. Drew Powell has been impressive since returning to the team after a two-week tryout with the Saskatchewan RoughRiders of the Canadian Football League. It will be up to him, using his arm and feet, to lead a potent offense against a talented Arizona defense.
Despite appearing in just seven games this season, Powell leads the league in total offense at 207.4 yards per game. He is completing 64.8 percent of his passes and is averaging 136.3 passing yards per game. Powell, perhaps, is even more potent in the running game. He leads all quarterbacks with 498 rushing yards for a 71.1 per game average, and is second only to the Storm's Lorenzo Brown with 11 rushing touchdowns. He also leads quarterbacks with 4.8 yards per carry. There has been a mix in the running game, with Donavan Williams and Jamal Tyler averaging 4.1 and 3.5 yards per carry. They will look to take some pressure off of Powell and balance the offense. Brady Roland and Ryan Balentine are an excellent IFL receiving duo who have each appeared in all nine of the Barnstormers' games this season. They are averaging 13.5 and 11.5 yards per catch and have each caught 9 touchdowns on the season. Bryce Enyard has been outstanding this season, adding 10 pass break ups and a league-high 8 interceptions to his team-high 50 total tackles. Zachary Allen has recorded 49 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. Keith Jones, Jr. has 2 tackles and 6 tackles for loss, and B.J. Butler leads the team with 8 tackles for loss. Cody Barber is among the better kickers in the IFL, having nailed 10 of his 18 field goal tries, with six of those coming from 37 yards are further.
Arizona has the league's best record and, for the great majority of the season, has played like it. The Rattlers are looking to earn the top seed to guarantee home field advantage in the playoffs. The Barnstormers stand in their way. They have won eight straight and will look to make it nine as they search for their first-ever win in three tries over the Barnstormers. Arizona took a hit this week as the league's leading rusher, Darrell Monroe, was placed on Short Term Injured Reserve. Head coach Kevin Guy filled the roster spot by recalling Shadrach Thornton from STIR. Thornton was spectacular earlier in the season (more on that below). The Rattlers close out their season with this and the week 15 meeting against the Barnstormers, and home and away games against the Nebraska Danger. The Rattlers' 53.6 points per game leads the IFL, but they managed a season low 28 points against the Barnstormers in week 3.
Jeff Ziemba has been more than solid since taking over for Verlon Reed, Jr. in the season opener. He is one of only three IFL quarterbacks this season to pass for more than 1,000 yards. He has 1,214 yards on the season and is averaging 121.4 yards through the air this season. Monroe, in just eight games this season, has posted 100-yard rushing games three times. He has averaged 79.1 yards per game on the season, and had an IFL-record 11 rushing touchdowns in the Rattlers thrilling 84-83 win over the Cedar Rapids Titans in week 10. Enter Shardrach Thornton, who had seemed to unseat Monroe earlier this season before falling to his own injury. Thornton rushed 34 rushes for 174 yards and 6 touchdowns in a two-game span in weeks 3 and 4, and returns at an opportune time. Jamal Miles, who has 146 rushing yards of his own, leads the team in receptions and receiving yards with 42 for 320 and 23 for 315, respectively. Dezmon Epps is a thrilling kick returner (averaging over 29 yards per return with 2 touchdowns), serves as the team's third receiver. Arkeith Brown has 4 interceptions and 5 pass break ups to go with his team-leading 44 total tackles. Allen Chapman also has 4 picks and leads the team with 9 bass break ups. Justin Shirk leads the team in sacks with 4 and has 8.5 tackles for loss, while Joshua Gordon has recorded 4 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. Sawyer Petre is 6 of 16 on field goal attempts with a long of 41 yards. Seven of his misses have come from 30 yards or further.
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OTHER IFL GAMES THIS WEEK
May 18 - Sioux Falls Storm at Cedar Rapids Titans, 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central)
May 18 - Green Bay Blizzard at Nebraska Danger, 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central)
IFL STANDINGS
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