Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 11, 2007 20:01:50 GMT -5
Take-aways key in MudCats (2-0) 57 - 27 Win!
2/11/2007 8:49:35 AM
By Russell E. Scott
Special to the Daily Journal
TUPELO - Mississippi MudCats coach Brian Brents called it the most impressive indoor-league defensive performance he'd ever seen. And while that might be a stretch, he didn't miss it by much.
The MudCats forced five turnovers, blocked a field goal, scored 28 points off turnovers, held the Montgomery Bears to only 27 points, and moved to 2-0 here Saturday with a 57-27 win.
"Holding someone to 27 points in arena football is like holding someone to zero in an outdoor game," Brents said after the game. "Coach (Gary) Patterson had that defense ready. That's the best defensive performance I've seen in an arena league."
And it's a good thing the MudCat defense played well. Overthrown balls, dropped passes, botched blocking assignments and missed routes kept the Mississippi offense in check all night. The Mississippi offense generated only 166 yards of offense.
"We had a lot of early morning practices this week," Brents said. "We had some people who couldn't come to practice, and it showed."
The MudCat defense set up the offense early in the second quarter with the first of its forced turnovers. A fumble recovery with 14 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the first half set up quarterback Tommy Jones and the MudCat offense at the Montgomery 15. Jones connected with Josh Smith on the next play to put Mississippi out front 14-7.
Defensive lineman Antonio Peoples recovered a Bear fumble with about 30 seconds remaining in the first half, with Mississippi leading 17-14. After taking a sack and overthrowing two receivers, Jones hit Darryl Carter in the endzone within 5 seconds remaining in the half to send the MudCats into the locker room with a 10 point lead.
Leading 30-14, late in the third, lineman Naton Stewart blocked a Montgomery field goal and recovered it in the end zone for a score that put the MudCats out front 37-20.
"Our offense struggled," Brents said, noting Jones' 15-for-34, 128-yard performance on the heels of last week's 268-yard game. "We had some big drops. We had some touchdown passes dropped. We had some third downs dropped. We've got to knock the rust off."
Tim Love, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 325-pound lineman from Harding University, forced a Montgomery fumble that was recovered by Larry Wright. On the next play, Jones hit Carter from 26 yards out to put Mississippi out front 51-27.
Josh Smith hauled in three touchdowns, while Carter caught two.
Kicker and fan-favorite John Michael Marlin hit one of five field goals, a 47-yarder, and six extra points. He was injured late in the game and, according to Brents, will see a physician on Monday.
On Saturday, Mississippi hosts the Lakeland (Fla.) Thunderbolts, where Brents was the offensive coordinator last season.
2/11/2007 8:49:35 AM
By Russell E. Scott
Special to the Daily Journal
TUPELO - Mississippi MudCats coach Brian Brents called it the most impressive indoor-league defensive performance he'd ever seen. And while that might be a stretch, he didn't miss it by much.
The MudCats forced five turnovers, blocked a field goal, scored 28 points off turnovers, held the Montgomery Bears to only 27 points, and moved to 2-0 here Saturday with a 57-27 win.
"Holding someone to 27 points in arena football is like holding someone to zero in an outdoor game," Brents said after the game. "Coach (Gary) Patterson had that defense ready. That's the best defensive performance I've seen in an arena league."
And it's a good thing the MudCat defense played well. Overthrown balls, dropped passes, botched blocking assignments and missed routes kept the Mississippi offense in check all night. The Mississippi offense generated only 166 yards of offense.
"We had a lot of early morning practices this week," Brents said. "We had some people who couldn't come to practice, and it showed."
The MudCat defense set up the offense early in the second quarter with the first of its forced turnovers. A fumble recovery with 14 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the first half set up quarterback Tommy Jones and the MudCat offense at the Montgomery 15. Jones connected with Josh Smith on the next play to put Mississippi out front 14-7.
Defensive lineman Antonio Peoples recovered a Bear fumble with about 30 seconds remaining in the first half, with Mississippi leading 17-14. After taking a sack and overthrowing two receivers, Jones hit Darryl Carter in the endzone within 5 seconds remaining in the half to send the MudCats into the locker room with a 10 point lead.
Leading 30-14, late in the third, lineman Naton Stewart blocked a Montgomery field goal and recovered it in the end zone for a score that put the MudCats out front 37-20.
"Our offense struggled," Brents said, noting Jones' 15-for-34, 128-yard performance on the heels of last week's 268-yard game. "We had some big drops. We had some touchdown passes dropped. We had some third downs dropped. We've got to knock the rust off."
Tim Love, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 325-pound lineman from Harding University, forced a Montgomery fumble that was recovered by Larry Wright. On the next play, Jones hit Carter from 26 yards out to put Mississippi out front 51-27.
Josh Smith hauled in three touchdowns, while Carter caught two.
Kicker and fan-favorite John Michael Marlin hit one of five field goals, a 47-yarder, and six extra points. He was injured late in the game and, according to Brents, will see a physician on Monday.
On Saturday, Mississippi hosts the Lakeland (Fla.) Thunderbolts, where Brents was the offensive coordinator last season.
