Post by Catfish on Feb 19, 2007 22:01:39 GMT -5
Mudcats' defense makes mark in win over Lakeland
2/18/2007 4:16:21 PM
Josh Hanna
By Russell E. Scott
Special to the Daily Journal
TUPELO - Indoor football is designed to put defenses at a distinct disadvantage.
With rules that allow receivers to reach a full sprint before the ball is snapped and create one-on-one matchups in the secondary, it's the action-packed offense that puts the fans in the stands.
But Saturday night at BancorpSouth Arena, the big guys in the trenches brought the crowd to its feet. Then, they sent the crowd of 5,000 to the turnstiles happy after they'd watched the Mississippi Mudcats improve to 3-0 with a 46-36 win against Lakeland.
With about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, lineman Antonio Peoples stripped Lakeland quarterback Aso Pogi of the ball at the MudCats 15.
Former Southern Miss player Naton Stewart scooped up the loose ball and rambled to the Thunderbolts 10, before he was dragged down from behind. But before he was tackled, he turned and lateralled the ball to big Joe Clark, a 6-foot, 4-inch, 325-pounder out of West Georgia, who stumbled in for the touchdown.
"Who says the big guys can't score?" Clark asked after the game.
"Naton was very unselfish to throw it to me," he added. "He was aware that I was there. I get the stat, but it was his unselfishness that got the touchdown."
Clark said if he dropped the toss, he would've gotten a lot of ribbing in the lockerroom. "I was just hoping I'd catch it," he said. "I wouldn't have had any trouble catching it if it was a pizza."
Sound play on the defensive side of the football has helped the MudCats roar to a half-game lead in the American Indoor Football Association South Division standings.
Each week, the MudCats' defense has made a big impact:
n In the season-opening 54-34 win against Pittsburgh, the defensive line pressured former indoor league MVP David Dinkins all night long. The visiting team's offense finally shortcircuited in the second half.
n A week ago, the MudCats scored 28 points off of five turnovers - three fumble recoveries and two interceptions - enroute to a 57-27 win against Montgomery.
"Holding someone to 27 points in arena football is like holding someone to zero in an outdoor game," head coach Brian Brents said of that effort.
n Saturday night, Mississippi scored 14 more points off turnovers.
Brents wore a big smile after Saturday night's defensive performance against the Florida team. He was Lakeland's offensive coordinator a year ago and the game was built up even by team owner Todd Ellis as a yardstick of how the MudCats measured up in the 15-team AIFA.
"We'll know a lot more after we play Lakeland," Ellis said.
One thing that's clear today is that Brents and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson have put together a championship-caliber defense.
Linebacker Derrick White and defensive backs Larry Wright and Amhaad Smith each had interceptions in the MudCats' win over a Lakeland team that won a NIFL conference title a year ago.
On the offensive side, quarterback Tommy Jones has quickly settled in with receivers Darryl Carter and Josh Smith. Jones has thrown 17 TDs in three games and they've accounted for the lion's share of those.
Ray Ray returns
Mississippi's offense featured for the first time this week a name familiar to most in Northeast Mississippi - former Mississippi State receiver Ray Ray Bivines. Saturday night, Bivines played his first game in more than two years.
"Oh, I've been around," Bivines said when asked where he'd been. "This is very different that college. It's a fun game. You can't run out of bounds here."
Brents was impressed with Bivines' play - especially after a two-year layoff.
"He played well tonight," Brents said of Bivines' 7-catch, 53-yard night. "I was very proud of him.
"I told him he broke 10 tackles on that first catch," Brents added, noting only eight players take the field during AIFA games. "He made a believer out of me."
n Game summary, Page 2C
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 2/19/2007, section C , page 3
2/18/2007 4:16:21 PM
Josh Hanna
By Russell E. Scott
Special to the Daily Journal
TUPELO - Indoor football is designed to put defenses at a distinct disadvantage.
With rules that allow receivers to reach a full sprint before the ball is snapped and create one-on-one matchups in the secondary, it's the action-packed offense that puts the fans in the stands.
But Saturday night at BancorpSouth Arena, the big guys in the trenches brought the crowd to its feet. Then, they sent the crowd of 5,000 to the turnstiles happy after they'd watched the Mississippi Mudcats improve to 3-0 with a 46-36 win against Lakeland.
With about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, lineman Antonio Peoples stripped Lakeland quarterback Aso Pogi of the ball at the MudCats 15.
Former Southern Miss player Naton Stewart scooped up the loose ball and rambled to the Thunderbolts 10, before he was dragged down from behind. But before he was tackled, he turned and lateralled the ball to big Joe Clark, a 6-foot, 4-inch, 325-pounder out of West Georgia, who stumbled in for the touchdown.
"Who says the big guys can't score?" Clark asked after the game.
"Naton was very unselfish to throw it to me," he added. "He was aware that I was there. I get the stat, but it was his unselfishness that got the touchdown."
Clark said if he dropped the toss, he would've gotten a lot of ribbing in the lockerroom. "I was just hoping I'd catch it," he said. "I wouldn't have had any trouble catching it if it was a pizza."
Sound play on the defensive side of the football has helped the MudCats roar to a half-game lead in the American Indoor Football Association South Division standings.
Each week, the MudCats' defense has made a big impact:
n In the season-opening 54-34 win against Pittsburgh, the defensive line pressured former indoor league MVP David Dinkins all night long. The visiting team's offense finally shortcircuited in the second half.
n A week ago, the MudCats scored 28 points off of five turnovers - three fumble recoveries and two interceptions - enroute to a 57-27 win against Montgomery.
"Holding someone to 27 points in arena football is like holding someone to zero in an outdoor game," head coach Brian Brents said of that effort.
n Saturday night, Mississippi scored 14 more points off turnovers.
Brents wore a big smile after Saturday night's defensive performance against the Florida team. He was Lakeland's offensive coordinator a year ago and the game was built up even by team owner Todd Ellis as a yardstick of how the MudCats measured up in the 15-team AIFA.
"We'll know a lot more after we play Lakeland," Ellis said.
One thing that's clear today is that Brents and defensive coordinator Gary Patterson have put together a championship-caliber defense.
Linebacker Derrick White and defensive backs Larry Wright and Amhaad Smith each had interceptions in the MudCats' win over a Lakeland team that won a NIFL conference title a year ago.
On the offensive side, quarterback Tommy Jones has quickly settled in with receivers Darryl Carter and Josh Smith. Jones has thrown 17 TDs in three games and they've accounted for the lion's share of those.
Ray Ray returns
Mississippi's offense featured for the first time this week a name familiar to most in Northeast Mississippi - former Mississippi State receiver Ray Ray Bivines. Saturday night, Bivines played his first game in more than two years.
"Oh, I've been around," Bivines said when asked where he'd been. "This is very different that college. It's a fun game. You can't run out of bounds here."
Brents was impressed with Bivines' play - especially after a two-year layoff.
"He played well tonight," Brents said of Bivines' 7-catch, 53-yard night. "I was very proud of him.
"I told him he broke 10 tackles on that first catch," Brents added, noting only eight players take the field during AIFA games. "He made a believer out of me."
n Game summary, Page 2C
Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 2/19/2007, section C , page 3