Post by AZ Adrenaline Junkie on May 29, 2008 23:55:07 GMT -5
QB carousel turns en route to Wyoming
Special to the Courier
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
PRESCOTT VALLEY - Last week the Adrenaline clinched a playoff berth. This week they aim higher.
Arizona will travel to Casper, Wyo., for a Friday night date against the unbeaten Wyoming Cavalry, with the West Division title still within reach.
An Adrenaline win would put them just one game behind Wyoming, while a loss would virtually clinch the division title for the Cavalry and assure Dan Maciejczak's team a first round playoff game at home in early July and force the Adrenaline to pack come playoff time.
Adrenaline head coach Andrew Moore spent much of the week wondering which quarterback, or quarterbacks, would be packing for Casper.
Regular starter Chad DeGrenier suffered a torn plantar fasciitis (heel) early in the New Mexico game on Tuesday and sat out the Utah win Saturday. DeGrenier will not make the trip to Wyoming.
To further complicate matters, DeGrenier's replacement, Jason Swanson, suffered a deep thigh bruise against Utah and didn't practice much this week, but as of Wednesday was slated as Friday's starter.
Swanson has been outstanding in DeGrenier's place, completing 27 of 43 for 272 yards and five touchdowns, while running for two more TDs and not throwing an interception the past two weeks. Should Swanson not be able to go, Moore would likely hand the ball to recently signed Keith Poole, who has been taking snaps all week at practice. During the week, the team also acquired Ronnie Simpson, New Mexico's quarterback who the Adrenaline have faced four times this year.
The 34-year-old Poole (6-2, 185) played with four current Adrenaline players, winning two championships in the process, while with the South Phoenix Rebels of the semi-pro Copper State Football League based in Phoenix.
The other area that Moore has addressed is the defensive secondary. Big Wyoming quarterback Matt Strand has thrown 13 TDs in two games against the Adrenaline and Arizona gave up five touchdowns through the air last week against Utah just one week after coming within 30 seconds of a shutout at New Mexico.
"We've made some adjustments," Moore said of the secondary, which likely will include recent signee Courtney Wells, who was released by New Mexico.
"When I brought all of our DBs together and asked them about Saturday they felt that it was a communication breakdown more than anything. That's what we've got to improve on."
No matter the outcome of Friday's game, Maciejczak, known as "Coach Majic," feels that the rivalry between the Adrenaline and Cavalry is officially on, and is one that might be moving to the beat of a different "drum."
"It's definitely a rivalry," he said. "I think them putting drums behind our bench and having kids beating on them constantly when we played them there proved that point.
Coach Moore has done a great job with that team, and they have an awful lot of talent. But I really thought the drums idea was kind of cheesy." 
Adrenaline co-owner Wade Cunningham said the drums were not placed behind the Wyoming bench for strategic purposes, but because of the building logistics at Tim's Toyota Center.
"We did get some negative feedback about the drums," Cunningham said. "And we anticipate moving them from now on. But we didn't put them there to distract anybody. It just worked out that way logistically.
"Wyoming is a very good football team, and I wouldn't think that a few kids pounding a drum now and then would be that big of a deal. But I don't know."
Special to the Courier
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
PRESCOTT VALLEY - Last week the Adrenaline clinched a playoff berth. This week they aim higher.
Arizona will travel to Casper, Wyo., for a Friday night date against the unbeaten Wyoming Cavalry, with the West Division title still within reach.
An Adrenaline win would put them just one game behind Wyoming, while a loss would virtually clinch the division title for the Cavalry and assure Dan Maciejczak's team a first round playoff game at home in early July and force the Adrenaline to pack come playoff time.
Adrenaline head coach Andrew Moore spent much of the week wondering which quarterback, or quarterbacks, would be packing for Casper.
Regular starter Chad DeGrenier suffered a torn plantar fasciitis (heel) early in the New Mexico game on Tuesday and sat out the Utah win Saturday. DeGrenier will not make the trip to Wyoming.
To further complicate matters, DeGrenier's replacement, Jason Swanson, suffered a deep thigh bruise against Utah and didn't practice much this week, but as of Wednesday was slated as Friday's starter.
Swanson has been outstanding in DeGrenier's place, completing 27 of 43 for 272 yards and five touchdowns, while running for two more TDs and not throwing an interception the past two weeks. Should Swanson not be able to go, Moore would likely hand the ball to recently signed Keith Poole, who has been taking snaps all week at practice. During the week, the team also acquired Ronnie Simpson, New Mexico's quarterback who the Adrenaline have faced four times this year.
The 34-year-old Poole (6-2, 185) played with four current Adrenaline players, winning two championships in the process, while with the South Phoenix Rebels of the semi-pro Copper State Football League based in Phoenix.
The other area that Moore has addressed is the defensive secondary. Big Wyoming quarterback Matt Strand has thrown 13 TDs in two games against the Adrenaline and Arizona gave up five touchdowns through the air last week against Utah just one week after coming within 30 seconds of a shutout at New Mexico.
"We've made some adjustments," Moore said of the secondary, which likely will include recent signee Courtney Wells, who was released by New Mexico.
"When I brought all of our DBs together and asked them about Saturday they felt that it was a communication breakdown more than anything. That's what we've got to improve on."
No matter the outcome of Friday's game, Maciejczak, known as "Coach Majic," feels that the rivalry between the Adrenaline and Cavalry is officially on, and is one that might be moving to the beat of a different "drum."
"It's definitely a rivalry," he said. "I think them putting drums behind our bench and having kids beating on them constantly when we played them there proved that point.
Coach Moore has done a great job with that team, and they have an awful lot of talent. But I really thought the drums idea was kind of cheesy." Adrenaline co-owner Wade Cunningham said the drums were not placed behind the Wyoming bench for strategic purposes, but because of the building logistics at Tim's Toyota Center.
"We did get some negative feedback about the drums," Cunningham said. "And we anticipate moving them from now on. But we didn't put them there to distract anybody. It just worked out that way logistically.
"Wyoming is a very good football team, and I wouldn't think that a few kids pounding a drum now and then would be that big of a deal. But I don't know."