Post by cavfan on Apr 16, 2010 10:34:18 GMT -5
Cavalry Tracker
TONIGHT: San Jose at Wyoming, 7 p.m., Casper Events Center.
RECORDS: Wolves (4-0); Cavalry (3-0).
BATTLE FOR FIRST: The winner of tonight's game will take over sole possession of first place in the Western Division of the American Indoor Football Association.
HE SAID IT: "I think this will be the most talented football team we've seen in awhile." - Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak.
NEXT: Cavalry at Wenatchee Valley, April 24.
The jerseys are different, but the next Wyoming Cavalry opponent definitely has a familiar feel to it.
The Cavs host the San Jose Wolves tonight at the Casper Events Center, and the winner will take control of the Western Division in American Indoor Football Association.
While the Wolves are technically in their first year in the AIFA, a number of players and coaches were part of the Florence (Ga.) Phantoms team that beat the Cavs 48-12 in AIFA Bowl II in 2008.
"There are a lot of guys from the Florence team that pounded us a couple years ago," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said, "so we've got some familiarities there."
Wyoming (3-0) is most familiar with San Jose quarterback Omar Jacobs, the 2008 league MVP, who shredded the Cavs' defense in the title game.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Jacobs is the focal point of the Wolves' offense.
"Omar is a great quarterback, and he's poised in the pocket," Maciejczak said. "He does a great job of seeing the field. And he's got some great weapons to throw to.
"He knows what he wants and he's going to get it. We've got our work cut out for us."
The Cavs turned in their best defensive performance two weeks ago in a 79-18 victory over Wasilla, but Maciejczak knows his defense will have its hands full tonight.
The Wolves (4-0) lead the AIFA in scoring at 67.0 points per game.
"First and foremost, San Jose has a lot of team speed and they're a disciplined football team," Maciejczak said. "And they've got some big offensive linemen that can move.
"I think the biggest thing is the adjustment that we can make to their speed. We have to see how it goes early and adjust accordingly."
The real test, though, could come on the other side of the ball where Wyoming puts its league-leading offense -- 262.7 yards of total offense per game -- against San Jose's shutdown defense. The Wolves lead the AIFA in total defense and rush defense and are No. 2 in pass defense.
The Cavs will count on veterans in quarterback Matt Strand and receivers Dante Dudley and BJ Charlton and impressive newcomers Jasonus Tillery (wide receiver) and Josh Schleusner (running back) to find holes in the Wolves defense.
"We know that they're going to be able to do some things to us defensively that we're probably not used to," Maciejczak said. "So we're going to try and be perfect in everything we do and hopefully that pays off for us."
If it does, the Cavs would once again be sitting atop the division.
But Maciejczak knows it won't be easy.
"I think this will be the most talented football team we've seen in awhile," he said. "We're hoping to have a huge crowd here to support us."
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.