Post by Gene on Jun 12, 2010 7:16:38 GMT -5
6/12/2010
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
It's a snap.
The phrase often is used to describe how easy something is.
For the Reading Express, getting the football from the center to quarterback has been anything but a snap. The snaps have been more like an adventure.
Express quarterback Rob Flowers has constantly reached to field low snaps, had the ball bounced back to him and even had a few sail over his head. The Express has tried to deal with the problem but has struggled for 12 games with somehting that for most teams is nearly automatic.
"In any sport when a mishap like that happens you get frustrated," Flowers said. "But we have to find a way to get through it."
The Express brought back 2008 center Scott Blum in an attempt to make the snaps more consistent. But Blum, who has played in two games since nearly two years away from football, is showing a little rust.
He twice snapped the ball out of Flowers' reach last Saturday in a 56-20 win over New Jersey. On another occasion, the ball came when Flowers wasn't ready, and he was hurt in the scramble, forcing him to miss the second half.
"It surprised me a little bit Saturday night that a couple of them happened," Express interim coach Chris Thompson said. "When Scott's on he does a heck of a job."
Blum will be back at center at 7 tonight when the Express (7-5) plays its final regular season home game against the Fayetteville Guard (2-9). The Express needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt in its quest to repeat as champion in the American Indoor Football Association.
"I like what we have established now," said Flowers, who worked with Blum in 2008. "I like having Scott Blum there. He's a really good center."
With Marques Ogden at center, Reading struggled to get into an offensive rhythm. Reading lost four of its first seven games.
Errant snaps became such an issue in the 10th game that the Express moved guard Elliott Seifert to center and brought Flowers out of the shotgun under center during a 40-39 loss to Richmond.
Blum has played the last two games and is trying to return to form.
"Obviously it's frustrating to not be able to be more consistent with our snaps," Thompson said.
Reading has won both games with Blum at center and has won 4-of-5 to climb back into the playoff race. Reading is tied with Erie for the third and final playoff spot in the East Division.
Erie holds the tiebreaker by virtue of winning 2-of-3 against the Express. Reading and Erie both have games remaining with Fayetteville and undefeated Baltimore.
"We're playing good football," Flowers said. "We're playing good enough football to win this whole thing. We're playing together like we're going to make a run and win this whole thing again."
Contact Brian Rippey: 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
Source: readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=226936
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
It's a snap.
The phrase often is used to describe how easy something is.
For the Reading Express, getting the football from the center to quarterback has been anything but a snap. The snaps have been more like an adventure.
Express quarterback Rob Flowers has constantly reached to field low snaps, had the ball bounced back to him and even had a few sail over his head. The Express has tried to deal with the problem but has struggled for 12 games with somehting that for most teams is nearly automatic.
"In any sport when a mishap like that happens you get frustrated," Flowers said. "But we have to find a way to get through it."
The Express brought back 2008 center Scott Blum in an attempt to make the snaps more consistent. But Blum, who has played in two games since nearly two years away from football, is showing a little rust.
He twice snapped the ball out of Flowers' reach last Saturday in a 56-20 win over New Jersey. On another occasion, the ball came when Flowers wasn't ready, and he was hurt in the scramble, forcing him to miss the second half.
"It surprised me a little bit Saturday night that a couple of them happened," Express interim coach Chris Thompson said. "When Scott's on he does a heck of a job."
Blum will be back at center at 7 tonight when the Express (7-5) plays its final regular season home game against the Fayetteville Guard (2-9). The Express needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt in its quest to repeat as champion in the American Indoor Football Association.
"I like what we have established now," said Flowers, who worked with Blum in 2008. "I like having Scott Blum there. He's a really good center."
With Marques Ogden at center, Reading struggled to get into an offensive rhythm. Reading lost four of its first seven games.
Errant snaps became such an issue in the 10th game that the Express moved guard Elliott Seifert to center and brought Flowers out of the shotgun under center during a 40-39 loss to Richmond.
Blum has played the last two games and is trying to return to form.
"Obviously it's frustrating to not be able to be more consistent with our snaps," Thompson said.
Reading has won both games with Blum at center and has won 4-of-5 to climb back into the playoff race. Reading is tied with Erie for the third and final playoff spot in the East Division.
Erie holds the tiebreaker by virtue of winning 2-of-3 against the Express. Reading and Erie both have games remaining with Fayetteville and undefeated Baltimore.
"We're playing good football," Flowers said. "We're playing good enough football to win this whole thing. We're playing together like we're going to make a run and win this whole thing again."
Contact Brian Rippey: 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
Source: readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=226936