Post by marinersmedia on Jul 21, 2010 16:42:11 GMT -5
Baltimore’s Balanced Attack Produced 94 TDs; Faces Talented Cavs Defense
BALTIMORE, MD (July 21, 2010) – When most defensive coordinators prepare for a game in the American Indoor Football Association they can expect a steady dose of passes in a league where 69% of the offensive touchdowns are through the air.
When the Baltimore Mariners (15-0) take on the Wyoming Cavalry (14-1) in AIFA Bowl IV, the American Indoor Football Association’s national championship game, the Cavalry defense must be prepared for an aerial and ground attack from the Mariners.
In scoring a league leading 60.5 points per game, the Mariners tossed 54 touchdown passes and rushed for 40 scores while averaging nearly seven touchdowns per game. And all of this was accomplished while turning the ball over only 14 times and allowing only eight sacks.
Leading the charge for this multi-pronged attack is quarterback E.J. Nemeth. Now in his fourth season of professional football and second with the Mariners, Nemeth had a breakout season with 52 touchdown strikes for 2,333 yards and only ten interceptions. He also added eight rushing scores.
In two seasons with the Mariners, Nemeth has thrown 88 touchdown passes and 4,448 yards. He also has contributed 21 rushing scores while compiling a 24-6 record as the Mariners’ starting quarterback.
Nemeth has been sparked by a veteran group of receivers, Scorpio Brown, Jamaal Stokes, and Aaron Yarbough, who are all in their third season with Baltimore. For the second season in a row Stokes led the Mariners in receptions (65) and receiving yards (699). Brown had a career year and established a new Baltimore single season record with 22 touchdown receptions. Yarbough also posted career numbers with 55 receptions, 683 receiving yards, and 12 touchdown catches.
Head Coach Chris Simpson’s Mariner team ran the ball 40% of the time and produced outstanding results with the AIFA’s leading rusher Isaiah Grier. Grier topped the league in rushing yards (565), rushing touchdowns (30), total touchdowns (37), and points (222). Grier was also productive coming out of the backfield racking up seven touchdown receptions.
Forging holes in the offensive line and also providing excellent protection for Nemeth is a veteran offensive line which drove the Mariners to a league-best 40 rushing touchdowns and also allowed a league low eight sacks.
Former Towson University products Gus Kosmakos and Jeff Tyler and Mark Stout, who won a title over Wyoming last season while playing for the Reading Express, have enabled the Mariners to be successful on the ground and in the air.
The Mariners rushing offense which produced 42 yards per game on the ground will face a Wyoming defense ranked near the bottom of the league allowing 36.36 rushing yards per game. Wyoming was also is in the middle of the pack in passing defense allowing 175.36 passing yards per game, while the Mariners ranked ninth with 171.7 yards through the air each game.
Simpson commented, “Wyoming plays a ‘bend but don't break’ type of defense. They are very athletic in every position. While they do not stunt and twist like most of the teams we've faced, there defensive line is very quick off the ball and their linebackers are solid in their pursuit and coverage skills. Their defensive backs are solid as well and very physical.”
Leading the way for a Cavalry defense which allowed only 32.9 points per game is 5’11, 280 pound defensive lineman Rodney Wasch who led the AIFA with 16.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for a loss, and four forced fumbles; in only 11 games played.
According to the Casper Star-Tribune, Cavalry Head Coach Dan Maciejczak said, "[Rodney] is a non-traditional type of d-lineman. But he's quick off the ball and he's stronger than heck. I think people underestimate just how strong he really is."
Wasche also led the Cavalry in tackles with 36.5. Fellow defensive lineman Martini Hilliard, a 6’2”, 250 pound lineman from Tennessee Tech was second on the team with 33.5 tackles.
Defensive back Emery Beckles (5’9”, 170 pounds) from Idaho State led Wyoming with five interceptions. He also had 21.5 tackles this season. Four other Cavalry defenders, Antar Brame, Charles Hunt, Jeff McNally, and Rodell Razor combined for 12 interceptions.
Wyoming was not the takeaway machine the Mariners were during the regular season, but still ranked second in the AIFA with a turnover margin of +16 (the Mariners had a league best +43 ratio). The Cavalry also buckled down when it counted finishing second in the league with stops 63.6 percent of the time in the red zone; good enough for a second place rank in the AIFA.
While the Cavalry defense had great success against Western Conference opponents far more likely to throw the ball than run (Cavs opponents threw 72% of the time), they should face a steady diet of run and pass plays from the Mariners, which kept opponents off balance all season.
This Sunday fans will see the league’s leading scoring offense battle against a defense, Coach Simpson described as having a bend, but don’t break mentality. At 1st Mariner Arena we will see if E.J. Nemeth and his offense can break through the Cavalry D.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (July 21, 2010) – When most defensive coordinators prepare for a game in the American Indoor Football Association they can expect a steady dose of passes in a league where 69% of the offensive touchdowns are through the air.
When the Baltimore Mariners (15-0) take on the Wyoming Cavalry (14-1) in AIFA Bowl IV, the American Indoor Football Association’s national championship game, the Cavalry defense must be prepared for an aerial and ground attack from the Mariners.
In scoring a league leading 60.5 points per game, the Mariners tossed 54 touchdown passes and rushed for 40 scores while averaging nearly seven touchdowns per game. And all of this was accomplished while turning the ball over only 14 times and allowing only eight sacks.
Leading the charge for this multi-pronged attack is quarterback E.J. Nemeth. Now in his fourth season of professional football and second with the Mariners, Nemeth had a breakout season with 52 touchdown strikes for 2,333 yards and only ten interceptions. He also added eight rushing scores.
In two seasons with the Mariners, Nemeth has thrown 88 touchdown passes and 4,448 yards. He also has contributed 21 rushing scores while compiling a 24-6 record as the Mariners’ starting quarterback.
Nemeth has been sparked by a veteran group of receivers, Scorpio Brown, Jamaal Stokes, and Aaron Yarbough, who are all in their third season with Baltimore. For the second season in a row Stokes led the Mariners in receptions (65) and receiving yards (699). Brown had a career year and established a new Baltimore single season record with 22 touchdown receptions. Yarbough also posted career numbers with 55 receptions, 683 receiving yards, and 12 touchdown catches.
Head Coach Chris Simpson’s Mariner team ran the ball 40% of the time and produced outstanding results with the AIFA’s leading rusher Isaiah Grier. Grier topped the league in rushing yards (565), rushing touchdowns (30), total touchdowns (37), and points (222). Grier was also productive coming out of the backfield racking up seven touchdown receptions.
Forging holes in the offensive line and also providing excellent protection for Nemeth is a veteran offensive line which drove the Mariners to a league-best 40 rushing touchdowns and also allowed a league low eight sacks.
Former Towson University products Gus Kosmakos and Jeff Tyler and Mark Stout, who won a title over Wyoming last season while playing for the Reading Express, have enabled the Mariners to be successful on the ground and in the air.
The Mariners rushing offense which produced 42 yards per game on the ground will face a Wyoming defense ranked near the bottom of the league allowing 36.36 rushing yards per game. Wyoming was also is in the middle of the pack in passing defense allowing 175.36 passing yards per game, while the Mariners ranked ninth with 171.7 yards through the air each game.
Simpson commented, “Wyoming plays a ‘bend but don't break’ type of defense. They are very athletic in every position. While they do not stunt and twist like most of the teams we've faced, there defensive line is very quick off the ball and their linebackers are solid in their pursuit and coverage skills. Their defensive backs are solid as well and very physical.”
Leading the way for a Cavalry defense which allowed only 32.9 points per game is 5’11, 280 pound defensive lineman Rodney Wasch who led the AIFA with 16.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for a loss, and four forced fumbles; in only 11 games played.
According to the Casper Star-Tribune, Cavalry Head Coach Dan Maciejczak said, "[Rodney] is a non-traditional type of d-lineman. But he's quick off the ball and he's stronger than heck. I think people underestimate just how strong he really is."
Wasche also led the Cavalry in tackles with 36.5. Fellow defensive lineman Martini Hilliard, a 6’2”, 250 pound lineman from Tennessee Tech was second on the team with 33.5 tackles.
Defensive back Emery Beckles (5’9”, 170 pounds) from Idaho State led Wyoming with five interceptions. He also had 21.5 tackles this season. Four other Cavalry defenders, Antar Brame, Charles Hunt, Jeff McNally, and Rodell Razor combined for 12 interceptions.
Wyoming was not the takeaway machine the Mariners were during the regular season, but still ranked second in the AIFA with a turnover margin of +16 (the Mariners had a league best +43 ratio). The Cavalry also buckled down when it counted finishing second in the league with stops 63.6 percent of the time in the red zone; good enough for a second place rank in the AIFA.
While the Cavalry defense had great success against Western Conference opponents far more likely to throw the ball than run (Cavs opponents threw 72% of the time), they should face a steady diet of run and pass plays from the Mariners, which kept opponents off balance all season.
This Sunday fans will see the league’s leading scoring offense battle against a defense, Coach Simpson described as having a bend, but don’t break mentality. At 1st Mariner Arena we will see if E.J. Nemeth and his offense can break through the Cavalry D.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
