Post by 50yardfan on Jun 24, 2011 13:37:57 GMT -5
SIFL PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK: Addition of ex-ASU star Hardwick making Panthers an even bigger force on defense
Led by guys like Larry Edwards and Munir Muwwakkil, the Panthers defense quickly became arguably the SIFL’s best right from the jump, but when Albany added Jacob Hardwick midseason, the unit — as a whole — got even better.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/Addition_of_ex-ASU_star_Hardwick_making_Panthers_an_even_bigger_force_on_defense_124471434.html
ALBANY — The Albany Panthers’ seven interceptions comprised the most visible defensive statistic last Saturday.
Perhaps not so visible? The pressure the Panthers applied up front.
Two sacks — and just as many blocked extra-point attempts — in Albany’s 68-43 first-round SIFL playoff triumph against the Erie Explosion belonged to Panthers defensive tackle and former Albany State standout Jacob Hardwick.
Hardwick, however, stopped short of calling himself or his fellow linemen unsung heroes during Wednesday’s practice in preparation for Albany’s SIFL Eastern Conference Championship game Saturday in Columbus.
“Not at all,” Hardwick said. “We’re the workhorses. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
The former Rams star DL’s numbers last week — and throughout the regular season — might suggest otherwise.
Hardwick had already recorded 3.5 sacks — the second-highest total on the team, despite not joining the Panthers until midseason — from the defensive tackle position prior to bringing down Erie quarterback Adam DiMichele, the SIFL’s regular-season leader in total yards per game, twice last Saturday. Hardwick and fellow defensive tackle Munir Muwwakkil have combined for six sacks.
Panthers coach Lucious Davis said those two have shined, but redirected attention to whom he considered the team’s unsung heroes: the coaching staff.
“As a group, I think all those guys are good,” Davis said of. “It’s just like I say, it’s more so the leadership. When you’ve got coaches that they believe in and the players are buying into what they’re teaching them, that’s what makes a team better, when you have that.”
Rather than bask in the spotlight, Hardwick settled for the satisfaction of contributing to the Panthers’ first playoff win in their brief two-year franchise history.
“It’s a great feeling, especially to know how much hard work we put in throughout the week so it has to pay off,” Hardwick said. “If it didn’t pay off, man, it’d be a problem.
“It’s good. We’re going to continue to keep on working on to the next game, on to Columbus.”
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STILL A HUGE PIECE: There’s another Albany defender who hasn’t been as visible this season — and that comes as a surprise considering how dominant he was last year.
Linebacker Larry Edwards, who was one of the SIFL’s top four tacklers in 2010 with 39.5 stops, has seen his production dip slightly to 25.5 tackles this season — fourth on the Panthers — but has not been any less a force on defense, Davis said.
“He’s one of our leaders over there,” Davis said. “He gets guys going up front. Having him in there, we know we’re going to get a consistent rush from him.
“He doesn’t always make the sacks and the plays as he did last year, but he applies pressure more consistent. It’s good to have him out there.”
He has watched teammates rack up some nice numbers, including defensive backs Demetrie McCray and Levance Richmond, who sit third and fifth in the league, respectively, in interceptions. However, Edwards has been perfectly content to sacrifice his individual achievements for a greater cause.
“Stats and stuff like that really don’t do anything to glorify the game for me,” Edwards said during practice this week. “I feel like this team is such a good team, you know, that I just want to play my role and help contribute any way I can.
“Whatever we’ve got to do to win this championship, I mean, I don’t care about my stats. As long as we get that ring, that’s the only thing that matters at the end of the day.”
He said the rest of the defense shared that attitude heading into Saturday’s semifinal.
“Right now we’ve got the same mentality we would’ve had all year,” Edwards said. “We knew that defense was going to be a standpoint of this team and defense was really one thing to make us stand out, so we’re coming in with the same mentality.”
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POETIC JUSTICE?:
While the Panthers maintain their focus on a fourth season meeting with their division-rival Lions on Saturday, the team can’t overlook an enticing possibility beyond it.
Should Albany beat Columbus and the Louisiana Swashbucklers beat undefeated Houston for the Western Conference crown, the SIFL Championship game would come to the Albany Civic Center.
The title affair would also be a rematch of the first round in 2010 during which the top-seeded Panthers suffered a heartbreaking, stunning defeat to the Swashbucklers.
Davis said the chance to play host to the SIFL Championship would be great for Albany.
“I think if we had to give credit to anybody, I would give credit to the city for supporting us,” Davis said. “We’ve got to give credit to them for coming out and supporting us the way they’ve been doing.
“It would be great for all of us to have that championship game here.”
Edwards agreed. “We know how important that is to this city and everybody who has been here and people who represent this place. I think that would be most definitely some extra incentive.”
However, Edwards didn’t get too caught up in the excitement of that potential opportunity.
“Us and Columbus is incentive in itself, so … I just expect Saturday to be a good, tough ball game between two good teams,” he said. “The team that makes the least amount of mistakes is going to win, and we want to be that team.
“We’re just going to come in with the same mentality. We’re going to work hard, make plays and at the end of the ball game, we’ll see what’s up.”
Looking Ahead
WHO: Panthers (11-2) at Lions (12-1).
WHAT: SIFL playoffs, semifinals.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Columbus Civic Center.
RADIO: 98.1-FM.
LIVE UPDATES: Log onto: twitter.com/AlbHeraldSports.
IF WIN: Will play winner of Houston-Louisiana on July 2.
Led by guys like Larry Edwards and Munir Muwwakkil, the Panthers defense quickly became arguably the SIFL’s best right from the jump, but when Albany added Jacob Hardwick midseason, the unit — as a whole — got even better.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/Addition_of_ex-ASU_star_Hardwick_making_Panthers_an_even_bigger_force_on_defense_124471434.html
ALBANY — The Albany Panthers’ seven interceptions comprised the most visible defensive statistic last Saturday.
Perhaps not so visible? The pressure the Panthers applied up front.
Two sacks — and just as many blocked extra-point attempts — in Albany’s 68-43 first-round SIFL playoff triumph against the Erie Explosion belonged to Panthers defensive tackle and former Albany State standout Jacob Hardwick.
Hardwick, however, stopped short of calling himself or his fellow linemen unsung heroes during Wednesday’s practice in preparation for Albany’s SIFL Eastern Conference Championship game Saturday in Columbus.
“Not at all,” Hardwick said. “We’re the workhorses. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
The former Rams star DL’s numbers last week — and throughout the regular season — might suggest otherwise.
Hardwick had already recorded 3.5 sacks — the second-highest total on the team, despite not joining the Panthers until midseason — from the defensive tackle position prior to bringing down Erie quarterback Adam DiMichele, the SIFL’s regular-season leader in total yards per game, twice last Saturday. Hardwick and fellow defensive tackle Munir Muwwakkil have combined for six sacks.
Panthers coach Lucious Davis said those two have shined, but redirected attention to whom he considered the team’s unsung heroes: the coaching staff.
“As a group, I think all those guys are good,” Davis said of. “It’s just like I say, it’s more so the leadership. When you’ve got coaches that they believe in and the players are buying into what they’re teaching them, that’s what makes a team better, when you have that.”
Rather than bask in the spotlight, Hardwick settled for the satisfaction of contributing to the Panthers’ first playoff win in their brief two-year franchise history.
“It’s a great feeling, especially to know how much hard work we put in throughout the week so it has to pay off,” Hardwick said. “If it didn’t pay off, man, it’d be a problem.
“It’s good. We’re going to continue to keep on working on to the next game, on to Columbus.”
--------------------------------------------------
STILL A HUGE PIECE: There’s another Albany defender who hasn’t been as visible this season — and that comes as a surprise considering how dominant he was last year.
Linebacker Larry Edwards, who was one of the SIFL’s top four tacklers in 2010 with 39.5 stops, has seen his production dip slightly to 25.5 tackles this season — fourth on the Panthers — but has not been any less a force on defense, Davis said.
“He’s one of our leaders over there,” Davis said. “He gets guys going up front. Having him in there, we know we’re going to get a consistent rush from him.
“He doesn’t always make the sacks and the plays as he did last year, but he applies pressure more consistent. It’s good to have him out there.”
He has watched teammates rack up some nice numbers, including defensive backs Demetrie McCray and Levance Richmond, who sit third and fifth in the league, respectively, in interceptions. However, Edwards has been perfectly content to sacrifice his individual achievements for a greater cause.
“Stats and stuff like that really don’t do anything to glorify the game for me,” Edwards said during practice this week. “I feel like this team is such a good team, you know, that I just want to play my role and help contribute any way I can.
“Whatever we’ve got to do to win this championship, I mean, I don’t care about my stats. As long as we get that ring, that’s the only thing that matters at the end of the day.”
He said the rest of the defense shared that attitude heading into Saturday’s semifinal.
“Right now we’ve got the same mentality we would’ve had all year,” Edwards said. “We knew that defense was going to be a standpoint of this team and defense was really one thing to make us stand out, so we’re coming in with the same mentality.”
------------------------------------
POETIC JUSTICE?:
While the Panthers maintain their focus on a fourth season meeting with their division-rival Lions on Saturday, the team can’t overlook an enticing possibility beyond it.
Should Albany beat Columbus and the Louisiana Swashbucklers beat undefeated Houston for the Western Conference crown, the SIFL Championship game would come to the Albany Civic Center.
The title affair would also be a rematch of the first round in 2010 during which the top-seeded Panthers suffered a heartbreaking, stunning defeat to the Swashbucklers.
Davis said the chance to play host to the SIFL Championship would be great for Albany.
“I think if we had to give credit to anybody, I would give credit to the city for supporting us,” Davis said. “We’ve got to give credit to them for coming out and supporting us the way they’ve been doing.
“It would be great for all of us to have that championship game here.”
Edwards agreed. “We know how important that is to this city and everybody who has been here and people who represent this place. I think that would be most definitely some extra incentive.”
However, Edwards didn’t get too caught up in the excitement of that potential opportunity.
“Us and Columbus is incentive in itself, so … I just expect Saturday to be a good, tough ball game between two good teams,” he said. “The team that makes the least amount of mistakes is going to win, and we want to be that team.
“We’re just going to come in with the same mentality. We’re going to work hard, make plays and at the end of the ball game, we’ll see what’s up.”
Looking Ahead
WHO: Panthers (11-2) at Lions (12-1).
WHAT: SIFL playoffs, semifinals.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Columbus Civic Center.
RADIO: 98.1-FM.
LIVE UPDATES: Log onto: twitter.com/AlbHeraldSports.
IF WIN: Will play winner of Houston-Louisiana on July 2.