Post by fwp on Mar 22, 2010 4:50:55 GMT -5
www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/03/21/948027/fever-gets-ready-for-ifl-home.html
KENNEWICK -- The Tri-Cities Fever had a bye this week, as Fever coach Adam Shackleford gave his players four days off to recuperate from an 0-2 start.
The Fever lost 69-67 in four overtimes to open the Indoor Football League season at Fairbanks on March 8; then it fell 64-50 to defending IFL champion Billings on the road.
Now the team gets ready for its home opener next Saturday against the Kent Predators (0-3). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
If anything, the week of rest will help heal some of the injured players.
"I think we needed a few days off to physically recover," Shackleford said in a press release. "We had a tough two weeks of training camp and two long road trips to open our schedule."
-- Linebackers Derek Nicholson and Jo Artis Ratti will both have further tests on their injured knees this week.
Nicholson and Ratti were both injured in the loss to Billings and their status for the game against Kent is unknown.
Ray Little, who suffered a rib injury in the season opener against Fairbanks and did not play last week, is expected to be back against Kent.
-- Running back/kick returner Tyson Thompson leads the IFL with 315 all-purpose yards. ... Quarterback Andy Collins ranks fourth in the league in passing yards per game at 196.5 ... Lareylle Cunningham is tied for third in the league with two sacks. ... Through two games the Fever is averaging 58.5 points per game. Last season Tri-Cities scored over 50 points just one time in 16 games while playing in the af2.
-- Shackleford said the running game would be a much more vital part to the IFL game than it was in the af2 and the statistics back him up. The Fever has rushed the ball 50 times for 140 yards in two games. That's a huge contrast to last season when the Fever ran for just 146 yards in 16 games. For the season, the Fever had just 91 rushing attempts.
-- The Fever has not made any roster moves this week, but Shackleford said moves could be coming depending on the severity of his linebackers' injuries.
-- Offensive lineman Tavita Thompson will not be suspended for the home opener. Thompson was ejected from the Billings game -- the second straight game he was ejected. But after the league reviewed video of the incident, the IFL overturned Thompson's suspension.
-- Division report: Kent also had a bye this weekend. Billings plays at the Sioux Falls Storm on Monday, and Alaska was at Fairbanks on Saturday, winning 53-36.
* There are still good seats available for the Fever's home opener. To get your tickets call the Fever office at 509-222-2215.
KENNEWICK -- The Tri-Cities Fever had a bye this week, as Fever coach Adam Shackleford gave his players four days off to recuperate from an 0-2 start.
The Fever lost 69-67 in four overtimes to open the Indoor Football League season at Fairbanks on March 8; then it fell 64-50 to defending IFL champion Billings on the road.
Now the team gets ready for its home opener next Saturday against the Kent Predators (0-3). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
If anything, the week of rest will help heal some of the injured players.
"I think we needed a few days off to physically recover," Shackleford said in a press release. "We had a tough two weeks of training camp and two long road trips to open our schedule."
-- Linebackers Derek Nicholson and Jo Artis Ratti will both have further tests on their injured knees this week.
Nicholson and Ratti were both injured in the loss to Billings and their status for the game against Kent is unknown.
Ray Little, who suffered a rib injury in the season opener against Fairbanks and did not play last week, is expected to be back against Kent.
-- Running back/kick returner Tyson Thompson leads the IFL with 315 all-purpose yards. ... Quarterback Andy Collins ranks fourth in the league in passing yards per game at 196.5 ... Lareylle Cunningham is tied for third in the league with two sacks. ... Through two games the Fever is averaging 58.5 points per game. Last season Tri-Cities scored over 50 points just one time in 16 games while playing in the af2.
-- Shackleford said the running game would be a much more vital part to the IFL game than it was in the af2 and the statistics back him up. The Fever has rushed the ball 50 times for 140 yards in two games. That's a huge contrast to last season when the Fever ran for just 146 yards in 16 games. For the season, the Fever had just 91 rushing attempts.
-- The Fever has not made any roster moves this week, but Shackleford said moves could be coming depending on the severity of his linebackers' injuries.
-- Offensive lineman Tavita Thompson will not be suspended for the home opener. Thompson was ejected from the Billings game -- the second straight game he was ejected. But after the league reviewed video of the incident, the IFL overturned Thompson's suspension.
-- Division report: Kent also had a bye this weekend. Billings plays at the Sioux Falls Storm on Monday, and Alaska was at Fairbanks on Saturday, winning 53-36.
* There are still good seats available for the Fever's home opener. To get your tickets call the Fever office at 509-222-2215.