***Official Game thread*** Spurrier Fun and Gunners vs trailerBammer

[Swamp Donkey]

Here we go. 2:00 on TNT.

 

[no1g8r]

I’ll be watching the Gators basketball game, and turning to the Apollos game during f commercials. I’ll check out this thread for updates whenever the clock stops during the basketball game.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Tale of the Tape: Orlando Apollos at Birmingham Iron


BIRMINGHAM -- If this were college football, it would be a classic Southeastern Conference matchup: Florida vs. Alabama. While this is The Alliance of American Football, today’s game between the Orlando Apollos and the Birmingham Iron is no less compelling for football fans.

The Apollos’ next home game is Saturday, March 16, when they host the Arizona Hotshots at Spectrum Stadium on the UCF campus. First snap is set for 8 p.m. Eastern time; 6 p.m. Phoenix. The game will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network, but to see it in person, tickets are available here: http://bit.ly/BeatArizona

Apollos head coach Steve Spurrier brings his Alliance-leading “Sun ‘n’ Gun” offense to Birmingham to face Iron head coach Tim Lewis and his Alliance-leading “Iron Curtain” defense.

Orlando quarterback Garrett Gilbert leads The Alliance in passing yards. Birmingham quarterback Luis Perez is second. These are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, with the two best records in The Alliance (Orlando 4-0, Birmingham 3-1).

That’s enough hype for several games.

The game starts at 2 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. in Birmingham on Saturday, broadcast nationally on TNT.

Spurrier said earlier this week that the Iron are extremely tough on defense, especially in the red zone.

“Tim Lewis, their head coach, was a defensive coordinator in the NFL for several years, so he, obviously, knows what he’s doing,” he said. “They’ve really been tough (when opponents are) trying to run it in from the two- or three-yard line. They have forced almost everybody to kick field goals.

“Hopefully, we can get the ball in the end zone … instead of having to kick a bunch of field goals.”

Let’s take a closer look at how these teams stack up.

In the trenches

The Salt Lake Stallions defense managed only one sack against the Apollos in Week 4, but they hurried Gilbert 12 times. Salt Lake is second in the league in hurries, however, and Birmingham is tied for fifth, so he may not find himself under as much duress this week. In addition, Birmingham is tied with Orlando for last in The Alliance in sacks. That means Gilbert should have time to throw, if the Apollos’ receivers can get open against the Iron’s secondary.

Birmingham has allowed the fewest passing yards in The Alliance, so it could be a rough day for the Apollos’ deep, speedy receiving corps. However, Lewis said this week that his team has not yet seen a wide receiver like the Apollos’ Charles Johnson.

“He’s very talented,” Lewis said. “Tall, fast and aggressive, and he can do it all,”

Johnson leads the league in both catches and receiving yards. Gilbert trusts Johnson, to the point where they’ve been able to connect even in tough coverage.

On the other side, Birmingham’s offensive line is banged up. Two of its starting offensive linemen are questionable for today’s game, and while Perez hasn’t been sacked much, Orlando’s secondary is talented enough to allow it to blitz often without worrying about giving up big plays.

While Iron running back Trent Richardson is very talented and leads the league in rushing touchdowns, the team has the fewest rushing yards in The Alliance.

Look for the Apollos to exploit that tendency by going after Perez a lot to try and force him into making mistakes.

In the air

Birmingham doesn’t allow a lot of yards through the air, so this could be a big game for Orlando’s running backs.

The Iron are fourth in the league in rushing yards allowed. If the Apollos can get things going on the ground early, that could force the Iron secondary to creep up, which would open up some things downfield in the passing game.

The Iron’s passing attack is actually a bigger strength for them than their running game, though all of their touchdowns this season have come on the ground.

They tend to gain yards in the passing game, then give the ball to Richardson in the red zone to try and pound it in.

The key for the Apollos will be pressuring Perez and forcing the Iron to run the ball in the open field, something they’ve struggled to do this season.

On the ground

The Apollos continue to struggle running the ball early in games, but it could be a major key to victory for them against Birmingham. It’s the place where the Iron’s defense is the weakest, and successfully running the ball early will allow for the potent Orlando passing attack to take over.

Birmingham hasn’t been effective running the ball outside the red zone, so Orlando could try to force the Iron to beat them on the ground.

If that happens, this could be a low-scoring game.

Home-field advantage?

Spurrier is no stranger to Legion Field. He’s coached there several times, including an SEC Championship game, which he won while coaching the University of Florida. However, accounting for regular season, conference championships and bowl games, he is 2-3 all-time there.

Players to watch

According to Iron team reporter Marq Burnett, five players on the Iron to watch are quarterback Perez, running back Richardson, cornerback Jamar Summers, linebacker Beniquez Brown and defensive lineman Casey Sayles.

Burnett says the Iron’s defense has spent the week making sure they’re ready for any tricks Spurrier might pull out of his hat on offense.

“Throughout his entire career, he’s been able to keep teams off-balance,” Burnett said. “The trick play Orlando ran against Salt Lake in Week 3 was a beautifully-designed play. That play has so many actions on it, it puts a lot of pressure on linebackers, so being on their “p’s and q’s” on defense will be key this week.”

 

[78]

Birmingham Iron? Very catchy.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

3 plays, 2 first downs.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

5 plays, 3 first downs.

Redzone.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Very impressive first drive.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

TD. TE delay to the seam.

So Spurrier.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Damn you Foley. Spurrier would’ve killed it in a second stint at Florida. Also, would’ve overlapped my years there. D bag.

 

[78]

I'm more concerned with how rested the D is.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Will Hill stops Trent Richardson in backfield.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

lol.... SOS not happy. Comms issues?

Kind of cool that the QB has a headset

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Okine getting frequent penetration.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Pick six!

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Pick six by the O&B

14-0

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Trent Richardson cant afford roids anymore.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Trent Richardson cant afford roids anymore.

Wonder if he’s still driving the same Escalade he got as part of his Bama recruiting package?

 

[rogdochar]

Birmingham Iron? Very catchy.

The brass came up with the name.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Wonder if he’s still driving the same Escalade he got as part of his Bama recruiting package?

I was thinking they don't have nearly as many trailerBammer and Barn players on the rosters I was expecting.

then again these guys made more than 50,000 a year in college.