Line dance: Linemen power Steamwheelers

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By Craig DeVrieze | Monday, April 28, 2008 |

It’s hard to find a place to hide when a you are a 6-foot-something, 300-plus-pound arenafootball2 lineman.

Certainly, the Quad-City Steamwheelers’ lines stood big and tall in helping their team to a 2-0 start to the season.

But in a 53-38 loss to the Iowa Barnstormers on Saturday at the i wireless Center, the spotlight was glaring and damning as the Steamwheelers lost both battles up front.

Now, the offensive line in particular might seem like a source of concern when the Wheelers face the league’s third-leading sack crew tonight in Green Bay.

Montra Edwards, the massive Q-C line coach just a few years removed from his own career in the af2 trenches, couldn’t hide if he tried.

And he is not trying.

“We did a lot of small things wrong and that eventually leads to something big,’’ Edwards said of a O-line that yielded three sacks and several hurries and was flagged for six of the Wheelers’ nine Saturday penalties, two that negated long Q-C touchdown throws. “A lot of these guys, they are rookies and they made rookie mistakes.

“We got those things addressed and we will come back this week.”

Center Frank McCray and guard Albert Stinson will be back. Guard Sean Kennedy will sit tonight’s game out after playing last week with a torn MCL that could go a long way toward explaining why the group struggled as a whole vs. a quick and strong Iowa pass rush.

“I think that was a big factor,” Edwards said of the upfront issues. “He kind of gutted it out for the team.’’

Former St. Ambrose lineman Russell Monk, Q-C’s starting fullback the first three games, will step in for Kennedy at guard tonight, and while Monk is 20 pounds lighter Steamwheelers head coach Troy Biladeau said he can get the job done.

“He’s big enough,’’ Biladeau said. “He’s just got to work his technique. He will be all right.’’

Monk could find himself lined up against Green Bay end Joe Sykes, who has 3½of the Blizzard’s 11 sacks. But Sykes and friends could have problems of their own. Before last week, the Steamwheelers line had yielded one sack in two games.

And when the football is in Green Bay’s hands, the Blizzard offensive linemen could have their hands full.

The Steamwheelers defenders share the league lead with 12 sacks — and that’s in three games to Green Bay’s four.

Mack linebacker Tyus Jackson is second in the league with 4½ sacks, three of which he nabbed bull-rushing up the middle vs. Iowa on Saturday.

That made up for a seemingly quiet night for ends Adam Vogel and Roy Ravenell, who each had three sacks apiece in the previous two games. Nose guard Russell Hammond completes the defensive front.

As a whole, Biladeau said film review showed his defensive line played better Saturday than he initially thought.

“We were getting some pressure,’’ he said of a unit that has been credited with eight quarterback hurries through three games.

Edwards remains convinced both Q-C lines can be a central strength of this team this year.

“Our guys are getting better,’’ he said. “I think we’ve got everything taken care of.”

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.