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By Eric Page | Thursday, June 19, 2008 |
Someone, somewhere once said something along the lines of: “Three times is a trend.”
Troy Biladeau doesn’t know who said it. He doesn’t really care. All the Quad-City Steamwheelers first-year coach knows is that in three of the past four games — all Wheelers losses — his team has been down by multiple touchdowns in the first quarter.
In a hole. Behind the 8 ball. Call it what you want.
It’s a trend, one Biladeau wants to see change starting Saturday, when the Wheelers visit the Iowa Barnstormers.
“I think I need to give them my halftime speech before the game,” Biladeau joked. “Honestly, I don’t know. We start slow, and we finish strong.”
Last weekend, in a 69-55 loss at Lexington, Q-C went down 21-0 on their way to a 49-14 deficit before rallying within 55-49 in the game’s final minutes.
“There are not a lot of teams who could come back from 49-14 to get to within six,” Biladeau said. “When we got to 55-49, I really thought we were going to win the game. It was going to be the mother of all comebacks.
“It takes so much energy to get back when you’re down that far. They got one big play — you could just feel the energy kind of sap out of us.”
Energy, Biladeau said, is the problem, or rather emotion coming out of the locker room.
Three weeks ago, in an 84-26 drubbing at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Wheelers fell behind 28-0 before the end of the first quarter. A week before that, it was a 14-0 hole in a 55-53 home loss to Louisville.
It has to change now. The Wheelers are 3-5 at the season’s midpoint, and they’ll need a strong second half to make the playoffs.
Can they avoid the hole?
“I don’t know. I don’t have the answer,” Biladeau said. “It seems like, emotionally, we’re flat starting out. I don’t know if it’s any one play or anything we’re doing offensively or defensively. It just seems like we’re a little flat emotionally. For some reason, we get ticked off in the second half and start playing. But we have to bring that energy for four quarters.”
Coaches rankings
Team (record) Pts.
1. Tulsa (8-0) 439
2. Spokane (8-0) 412
3. W-B/Scranton (7-1) 405
4. Florida (7-1) 348
5. Lubbock (6-2) 312
6. Lexington (6-2) 296
7. Tennessee Valley (5-3) 267
8. Boise (5-3) 240
9. Green Bay (5-3) 231
10. Louisville (5-3) 199
11. South Georgia (5-4) 184
12. Corpus Christi (4-4) 106
13. Rio Grande Valley (4-4) 98
13. Amarillo (4-4) 98
15. Arkansas (4-4) 90
16. Central Valley (4-4) 83
Around af2
n The Stockton Lightning on Tuesday announced that Chad Carlson has been named interim head coach. He replaces Doug Murray, who compiled an 8-17 record in two seasons. This is Carlson’s third head coaching job in af2. He previously was the coach for the Hawaiian Islanders and the Bossier City Battle Wings.
n Florida quarterback Chris Wallace is closing in on three af2 all-time passing records and could reach them this season. He ranks second in touchdowns with 452, 29 behind Craig Strickland. He needs 111 completions and 2,325 yards to surpass Strickland in those categories, as well.
This week’s game
What: Steamwheelers at Iowa Barnstormers
When/where: 7 p.m. Saturday, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
Radio: WFXN 1230 AM
TV: Mediacom, Ch. 22
Last week: Lexington 69, Steamwheelers 55; Peoria Pirates 45, Barnstormers 35
Statistics
Steamwheelers
Passing
Player Comp. Att. Yds. TD Int.
Raterink 169 287 2,170 43 15
Rushing
Player Att. Yds. TD
Monk 10 20 2
Receiving
Player Rec. Yds. TD
Schmidt 68 963 22
D. Johnson 51 479 8
Peters 42 655 13
Tackles
Player Solo Assists Total
M. Jackson 30 29 44.5
Beverly 25 14 32
Davis 24 12 30
Barnstormers
Passing
Player Comp. Att. Yds. TD Int.
Brannen 124 247 1,369 24 12
Rushing
Player Att. Yds. TD
Brannen 23 49 5
Receiving
Player Rec. Yds. TD
Kilow 46 596 11
McCown 36 348 8
Dodge 35 397 4
Tackles
Player Solo Assists Total
Varner 29 15 36.5
Simpson 26 14 33
McLemore 26 5 28.5
About the Barnstormers
Iowa is in its first year back in af2. The team previously was owned and operated by Jim Foster, who simultaneously owned the Steamwheelers. … The Barnstormers won the first matchup 53-38 on April 19 at the i wireless Center. … Two familiar faces suit up for Iowa: Receiver Tim Dodge, who played four seasons for the Wheelers, and jack linebacker Jack Walker Jr., who played three years in the Quad-Cities. … The Barnstormers rank 24th in the league in scoring offense, averaging 40.8 points a game. They have scored the same amount of points (326) as they have given up through half the season.
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