Post by Banana Cat on Jul 2, 2010 5:52:45 GMT -5
It will be interesting to see how Louisiana does against Albany with an actual QB playing QB, instead of the WR playing the position the last time they met. Louisiana will have their work cut out for them in trying to win in Albany and I suspect a heavy dose of running would be the only thing that would give them a chance.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/97544834.html
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/97544834.html
Panthers ready to pay back Swashbucklers
One of three teams to beat the Panthers this season, the Louisiana Swashbucklers, will be facing a squad bent on redemption July 10 in the first round of the playoffs.
Jun 30, 2010
ALBANY — Stealth Panthers? Invisible offense? Call it what you like but through no fault (or planning) of their own, the Panthers might have the biggest edge against their playoff opponent by simply giving the Louisiana Swashbucklers nothing to look at this week.
The Panthers (8-3) open the first round of the SIFL playoffs July 10 at home against the Louisiana Swashbucklers (5-6)[NOTE: Louisiana is 3-6 in SIFL play, two wins came against non-league semi-pro teams], and it’s easy to guess what both teams are doing during the bye week.
Looking Ahead
“I’m watching film,’’ said Panthers coach Lucious Davis, whose team split a pair of games against Louisiana in a strange back-to-back scheduling format. The Panthers won, 43-35, in Albany on May 15, then lost their first game of the season on May 22, falling 67-43 in their first road game of the year on May 22.
But if the Swashbucklers are watching film of those two games, they won’t see Panthers quarterback Cecil Lester, who missed both games with an ankle injury.
Lester was replaced by a pair of quarterbacks in the first game, but the game in Lake Charles was infamous because the Panthers had to play without a quarterback when Andrico Hines, who had been signed to replace Lester in the emergency, didn’t show up at the game. Receiver Antwontis Cutts was forced to play quarterback.
The result was a loss, but it leaves the Swashbucklers without any tape of Lester against their team. Of course, if they watched tape of Lester in last week’s season finale 38-20 loss to Columbus they won’t see much, either.
“Cecil played his worst game of the year,’’ Davis said. “But I’m not worried. Cecil will come back strong. If he was going to have a bad game, I’m glad he did it in the regular season and not in the playoffs. Let’s just get that one out of the way.”
There are only two rounds of playoffs in the SIFL, and if the Panthers beat Louisiana they will be at home on July 17 for the title game. The Panthers haven’t lost a home game all year, going 6-0 at the Albany Civic Center. The Swashbucklers haven’t won a game on the road all year, going 0-5 outside Lake Charles. They were unbeaten at home until last week when they lost to the Lafayette Wildcatters, 31-30.
That game decided the playoff pairings. Lafayette (6-5) finished third in the SIFL and meets Columbus (8-3) while fourth place Louisiana draws top-seeded Albany.
Davis gave his team the week off, and they will go back to practice on Monday to get ready for a team Davis said is different from anyone else in arena football.
“They run the ball more than other teams in arena football,’’ Davis said. “Their passing game is very efficient, but they don’t throw the ball downfield. They nickel and dime you.’’
The Swashbucklers lead the league in rushing offense and are second to Columbus in overall offense, and have the leading rusher in Kendrick Perry, who gained 222 yards on 50 carries. The Panthers’ top rusher is Lester, who gained just 80 yards this season on 28 carries.
The Panthers have already started promoting the game, and are bringing in former Georgia quarterback D. J. Shockley, who will sign autographs and be available for pictures before the game.
“I hope we get a big crowd,’’ Davis said. “We’ll be ready.’’
One of three teams to beat the Panthers this season, the Louisiana Swashbucklers, will be facing a squad bent on redemption July 10 in the first round of the playoffs.
Jun 30, 2010
ALBANY — Stealth Panthers? Invisible offense? Call it what you like but through no fault (or planning) of their own, the Panthers might have the biggest edge against their playoff opponent by simply giving the Louisiana Swashbucklers nothing to look at this week.
The Panthers (8-3) open the first round of the SIFL playoffs July 10 at home against the Louisiana Swashbucklers (5-6)[NOTE: Louisiana is 3-6 in SIFL play, two wins came against non-league semi-pro teams], and it’s easy to guess what both teams are doing during the bye week.
Looking Ahead
WHO: Louisiana Swashbucklers (5-6)[see above] at Albany Panthers (8-3).
WHAT: First round of the SIFL playoffs.
WHEN: July 10, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Albany Civic Center.
“I’m watching film,’’ said Panthers coach Lucious Davis, whose team split a pair of games against Louisiana in a strange back-to-back scheduling format. The Panthers won, 43-35, in Albany on May 15, then lost their first game of the season on May 22, falling 67-43 in their first road game of the year on May 22.
But if the Swashbucklers are watching film of those two games, they won’t see Panthers quarterback Cecil Lester, who missed both games with an ankle injury.
Lester was replaced by a pair of quarterbacks in the first game, but the game in Lake Charles was infamous because the Panthers had to play without a quarterback when Andrico Hines, who had been signed to replace Lester in the emergency, didn’t show up at the game. Receiver Antwontis Cutts was forced to play quarterback.
The result was a loss, but it leaves the Swashbucklers without any tape of Lester against their team. Of course, if they watched tape of Lester in last week’s season finale 38-20 loss to Columbus they won’t see much, either.
“Cecil played his worst game of the year,’’ Davis said. “But I’m not worried. Cecil will come back strong. If he was going to have a bad game, I’m glad he did it in the regular season and not in the playoffs. Let’s just get that one out of the way.”
There are only two rounds of playoffs in the SIFL, and if the Panthers beat Louisiana they will be at home on July 17 for the title game. The Panthers haven’t lost a home game all year, going 6-0 at the Albany Civic Center. The Swashbucklers haven’t won a game on the road all year, going 0-5 outside Lake Charles. They were unbeaten at home until last week when they lost to the Lafayette Wildcatters, 31-30.
That game decided the playoff pairings. Lafayette (6-5) finished third in the SIFL and meets Columbus (8-3) while fourth place Louisiana draws top-seeded Albany.
Davis gave his team the week off, and they will go back to practice on Monday to get ready for a team Davis said is different from anyone else in arena football.
“They run the ball more than other teams in arena football,’’ Davis said. “Their passing game is very efficient, but they don’t throw the ball downfield. They nickel and dime you.’’
The Swashbucklers lead the league in rushing offense and are second to Columbus in overall offense, and have the leading rusher in Kendrick Perry, who gained 222 yards on 50 carries. The Panthers’ top rusher is Lester, who gained just 80 yards this season on 28 carries.
The Panthers have already started promoting the game, and are bringing in former Georgia quarterback D. J. Shockley, who will sign autographs and be available for pictures before the game.
“I hope we get a big crowd,’’ Davis said. “We’ll be ready.’’