Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Assassins Prepare For Second Season
By: Staff
The Erie Assassins hope to rebound from a very difficult first season, one which saw the team go 3-15. Offensively, the team struggled mightily, as QBs Byron Leftwich and Jake Plummer both had lackluster seasons and couldn't get things going. The team also lacked firepower in the passing game, as leading receiver Brandon Lloyd had just one receiving TD.
To correct this, the Assassins made the bold move to trade valuable backup Plummer to the L.A. Playas for the Playas' 2nd round rookie draft pick and for WR Lee Evans, a quick young receiver known for running good routes and having good hands. The Assassins hope Evans will bring a vertical presence to their passing game to offset Kelley Washington, more of a possession type receiver, and Lloyd, who will be moved to the slot receiver position. The team will also use more 3 receiver sets as a result of the trade. They also expect big things out of TE Ben Troupe, who had a solid first year. Troupe finished w/ a team high 2 TDs, something the team plans on expanding, as the addition of Evans should open up the middle of the field more for Troupe.
Running back Julius Jones can, if healthy, become an impact player for the Assassins. The team got some insurance in the drafting of Marion Barber, and expect him to become a good backup for Jones.
Defensively, the Assassins have not ruled out some changes to the lineup. Sources say the team is planning to get more out of pass rusher Derrick Burgess, a backup and situational player last year. Burgess may be moved into the starting lineup, which could mean LDE Randy Starks could become a backup, as the team was very happy w/ the performance of RDE Anthony Weaver. The main concern for the Assassins was the run defense, worst in the BZFL. To address this, the Assassins worked out another trade w/ the Playas, bringing massive NT Ted Washington in to compete w/ Lional Dalton for the starting job. Team sources say that the Assassins may also look to drafting a stud NT for more competition, possibly in the first round. The linebackers are set, w/ Derrick Johnson, Jonathan Vilma, Nick Barnett, and Karlos Dansby ready to wreak havoc on offenses. In the secondary, the Assassins made another bold move, trading away starting CB Quentin Jammer and promoting nickel back Nathan Vasher to the starting position opposite Dunta Robinson. The team feels Vasher made tremendous strides last year, and that he will help give Erie a very good secondary. Which leads us to the safeties. SS Bob Sanders was impressive last year until injury curtailed him a bit. Expect Sanders and Bryan Scott to battle it out in training camp for the starting job. The FS position will be manned by Sean Taylor, who had a solid year and continues to get even better.
The special teams are okay w/ Brad Maynard being one of the more reliable punters in the leauge. The team must deal w/ the injury to K David Akers, so look for a free agent to be signed as a stop gap measure until Akers is ready to go.
Due to the trades that were made early in the postseason, the Assassins now have 3 picks in the second round of the rookie draft, giving them 4 of the first 36 picks in the draft. There has been a lot of speculation as to whether or not the team will draft franchise LT prospect D'Brickashaw Ferguson or trade down to get more picks. The team has met w/ Ferguson and evaluated him on a few occasions. They may be prepared to stand pat w/ the #2 pick and take him, if the Canadian Radiation Kings do select Reggie Bush w/ the #1 overall pick, that is. Ferguson would be incredible insurance for the Assassins, as veteran Jonathan Ogden is getting older and many say is in the twilight of a fantastic career.
There is plenty of drama leading up to the draft. The Assassins have plenty of young talent, but also need to add some firepower offensively and must get deeper in some areas. It should be interesting.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Quote:
Originally Posted by R. Rich
if the Canadian Radiation Kings do select Reggie Bush w/ the #1 overall pick, that is...
yup...
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Assassins Preparing For Drafts
By: Staff
The Erie Assassins are in the midst of getting their draft board together for the upcoming free agent and rookie drafts. Due to the season ending injury to starting C Matt Birk, the Assassins are going to look to add a quality veteran to fill in until Birk is ready again. Executive VP/General Manager Kevin Colbert said, "Losing Matt was a tremendous blow. Our offensive line was a very stable unit last season, and now we've lost our leader there. This is going to be a tough spot for us to fill."
The team did add veteran guard Cosey Coleman recently in a trade that involved backup RT Shane Olivea going to the Bushwhackers. When asked about that trade and whether or not it made the drafting of Virginia's standout OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson even more likely, Colbert said, "Getting Cosey here adds even more depth for us. We lost a good backup tackle in Shane, but we plan to move Vernon Carey to fill that void and Coleman will compete for a starting position w/ incumbents Chester Pitts and Kendyl Jacox. Either way, we've added depth to the interior while not losing a whole lot outside." Carey is a viable right tackle who should be a quality backup to rising start Bryant McKinnie. Left tackle Jonathan Ogden is in the twilight of a fantastic career, so look for the Assassins to draft Ferguson in the first, and also for them to go after a decent backup for the time being until Ferguson is ready to step in.
Defensively, the Assassins addressed their need for a run stuffer up front by trading to acquire Ted Washington, but they could use a big run stuffer to back him up. Jimmy Kennedy and Lional Dalton are decent, but are not dominant. The ends look to be solid, w/ last year's 5th round pick Chris Canty joining a solid rotation that includes incumbents Randy Starks and Anthony Weaver and pass rush specialist Derrick Burgess. The linebacker unit is a strength of the team and features some good young players in starting outside 'backers Karlos Dansby and Derrick Johnson, the 2nd overall pick in last year's rookie draft. They are led by the tough inside duo of Jonathan Vilma and last year's team MVP Nick Barnett. The big issue is depth behind these guys. Outside, they have James Harrison, a vastly underrated player who could easily start for other teams, but inside is where depth is badly needed. The Assassins released Gerald Hayes, but may look to re-sign him in free agency if there are no big offers. Special teams player Darrell McClover and veteran Dexter Coakley were also released, and there may not be an effort to re-sign either player. Like the LBs, the secondary has great starting talent in starting corners Dunta Robinson and Nathan Vasher plus strong safety Bob Sanders and free safety Sean Taylor, but need depth behind them. Right now, they have Bryan Scott as a backup safety, but nothing more. Look for the Assassins to use a free agent pick on a nickel corner, then use the draft to pick up one or two more defensive backs.
The team has had a few players in for interviews leading up to the rookie draft, most notably OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson. It's no secret that many in the organization have been targeting Ferguson for quite some time, and reportedly, nothing in his interviews has changed their minds. Rumors have swirled recently about the Assassins possibly trading down, as they were impressed by a few players they had in for interviews. Team president R. Rich has said of trade down rumors, "Don't belive that hype. We're staying w/ the 2nd overall pick and getting the top guy on our board, unless we receive a ridiculous offer from some team that we can't afford to pass on. By ridiculous, I'd mean something like swapping first round picks, picking up a 2nd, a first next year, and an additional pick as well. I don't see anyone making such an offer, so look for us to stand pat."
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Erie Assassins Draft Report: Mid-Draft Recap
By: Editor
The Erie Assassins have completed the first half of their rookie draft, and are on their way to a very nice overall draft. Here’s the rundown so far:
Round 1, Pick #2: Mario Williams, DE from N.C. State
Round 2, Pick #2 (22 overall): Winston Justice, OT from USC
Round 2, Pick #7 (27): Chad Jackson, WR from Florida
Round 2, Pick #16 (36): Antonio Cromartie, CB from Florida State
Round 3, Pick 2 (42): Max Jean-Gilles, OG from Georgia
Round 4, Pick 2 (62): Gabe Watson, DT from Michigan
First Round Pick: Super Mario
The choice of Williams was a bit surprising to some, seeing how much VP/GM Kevin Colbert and Director of Player Personnel Phil Savage really liked Virginia’s stud tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, but drafting Williams also made more sense. The Assassins have two very good bookend tackles on the roster in Jonathan Ogden and Bryant McKinnie, but needed to upgrade the talent on the defensive line, where they have Anthony Weaver and pass rusher Derrick Burgess, but after that have last year’s starter @ LDE Randy Starks, who started strong but trailed off badly and last year’s 5th round pick Chris Canty, who they feel will develop into a valuable player but still needs the time to develop. Bringing in “Super Mario” now gives them an impact player, one who will probably occupy the LDE spot and wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines.
Second Round Pick: Justice Is Served
One of the toughest decisions made by the powers that be @ 7 Assassins Plaza was to pass on all world tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and draft a pass rusher first. By doing so, they knew they’d be forced to look @ drafting a guy for depth that probably would be a project that would need time to develop. Never in their wildest dreams did they figure on the 2nd best tackle available, USC’s Winston Justice, being there when their first of three picks in round 2 came up. When they saw Justice on the board, they wasted no time in making him an Assassin. In Justice, they get a guy who has the versatility to play either left tackle or right tackle (where I’m betting he’ll end up) and contribute immediately. Just like w/ Ferguson, I believe that getting Justice now gives Erie the ability to move the very talented Bryant McKinnie over from the right side to the left side when the time comes to replace Ogden, who is clearly in the twilight of a fantastic career. That still leaves the Assassins w/ two very talented bookends.
Second Round Pick: Action Jackson
The one thing Assassins’ Offensive Coordinator Ken O’Keefe has said is that he is going to try to get the offense to be more like his offenses were @ Iowa, where they use multiple sets and can come @ you in different ways. This will make it tougher for teams to prepare for Erie. One key element was the move to acquire WR Lee Evans (in the Jake Plummer trade w/ the Playas). Since then, Erie has added veterans Corey Bradford, Devery Henderson, and Troy Walters also. They expanded on that by drafting Florida’s playmaking wideout Chad Jackson w/ their 2nd round 2 pick. Jackson has the size/speed dimension that teams covet and also has good hands and exceptional leaping ability. Most draft experts feel that Jackson will be what many of his Gator predecessors have not been: a big time receiver who can duplicate his collegiate success in the pros. Jackson should team w/ Evans, Bradford, and Brandon Lloyd to give the Assassins the downfield passing game they lacked in year one.
Second Round Pick: Cromartie’s Big Risk, Big Reward Potential
After gutting the secondary through a series of trades (Quentin Jammer) and cuts (Andre Woolfolk, Lenny Walls), the Assassins knew they needed to bring playmaking ability to the secondary. In free agency, they added Fakhir Brown and Kenny Wright for depth, but they still wanted to bring in a guy who could be a difference maker. In 2nd round pick Antonio Cromartie, they may have found their guy. Cromartie has great size (6-2 ½, 208) and speed (4.44), and has great athleticism. He also has a tall frame w/ long arms and despite that, is very fluid in his movements. The down side is that Cromartie missed the 2005 season due to a knee injury, but his performance @ the combine this year answered many questions about his durability. Still, you have to wonder what having that year off has done to his skills. Personally, I think the Assassins may have gotten one of the true steals of this draft, as he’s got first round talent.
Third Round Pick: Road Grader To The Max
The Assassins are always looking to get better along the offensive line, and to that end, they decided they needed to draft massive Georgia guard Max Jean-Gilles to provide depth. Jean-Gilles does have the talent to land a starting job, but w/ Cosey Coleman, Chester Pitts, Kendyl Jacox, and Artis Hicks on board, the team does not need to rush his development. Jean-Gilles brings plenty of size (6-3 ¾, 355) to the table, and has a huge wingspan. He’s quick off the snap and very powerful in terms of run blocking. He is also an accomplished pass blocker as well. He will need to work in his conditioning so that he can get to the second level and punish defenders, but that will come in time. Getting him in the third was good insurance for the interior offensive line.
Fourth Round Pick: Watson, Come Here! We Need You!
The biggest flaw in Al Golden’s defense last year was the horrendous run defense. The team mentioned that they were going to address it this offseason, and they have, by acquiring mammoth veteran Ted Washington in a trade w/ the Playas and now by drafting Michigan’s run stuffer Gabe Watson. Like w/ third round pick Max Jean-Gilles, the Assassins’ depth (backups include Lional Dalton and Jimmy Kennedy) should allow Watson to gradually work his way into the lineup. A huge guy @ 6-3 ½ and 339lbs, Watson has the ability to become the next Ted Washington and has looked dominant when he applies himself. The biggest knock on him going into the draft was that he takes too many plays off and isn’t consistent enough. A big part of that is conditioning, and he’ll get plenty of that from the Erie coaches. Watson is very coachable and is willing to work towards getting better. I think he’ll be groomed to eventually replace Big Ted as the starting nose tackle.
So there it is. I think the Assassins did a tremendous job of not only filling holes on the team, but filling them w/ very talented players. Many of these guys had first round or second round grades, and to get all of them was a coup. This was a strong start to the draft by the Erie front office.
We’ll return w/ a review of the second half of the draft and give out grades once the draft is complete.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Assassins' Season 2 Preview: Erie Looks To Improve On Tough Debut Season
By: Editor
Assassins' Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Colbert and Director of Player Personnel Phil Savage were busy this offseason trying to upgrade the team's talent base all around, as both the offense and defense finished last in the BZFL statistically. The defense had some bright spots, such as a pass defense ranked 6th in yards allowed, but was the worst in the league in rushing yards allowed. To correct that, they brought in veteran NT Ted Washington from the LA Playas. Washington is a mammoth run stuffer who had an effective season last year for the Playas. Erie is hoping that w/ Washington anchoring the middle, they will be much tougher to run against. The ends should do well this year. Look for Anthony Weaver to move from RE to LE, while pass rush specialist Derrick Burgess will occupy the RE spot. The Assassins could see a big increase in sacks from the defensive line this year. The team should have good depth behind the starters from ends Chris Canty, one of two 5th round steals in last year's rookie draft, and Randy Starks, plus tackles Jimmy Kennedy and Lional Dalton.
The linebackers, the strength of this unit last year, should be more stable @ LOLB w/ Derrick Johnson taking over. Inside, the duo of LILB Jonathan Vilma and RILB Nick Barnett, last year's team MVP, is tough to beat. Both have very good instincts and tackle well. Plus, they are good in pass coverage. Karlos Dansby, who was one of the top pass rushers in the league w/ 13 sacks last year, was a pleasant surprise, as his play allowed the team to move Barnett inside, where he excelled teamed w/ Vilma. This is a young and talented group that should only get better. James Harrison, who could probably start for many teams, provides depth as does Nate Webster, Sedrick Hodge, Brandon Moore, and Scott Shanle.
Defensive coordinator Al Golden really expects his secondary to take charge this season. LCB Dunta Robinson has already established a reputation as a hard hitting corner who is solid in run support while also being a good pass defender. Opposite him will be Nathan Vasher, who showed flashes last year and will be expected to provide more big plays and turnovers this year. The strength of this unit is the back line, the safeties. SS Bob Sanders played well enough to take the starting job away from Bryan Scott last season. Sanders is aggressive, hard hitting, and flies all over the field. An injury late in the year forced him out, but word is that Sanders is healthy and ready to go. The deep safety, FS Sean Taylor, is another firece hitter who also had nice range in pass coverage. This group should be among the best in the BZFL this year. Reserves include corners Fakhir Brown and Kenny Wright and safeties Thomas Davis, one of last year's two first round picks, and Scott.
Offensively, the team is greatly affected by the loss of C Matt Birk, the respected leader of the offensive line. He will be replaced by free agent acquisition Alex Stepanovich, w/ Cory Withrow as the backup who can do okay in spot duty. The line also was bolstered by the addition of LG Cosey Coleman, who is projected as the starter over last year's starter Chester Pitts. Veteran Jonathan Ogden, on the decline a bit but still among the top tackles in the league, mans the LT spot. The right side of the line was very sound last year and returns intact, w/ RG Kendyl Jacox, who many considered the team's most consistent lineman last season, and RT Bryant McKinnie, a star on the rise who should only get better. The Assassins have very good depth on the line w/ tackles Vernon Carey and Todd Herremans and guards Artis Hicks, Kendall Simmons, and Pitts.
There was a shakup @ the QB position, as Jake Plummer was traded to the Playas. That puts even more pressure on starter Byron Leftwich, who struggled mightily last year. Charlie Batch was signed as a backup. He is a reliable short term option, but not much more. To help Leftwich out, the Assassins worked hard to upgrade the receiving corps, adding Lee Evans via trade and signing free agents Corey Bradford, Devery Henderson, and Troy Walters. Evans and Bradford should team w/ last year's leading receiver, Brandon Lloyd, to give the Assassins a nice trio. Clarence Moore, whose height is a plus in short yardage situations, leads the reserves. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe has said that Erie will try to use more multiple sets this year, more along the line of what O'Keefe was used to as offensive coordinator @ the University of Iowa. "Last year's offense was, to a certain degree, stripped down so that we could play to our strengths last year and utilize the running game," O'Keefe said. "This year, w/ the additions to the passing game, we hope to challenge teams more down the field. We also like the versatility they give us, as we can use more 3 and 4 receiver sets. We also intend to get more out of our tight ends this year." Last year, TE Ben Troupe was a reliable short yardage target, but the Assassins want Troupe to become more of a vertical threat this year. They also like the flexibility that backup Desmond Clark provides. Expect to see Erie use the double TE set a bit more this year, just to keep defenses guessing. The 2 TE sets should also help the running game more. If stater Julius Jones can remain healthy, the Assassins have one of the most dynamic runners in the game. Last year's 5th round pick, Marion Barber, will back up Jones and offers more of a between the tackles runner than Jones, who is more effective bouncing plays outside and getting into the backfield. The two of them make a nice 1-2 punch. T.J. Duckett was also brought in to provide a tough short yardage and goal line threat. Duckett may also see some duty @ fullback.
Special teams should get a boost this year also. Erie added kicker Adam Vinatieri in free agency to provide insurance due to David Akers' injury. Punter Brad Maynard has proven to be a good cold weather kicker. Veteran Rob Davis, slowing w/ age but still among the best in the league, returns as the long snapper.The return game will be led by Antonio Chatman, who will handle both the kick and punt return duties for the Assassins.
This team has quite an uphill battle to fight, but I do believe that due to the offseason moves they've made, they are much more prepared for that fight. I still think there's too much that needs to be done for a grand turnaround, but I can see the Assassins winning 8 or 9 games this year.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Assassins Announce Starting Lineup For 2nd Season
By: Staff
Here's the starting lineups going into the season for this year's Erie Assassins:
OFFENSE
QB: Byron Leftwich
RB: Julius Jones
WR: Lee Evans
WR: Corey Bradford
WR: Brandon Lloyd
TE: Ben Troupe
LT: Jonathan Ogden
LG: Cosey Coleman
C: Alex Stepanovich
RG: Kendyl Jacox
RT: Bryant McKinnie
DEFENSE
LDE: Anthony Weaver
NT: Ted Washington
RDE: Derrick Burgess
LOLB: Derrick Johnson
LILB: Jonathan Vilma
RILB: Nick Barnett
ROLB: Karlos Dansby
LCB: Dunta Robinson
RCB: Nathan Vasher
SS: Bob Sanders
FS: Sean Taylor
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Adam Vinatieri
P: Brad Maynard
LS: Rob Davis
KR/PR: Antonio Chatman
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Pre-Season Wrapup Edition
Game 1: Erie 6, LA Aztecs 0
Assassins unveil new passing game, w/ mixed results
By: Staff
In their preseason opener, the Erie Assassins took to the air as QB Byron Leftwich threw for 273 yards and had a 91.7 passer rating. Leftwich completed 24 of 35 passes and spread the ball around, as he hit 7 different receivers in the contest. TE Ben Troupe led the way w/ 6 catches for 48 yards, RB Julius Jones added 5 catches for 24 yards and receivers Brandon Lloyd, the Assassins' top receiver last year, and free agent acquisition Corey Bradford gave the team some ability to throw deep. Lloyd caught 4 for 62 yards and Bradford also had 4 for a game high 72 yards. Overall, assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe was pleased that the players were picking up the system, but there were still concerns. "Our red zone offense really struggled, and we'll have to work on that," O'Keefe said. "Not being able to get any points from a 4th and goal @ the 1 yard line really concerns us, and there was another occasion where we had to settle for a FG in the same circumstance. We still have a ways to go."
Defensively, the Assassins limited the Aztecs to just 158 yards of offense, but still struggled against the run as Corey Dillon rushed for 115 yards on 25 carries. "We got better as the game unfolded," defensive coordinator Al Golden said, "but we still have to do much better stuffing the run. We gave up nearly 100 yards in the first half to Dillon w/ most of them (71 yards) coming in the 2nd quarter. We did bounce back in the 2nd half, as he finished w/ just 19 yards on 10 carries then and, overall, our 3rd down defense did a good job (the Aztecs were 1 of 12 on 3rd downs). I'm also not very happy w/ our lack of turnovers. We didn't get a single sack, and I'm expecting much more out of our pass rush this year. The shutout was nice and all, but the overall effort must improve if we're to take the step of becoming a contender in this league."
The scoring for the game consisted of 2 FGs from free agent acquisition Adam Vinatieri, a 34 yarder followed by an 18 yarder.
Game 2: Norsemen 41, Erie 3
Same Old Problems Do Assassins In
By: Staff
The early results on this year's Assassins don't look much different from last year's team, as Norsemen RB Warrick Dunn ran for 172 yards and 2 TDs on Erie, leading the Norsemen to a big win @ Cleveland Stadium.
The Assassins' defense was dominated by the Norsemen all day as QB Chris Simms had an outstanding performance, going 21 of 27 for 218 yards and 2 TDs w/ 1INT for a passer rating of 109.6 on the day. There were few bright spots in this one for the Assassins. The defense did get sacks from Karlos Dansby and Derrick Burgess, the only 2 sacks of the preseason for the team. They also got pressures from Burgess and DT Jimmy Kennedy.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz said of the game, "This was a huge step backward for us. Our offense, which seemed to be heading in the right direction after last week, regressed badly. We haven't been able to get our running game going and the passing game has been spotty @ best. These are things that must end quickly, as we're about to head into the regular season."
Offensively, the Assassins were awful, as Leftwich completed just 7 of 15 passes for 69 yards for a 60.1 passer rating. Julius Jones was unable to get the running game going either, finishing w/ just 39 yards on just 10 carries. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe said, "We've got a lot of work to do here. Our running game has disappeared on us, and we've got to get back to that. Last year, Julius was running very hard and before he got hurt, he was looking like the best back in the league. This year, we've just got to find a way to spring him so he can do what he does best. The line has made some mistakes early on and taken some pretty bad penalties. These will get corrected." If they aren't corrected, the Assassins might not improve on last year's 3 wins.
The Assassins' next action will be their home opener against the Philadelphia Bushwhackers.
Kirk Ferentz Press Conference: Week 1
Erie Falls In Home Opener, 37-14
Bushwhackers Dominate Erie As Same Old Problems Exist
By: Staff
Assassins head coach Kirk Ferentz was @ a loss for words after watching his team get humiliated in their opener by Philadelphia. "This was a total shock to all of us. It really was," Ferentz said. "We prepared well for this game, and we thought our guys would come out much better than this. I'm stunned @ the way this one turned out."
Philly RB Willie Parker ran for 114 yards on 21 carries for a 5.4 average and scored a TD. After addressing the run defense w/ the addition of Ted Washington, the Assassins were not supposed to be so porous this year. Last year's run defense gave up an average of 160 yards per game. In the opener, Philly ran for 151 yards on 32 carries. In addition, the Assassins' revamped secondary was torched by QB Marc Bulger, who completed 20 of 26 passes for 277 yards and 3TDs in the game for a 149 passer rating. The Assassins' pass rush was virtually nonexistent, finishing w/ just 1 sack (from Derrick Burgess) and 0 pressures all game. Defensive coordinator Al Golden called this game, "A pathetic performance. There's no way this group of players should play this badly on defense. There's just way too much talent for this team to look like this. The staff went over the matchups before the game, and we felt pretty confident. I just can't believe this."
Offensively, the team again could not get their running game going, just as in the preseason. Julius Jones had just 41 yards on 16 carries (a horrible 2.6 yard per rush average) and scored a TD in the game. The passing game also struggled as Byron Leftwich completed 21 of 34 passes for 183 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs on the day for a 61.3 passer rating. Leftwich did spread the ball around to 8 different receivers, but still made mistakes (the 2 INTs and a fumble) and didn't appear as confident as he did in his first preseason outing. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe said, "We've got to get something established so that Byron can get his confidence back. We do have the ability to get our deep game going, but we also need to get Julius running the way he did last year to balance it out." Ferentz added, "Our offensive line has got to get back to where they are busting those holes open for the running game. We're looking to guys like (RT) Bryant McKinnie, (RG) Kendyl Jacox, and (LT) Jonathan Ogden to rally the troops for us." The team lost free agent pickup Alex Stepanovich due to injury also, which was a huge blow as Stepanovich was acquired to fill in for injured starter Matt Birk, who is on IR. "For the immediate future, Cory Withrow is going to have to step in and carry the load for us. We may look into signing another player for depth purposes, or we may look to our own roster to solve the depth issue @ center," Ferentz said. This could mean moving someone over to center for a short time. A likely candidate could be reserve guard Kendall Simmons, who did some work @ center in camp this year.
Erie's next game will be against another division foe: New York, who also won on opening week. Ferentz said that for right now, "the main thing is for us to come out focused and ready to go next week. We thought we were ready, but found out we weren't. This team has the ability to be a playoff contender, if we go out and work hard enough to realize it. Week 1 was a setback, and it's behind us now. We're going full speed ahead @ preparing for our game against New York."
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
Assassins Wrapup: Weeks 2-4
By: Staff
WEEK 2: OFFENSIVE WOES CONTINUE IN 23-7 LOSS
After the game, head coach Kirk Ferentz addressed the media, and was displeased in his lack of offensive output. “If we’re going to turn the corner and become a contender, we must get a better performance out of our guys on offense,” Ferentz said. “(QB) Byron (Leftwich) just had an awful game, and he knows he can do better than this.”
Leftwich’s numbers were dreadful, as he went 7 of 17 for just 56 yards, 0 TDs and an INT while being sacked 3 times. He finished the game w/ a 25.6 QB rating. “I have no excuses for that effort today,” Leftwich said afterward. “Guys were working hard to get open, and I just didn’t do my best to find them and get them the ball. I can’t even put this one on the line. Sure, I got hit a few times and even brought down, but I also need to read the field better and give our receivers a chance to show what they can do. This one’s all on me.”
Not entirely. Starting running back Julius Jones had another average effort, gaining just 59 yards on 16 carries (a measly 3.7 yards per rush average) and backup Marion Barber didn’t fare much better, rushing 11 times for 39 yards (3.5 yards per rush). Neither runner was able to find the end zone. “We’ve got to find our niche in the running game and fast,” Ferentz said. “Last year, Julius got off to a great start. We just have to get back to being more physical up front and opening those rush lanes for him.”
Defensively, the Assassins did a better job against the pass, as Nathan Vasher gave the Assassins their only score of the game on a 49 yard INT return. The defense kept Quicksilver QB Josh McCown to 15 of 32 for 174 yards and 2 TDs, but 3 INTs and 3 sacks, giving him a 45.6 QB rating. “I think we’re taking steps to improve our coverage, and for that, I have to thank our defensive coordinator Al Golden,” Ferentz noted. “He has worked tirelessly to get the best personnel out there and to get them playing together. We still have some work to do in our run defense (New York ran 33 times for 182 yards) and on third downs (New York converted 8 of 15, which helped them control the clock for over 36 minutes), so we know we have a way to go here.”
On the injury front, only guard Cosey Coleman suffered any kind of injury, and he is not expected to miss any playing time because of his injury.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
WEEK 3: NORSEMEN DEFENSE LEADS THE WAY; ASSASSINS FALL 19-9
Despite another solid effort from the secondary, the Assassins dropped another tough one on the road. Four fumbles, two each by QB Byron Leftwich and RB Julius Jones, proved to be very costly, and the offense again could not get going to provide support in this game.
Of the offensive struggles, Ferentz said “The Norsemen shut down our running game (Jones could only muster up 34 yards on 20 carries in the game, a 1.7 yard per rush average). From there, we were forced to throw too much. To his credit though, Byron hung in there and did his best to keep us in the game. We had breakdowns around the red zone that just killed our chances to get a win.”
Defensively, the Assassins got a much better effort from the run defense (limited the Norsemen to 123 yards on 34 carries, a 3.6 average) and the secondary performed well again (Chris Simms completed just 12 of 26 passes for 160 yards, no TDs and threw 2 INTs, both to CB Nathan Vasher; he was also sacked 4 times and had a 34.1 QB rating). “I like the intensity of our defense today,” Ferentz said. “Since that debacle in the first game, they’ve worked very hard to get things turned around. We’re not quite where we want to be defensively, but I think we’re on our way to getting there.” DE Derrick Burgess led the way w/ an 8 tackle, 4 sack, 3 stuff, 1 forced fumble performance.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
WEEK 4: ASSASSINS RUSH TO FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR, DEFEAT PITTSBURGH 17-7
RB Julius Jones was able to get going and the pass rush got after QB Trent Green enough to help the Assassins notch their first win of the season. Jones ran 20 times for 106 yards and WR Lee Evans, the speedy playmaker the Assassins traded away QB Jake Plummer for, finally stepped up big w/ a 5 catch, 105 yard, 1 TD performance. “We finally got a spark from our offense, and the defense did a nice job of pressuring the quarterback and keeping them out of the end zone,” Assassins head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Guys like (TE) Ben Troupe (5 catches, 42 yards), (WR) Corey Bradford (3 catches, 27 yards), and (WR) Brandon Lloyd (4 catches, 82 yards) worked extremely hard to get our offense going. (QB) Byron Leftwich had an okay day too (22 of 43 for 297 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs for 61.9 rating), but this should be just the beginning. The more comfortable Byron gets w/ the new wrinkles to our offense and w/ our new players, the better he will become.”
Defensively, the Assassins gave up a ton of yards to Green (25 of 42 for 359 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT for an 85.3 rating), but, except for a 6 yard TD throw to Jabar Gaffney in the 2nd quarter, kept Pittsburgh out of the end zone and kept them to a 4 of 15 showing on 3rd down and an 0 for 2 showing on 4th down. Bryan Scott, last year’s starter @ SS, filled in for injured starter Bob Sanders and had a nice game, w/ 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and an INT. Derrick Burgess had another solid effort rushing the passer finishing w/ 3 sacks to go along w/ 5 tackles and 1 stuff. The Assassins also shut down the Fighting Shih Tzus’ running game, as Kevin Jones ran for 59 yards on 11 carries (21 of those came on one play). Still, after seeing Green pick apart the secondary and two of their receivers have 100 yard games (Donald Driver caught 7 passes for 123 yards; Joe Jurevicius caught 5 for 112 yards), Ferentz said, “Our guys did well to keep Pittsburgh out of the end zone, but we have to clamp down on the big passing plays. They had 5 different receivers catch passes in this game, and 3 of them had a long catch of 19 or more yards. This just won’t do, and I’m sure (defensive coordinator) Al (Golden) will get them to work on that as we prepare to go to New England for next week.”
The Assassins had no injuries in this game, so they will be @ full strength for next week’s game @ New England.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
WEEK 5: DEFENSE, JONES LEAD THE WAY AS ASSASSINS TOP WOOKIES 17-10
The Assassins' defense limited New England to just 196 yards of offense, while the offense overcame a sluggish start and a 10-3 defecit @ the end of the 3rd quarter w/ a 14-0 4th quarter to get their 2nd consecutive win. RB Julius Jones led the way for the offense, rushing 21 times for 92 yards and a TD. QB Byron Leftwich completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards and a TD w/ 1 INT and a 95.7 passer rating. WR Brandon Lloyd was the top target, catching 5 passes for 80 yards. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O' Keefe said of the game, "We were happy to get our running game going, and we were pleased w/ our performance on third downs (8 of 15). Byron is making some good progress, and we feel that our guys are really starting to get the system down here."
Defensive coordinator Al Golden praised the overall effort of his unit. "These guys have had a rough go of it to start the year, but they just keep hanging in there," he said. "We kept New England to a 2 of 13 on third downs and 0 for 1 on fourth down. They had a bit of success running on us (Tiki Barber rushed for 83 yards and a TD on 14 carries while Thomas Jones added 47 yards on 15 carries), but when it counted and they needed to sustain drives, we were able to shut them down. It wasn't a pretty, stat-filled effort for the unit, but they played extremely well as a team and gave our offense the opportunity they needed to get us the win late." New England's last drive was thwarted by a game-clinching INT by SS Bob Sanders.
The Assassins were fortunate to once again have no injuries from this contest.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 6: RAMPAGE USE STRONG START, HUGE TURNOVER TO EARN 28-18 VICTORY
Rampage QB Drew Bledsoe threw 2 TD passes, a 20 yarder to TE Alge Crumpler and a 44 yarer to WR Marvin Harrison, and CB Darrent Williams intercepted a Byron Leftwich pass and returned it 67 yards for a TD to give Rochester a 21-7 lead @ halftime. The Assassins were never able to generate the offense needed to mount a comeback, going 5 of 14 on third downs and rushing for ony 73 yards as a team. In comparison, game MVP Rudi Johnson was able to rush for 79 yards on 21 carries for the Rampage. Erie RB Julius Jones was only able to gain 40 yards on 19 carries, a subpar 2.1 yard per rush average. Head coach Kirk Ferentz said of the game, "This was another game that we could've possibly won w/ a little more production offensively. You have to give Rochester credit: their defense kept us out of this game and they were able to just maintain things from start to finish."
The defense tried hard, but could not come up w/ a game breaking play to assist the offense. They were able to keep Rochester to a 4 of 12 showing on third down and did force one turnover, an INT from CB Nathan Vasher, but Bledsoe had a 107.6 passer rating, completing 13 of 24 passes for 220 yards and 3 TDs w/ just 1 INT. His strong play in the first half proved enough to help his team come out w/ the win.
The Assassins' defense suffered a tough loss w/ the injury to DE Anthony Weaver, who will miss the next 4 weeks. He will be replaced in the lineup by DE Chris Canty, who filled in well w/ 3 tackles and a sack.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 7: HOME LOSING STREAK CONTINUES AS ASSASSINS LOSE TO JERSEY 19-10
Game MVP Chris Brown rushed for 107 yards on 24 carries, leading a strong ground attack that helped the defending BZFL champions come out w/ a 33:16 to 26:44 edge in time of possession in the game. As a team the Jags rushed for 169 carries on 37 carries while Erie had just 91 yards on 32 carries. Jags' RB Ricky Williams had 28 yards and the Jags' only TD on only 6 carries while Assassin Julius Jones led Erie w/ only 65 yards on 20 carries. The passing game didn't fare much better, as QB Byron Leftwich had a 74.5 passer rating, going 10 for 23 for 120 yards and a TD. Assassins' head coach Kirk Ferentz was upset that his team still hasn't won a game @ home this season, saying, "I know we'd better get something going here. We haven't won a game in front of our home crowd, one of the best in the league despite our performances. They deserve better and we will improve. Bet on it."
Defensively, FS Sean Taylor got an INT and league sack leader Derrick Burgess added another sack to his total, but in general, the Assassins still cannot get the big play from the defense. "We've had our moments when we look good, but then we have breakdowns that you just can't explain," LB Jonathan Vilma, who led the game w/ 12 tackles and added 1 stuff, 1 fumble recovery, and 3 forced fumbles, said. "The consistency is what we need. We have to be able to turn it on and leave it on." The Assassins were able to come up big defensively on third downs, giving up only 4 of 12. They also limited big play QB Carson Palmer to a game where he completed 18 of 21 passes, but for just 171 yards, no TDs and the INT by Taylor, good for just an 80.8 passer rating.
One positive was that once again, the Assassins had no injuries and will now welcome back free agent C Alex Stepanovich, who missed the last 7 games due to injury.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 8: ASSASSINS WIN CLOSE BATTLE OVER REJECTS BY A 20-17 SCORE
Erie ran out to a 17-0 lead by halftime as QB Byron Leftwich, the game's MVP, thew 2 TD passes, one to WR Troy Walter and one to TE Ben Troupe. For the game, Leftwich was 21 of 26 for 193 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs for a strong 123.2 passer rating. The running game was sluggish again, as backup RB Marion Barber finished as the team's leading rusher w/ 51 yards on 17 carries while starter Julius Jones added 42 more on 13 rushes. Troupe was the leading receiver w/ 6 catches for 46 yards and a TD.
The game was won when Rejects' kicker Mike Nugent missed a 29 yard FG w/ 1:32 remaining in the 4th quarter. Assassins' kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 42 yard FG w/ 7:23 remaining in the game for what would be the game winning points.
Defensively, the Assassins were strong, allowing the Rejects to keep the ball for only 22:49 of the game compared to Erie's 37:11. They also forced 2 turnovers: fumbles recovered by LB Derrick Johnson and DE Chris Canty. Canty, in his 2nd start due to the injury to Anthony Weaver, finished w/ 2 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble to go w/ his fumble recovery. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said of his effort, "Chris is showing why we went after him in the 5th round of last year's rookie draft. I was lucky enough to coach him in college, so I knew already what he can bring to a defense. We're very lucky to have this kind of depth." Perhaps the biggest stat for the Erie defense was the 11 sacks they racked up against the Rejects. LB Karlos Dansby, the team's leader in sacks last season, had a strong effort, leading the team w/ 3 sacks. DT Randy Starks and BZFL sack leader Derrick Burgess added 2 sacks each.
Erie was again fortunate to not have any injuries in this game.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 9: DEUCES WIN IN OVERTIME 27-24
The Erie Assassins overcame another sluggish start, as they were down 17-7 w/ 7 minutes remaining in the second half, and forced overtime when QB Byron Leftwich hit WR Lee Evans w/ a 6 yard TD pass w/ just 15 seconds remaining in regulation. From there, both teams traded scoreless possessions until Kansas City kicker Jason Elam hit the 33 yard game winner w/ 1:47 remaining in the overtime period.
Leftwich led an effective, balanced Erie offense, as he completed 17 of 31 passes for 289 yards and 3 TDs w/ no INTs, a 118.9 passer rating. Evans caught 4 for 74 yards and 2 TDs while Brandon Lloyd had 2 for 66 yards and the other score. TE Ben Troupe continues to have a solid outing this year, as he caught 4 for 45 yards and WR Corey Bradford added another 3 catches for 73 yards, as Leftwich was able to connect w/ 7 different receivers on the game. On the ground, backup RB Marion Barber finished the game w/ 106 yards on 15 rushes while starter Julius Jones added another 94 yards on 26 carries.
Defensively, the Assassins got sacks from CB Dunta Robinson, LB Karlos Dansby, and DE Derrick Burgess. CB Nathan Vasher, the league’s leader in INTs, got a big one in overtime, but the Assassins were not able to capitalize on it. LB Derrick Johnson led the team w/ 11 tackles. The run defense struggled, as KC’s RB Edgerrin James ran for 147 yards on 32 carries and scored a TD. The pass defense fared a bit better, limiting the effectiveness of QB Eli Manning, who was 23 of 44 for 277 yards, 2 TDs and an INT, a 77.6 passer rating for the game. It was James’ running that did Erie in down the stretch, as head coach Kirk Ferentz noted afterward. “We just were not able to keep Edgerrin from taking the game over,” Ferentz said. “We did a good job of containing their passing game, forcing them to be a bit more one dimensional, but we just didn’t do enough to stop the run.”
The only injury in the game was to Erie’s starting LG Cosey Coleman, who is not expected to miss any time because of it.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 10: NEW YORK COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP, WIN 30-14
After last week’s tough overtime loss to Kansas City, the Assassins looked like a team that was spent, as New York raced out to a 20-0 halftime lead and then cruised to the win. Daunte Culpepper completed 18 of 20 passes for 255 yards and a TD (a stunning 135.4 passer rating for the day) to lead the Quicksilvers to the victory.
Offensively, the Assassins got an efficient yet ineffective game from QB Byron Leftwich, who was 12 of 19 for 156 yards and a TD for a 106.5 passer rating on the day. Backup Charlie Batch added 3 of 4 for 20 yards and a score as well. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe said of the performance, “We had some good points, but not nearly enough of them. We need more of a downfield threat out of guys like Brandon Lloyd, Troy Walters, Devery Henderson, and Lee Evans. We’re getting better, in terms of limiting the turnovers, but now we need to get aggressive in racking up the yards and the points. We now know we have the capability to do so, it’s just a matter of working hard and finishing the task @ hand.” RB Julius Jones continues to struggle behind a disappointing offensive line, as he ran for just 53 yards on 20 carries. Backup Marion Barber added 30 yards on 9 carries. “Our running game has struggled for most of the year,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We have to get a better push from our line. It’s been tough bringing in new guys and losing our leader in Matt Birk, but these are the guys we have, and they know they all need to step it up.”
The Assassins’ defense did well to keep New York to a 1 of 12 showing on third downs, even though the pass rush was limited to only 2 sacks, one each from CB Dunta Robinson (being used effectively as a blitzer this season) and LB Karlos Dansby, whose play has been improving in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said, “Well, we’ve been tampering w/ the lineup lately, switching from the 3-4 scheme to a more traditional 4-3 in an attempt to use more formations to create more confusion for the opponents. We’ve had a small degree of success w/ working in the 4-3, and we’re evaluating whether or not we’ll keep working it on or stay w/ the 3-4.” The fact that the Quicksilvers had fewer rushing yards as a team (31 total, on 31 carries) than Jones had by himself has to be a positive for a run defense that, while slightly improved from last year’s abysmal effort, is still in the bottom 5 in the league.
On the injury front, the Assassins came out of this game unscathed once more.
Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine
GAME 11: REJECTS RUN AWAY W/ VICTORY BY 27-6 SCORE
Behind a fantastic game from MVP LaDanian Tomlinson, who ran for 161 yards and 3 TDs on 32 carries, the Rochester Rejects evened the score w/ Erie, who beat Rochester weeks ago by a 20-17 score.
Rochester, thanks to Tomlinson's efforts, was able to control the clock in the rematch, keeping the ball for 37:27 to Erie's 22:33. They did turn the ball over twice while Erie had none, but the Assassins' lack of production offensively (159 passing yards, 48 rushing yards) did them in.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz commented, "This was just an ugly game for us. We had no production from the offense and the defense just had no answer for Tomlinson. After getting to w/in a game of 500, we've now lost 3 in a row. We look very much like last year's Assassins: no run defense and an offense that isn't getting things done in clutch moments. We need to seriously consider changing things up a bit on both sides of the ball."
Ferentz may be alluding to the team's use of the 3-4 defense, which has struggled mightily in the past 2 years to stop teams from running the ball. The Assassins have won 3 of 5 games where they have used a 4-3 defensive front while they have lost all 6 games w/ the 3-4 scheme.
Of course, Ferentz could be talking about personnel changes as well. Free agent guard Cosey Coleman has not upgraded the interior line as they had hoped, plus last year's surprise standout, Kendyl Jacox, has been largely ineffective @ right guard. Alex Stepanovich, the free agent brought in to ease the loss of starting center Matt Birk (injured reserve), has had injury problems of his own, and hasn't been very impressive even when healthy. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe said of the line concerns, "We've been monitoring the line issues all season. Our interior guys have had a tough go of it, but @ this point in the year, we've got to hope that they'll work harder and get better so that we can find some more running room." Sounds a lot like there's going to be some spots open up front in the offseason. The Assassins have solid depth, but could use an upgrade in terms of starters.
The Erie offense was largely ineffective, as Julius Jones rushed for just 36 yards on 20 carries. Byron Leftwich, who added 9 yards on 5 rushes, threw for 153 yards, connecting on just 11 of 26 throws for a meager 61.9 passer rating. Lee Evans caught 3 for 57 yards, a 19 yard per catch average, and TE Ben Troupe had a team high 4 catches for 58 yards.
Defensively, the pass rush was able to get 3 sacks, 2 from LB Karlos Dansby and 1 from CB Dunta Robinson. They also kept Rochester to a 4 of 11 showing on 3rd downs. Still, there's room for improvement, as the ground game was shredded for 175 yards by the Rejects. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said, "Well, the big guys up front know they have to do a better job of clogging the rush lanes so that our LBs can get in there and make plays. That's just not happening w/ any consistency now. We don't plan to do much tinkering w/ the lineup the rest of the way, so these guys just have to toughen up. We'll work harder to get this fixed."
There were no injuries reported for this game.