Upset-Minded Knights Straighten Twisters, 62–35
Keith Murphy
Sunday June 11, 2006
The Knights began to out-hit, out-hustle, out-execute, and, for the first time this season, out-swagger a team that was picked, on paper at least, to come into Macon and smack them around. They overcame their own mistakes and, by halftime, had evened the score at 21. In the second half, Macon outscored Arkansas 34-7. The fans stayed to savor almost every second because it had been a long time since they had seen a Knights team play with so much self-assurance.
Important Win Over a Winner
The win was Macon’s first, this season, against a team with a winning record and Stingley says that is a fact which is good for his team: "It helps them mentally. It helps them to know the fact that, Arkansas was 6-3 and we were 3-6; but if you came in and play well, special teams, defense, and offense, then everybody can see what can happen. So, now I know, just by the way the guys are feeling on the sideline, that they know that this team is shaping up to be a good team. But we’ve still got a long way to go. We’ve still got some changes that need to be made. This is a great win, but as a coach, I can’t be satisfied until we are more dangerous."
Against Arkansas, Macon showed a swagger and a sense of team that hadn’t been consistently evident earlier in the season. Much of that has to be credited to the influx of new talent that Stingley has brought in. While some of the change has to be credited to Rickey Foggie taking the reins as Macon’s offensive coordinator. The move freed Stingley up to focus solely on his area of expertise: defense. "That’s crucial," Stingley says, "because now I can sit in my office and game-plan and put together a defensive plan that I think will really work; instead of thinking, "Okay, I’ve got to watch the offense, now I’ve got to go to the defense. So, I’ll make a vanilla defensive package because I’ve got athletes who can make big plays." Now, it’s just strictly defense and I can look at every little thing. I can look at the percentages on what can give us the best opportunity. It’s a good feeling."
The separation of powers, with the addition of Coach Foggie running the offense, was evident in the win; especially in his control of the little aspects of the offense such as controlling the tempo of the game. As Stingley explains, "Just with the little things he brings to the table, like the quick motion, we didn’t do any of that when I was offensive coordinator, and knowing that on certain hash marks which plays give us the best opportunities to win. I felt good about the offensive game plan all night to where when we were on some fourth down situations, I was going to go for it." Stingley was right, because the Knights were four-for-four on fourth down conversions for the game.
Statistically Speaking
Among the stars of the game was one of the newest Knights, Offensive Specialist Chavis McCollister (5-9, 210), a second year player out of Tarleton State. On the evening, McCollister caught nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score. He looks to be a star-in-the-making. "McCollister was a star-in-the-making last year with Amarillo last year too." According to Stingley, "he’s one of Ricky’s guys. Ricky said that he can guarantee that if we can get McCollister that that’s another thirty points on top of whatever we were scoring before. I believe it. McCollister may not be the fastest guy but he’s shifty with it and he runs great routes, has good hands, and he’s tough. He made a lot of big plays like the fourth down run in the end zone. That was all effort. His determination reminds me a lot of Hickenbotham; so, now I’ve got them both on the field at the same time. So, I feel even more dangerous on offense."
Among the other receivers, James Hickenbotham caught eight passes for 57 yards and a score. Derrick Lloyd (1) and Chad Elliott (2) also added rushing touchdowns and kicker Byungwoo Yoon converted on all but one of his point-after attempts.
Chad Elliott completed 23 of 32 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted twice and sacked once. Matt Jackson also had a big night for the Knights, rolling up 152 all-purpose yards, which included an amazing 18 yard interception return for a touchdown.
For Arkansas, Quarterback Walter Church completed 25 of 40 passes in a losing effort. He was intercepted once and sacked twice. Robert Killow led the Twister receiving corps with 8 receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns. He also rolled up 212 all purpose yards.
Looking Ahead
Next week, the 4–6 Knights travel to Naples, Florida to take on the Firecats. Stingley says that, "Florida are the same old team. Same hitch, post. They’re a great team with veteran players led by a good coach. They don’t make many mistakes and when we go down there against Florida, we can’t make those mistakes. Hopefully it will be one of those possession battles. But right now, I’ve got to enjoy this win." The Knights won’t return home until June 30 when they host Memphis.
The 6-4 Twisters are at home next weekend trying to rebound as they play host to Rio Grande.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info
