Winless Wizards Searching For First Win
Keith Antigiovanni
Friday May 10, 2002
After starting the season with five consecutive losses the Wizards are experiencing the growing pains of an expansion team giving up 224 points the last three weeks all Mobile can do is improve. If anything the 18 points they scored last week is an improvement from 6 two weeks ago. The quarterback situation and porous line continue to cripple the team. In a game of offense the Wizards have scored only 16 touchdowns so far this season. They have already had three starters at quarterback: Kelvin Simmons, Billy Luckie and John Holmes. Each has struggled behind an undersized line. “The QB situation could be better. We have to get consistent play at that position or the offense cannot function. Our QB’s did not have the best game last Saturday but we just have to keep getting better at what we do,” Wizards Head Coach Chad Lindsey said.
Even if Mobile can settle on a starter the next question becomes the line. Wizard QB’S have already been sacked 13 times by the opposition. Mobile also ranks last in turnover at -15, giving up 20 total. “When the offense gets the ball we have to score. We have to take what the defense gives us and drive down the field and take shots when we can. Turnovers by the offense put your defense in a bad situation on an already short field, “Lindsey said.
Defensively, the Wizards rank last or near the bottom in almost every major category but much of that can be attributed to the offenses’ inability to move the ball consistently and turnovers. “The defense is better than the scores posted. It’s a team game and all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams) need to cover kicks, get good return yards and make short Field Goals and extra points,” Lindsey said. The defense played well in its first two weeks giving up only 47 points the first two weeks to Tennessee Valley and Florida.
“On defense, it is a combination of a few things. We need pressure on the other teams’ QB. All games are won by who can block for and rush the passer. We need more pressure from the line to help out the DB’s. Our DB’s are working hard and still learning the game. By now we were hoping they (DB’s) would have an idea about which routes can be run in certain situations,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey realizes that despite Bossier City’s record this game will be another tough one for the young, inexperienced Wizards. “They have veteran guys at key positions. They haven’t been out of any game so far this year. Our guys have to be ready for a down to the wire game,” He said.
“Our DB’s watch film, they get the scouting reports and they do their homework. We need them now to just react and trust what they see. I told them when we first met that there 4 things guaranteed ….life, death, taxes and all DB’s will get beat for TD’s,” Lindsey said.
Despite the poor start and struggles Lindsey remains patient and confident that the Wizards can turn things around at some point. “We just have to get better at what we do. We watch the film of every game and the guys see what happens when they do things right. We just have to sustain that type of play every time. Sooner rather than later, the light switch is going to go off and they will see what can happen if you sustain a stretch of positive plays,” Lindsey said.
Keith Antigiovanni is a free-lance writer in San Diego, California. He has worked for several local newspapers covering sports, government and business. Keith started writing in 1995 after graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Mass Media Communications from the University of San Diego. Aside from working as a sportswriter he has a side business of providing marketing assistance/research for small businesses and also directs,produces and hosts a regular public access television show on Time-Warner Cable named "San Diego Yesterday". Antigiovanni is also a member of the San Diego Sportswriter Association.
