Kats Run Over Brigade
Charliy Nash
Sunday April 22, 2007
The Nashville Kats hit the ground running and pulled out a much needed win over the Kansas City Brigade. Dan Alexander broke the single game records for rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns, carrying the ball 19 times for 59 net yards and six touchdowns.
The real difference in this game however, came down to kicking. Brigade kicker Clay Rush missed two PAT’s while Jason Witczak converted on all seven tries for the Kats. “It absolutely put them in a little bit of a jam,” Kats’ head coach Pat Sperduto confirmed, “The credit goes to Jason. He did it.” In actuality, Sperduto had something to do with his kickers performance.
“Pat and I watched some film this week of me kicking last year, corrected something and I feel like I’m on a little roll right now,” said Witczak, “Hit seven in a row in Arizona and I got seven here, so just keep it going.” Sperduto credits an “outside source” with tipping him off to a change in Witczak’s technique from last year, triggering the video review.
Another key factor in the game was Chris Pointer’s recovery of a Witczak kick that hit the bar. The recovery gave the Kats first down on the one-yard line. An Alexander touchdown a few plays later gave the Kats the cushion they needed.
Running It In
Now let’s talk about Dan Alexander, or “Touchdan” as he is sometimes known. He accounted for six of the seven touchdowns the Kats scored. Some of his TD’s came in the red zone with a “jumbo” package that included Rupert Grant and James Baron at wide receiver, but he also ran the ball in from 18 and 11 yards with a standard offense.
“They [offensive line] had some great holes in there,” Alexander said, “I was running through sometimes untouched or sometimes maybe one-arm tackles. “ Though on pace to shatter the single season record for rushing TD’s, he still sees room for improvement. “I feel like I let them down in the very end of the game when we’re trying to get positive yards. I feel like that’s on me.”
“Dan gets a lot of yards on his own,” countered lineman Carey Clayton, “Dan’s a great running back and he runs really hard. We just try to get him some holes; we got him a few tonight, but Dan works really hard.”
“Dan and the offensive line did such a great job they took all the pressure off me,” said quarterback Jeff Smoker. “It slows those guys down up front because they don’t know if there’s a run play coming or a pass play now.”
Running Them Down
Football math 101 tells us that a linebacker cannot overtake a wide receiver from behind. Apparently Liam Ezekiel missed that day in class. When Raymond Philyaw completed a pass to Boo Williams in the second quarter, Ezekiel chased Williams along the sidelines and made a perfectly timed dive at his feet to trip him up.
“I was surprised myself, I was hoping I got him,” said Ezekiel, “It was close, but I got him though.”
Remembering Robin
“Cheers to Robin, A Benefit for LLS,” a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of former Kats’ cheerleader Robin Roach Towe will be held Thursday, April 26 at Radius 10 (1103 McGavock St., Nashville) beginning at 7 PM. Tickets are $30, VIP tickets which include access to an exclusive area to mingle with surpise guests including Tennessee Titans players. To purchase tickets call (615) 504-2165, for additional information, contact Lindsey Hamlett at (615) 887-9891 or lindsey.hamlett@gmail.com
