2009 Florida Tuskers season
Encyclopedia
Roster
| 2009 Florida Tuskers final roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
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Offensive Linemen
P. J. Alexander Patrick James "P. J." Alexander is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002... G Dan Buenning Dan Robert Buenning is an American football guard for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.Buenning has also been a member of the Chicago Bears.-External... G Enoka Lucas Enoka Lucas is a retired American football center that last played for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007... C Fred Matua Fred Matua is an American football guard that is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft... G Rob Petitti Rob Christopher Petitti is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... T Seth Wand Seth Phillip Wand is an American football offensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft... T Julius Wilson Julius Wilson is an American football offensive tackle for the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at UAB.Wilson has also been a member of the St... T Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Colby Bockwoldt Colby Aaron Bockwoldt is an American football linebacker for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft... OLB Quinton Culberson Quinton Culberson is an American football linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He has played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League and was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Mississippi... OLB Tim McGarigle -St. Louis Rams:McGarigle was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round in the 2006 NFL Draft. He spent the 2006 season as a member of the practice squad. In 2007, McGarigle made the active roster and played 12 games. He was released from the Rams on September 3, 2008 and spent the rest... ILB Terrence Melton Terrence Lee Melton is an American football linebacker for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Houston Thunderbears as a street free agent in 2000... OLB Anthony Schlegel Anthony Schlegel is a former American Football linebacker. He was originally drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the Ohio State University after transferring from the United States Air Force Academy... ILB Odell Thurman Odell Lamar Thurman is an American football linebacker for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia.... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Reserve Lists
Chas Gessner Charles Louis "Chas" Gessner is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2003... WR (IR)  Gene Mruczkowski Gene Vincent Mruczkowski is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Purdue.... C (IR) Rookies in italics Roster updated November 17, 2009 52 Active, 2 Inactive |
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Regular season
| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Game site | Attendance | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | Saturday, October 10 | 7:00 p.m. ET Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
New York Sentinels 2009 New York Sentinels season -Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Florida Tuskers:-Week 2: at California Redwoods:-Week 4: vs. California Redwoods:-Week 5: vs. Las Vegas Locomotives:-Week 6: vs. Florida Tuskers:-Week 7: at Las Vegas Locomotives:... |
W 35–13 | 1–0 | Citrus Bowl Citrus Bowl The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people.... |
11,203 | HDNet HDNet HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television... |
| 2 | Wednesday, October 14 | 9:00 p.m. ET | at Las Vegas Locomotives 2009 Las Vegas Locomotives season -Roster:-Regular season:-Championship Game:-Week 1: vs. California Redwoods:-Week 2: vs. Florida Tuskers:-Week 4: at Florida Tuskers:-Week 5: at New York Sentinels:-Week 6: at California Redwoods:-Week 7: vs. New York Sentinels:... |
W 29–15 | 2–0 | Sam Boyd Stadium Sam Boyd Stadium Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists... |
12,160 | Versus Versus (TV channel) Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports... |
| 3 | Thursday, October 22 | 7:00 p.m. ET | California Redwoods 2009 California Redwoods season -Roster:-Schedule:-Week 1: at Las Vegas Locomotives:-Week 2: vs. New York Sentinels:-Week 3: at Florida Tuskers:-Week 4: at New York Sentinels:-Week 6: vs. Las Vegas Locomotives:-Week 7: vs. Florida Tuskers:... |
W 34–7 | 3–0 | Citrus Bowl | 12,021 | Versus |
| 4 | Friday, October 30 | 7:00 p.m. ET | Las Vegas Locomotives | W 27–24 | 4–0 | Tropicana Field Tropicana Field Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college... |
11,354 | HDNet |
| 5 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
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| 6 | Thursday, November 12 | 7:00 p.m. ET | at New York Sentinels | W 24–6 | 5–0 | Rentschler Field | 5,201 | Versus |
| 7 | Thursday, November 19 | 9:00 p.m. ET | at California Redwoods | W 34–27 | 6–0 | AT&T Park AT&T Park AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000.... |
6,837 | Versus |
Championship Game
| Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Final score | Game site | Attendance | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 27 | 3:00 p.m. ET | Las Vegas Locomotives | L 17–20 (OT) | Sam Boyd Stadium | 14,801 | Versus |
Week 1: vs. New York Sentinels
The Tuskers opened the season with a convincing 35–13 win over the New York SentinelsNew York Sentinels
The New York Sentinels and Hartford Colonials are a currently inactive professional American football team that played in the United Football League in its 2009 and 2010 seasons...
. Quarterback Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
threw for 225 yards and four touchdowns.
Week 2: at Las Vegas Locomotives
On the road, Bollinger would surpass his total from a week before with 310 yards. Through the first three quarters, the Tuskers had kept the Las Vegas LocomotivesLas Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
from scoring, and led by 22 points. Kicker Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...
connected on three field goals in the game, won by the Tuskers 29–15. With the win, the Tuskers moved into first place by themselves.
Week 3: vs. California Redwoods
Back in Orlando for Week 3, the Tuskers routed the California Redwoods 34–7, and improved to 3–0 on the season. The Tusker defense held the Redwoods to only 196 yards and forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. Taye BiddleTaye Biddle
RaTavious Anton "Taye" Biddle is an American football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was previously with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
was the Tuskers' leading receiver with 133 yards on five receptions, however no touchdowns.
Week 4: vs. Las Vegas Locomotives
The Tuskers traveled to their secondary home stadium for Week 4, Tropicana FieldTropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...
, normally known as the home to the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The Tuskers hosted the Locomotives, who were coming off of their bye week and facing the Tuskers in their second consecutive game. In contrast to the teams' previous game, the game was tied at 24–24 late in the 4th quarter. Matt Bryant nailed a 40-yard field goal to give the Tuskers the lead with 4:38 to play. Las Vegas would get the ball back with just under two minutes left, but Florida's defense held strong and the Tuskers remained undefeated with their fourth win of the season. With the victory, the Tuskers clinched a spot in the 2009 UFL Championship Game
2009 UFL Championship Game
The 2009 UFL Championship Game was the concluding game of the United Football League's Premiere Season. The game was staged at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday, November 27, 2009 , and was won by the Las Vegas Locomotives, who defeated the previously unbeaten Florida Tuskers 20–17 on a...
.
Week 6: at New York Sentinels
Coming off of their bye week, the Tuskers were on the road against the Sentinels in Week 6. The game was close in the 1st half, with the Tuskers holding a slight 10–6 lead at halftime. However the Tuskers defense kept New York out of the end zone the entire night. Also behind Brooks Bollinger's arm, throwing for 215 yards and two touchdowns, the Tuskers won 24–6, keeping the undefeated season alive at 5–0.Week 7: at California Redwoods
In Week 7, the Tuskers played their final game of the regular season in California. After both of the Tuskers' first two scores in the first quarter, they boldly attempted an onside kickOnside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
and successfully recovered both. In the 1st quarter, both teams traded a field goal and a touchdown, but the Tuskers were down at halftime 24–20. After that, the Tuskers defense stood tall as they had in the previous week, only allowing a 3rd quarter field goal in the entire 2nd half. Still down 27–20, Brooks Bollinger put together a 67-yard drive capped off by a touchdown pass to Jayson Foster
Jayson Foster
Jayson D. Foster is an American football wide receiver for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
on the first play of the 4th quarter. Foster was drilled by a Redwoods defensive player immediately after making the catch, but Foster held on to the ball for the score to tie the game. Later in the 4th quarter, California moved the ball to the Tuskers' 33-yard line, but cornerback Darius Vinnett
Darius Vinnett
Darius Vinnett is an American football cornerback for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Arkansas....
intercepted the ball for the Tuskers and returned it 58 yards to the Redwoods' 8-yard line. A few plays later, running back Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State....
dove over the goal line for the touchdown, putting the Tuskers ahead 34–27. The Redwoods would punt the ball back to Florida on the ensuing drive, and with a chance to ice the game on 3rd down with only a yard needed for the 1st down, Pittman fumbled, and California came up with the ball. However the Redwoods were unable to capitalize on the turnover, as Josh Cooper
Josh Cooper (American football)
Joshua Martez Cooper is an American football defensive end for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
recovered his own forced fumble on Redwoods quarterback Shane Boyd
Shane Boyd
Shane Boyd is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, sealing the win for the Tuskers. The game was considered as one of the most entertaining of the season. The Tuskers remained undefeated at the conclusion of the regular season, finishing with a 6–0 record going into the championship game against Las Vegas.
Championship Game
Though it was announced as the location of the championship game before the two teams clinched a spot, the Tuskers traveled back to Las Vegas to play the Locomotives at Sam Boyd Stadium, attempting to beat them for the third time in the season. It was a defensive battle through the first three quarters, until both team's offenses came alive in the 4th quarter. Tied with 17 points each at the end of regulation, the game would have to go to overtime, the first overtime game in league history. The Tuskers won the coin toss and received the ball first in OT, but Brooks Bollinger threw an interception deep in Tuskers territory. The Locos ran one play to line the ball in between the goal posts, and kicker Graham GanoGraham Gano
Graham Gano is an American football placekicker for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Florida State...
made the game winning field goal just inside the right upright to win the championship for Las Vegas, and end the Tuskers' chance at a perfect season
Perfect Season
A perfect season is any sports season, excluding the playoff portion of a season, in which a team remains undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the collegiate level in the United States.A perfect season may...
.