Depleted Bullets Team Falls to League Leading Wildcats

      Colorado secures Seventh victory, 51-28

      Hoping to use last week's last second victory over the Madison Mad Dogs as a catalyst, the Texas Bullets (2-7) ventured into the Denver Coliseum Sunday afternoon to take on the Colorado Wildcats (7-0). However, it was clear by game time that the Bullets would be short handed due mainly to injuries, work conflicts and travel problems.

      Out for the game were many starters and those with significant playing time including: John Henry (RB), Brent Moore (WR), Brent Alford (WR) Butch Hadnot (RB), Sean Berry (WR), Tyrone Clayburn (LB), Bobby Craig (CB) and Derrick Womack (DB).

      The Bullets had to juggle their lineup considerably, especially on defense, which the Wildcats took advantage of early in the game. On defense, starting free safety Adrian Coe was forced to play cornerback. Anthony Allen, who normally splits time at free safety and "rover" back was forced to play safety all afternoon. Tim Cook, perhaps the teams most versatile lineman, became a last minute replacement at rover. Although the Bullets defense played with great tenacity, the lack of practice time for the players who were playing out of position allowed Colorado to move the ball efficiently and quickly on the ground. The Wildcats completed only 3 passes in 11 attempts.

      With trouble brewing on the offensive side of the ball as well, Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Wayne Stigler had to make some quick changes. With only two prepared receivers, Stigler tabbed Brad Ericson as the starting quarterback so that he could use Marc Saldana at the other receiver position. At running back, newly signed Lamont Randle joined Greg Bower in the backfield. Bower, who normally competes for playing time at linebacker and defensive line, became the obvious choice for fullback as he had blocked often as a tight end in his college days at Texas.

      Ericson got off to a shaky start which included two pass interceptions that were returned for touchdowns before the first half was over. In Ericson's defense, one of the interceptions appeared to come on a busted route play. "Brad was put in to a tough situation this week with all of the new people in the backfield and at receiver," stated Stigler. "I had planned on starting him this week to shake up Colorado (as Ericson is right handed and Saldana is left handed), but when I first decided to go that route I thought most if not all of our other starters would be able to play."

      Saldana relieved Ericson in the second quarter and engineered several scoring drives including two touchdown plunges by Saldana and one by Trey Burk. Burk, normally an offensive lineman, bowled his way over the Colorado defense for a short touchdown run. The Bullets repeated the play as Burk added the two point conversion.

      The biggest blow on offense was the loss of John Henry for the game. Henry, who entered the weekend as one of the top runners in the league, was declared medically unfit to play on Friday morning. "We had hoped that by not having Henry practice all week, he would be able to go on Sunday," Stigler said. "However, there wasn't enough time for him to heal enough." The Bullets expect Henry, and several others, back this Saturday night when they host the Louisiana Bayou Beast at 8:00 p.m. at the Bell County Expo Center. Colorado has a bye, but will return to action against the Green Bay Bombers at home on June 20.

      Texas Bullets       2     9    6   11   28
Colorado Wildcats   9    27    6    9   51

First Quarter

Tex-       -Billy Watkins 2 point field goal                           0-2
Col-4:25-Bucky Logan pass from Jason Torres, Tim Thennell PAT failed   6-2
Col-0:05-Thennell 38 yd field goal                                     9-2

Second Quarter

Col-13:04-Floyd Johnson 33 yd interception return, Thennell PAT       16-2
Col-  7:45-Tim Wright 9 yd run, Thennell PAT failed                   22-2
Col-  5:17-Jesse Tann 15 yd interception return, Thennell PAT         29-2
Tex-  1:35-Marc Saldana 1 yd run, Saldana pass failed                 29-8
Col-  0:56-Darnell Brooks 28 yd run, Thenell PAT                      36-8
Tex-  0:05-Watkins 35 yd field goal                                   36-11

Third Quarter

Tex-4:25-Saldana 1 yd run, Watkins PAT failed                         36-17
Col-1:45-Thenell 3 yd run, Thenell PAT failed                         42-17
 
Fourth Quarter

Tex-13:37-Watkins 39 yd field goal                                    42-20
Col-10:25-Thenell 18 yd field goal                                    44-20
Col- 5:25-Antonio Chandler 45 yd pass from Thenell, Thenell PAT       51-20
Tex-2:56-Trey Burk 1 yd run, Burk run                                 51-28

Team Stats                    Colorado    Texas                         
First Downs                       5         7
   Rushing                         
   Passing                         
Penalty                            
Rushing Attempts                 19        20
Yards Rushing                   111        41
Net Passing Yards                81       112
   Passes Attempted              11        29
   Passes Completed               3        16
   Had Intercepted                0         2
Total Offensive Plays            30        49
Total Net Yards                 192       153
Fumbles: Number-Lost            0-0       0-0
Penalties: Number-Lost        10-48     8-118
Missed Field Goal Returns        NA        NA
Kickoff Returns: No.-Yards     3-56     8-118
3rd Down Conversions             NA        NA
4th Down Conversions             NA        NA
Sacks by: Number-Yards            1         1
Interception Returns:          2-48       0-0
Possesion Time                   NA        NA

Individual Stats

Rushing-C-Brooks 10-107-1, Thenell 3-3-1, Wright 1-1-1; 
T-Lamont Randle 8-20, Saldana 4-3-2

Receiving-C-Chandler 1-46-1, Logan 1-35-1, Thenell 1-5; 
T-Lee McCormick 5-44, Randle 5-4, Tyrone Clyaburn 4-32, Unavailable 2-32

Passing-C-Torres 2-4-81-2-1, Thenell 1-7-5-0-0; 
T-Saldana 10-18-81-0-1, Brad Erickson 6-11-29-0-1

Field Goals-Unavailable

PATS-C-Thenell 4-7; 
T-Watkins 0-1

Kickoff Returns-Unavailable

Missed Field Goal Returns-Unavailable

Interceptions-C-Johnson 1-33-1, Tann 1-15-1

Tackles-C-Jonhson 11, Galbreath 6, Tann 3, Jackson 7, Billington 2, 
Royster 6, McDonald 2, Barnett 5, Gordon 7, Mason 5; 
T-Moore 1, Coe 3, Blake 3, Cook 4, Henderson 2, Ewing 3, Lloyd 5


      PIFLBack to the Main Page