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Spokane and Iowa kickoff at 5 PM PST Friday night on the NFL Network. |
The Arena Football League’s best-kept secret is about to be revealed.
With the league’s best record (11-2), Spokane is set to step onto center stage. This Friday night, the Shock will take on the Iowa Barnstormers on the NFL Network’s Arena Football Game of the Week. The broadcast will be Spokane’s national television debut.
“This is going to be like a coming out party,” Head Coach Rob Keefe explained. “Some people don’t like speaking in public or performing in front of big crowds but we are not those types of people. The guys are ready to show their talents and show everybody what we have been working on for the last five months.”
Last week, the Shock captured the Western Division title, assuring at least one playoff game at home, but that’s not enough for Keefe.
“If you take your foot off the gas pedal, you start to think that you have accomplished everything,” Keefe explained. “We are just going to keep working and working until we have reached our ultimate goal – the ArenaBowl Championship.”
Spokane’s journey to the Championship game continues Friday night through Iowa and its hostile crowd. Coming into tonight’s game, the Barnstormers (6-7) need to win their remaining three games to keep their playoff hopes alive.
“Iowa is a hungry team right now,” Keefe explained. “I’m expecting everything from them: trick plays, hard hits, and a lot of trash talking. They are going to do anything they can to make us feel uncomfortable.”
Led by QB Ryan Vena, Iowa’s offense is averaging 50.2 points/game. Last season, as a member of the af2’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pioneers, Vena faced off against Spokane in the ArenaCup Championship. This year, Vena has completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,140 yards with 62 touchdowns and a league-leading 20 interceptions. A mobile quarterback, Vena has also added 247 rushing yards (second in the league) with 20 touchdowns (second in the league).
Vena’s mobility will be challenged by Spokane’s defensive line, which has collected 19 sacks so far this season, the second-highest total in the league. DL Jerry Turner leads the team with five. The Barnstormers offensive line has given up 19 sacks.
Iowa’s receiving corps is led by WR Jesse Schmidt, who has recorded a team-high 93 receptions for 1,258 yards. Last week, Schmidt joined with WRs Larry Kendrick and Errick McCown to combine for 26 receptions for 310 yards and five touchdowns. WR Todd Blythe—who has missed the last two games with an injury—is questionable for Friday’s game. Blythe leads the team with 22 touchdown receptions.
Spokane’s secondary has collected 12 interceptions so far this season, including six from DB Travis Williams. Last week, Williams intercepted Cleveland’s John Dutton in overtime and returned the pick 43 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
On the offensive side of the ball, Spokane is averaging 63.7 points per game (second in the league), thanks in large part to QB Kyle Rowley. In 13 games, Rowley has completed 65% of his pass attempts for 3,576 yards with 83 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.
Rowley’s top target this year has been Huey Whittaker, who has collected 116 receptions for 1,258 yards and 29 touchdowns. Spokane’s receiving corps will get a boost this week with the return of WR Markee White who was activated from the Injured Reserve List earlier this week. Before White was injured, he collected 42 receptions for 569 yards and 11 touchdowns. At 6-7 and 6-5, respectively, White and Whittaker make for a tough matchup for an opposing team’s secondary.
The Barnstormers’ secondary is headlined by DB Tanner Varner, who leads the league in tackles (121) and leads the team in interceptions (7 – tied for fourth in the league). At 6-0, Varner will need to use every inch to help contain Whittaker and White.
For Varner and his Iowa teammates, a win on Friday keeps their playoff hope alive. For Spokane, a win in Friday night’s game takes them one step closer to holding home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and their ultimate goal, the ArenaBowl.
TV: NFL Network
Radio: ESPN 700 The Ticket - pregame coverage starts at 3:30 PM with Dennis Patchin and Keith Osso 
