2009 Florida Tuskers season
Introduction The '''2009 Florida Tuskers season''' was the first season for the Florida Tuskers. In the UFL's Premiere Season, the Tuskers put together a league-best, undefeated 6–0 record. In the championship game however, they lost to the Las Vegas Locomotives in overtime.The Tuskers played three home games in the six game regular season. Two games were played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and one was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.Following the conclusion of the season, quarterback Brooks Bollinger was named season MVP, and head coach Jim Haslett was given the Coach of the Year award.
Prior to season Jim Haslett, former NFL head coach of the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams, was named head coach of the then unnamed franchise, on March 11, 2009.The team name, uniforms, and colors were unveiled on August 12, 2009.On the same day it was announced that the Tampa Bay Rays had bought interest in the team.
Draft The draft took place on June 19, 2009.Those selected were among participants in earlier workouts held in Orlando as well as Las Vegas. Once a player was picked by a team, his rights were held by that team should he elect to play in the UFL. With their first selection, the Tuskers picked former Arkansas nose tackle Fred Bledsoe. = Indicates player signed with team Player Position  CollegeFred Bledsoe  NT  Arkansas Brooks Bollinger  QB  WisconsinRonnie Cruz  FB  Northern State Mike Doss  DB  Ohio StateGreg Fassitt  DB  GramblingChas Gessner  WR  BrownKeith Heinrich  TE  Sam Houston StateRien Long  NT  Washington StateGrant Mason  DB  MichiganTim McGarigle  LB  Northwestern Chris Perry  RB  MichiganRob Petitti  T  PittsburghZach Piller  OG  FloridaEric Powell  DE  Florida StateAnthony Schlegel  LB  Ohio StateBo Schobel  DE  TCUDominique Thompson  WR  William & MaryDeJuan Tribble  CB  Boston College Larry Tripplett  NT  WashingtonDarius Vinnett  DB  ArkansasSeth Wand  T  Northwest Missouri StateJermaine Wiggins  TE  GeorgiaQuincy Wilson  RB  West VirginiaT. J. Wright  DB  Ohio
Personnel ===Staff======Roster==='''2009 Florida Tuskers final roster''' '''Quarterbacks'''*  Brooks Bollinger*  Chris Greisen'''Running backs'''*  Tatum Bell*  Andrew Pinnock FB*  Michael Pittman*  Shaud Williams'''Wide receivers'''*  Taye Biddle*  Jayson Foster*  Marcus Maxwell*  Frank Murphy*  Bobby Sippio*  Micheal Spurlock'''Tight ends'''*  Jonathan Dekker*  Keith Heinrich*  Ryan Neufeld*  Jermaine Wiggins '''Offensive linemen'''*  P. J. Alexander G*  Dan Buenning G*  Anthony Davis G*  Enoka Lucas C*  Fred Matua G*  Rob Petitti T*  Charles Spencer T*  Seth Wand T*  Julius Wilson T'''Defensive linemen'''*  Fred Bledsoe DT*  McKinley Boykin DT*  Patrick Chukwurah DE*  Josh Cooper DE*  Eric Powell DE*  Josh Savage DE*  Darrion Scott DE*  Willie Williams DT*  Claude Wroten DT '''Linebackers'''*  Colby Bockwoldt OLB*  Quinton Culberson OLB*  Tim McGarigle ILB*  Terrence Melton OLB*  Anthony Schlegel ILB*  Odell Thurman OLB'''Defensive backs'''*  Willie Andrews SS/RS*  Fakhir Brown CB*  Jerome Carter SS*  Michael Grant CB*  Dexter Jackson FS*  Ricky Manning CB*  ''Derrick Richardson'' FS*  DeJuan Tribble CB*  Darius Vinnett CB'''Special teams'''*  Matt Bryant K*  ''Matt Overton'' LS*  Todd Sauerbrun P  '''Reserve lists'''*  Chas Gessner WR (IR) 7px*  Gene Mruczkowski C (IR) 7px''rookies in italics''Roster updated November 17, 200952 Active, 2 Inactive
Schedule ===Regular season=== Week Date Kickoff Opponent Results Game site Attendance TV Final score Team record 1 Saturday, October 10 7:00 p.m. ET New York Sentinels '''W''' 35–13 1–0 Citrus Bowl 11,203 HDNet 2 Wednesday, October 14 9:00 p.m. ET at Las Vegas Locomotives '''W''' 29–15 2–0 Sam Boyd Stadium 12,160 Versus 3 Thursday, October 22 7:00 p.m. ET California Redwoods '''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 11,354 HDNet 5 ''Bye'' 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 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
Standings
Game summaries ===Week 1: vs. New York Sentinels===The Tuskers opened the season with a convincing 35–13 win over the New York Sentinels. Quarterback Brooks Bollinger 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 Locomotives from scoring, and led by 22 points. Kicker Matt Bryant 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 Biddle 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 Field, normally known as the home to the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. 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.===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 kick 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 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 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 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 recovered his own forced fumble on Redwoods quarterback Shane Boyd, 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 teams' offenses came alive in the fourth quarter. Tied with 17 points each at the end of regulation, the game went 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 Gano 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.
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