2012 Erie Explosion season

2012 Erie Explosion season
Head coach Shawn Liotta
General manager Shawn Liotta
Owner Bill Stafford
Home field Louis J. Tullio Arena
809 French Street
Erie, PA 16501
Results
Record 8-3
Conference place 2nd
Playoff finish Lost Northern Championship Game 40-62 (Commandos)

The 2012 Erie Explosion season was the sixth season for the indoor American football franchise, and their first as a member of the Northern Conference of the United Indoor Football League (UIFL).

On August 25, 2011, the Explosion left the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) and joined the United Indoor Football League. The change reunited Erie with Andrew Haines, who founded the city's previous indoor football team, the Erie Freeze.[1] (The Explosion's departure came two weeks before the SIFL broke up into the Lone Star Football League and the Professional Indoor Football League, neither of which included Pennsylvania in their territories.) Erie was tasked with replacing MVP quarterback DiMichele, who had signed with the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul.[2] The job fell on the shoulders of rookie Colton Hansen.[2] In the second game of the season, Hansen struggled in a loss to the Johnstown Generals, and he was replaced by A. J. McKenna.[3] McKenna lead the Explosion to 8–3 regular season record, just losing the top seed in the UIFL North during the last game of the season.[4] While still securing a home playoff game, the Tullio Arena had begun a 45 million dollar renovation, that forced the Explosion to find a new place to host the game. The Explosion announced that they would play at Erie Cathedral Prep's Dollinger Field.[5] The Explosion trailed going into the fourth quarter against the Marion Blue Racers, but McKenna ignited the Erie offense to 22 points in the final stanza to advance to the UIFL North Conference final.[6]

The Explosion faced the Cincinnati Commandos, who had only lost 2 games all season, one of which was to Erie. With the Commando quarterback Tyler Sheehan out with an injury, the Commandos used Kynes Mincy at quarterback, who provided a duel-threat option. Mincy lead the Commandos to 8 scores, defeating the Explosion 62-40 to advance to the Ultimate Bowl.[7]

Schedule

Key:       Win       Tie       Loss       Bye

Regular season

Week Day Date Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 Friday March 1 Western Pennsylvania Sting W 81-7 1-0 Louis J. Tullio Arena
2 Sunday March 11 at Johnstown Generals L 37-39 1-1 Cambria County War Memorial Arena
3 BYE
4 Friday March 23 Western Pennsylvania Sting W 88-34 2-1 Louis J. Tullio Arena
5 Monday April 1 Eastern Kentucky Drillers W 58-38 3-1 Louis J. Tullio Arena
6 BYE
7 Friday April 13 Johnstown Generals W 60-27 4-1 Louis J. Tullio Arena
8 Sunday April 22 Cincinnati Commandos L 34-55 4-2 Louis J. Tullio Arena
9 Sunday April 29 Johnstown Generals W 74-14 5-2 Louis J. Tullio Arena
10 Sunday May 6 Huntington Wildcatz W 102-30[8] 6-2 Louis J. Tullio Arena
11 BYE
12 BYE
13 Saturday May 26 at Cincinnati Commandos W 62-18 7-2 Cincinnati Gardens
14 Saturday June 2 at Johnstown Generals W 88-35 8-2 Cambria County War Memorial Arena
15 Saturday June 9 at Marion Blue Racers L 64-65 (OT) 8-3 Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Postseason

Round Day Date Opponent Results Location
Score Record
Northern Semifinals Saturday June 16 Marion Blue Racers W 56-47[9] 1-0 Cathedral Preparatory School
Northern Championship Saturday June 23 at Cincinnati Commandos L 40-62 1-1 Cathedral Preparatory School

Standings

2012 United Indoor Football League
Team Conference Overall
W L PCT W L PCT PF PA
Northern Conference
Cincinnati Commandos-y 7 2 .778 8 2 .800 594 373
Erie Explosion-x 7 3 .700 8 3 .727 748 362
Marion Blue Racers-x 5 4 .556 6 5 .636 602 467
Johnstown Generals 3 6 .333 3 6 .333 264 441
Western Pennsylvania Sting 0 6 .000 0 7 .000 132 497
Southern Conference
Florida Tarpons-y 11 0 1.000 11 0 1.000 687 287
Eastern Kentucky Drillers 5 4 .556 6 4 .600 613 361
Lakeland Raiders-x 5 5 .500 6 5 .545 639 379
Rome Rampage 1 6 .143 1 6 .143 100 462
Mississippi Hound Dogs 1 9 .100 1 9 .100 281 559

Roster

2012 Erie Explosion roster
Quarterbacks
  •  7 A. J. McKenna

Running Backs

  • 99 Bob Hammer

Wide Receivers

  •  1 A. J. Harris
  • 85 Willie Idlette
  •  8 Terry Jackson
  •  6 Andre London
  •  5 Tirone Morris
Offensive Linemen
  • 62 Joe Blanks
  • 55 Bob McQuiston

Defensive Linemen

  •  9 Andre Portis
  • 12 Zach Williams
Linebackers
  •  2 Roosevelt Benjamin
  • 24 Jon D'Angelo
  • -- Jamaal Stokes

Defensive Backs

  • 20 Quintarrius Brooks
  • 21 A. J. Saunders
  •  3 Enrique Shaw

Kickers

  • 11 Shon Rowser
Injured Reserve
  • Currently vacant

Exempt List

  • 10 Colton Hansen QB

Practice Squad

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated February 19, 2013
19 Active, 1 Inactive, 0 PS

→ More rosters

Coaching staff

2012 Erie Explosion staff
Front Office
  • Director of Operations – Bill Stafford
  • Marketing – Sarah Lander
  • Director of Sales - Shawn Struble

Head Coach

  • Head Coach – Shawn Liotta

Offensive Coaches

  • Offensive Coordinator – Shawn Liotta
  • Director of Player Personnel – Jeremy Liotta
  

Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator – Kirk Rearick
  • Defensive Backs – Sam Reynolds

Special Teams Coaches

  • Special Teams Coordinator - Ed Martin

References

  1. ↑ "Erie Explosion joins new league". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. August 27, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  2. 1 2 John Dudley (March 1, 2012). "Erie Explosion count on new QB to lead way". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ Bob Jarzomski (April 1, 2012). "Debut dynamite for Erie Explosion QB McKenna". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Explosion stumble, lose top seed in playoffs". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 11, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Erie Explosion to play indoor football playoff game outdoors". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 12, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  6. ↑ Bob Jarzomski (June 17, 2012). "Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Explosion fall in UIFL playoffs". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 24, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Erie Explosion score 102 point in rout". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. May 7, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ Bob Jarzomski (June 17, 2012). "Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
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