May 16, 1998 - Bell County Expo Center - Belton, TX
The evening started well for the Texas Bullets in their third home game of the season as they jumped out to a 27-14 lead by the end of the first quarter. But the second quarter blues hit the Bullets again as they were out scored 21-0 and left the field trailing 35-27. Texas never fully recovered as Green Bay took the win 71-49.
John Henry and Brent Alford lit up the board in the first period as each Bullet scored two touchdowns a piece. Texas opened the scoring on an 23 yard touchdown reception by Alford from Marc Saldana (8-21-3, 2 TDs, 90 yards). The Bombers responded immediately with a 16 yard TD pass from Jay McDonagh (21-38-2, 9 TDs, 264 yards). The two teams exchanged scores again until the Bullets put two successive touchdowns on the board to close out the first quarter.
But the dreaded second quarter blues hit the Bullets again as McDonagh threw three touchdowns to lead the Bombers back to the halftime lead. Green Bay added to their lead in the third quarter by scoring the first two touchdowns of the second half. Texas finally responded with John Henry's 29 yard scamper into the endzone. Henry was definitely the bright spot for the Bullets as he rushed for 162 yards on 13 carries. Four of his runs were for touchdowns (24, 14, 29 and 30 yards).
Texas simply could not stop the Bombers aerial assault. "Our DBs, the same ones who have been playing all year, looked horrible," stated Defensive Coordinator Kevin Carter after the game. General Manager and Assistant Head Coach Matthew McKinley concurred,"I have never seen our guys just blow coverage like that. Our technique was horrid. It looked they had never practiced, and that we had never coached." However, all of the Bullets staff gave McDonagh and the Bombers their due. Head Coach Wayne Stigler stated,"You cannot give a guy like McDonagh an inch or he'll pick you apart. We gave him yards, and he killed us by hitting open receivers all night."
The lack of defensive execution in the secondary coupled with an offensive passing attack that simply disappeared after the first quarter has prompted Stigler to call for an additional practice this week. "We have problems that have to be fixed immediately," said Stigler. "If more practice is what is needed, then that is what we will do." The Bullets (1-5) will practice four times this upcoming week instead of three in preparation for their road game against the Louisiana Bayou Beast on May 23. Green Bay (5-0) will travel to Madison, WI to take on their in-state rivals, the Mad Dogs.
Green Bay 14 21 14 22 71 Texas 27 0 7 15 49 First Quarter Tex-13:35-Alford 23 yd pass from Saldana, Watkins PAT 0-7 GB-13:00-High 16 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 7-7 Tex-11:42-Henry 24 yd run, Watkins PAT 14-7 GB-9:20-Garland 14 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 14-14 Tex-6:58-Henry 14 yd run, Watkins PAT 14-21 Tex-1:37-Alford 2 yd pass from Saldana, Watkins PAT failed 14-27 Second Quarter GB-12:58-Perry 13 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 21-27 GB-8:31-Perry 35 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 28-27 GB-1:51-Garland 14 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 35-27 Third Quarter GB-7:32-Garland 7 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 42-27 GB-6:33-Perry 4 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 49-27 Tex-5:04-Henry 29 yd run, Watkins PAT 49-34 Fourth Quarter GB-14:58-Willie High 1 yd run, Mader PAT 56-34 GB-14:30-Bombers team safety 58-34 GB-13:44-Garland 30 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT 65-34 Tex-13:20-Henry 30 yd run, Watkins PAT 65-41 GB-8:52-Perry 4 yd pass from McDonagh, Mader PAT failed 71-41 Tex-0:36-McCormick 3 yd pass from Brad Erickson, Alford 2pt run 71-49 Team Stats GB Texas First Downs 16 16 Rushing 2 8 Passing 14 7 Penalty 0 1 Rushing Attempts 21 19 Yards Rushing 70 183 Passing Yards 262 109 Passes Attempted 38 30 Passes Completed 21 13 Had Intercepted 2 4 Total Offensive Plays 60 51 Total net Yards 332 292 Fumbles: Number-Lost 1-0 1-1 Penalties: Number-Lost 7-39 4-25 MFG Returns 0-0 1-19 Kickoff Returns: No.-Yards 2-47 3-74 3rd Down Conversions 6-12 4-8 4th Down Conversions 2-2 0-1 Sacks by: Number-Yards 2-11 1-2 Interception Returns: 4-25 2-7 Possesion Time 33:44 26:16 Individual Stats Rushing-G-Derrick Sanders 8-26, Willie High 7-21-1, Jay McDonagh 3-15, Chris Perry 2-4, Dan Luedtke 1-4; T-John Henry 13-162-4, Saldana 3-14, Butch Hadnot 3-7 Passing-G-Jay McDonagh 21-38-264-9-2; T-Marc Saldana 8-21-90-2-3, Brad Erickson 5-9-30-1-1 Pass Receiving-G-Heath Garland 8-123-4, Chris Perry 8-99-4, Willie High 5-42-1; T-Lee McCormick 7-60-1, Jackie Warren 3-27, Brent Alford 2-25-2, John Henry 1-8 Field Goals-G-Mader 0-3 (missed 45,60,50); T-Watkins 0-2 (missed 33, 35) PATS-G-Mader 9-10; T-Watkins 5-6 Kickoff Returns G-Sanders 2-47; T-McCormick 2-47, Henry 1-27 Missed Field Goal Returns T-McCormick 1-19 Interceptions-G-Kelly Schmitt 2-10, Sahi Shaheed 1-9, Derf Reese 1-6; T-Bobby Craig 2-7 Sacks G-Bolton .5, Schmitt .5, Hanley .5, Coakley .5; T-Henderson .5, Cook .5 Tackles-G-Reese 9, Rice 8, Shaheed 8, Bolton 6, Schmitt 6, Beecher 5, Hanley 4, Coakley 3, Hobbins 1, Sanders 1; T-Blake 16, Coe 10, Allen 5, Craig 4, Daniels 4, Henderson 4, Clayburn 3, McCormick 2, Moore 2, Watkins 1, Cook 1 Moore 1, Hadnot 1 Burk 1, Jefferson 1 Passes Broken Up-G-Reese 3, Shaheed 1, Beecher 1, Hanley 1; T-Coe 4, Craig 2, Moore 2
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