2008 Erie RiverRats season

Last updated
2008 Erie RiverRats season
OwnerJeff Hauser
Head coach Shawn Liotta
Home field Louis J. Tullio Arena
809 French Street
Erie, Pennsylvania 16501
Results
Record10-4
Division place2nd
Playoff finishLost Divisional (Express) 57-67

The 2008 Erie RiverRats season was the 2nd season for the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) franchise.

Contents

On January 8, 2008 the RiverRats announced they would be leaving the Mon Valley in favor of Erie for the 2008 season, renaming themselves the Erie RiverRats. [1] They replaced the city's previous AIFA team, the Erie Freeze. [2] The RiverRats have several Freeze connections, including many of the Freeze's best players: QB/WR David Dinkins, cornerback Jovon Johnson (himself an Erie native), kicker J.R. Cipra, center Jonathon Sitter, and defensive tackle Roosevelt Benjamin. AIFA owner Michael Mink stated that he considers the RiverRats to be a consolidation of the original RiverRats and the Freeze [3] with the team retaining the RiverRats name, franchise and management structure.

The RiverRats started the season 3–0 with Dinkins missing a game due to work obligations, that ultimately moved him to wide receiver so that Jarrod Highberger could start at quarterback. [4] After 3 starts with Highberger, the team had lost 2 games in a row, with the later being focused on Highberger's interceptions, [5] the team signed Rod Rutherford, a former NFL backup, as the starting quarterback. [6] Rutherford gave the offense an instant shot in the arm, as he guided the team to a 7–2 record the rest of the season, earning the 2nd seed in the Northern Division. [7] The RiverRats traveled to Reading for their playoff game, and were leading in the 4th quarter when the Express took a lead with 15.2 seconds remaining. [8] Erie was able to get the ball at the Express 9-yard line with 5.7 seconds remaining, but Rutherford was unable to score, throwing an incompletion and was intercepted on the last play, and returned 50-yards for a touchdown. [9]

At the end of the 2008 season, five RiverRats (QB Rod Rutherford, OL Anthony Peluso, K J. R. Cipra, LB Glenroy Watkins, & LB Roosevelt Benjamin) were named onto the AIFA Eastern Conference All-Star team. [10]

Schedule

Regular season

DateOpponent Home/Away Result
March 9 Carolina Speed Home Won 42-21
March 15 Canton Legends Away Won 38-24
March 22 Columbus Lions Away Won 54-48
March 31 Reading Express Home Lost 34-44
April 11 Huntington Heroes Away Lost 24-54
April 18 Baltimore Mariners Home Won 55-40
April 25 Baltimore Mariners Away Won 49-17
May 3 Canton Legends Home Won 50-48
May 9 Huntington Heroes Home Won 47-43
May 17 Huntington Heroes Away Won 52-31
May 24 Florence Phantoms Away Lost 27-57
May 31 Canton Legends Home Won 45-37
June 7 Reading Express Home Won 51-32
June 14 Reading Express Away Lost 26-66
June 21 Rochester RaidersAway Lost 6-41
July 3 Reading Express (Playoffs)Away Lost 57-67

¶ Exhibition match

Standings

TeamOverallDivision
WinsLossesPercentageWinsLossesPercentage
Eastern Conference
North Division
Reading Express 1040.714510.750
Erie RiverRats 1040.692620.833
Baltimore Mariners 4100.286160.143
Canton Legends 3110.214160.143
East Division
Florence Phantoms 1040.692410.800
Huntington Heroes 680.429230.400
Carolina Speed 680.429020.000
Fayetteville Guard 590.357320.600
Western Conference
South Division
Mississippi MudCats 1310.929710.875
Columbus Lions 1040.692510.833
Augusta Colts 770.538240.327
Florida Stingrays 0140.000070.000
West Division
Wyoming Cavalry 1130.7861130.786
Arizona Adrenaline 1130.7861130.786
New Mexico Wildcats 590.357590.357
Utah Saints 1130.0711130.071

Roster

2008 Erie RiverRats roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Kickers

Injured Reserve
  • currently vacant

Exempt List

  • currently vacant

Failure to report

  • currently vacant

rookies in italics
Roster updated June 14, 2008
22 Active, 0 Inactive

→ More rosters

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Indoor Football</span> Former professional indoor football league

American Indoor Football (AIF) is a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jared Lorenzen</span> American football player (1981–2019)

Jared Raymond Lorenzen was an American football quarterback and administrator who played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons with the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Kentucky, where he set the school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, and was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004. At 285 lb (129 kg), Lorenzen was the heaviest quarterback to play in the NFL. He was nicknamed "The Pillsbury Throwboy" and "Hefty Lefty" because of his weight and being left-handed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie Freeze</span>

The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Express</span>

The Reading Express were a professional indoor football team based in Reading, Pennsylvania. They were most recently a member of the United Conference of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Express began play in 2006, as an expansion team of the American Indoor Football League. The team was originally going to be named the Reading RiverRats, but passed on that name in favor of the "Reading Express." The RiverRats name and logo was moved to an AIFA team in Pittsburgh in 2007. The owners of the Express were Ted & Lisa Lavender. They played their home games at the Sovereign Center.

Rod Rutherford is an American football coach and former quarterback. Rutherford spent time on both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers rosters, mostly as a practice squad player. Rutherford entered the National Football League (NFL) when he was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers the following year in Super Bowl XL as a practice team player over the Seattle Seahawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie Explosion</span> American indoor football team

The Erie Explosion was a professional American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2007 as the Pittsburgh RiverRats, the Explosion played in the Professional Indoor Football League, the United Indoor Football League, the Southern Indoor Football League, the Continental Indoor Football League and the American Indoor Football Association and operated continuously from 2007 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheeling Wildcats</span>

The Wheeling Wildcats were a professional indoor football team located in Wheeling, West Virginia. The team began play in the Continental Indoor Football League during the 2009 season as an expansion team. The Wildcats were the second indoor football team to be based in Wheeling. The team filled the void left by the demise of the Ohio Valley Greyhounds, who played their final down of football in 2007. The owner of the Wildcats was Dave Bender. The Wildcats played their home games at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Sting</span>

The Miami Sting were a professional indoor football team based in Coral Gables, Florida. The Sting was to play its home games at the BankUnited Center on the campus of the University of Miami in Coral Gables. The Sting folded just before the 2013 season began.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice Williams (wide receiver)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Maurice "Moe" Anthony Sherrod Williams is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League (NAL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kane County Dawgs</span>

The Kane County Dawgs were a professional indoor American football team based in Kane County, Illinois. The team joined the Continental Indoor Football League in 2013 as an expansion team. The Dawgs were one of three indoor football teams based in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League are based in Rosemont, and the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League are based in Hoffman Estates. The CIFL has had the Chicago Pythons which replaced the Chicago Knights, formerly the Chicago Cardinals, as the Illinois-based CIFL team, which replaced the Slaughter after they left for the Indoor Football League after a dispute with CIFL management. The Owners of the Dawgs are Mike Dortch and Macey Brooks. The Dawgs played their home games at the Seven Bridges Ice Arena in 2013.

The 2013 Kane County Dawgs season was a short-lived season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise.

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).

Shawn Liotta is currently the Head Football Coach at Fan Controlled Sports and Entertainment and is the author of the book "No Huddle No Mercy" which details his record setting offensive system that has been used by football programs around the world. Since 2018 Liotta has served as the Head Football Coach at Burrell High School

The 2011 Erie Explosion season was the 5th season for the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) franchise.

The 2010 Erie Storm season was the 4th season for the American Indoor Football Association franchise.

The 2009 Erie RiverRats season was the third season for the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) franchise.

The 2007 Pittsburgh RiverRats season was the 1st season for the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) franchise. The Explosion began play in 2007 as the Pittsburgh RiverRats, playing that season's home games at the Rostraver Ice Garden in Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania. The "RiverRats" name and logo were originally supposed to be used by the Reading Express, but that team chose the Express branding instead, freeing it up for use by another American Indoor Football League (AIFL) team. In August 2006, more arguments came about the RiverRats name as a team in the Eastern Indoor Football League, called the 3 River Rats, had intentions of suing the RiverRats to retain the naming rights of the team.

Charles J. Tarver is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Hudson Valley Community College

The 2015 Erie Explosion season was the ninth and final season for the indoor football franchise, and their only season in the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL).

The 2012 Western Pennsylvania Sting season was the first season and only season for the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise.

References

  1. ↑ "Pittsburgh RiverRats Relocate to Erie, PA". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. January 8, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ Bob Jarzomski (January 9, 2008). "Indoor football is back". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ "This Week in the AIFA radio show". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. January 17, 2008.
  4. ↑ Bob Jarzomski (March 28, 2008). "RiverRats' quarterback change moves Dinkins to receiver". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Interceptions hinder 'Rats in loss". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. April 12, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  6. ↑ "RiverRats sign former Pitt QB Rutherford". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. April 17, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  7. ↑ "RiverRats to play Express in AIFA playoff opener". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. June 26, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Express ends RiverRats' season". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. July 3, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Rats! Express eliminate Erie on late TD". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. July 4, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Erie RiverRats Place Five on AIFA All-Star Team". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. July 29, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.