2010 Utah Blaze season

Last updated

2010 Utah Blaze season
Head coach Ernesto Purnsley (fired June 1)
Ron James
Home field Maverik Center
Results
Record2–14
Division place3rd NC West
Playoff finishdid not qualify

The 2010 Utah Blaze season is the 4th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Ernesto Purnsley, who was fired on June 1, 2010, with Ron James named as his replacement. [1] Home games are played at the Maverik Center, which was known as the "E Center" prior to being renamed on June 8, 2010. [2] The Blaze missed out on the postseason after finishing the season 2–14, the worst record in the league.

Contents

Standings

TeamWLPCTPFPADIVCONHomeAway
z-Spokane Shock 133.8129888434–08–26–27–1
x-Arizona Rattlers 106.6259878852–25–55–35–3
Utah Blaze 214.12574210400–40–101–71–7

z - Clinched division and conference's best record
x - Clinched playoff berth

Regular season schedule

The Blaze playing the Spokane Shock on April 9 Spokane Shock and Utah Blaze.jpg
The Blaze playing the Spokane Shock on April 9

The Blaze did not open their season in the league's opening week, but instead in Week 2 at home against the Shock on April 9. They visited the Vipers on July 31 for their final regular season game. [3]

WeekDayDateKickoffOpponentResultsStadiumReport
ScoreRecord
1Bye
2FridayApril 99:05 pm Spokane Shock L 34–680–1 E Center
3SaturdayApril 179:05 pm Alabama Vipers L 54–630–2 E Center
4FridayApril 238:00 pmat Chicago Rush L 40–630–3 Allstate Arena
5FridayApril 309:05 pm Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings W 65–461–3 E Center
6Bye
7SaturdayMay 2210:00 pmat Milwaukee Iron L 55–56 (OT)1–4 Bradley Center
8SaturdayMay 2210:00 pmat Spokane Shock L 28–771–5 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
9SaturdayMay 299:05 pm Arizona Rattlers L 58–831–6 E Center
10FridayJune 47:30 pmat Cleveland Gladiators L 29–751–7 Quicken Loans Arena
11SaturdayJune 129:05 pm Chicago Rush L 50–701–8 Maverik Center
12SaturdayJune 199:05 pm Tampa Bay Storm L 45–601–9 Maverik Center
13SaturdayJune 268:05 pmat Iowa Barnstormers L 32–681–10 Wells Fargo Arena
14SaturdayJuly 37:00 pm Milwaukee Iron L 56–821–11 Maverik Center
15SaturdayJuly 109:05 pm Jacksonville Sharks L 56–671–12 Maverik Center
16FridayJuly 1610:30 pmat Arizona Rattlers L 20–481–13 US Airways Center
17FridayJuly 238:30 pmat Dallas Vigilantes W 51–412–13 American Airlines Center
18SaturdayJuly 318:30 pmat Alabama Vipers L 64–682–14 Von Braun Center [ permanent dead link ]

All times are EDT

Final roster

2010 Utah Blaze roster
Quarterbacks

Fullbacks

  • 33Damian Walker

Wide receivers

Offensive linemen
  • 69Jason Boone

Defensive linemen

Linebackers
  • 42Jermaine Younger

Defensive backs

  •  8LaBrose Hedgemon
  • 20Antonio Malone
  • 21Olukayode Oredugba
  • 31 Justin Phinisee
  •  6Brandon Taylor

Kickers

  •  9Ben Scott
Injured reserve
  •  2Akamu Aki WR (IR) Injury icon 2.svg

Other league exempt

  • Currently vacant

Refuse to report

  • Currently vacant

Inactive reserve

  • Currently vacant

League suspension

  • Currently vacant

Team suspension

  • Currently vacant

Recallable reassignment

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated July 29, 2010
19 Active, 1 Inactive

Regular season

Week 1: BYE

Week 2: vs. Spokane Shock

Period1234Total
Shock1421201368
Blaze7761434

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: April 9
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 5,032
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

The Blaze did not open the season well, never scoring more than twice in any quarter during the game. Quarterback Michael Affleck completed only 4 passes for 42 yards by halftime. At halftime the Blaze trailed 35–14. Brett Elliott replaced Affleck at the start of the 3rd quarter. Elliott fared slightly better, completing 10 of 17 passes for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns, but it was not enough to get the Blaze back into the game, as they lost to the former AF2 team by 34 points.

Week 3: vs. Alabama Vipers

Period1234Total
Vipers2114141463
Blaze191314854

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: April 17
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,898
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Utah came up short in a game that featured several lead changes. Both teams exchanged touchdowns until the Vipers had consecutive scores in the 3rd quarter. The Blaze were able to cut the deficit to 49–46 going into the 4th quarter, but did not score again until the final minute of the game. By that time, the game out of reach, and the Blaze dropped to 0–2. Brett Elliott, who came into the previous week's game after halftime, got the start in this game, throwing for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns. None of Utah's receivers caught for over 100 yards.

Week 4: at Chicago Rush

Period1234Total
Blaze77131340
Rush1414142163

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: April 23
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 7,459
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap
Game information

The Blaze remained winless after being defeated by the undefeated Rush. Utah was the first to score in the game, but it was their only lead of the night. The Rush answered with a 34-yard touchdown pass to tie, and took the lead on a 1-yard run following a blocked field goal attempt by Utah. At halftime, the Blaze trailed 28–14. In the 3rd quarter, after an onside kick by the Rush following another touchdown went out of bounds, the Blaze scored a touchdown on the very next play, cutting the deficit to 35–20, but it was the closest they would get to Chicago, eventually losing by a final score of 63–40. Brett Elliott finished with 316 passing yards and 5 touchdowns. Chris Francies was the leading receiver with 129 yards on 9 receptions and 3 touchdowns.

Week 5: vs. Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings

Period1234Total
Battle Wings146131346
Blaze1014202165

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: April 30
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,256
  • Recap
Game information

The Blaze earned their first win of the year by defeating the Battle Wings, thanks in part to their defense. With a 24–20 lead in the 2nd quarter, Bossier–Shreveport looked to take the lead on what would be their last drive of the 1st half. Facing a 4th down just 2 yards away from the end zone, the Battle Wings got a new set of downs following a costly pass interference penalty by the Blaze defense. However Utah was able to keep the Battle Wings out of the end zone with a goal-line stand. Missing a field goal on the last play of the quarter, the score remained 24–20 at halftime. On the Battle Wings' first drive of the 3rd quarter, the Blaze came up with an interception, and the offense capitalized on the takeaway with a touchdown. The defense continued to come up with stops in the 4th quarter which allowed the offense to continue to build on its lead and secure the victory. Brett Elliott threw for 237 yards and had 8 total touchdowns in the game. With 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, Chris Francies was the leading receiver.

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: at Milwaukee Iron

Period1234OTTotal
Blaze720147755
Iron1314147856

at Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • Date: May 14
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 6,815
  • Recap
Game information

Week 8: at Spokane Shock

Period1234Total
Blaze1606628
Shock143572177

at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington

  • Date: May 22
  • Game time: 10:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 10,481
  • Referee: Shane Anderson
  • Recap
Game information

Week 9: vs. Arizona Rattlers

Period1234Total
Rattlers2721142183
Blaze142513658

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: May 29
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,501
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Week 10: at Cleveland Gladiators

Period1234Total
Blaze67141239
Gladiators620282175

at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: June 4
  • Game time: 7:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 7,751
  • Referee: Ron Torbert
  • Recap

Week 11: vs. Chicago Rush

Period1234Total
Rush142821770
Blaze146102050

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: June 12
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,892
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Storm

Period1234Total
Storm2114161465
Blaze62113040

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: June 19
  • Game time: 9:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,525
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Week 13: at Iowa Barnstormers

Period1234Total
Blaze13136032
Barnstormers212861368

at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

  • Date: June 26
  • Game time: 8:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 9,582
  • Referee: Brad Van Vark
  • Recap
Game information

Week 14: vs. Milwaukee Iron

Period1234Total
Iron2127201482
Blaze142171456

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: July 3
  • Game time: 7:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 3,537
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Week 15: vs. Jacksonville Sharks

Period1234Total
Sharks132720767
Blaze77212156

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: July 10
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,508
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap
Game information

Week 16: at Arizona Rattlers

Period1234Total
Blaze373720
Rattlers0347748

at US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona

  • Date: July 16
  • Game time: 10:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 10,317
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • Recap
Game information

Week 17: at Dallas Vigilantes

Period1234Total
Blaze142071051
Vigilantes131414041

at American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: July 23
  • Game time: 7:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 9,123
  • Referee: Mark Windham
  • Recap
Game information

Week 18: at Alabama Vipers

Period1234Total
Blaze1414132364
Vipers2121141268

at Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama

  • Date: July 31
  • Game time: 8:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 5,136
  • Recap
Game information

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References

  1. Dana Romney (June 1, 2010). "Utah Blaze Hire New Coaching Staff". Utah Blaze. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  2. Dana Romney (June 8, 2010). "Blaze's Home Arena Changes Name". Utah Blaze. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  3. "AFL 2010 Regular Season Schedule" (PDF). Arena Football League . 31 December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2010.