2010 Utah Blaze season

2010 Utah Blaze season
Head coach Ernesto Purnsley (fired June 1)
Ron James
Home field Maverik Center
Results
Record 2–14
Division Place 3rd NC West
Playoff finish did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season Next season
2008 2011

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

Team W L PCT PF PA DIV Home Away
z-Spokane Shock 13 3 .812 988 843 4–0 6–2 7–1
x-Arizona Rattlers 10 6 .625 987 885 2–2 5–3 5–3
Utah Blaze 2 14 .125 742 1040 0–4 1–7 1–7

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

Regular season schedule

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]

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Stadium Report
Score Record
1 Bye
2 Friday April 9 9:05 pm Spokane Shock L 34–68 0–1 E Center [1]
3 Saturday April 17 9:05 pm Alabama Vipers L 54–63 0–2 E Center [2]
4 Friday April 23 8:00 pm at Chicago Rush L 40–63 0–3 Allstate Arena [3]
5 Friday April 30 9:05 pm Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings W 65–46 1–3 E Center [4]
6 Bye
7 Saturday May 22 10:00 pm at Milwaukee Iron L 55–56 (OT) 1–4 Bradley Center [5]
8 Saturday May 22 10:00 pm at Spokane Shock L 28–77 1–5 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena [6]
9 Saturday May 29 9:05 pm Arizona Rattlers L 58–83 1–6 E Center [7]
10 Friday June 4 7:30 pm at Cleveland Gladiators L 29–75 1–7 Quicken Loans Arena [8]
11 Saturday June 12 9:05 pm Chicago Rush L 50–70 1–8 Maverik Center [9]
12 Saturday June 19 9:05 pm Tampa Bay Storm L 45–60 1–9 Maverik Center [10]
13 Saturday June 26 8:05 pm at Iowa Barnstormers L 32–68 1–10 Wells Fargo Arena [11]
14 Saturday July 3 7:00 pm Milwaukee Iron L 56–82 1–11 Maverik Center [12]
15 Saturday July 10 9:05 pm Jacksonville Sharks L 56–67 1–12 Maverik Center [13]
16 Friday July 16 10:30 pm at Arizona Rattlers L 20–48 1–13 US Airways Center [14]
17 Friday July 23 8:30 pm at Dallas Vigilantes W 51–41 2–13 American Airlines Center [15]
18 Saturday July 31 8:30 pm at Alabama Vipers L 64–68 2–14 Von Braun Center [16]

All times are EDT

Roster

Quarterbacks

Fullbacks

  • -- Michael Ward FB/LB

Wide Receivers

  • 12 Justin Ore
  • 20 Chris Bocage
  • 22 Aaron LeSue WR/DB
  • -- Dominique Johnson
  • -- Arnest Pierce
  • -- Tysson Poots
 Offensive Linemen
  • 41 Alex Michael
  • 50 Dan DeMaster OL/DL
  • -- Donovan Edwards
  • -- Darryl Hicks

Defensive Linemen

  • -- Lionel Bibbins
  • -- Keenan Mace
  • -- Caeser Rayford
 Linebackers
  • -- Dain Taylor

Defensive Backs

  • -- Nathaniel Heard
  • -- Joshua Jones
  • -- Al Phillips

Kickers

 Injured Reserve
  • Currently vacant

Roster updated October 6, 2011
20 Active, 0 Inactive

→ More rosters

Regular season

Week 1: BYE

Week 2: vs. Spokane Shock

1 2 3 4 Total
Shock 14 21 20 13 68
Blaze 7 7 6 14 34

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

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

1 2 3 4 Total
Vipers 21 14 14 14 63
Blaze 19 13 14 8 54

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

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

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 7 7 13 13 40
Rush 14 14 14 21 63

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

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

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

1 2 3 4 Total
Battle Wings 14 6 13 13 46
Blaze 10 14 20 21 65

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

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

1 2 3 4 OT Total
Blaze 7 20 14 7 7 55
Iron 13 14 14 7 8 56

at Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Week 8: at Spokane Shock

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 16 0 6 6 28
Shock 14 35 7 21 77

at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington

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

Week 9: vs. Arizona Rattlers

1 2 3 4 Total
Rattlers 27 21 14 21 83
Blaze 14 25 13 6 58

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

Week 10: at Cleveland Gladiators

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 6 7 14 12 39
Gladiators 6 20 28 21 75

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

1 2 3 4 Total
Rush 14 28 21 7 70
Blaze 14 6 10 20 50

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Storm

1 2 3 4 Total
Storm 21 14 16 14 65
Blaze 6 21 13 0 40

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

Week 13: at Iowa Barnstormers

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 13 13 6 0 32
Barnstormers 21 28 6 13 68

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

Week 14: vs. Milwaukee Iron

1 2 3 4 Total
Iron 21 27 20 14 82
Blaze 14 21 7 14 56

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

Week 15: vs. Jacksonville Sharks

1 2 3 4 Total
Sharks 13 27 20 7 67
Blaze 7 7 21 21 56

at E Center, West Valley City, Utah

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

Week 16: at Arizona Rattlers

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 3 7 3 7 20
Rattlers 0 34 7 7 48

at US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona

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

Week 17: at Dallas Vigilantes

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 14 20 7 10 51
Vigilantes 13 14 14 0 41

at American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

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

Week 18: at Alabama Vipers

1 2 3 4 Total
Blaze 14 14 13 23 64
Vipers 21 21 14 12 68

at Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama

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

References

  1. ^ Dana Romney (June 1, 2010). "Utah Blaze Hire New Coaching Staff". Utah Blaze. http://www.utblaze.com/60110coach.php. Retrieved June 19, 2010. 
  2. ^ Dana Romney (June 8, 2010). "Blaze's Home Arena Changes Name". Utah Blaze. http://www.utblaze.com/60810maverik.php. Retrieved June 19, 2010. 
  3. ^ "AFL 2010 Regular Season Schedule". Arena Football League. December 31, 2009. http://arenafootball.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/VirtualMap/schedule2010.pdf. Retrieved March 24, 2010. 
2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011