2012 Erie Explosion season

2012 Erie Explosion season
Head coach Shawn Liotta
General manager Shawn Liotta
Owner Bill Stafford
Home field Erie Insurance Arena
Results
Record 8-4
Division place 2nd
Playoff finish Lost North Championship Game (vs. Cincinnati Commandos) 62-40
Timeline
Previous season Next season
2011 2013

The 2012 Erie Explosion season was the 6th season for the American United Indoor Football League franchise.

On August 25, 2011, the Explosion left the 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]

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
  •  3 Enrique Shaw
  • 21 A. J. Saunders

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

Schedule

Regular season

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 1 Western Pennsylvania Sting Home W 81-7
March 11 Johnstown Generals Away L 39-37
March 23 Western Pennsylvania Sting Home W 88-34
April 1 Eastern Kentucky Drillers Home W 58-38
April 13 Johnstown Generals Home W 60-27
April 22 Cincinnati Commandos Home L 34-55
April 29 Johnstown Generals Home W 74-14
May 6 Huntington Hammer Away W 102-30
May 26 Cincinnati Commandos Away W 62-18
June 2 Johnstown Generals Away W 88-35
June 9 Marion Blue Racers Away L 64-65 (OT)
June 16 Marion Blue Racers (Playoffs) at Erie Cathedral Prep W 56-47
June 23 Cincinnati Commandos (Playoffs) Away L 40-62

Standings

2012 United Indoor Football League
Team Conference Overall
W L PCT W L PCT PF PA
Northern Conference
Cincinnati Commandos-y 8 2 .800 10 2 .833 709 465
Erie Explosion-x 8 3 .727 8 4 .667 788 423
Marion Blue Racers-x 6 4 .600 7 4 .636 602 467
Johnstown Generals 2 6 .250 2 6 .250 231 434
Western Pennsylvania Sting 0 5 .000 0 6 .000 125 464
Southern Conference
Florida Tarpons-y 11 0 1.000 12 1 .923 791 377
Eastern Kentucky Drillers 5 4 .556 6 4 .600 613 361
Lakeland Raiders-x 5 6 .455 6 6 .500 668 442
Rome Rampage 1 6 .143 1 6 .143 100 462
Mississippi Hound Dogs 1 8 .111 1 8 .111 243 471

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. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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.