A closer look at the Blizzard’s 55-32 win at Reading

Moving the pile

After averaging 1.9 yards per rush and allowing three sacks at Sioux Falls, the Blizzard had a much stronger game up front against the Express. Green Bay only netted 57 yards on 22 carries (2.6 average), but those numbers are a bit misleading considering it lost 24 yards on a bad exchange at the end of the first half and also accounts for two kneel downs at the end of the game. Takeaway those three attempts, and add on the 24 yards, and it comes out to a healthy 4.3 average.

Running back LaRon Council rushed for 81 yards on 18 attempts and three TDs with his longest run being 16 yards, so it wasn’t like he broke a long one, mostly consistent gains throughout. All three of Council’s scores came on first-and-goal, where it can be difficult to pass because there is less space. The Blizzard’s lone third-down conversion also came on a Council run, while it was 0-for-4 trying to pass for a first down. Leading the way for Council in short-yardage situations at fullback was Andrew Verboncouer, who was inactive at Sioux Falls.

The Blizzard offensive line of Seth Smalls, Nick Thornton-Jack and new center Shannon Breen also allowed just one sack, which came on a fourth-down play.

Read and react

Reading’s defense was prepared for the amount of play-action passes it would see from Blizzard quarterback Donovan Porterie, who with Fairbanks last year threw for over 200 yards and five touchdowns against the Express.

As the team’s defensive coordinator last season, Reading head coach Mark Steinmeyer remembered that performance and this time around got his line to get its hands up or drop into coverage when Porterie rolled out.

The latter happened at the end of the first quarter when defensive end Michael London returned an interception 35 yards for a TD. Porterie’s initial read on the rollout wasn’t there, so he threw back to the shallow middle of the field not expecting London to be there. Porterie had his only interception at Sioux Falls returned for a score on a similar throw to the shallow middle the previous week, but the difference was a safety came up in coverage to make the pick.

It was an effective strategy by the Express, utilizing the IFL rule which allows the three-down linemen to drop into coverage only after the quarterback has left the pocket.

Hill makes most of chances

Reading was doing a good job of not kicking to B.J. Hill for over a half. Erik Rockhold’s first three kickoffs went out of bounds, and the first field goal he missed was strong enough to reach the stands. Given that it was only down 27-19, it was a bad decision trying to actually make the 51-yard attempt knowing that Hill was back there if it came up short – like it did. The missed field goal and kickoff 5 minutes later were the only return chances Hill had in the game. The third-year player brought both back for scores to push his career TD returns total to 17 (8 kickoffs, 6 missed field goals, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble).

Quick hits

-Blizzard defensive back Aaron Moore had a game-high six tackles against his former team.

-Unlike the previous week at Sioux Falls, the Blizzard made frequent substitutions on its defensive line. Jordan Lardinois, a Green Bay Notre Dame alum, was activated for his first game and substituted regularly into the rotation with starters Junior Aumavae, Tyron Hurst and P.J. South.

-The Express’ new helmet decals kind of copied what the Blizzard changed to last season with the player’s number on one side and the city’s initial(s) on the other.

- Reading is one of the few teams in the IFL which employs a two-linebacker look for a majority of the game. Like last year, Michael Thompson played a ‘Rover’ role, and rookie Troy Epps was used as the Mac. Thompson and Epps are both quicker defenders (Comparable to the size of outside linebackers in a 3-4 defense in the NFL), but don’t necessarily provide the range of a DB.