Swimming with Sharks: Soul punished by Garcia, Jacksonville

QB Aaron Garcia - photo courtesy of Jacksonville Sharks

By John McMullen

PHILADELPHIA (The Phanatic Magazine) - There is an old adage in football that rings true at any level -- if you have two quarterbacks, you really don't have any.

That's the predicament Philadelphia Soul coach Mike Hohensee finds himself in as the reincarnation of Philly's AFL team fell to the powerful Jacksonville Sharks, 58-42, in front of a sparse crowd of 8,429 at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.

The Soul (2-6) came into the 2011 season with a pair of proven AFL signal callers, former Tulsa star Justin Allgood, who led the league with 109 touchdown passes in '10, and Ryan Vena, the former Iowa pilot who tossed 78 TDs a year ago.

Jacksonville (7-1), on the other hand, has no issues at the game's most important position. The Sharks are led by one of the all-time AFL greats, 40-year-old Aaron Garcia, who threw his 1,000th career touchdown pass last week in a victory over division and in-state rival Orlando.

Hohensee, a former QB himself at the University of Minnesota as well as the old USFL, CFL and AFL, tabbed Allgood at the beginning of the season, in large part because he was coming off the monster year and had a history with the Soul's top playmaker, wide receiver Donovan Morgan. The two hooked up for
52 touchdowns last season in Oklahoma.

For whatever reason things haven't clicked for Allgood this season. In fact things have been anything but "all good." The second-year pro started the first three games of the season, all Soul losses, and made far too mistakes.

Vena has come on both as a Brian Boucher-style reliever and a starter over the past month and been far more productive, compiling a 115.44 rating to Allgood's 88.59 coming in. Meanwhile Vena had thrown for nearly 200 more yards and nine more TDs despite attempting five fewer passes than Allgood on the season. Vena also got the Soul back on the winning tack last week in Des Moines, halting an ugly five-game losing streak by matching a career-high by throwing eight touchdowns against his former team.

That all ended Friday. Vena just didn't have it, struggling with his accuracy, never a good thing in the cramped quarters of the AFL game, and tossing two interceptions before Hohensee pulled the plug and went back to Allgood.

The move didn't work and the back breaker came for the Soul came late in the third quarter when Allgood threw off his back foot into the middle of the field, being picked off by Sharks defensive back Terrance Smith, who returned it 41 yards for a score to give Jacksonville a comfortable 37-21 edge heading to the fourth quarter.

Vena finished just 11-for-23 for 123 yards with three TDs and the two picks in the game. Allgood wasn't much better, completing 8-of-15 for 127 yards with two TDs and the big interception.

Garcia, on the other hand, was 21-for-31 for 271 yards and five TDs with no interceptions for the Sharks, who won their franchise record eighth straight game dating back to last season, and continue to pace the South Division in the American Conference.

“When you play the toughest quarterbacks in the league you have to play better than we did,” said Hohensee.  “We can’t have untimely turnovers like we did against one of the top teams in league.  We have to improve in that area and others if we want to win.”

The highlight for the Soul came in the fourth quarter when rookie receiver Keith Stokes flashed his potential by taking a kickoff back 57 yards for a TD.

Morgan finished with nine receptions for 134 yards and two TDs, while Syvelle Newton, Stokes and Larry Brackins each caught a TD pass for the Soul.

Jomo Wilson hauled in 11 of Garcia's passes for 148 yards and three TDs for the Sharks.

The Soul are back in action on May 13 when they host the Georgia Force.

WEEKLY AWARDS:

National Guard Most Value Player: Garcia
Russell Offensive Player: Wilson
Riddell Defensive Player: Smith
JLS Ironman: Stokes
NiftyTV Playmaker: Garcia
Cutter’s Catch of the Game: Jacksonville’s Jomo Wilson’s 29-yard touchdown reception ending with him flipping over the rear end zone wall.
Spalding Highlight of the Game: Jacksonville’s Terrance Smith’s 41-yard interception return for a touchdown.