With their final game of the 2008 season scheduled for tonight, the Augusta Colts have prepared all week to face the American Indoor Football Association's South Division champion Mississippi Mudcats.
The Colts will face a shell of that championship team tonight.
The Mudcats lost their top three coaches and two starters on Thursday when they quit. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported on Friday that head coach Brian Brents and assistant coaches Gary Patterson and Kirk Broussard resigned after the coaches were asked to "make some cuts" by Mudcats majority owner Jim Waide.
The Daily Journal also reported that starting quarterback Tommy Jones and starting center William Stewart quit after learning their coaches were leaving.
"I always say that I put faith, family and football first," Brents told the Daily Journal . "Family comes before football, though so this is what I had to do. I know it's the right decision for me and my family."
Colts owner and general manager John Sisson said Thursday night that the Mudcats would still play in tonight's game. Sisson said the team promoted line coach William McCarthy to the head coaching position.
"Mississippi is trying to cut costs, and they decided to cut out the win bonuses," Sisson said.
"The rest of the team is still going to be here, and they are going to play us."
The Mudcats (11-1) are tied for the best record in the AIFA and are heading toward a home playoff game. The Colts (7-6) have already missed out on a postseason bid.
Colts head coach Bubba Diggs said the Mudcats' changes has an effect on his team's strategy.
"The backup is more of a running quarterback," Diggs said. "He's not a Tommy Jones stay-in-the-pocket type. So we'll be looking to stop the run a little more."
The Colts have lost to Mississippi twice already this season. Diggs said the fact that this game means nothing for either team concerning postseason play doesn't change how his players will approach the game.
"We're preparing like any other week," he said. "We're at home. There's no sense in shutting down.
"If you approach it like that, it'll be a long game."
Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.
CSRA, please get out there and pull for the Colts! Attendance at one of the last home games was horrible. Low attendance will doom this franchise for Augusta. Arena football is a great way to spend an evening. I know there's a lot of football fans in this area; Indigo Joe's is packed every fall and winter with people watching games on TV. Arena football is live with no commercials! Coach Diggs and his team need our support. I met him many years ago, and even had the pleasure of chatting with him on several occassions. He's a really good man, and he and his team are putting 110% into the games. Please support the arena football team of the CSRA! Good luck tonight Colts!
Because of my work call schedule, my family was never able to go to a Colts game this year. But, I'm off tonight and we'll probably go. Seeing as how the other team is in turmoil because of losing their coach and some key players, it might be a great time to see an "upset". I've always enjoyed the other arena games I've been to, except for the the sound being way too loud! Anyway, maybe we'll finally get one of those footballs tonight!
Arena football is one of the only things that makes the JBA look good. The games are great, action is non stop, and if you've never been to one of these, you're missing out.
Yeah, stop going to greenjacket games and go support the colts as this might be the last time to see arena football in th CSRA. begging just begging.
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