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Storm
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 5, 2003
David Saunders dwelled on the fumble, but there was more to the Storm receiver/linebacker's return for Sunday's 62-60 victory over Detroit than his fourth-quarter turnover.
Though he is not in the form that earned him team MVP honors last season, Saunders is back on the field after missing four games with an ankle injury.
"It felt good, without the fumble," Saunders said. "But as far as everything else, it felt real good to get back out there and play with the (team). I was out of my groove in the first half, but the second half it was coming back gradually."
Saunders had three catches for 25 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown, but dropped one on a slant pattern and fumbled inside the Detroit 5.
Coach Tim Marcum described his debut as "rusty, very rusty."
"Those are things that come by playing, and you can't practice (them)," Marcum said. "You have to play, and he hasn't been able to do that."
Defensively, Saunders had two tackles and dropped fullback Rupert Grant for a 2-yard loss on a screen pass.
"That was the first one to get the edge off," Saunders said.
His return added another body to an already crowded linebacking corps. On Sunday, three-time first-team All-Arena selection Gary Compton was the odd man out.
"It has nothing to do with Gary Compton's play, his work habits, anything to do with Gary Compton," Marcum said. "It had to do with David, and I think the role that he played for us last year. He carried us."
AREA OF CONCERN: Marcum was concerned about a secondary that at times lined up incorrectly and missed assignments while allowing 297 passing yards and seven touchdowns to Detroit.
"I don't know what the problem is," Marcum said. "I certainly thought at one time they could do it, but we're not getting it done. We're not making plays."
Marcum said he will take a closer look at John Williams, who was inactive, and Jonathan Ordway, who is on the practice squad, this week.
"I've got to do something back there," Marcum said. "I don't know what it is. I haven't thought it all through. I know it'll involve making some moves. We just can't continue to be athletic and then not line up right and not do what we're supposed to do."
RETURN TO FORM: Through four games, the Storm ranked 15th in the 16-team league in kickoff coverage, allowing 22.6 yards per return. That average increased to 22.8 after Tampa Bay yielded 209 yards on nine returns against Detroit.
The task doesn't get easier Saturday against Buffalo, as the Storm faces the league's third-ranked returner in Jarrai Jackson (27.2).
BACK FOR MORE: Buffalo signed offensive specialist James Bowden on Tuesday. Bowden, a second-team All-Arena pick with Tampa Bay two years ago, joins former Storm players Gunnard Twyner and Sir Mawn Wilson and coach Ron Selesky, who briefly served as a Tampa Bay assistant in the offseason before being named coach of the Destroyers.
STORM FIRST: With 314 yards against Detroit, John Kaleo became the first quarterback in team history to put together back-to-back 300-yard passing games.
NEW ADDRESS: Former Storm coach Lary Kuharich left the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers of arenafootball2, where he was to be coach, to join the New York Dragons as line coach.