The one thing that plagued the Storm throughout last season's ArenaBowl run, poor special teams, reared their ugly head in Friday's 70-62 loss to Georgia.
Ian Howfield, one of six kickers employed by Tampa Bay last season, missed two extra points and a 49-yard field goal. And kickoffs that fell short of the net contributed to Markeith Cooper's 138 return yards, including a 55-yard touchdown just before halftime.
Howfield had made 12 consecutive extra points before missing early in the third. He missed again during the game's final minute.
"Our kicking game was just terrible," Storm coach Tim Marcum said. "Really, that was kind of the difference in the game."
SIDELINED: Kelvin Kinney, the Storm's top offensive/defensive lineman, did not play because of a pulled groin. Former Bucs practice squad player and Central Florida product Emil Ekiyor opened at Kinney's defensive spot. Nyle Wiren started on offense.
Receiver/linebacker David Saunders left at halftime with a right shoulder injury and it was in a sling after the game. He was replaced by Clif Dell.
MAKE ROOM: Storm defensive lineman Rod Williams made himself at home in Georgia's backfield. He had Leon Murray in his grasp, forcing the quarterback to throw the ball away, during the first half, then sacked him for a 3-yard loss to help stop a drive late in the third. Another apparent sack was nullified by an offside penalty.
HOMECOMING OF SORTS: Murray returned to the city where he made his Arena debut last season. Murray replaced Donnie Davis after Davis sustained a concussion and has started ever since.
REMEMBER HIM? Georgia fullback/linebacker Robert Thomas played with the Dallas Cowboys from 1998-2002 and was the lead blocker when Emmitt Smith set the career rushing record in '02.
STORM FLURRIES: Storm offensive specialist Freddie Solomon and quarterback Shane Stafford were co-offensive players of the game. Williams was defensive player of the game. Cooper was ironman. ... Kinney, quarterback Stoney Case and defensive specialist Jonathan Ordway were inactive.
