2012 Erie Explosion season

The 2012 Erie Explosion season was the sixth season for the indoor American football franchise, and their first as a member of the Northern Conference of the United Indoor Football League (UIFL).

2012 Erie Explosion season
Head coach	Shawn Liotta
General manager	Shawn Liotta
Owner	Bill Stafford
Home field	Louis J. Tullio Arena 809 French Street Erie, Pennsylvania 16501
Results
Record	8-3
Conference place	2nd
Playoff finish	Lost Northern Championship Game 40-62 (Commandos)

On August 25, 2011, the Explosion left the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) and joined the United Indoor Football League. The change reunited Erie with Andrew Haines, who founded the city's previous indoor football team, the Erie Freeze.[1] (The Explosion's departure came two weeks before the SIFL broke up into the Lone Star Football League and the Professional Indoor Football League, neither of which included Pennsylvania in their territories.) Erie was tasked with replacing MVP quarterback DiMichele, who had signed with the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul.[2] The job fell on the shoulders of rookie Colton Hansen.[2] In the second game of the season, Hansen struggled in a loss to the Johnstown Generals, and he was replaced by A. J. McKenna.[3] McKenna lead the Explosion to 8–3 regular season record, just losing the top seed in the UIFL North during the last game of the season.[4] While still securing a home playoff game, the Tullio Arena had begun a 45 million dollar renovation, that forced the Explosion to find a new place to host the game. The Explosion announced that they would play at Erie Cathedral Prep's Dollinger Field.[5] The Explosion trailed going into the fourth quarter against the Marion Blue Racers, but McKenna ignited the Erie offense to 22 points in the final stanza to advance to the UIFL North Conference final.[6]

The Explosion faced the Cincinnati Commandos, who had only lost 2 games all season, one of which was to Erie. With the Commando quarterback Tyler Sheehan out with an injury, the Commandos used Kynes Mincy at quarterback, who provided a duel-threat option. Mincy lead the Commandos to 8 scores, defeating the Explosion 62-40 to advance to the Ultimate Bowl.[7]

Schedule

Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Regular season

Week	Day	Date	Opponent	Results		Location
				Score	Record
1	Friday	March 1	Western Pennsylvania Sting	W 81-7	1-0	Louis J. Tullio Arena
2	Sunday	March 11	at Johnstown Generals	L 37-39	1-1	Cambria County War Memorial Arena
3	BYE
4	Friday	March 23	Western Pennsylvania Sting	W 88-34	2-1	Louis J. Tullio Arena
5	Monday	April 1	Eastern Kentucky Drillers	W 58-38	3-1	Louis J. Tullio Arena
6	BYE
7	Friday	April 13	Johnstown Generals	W 60-27	4-1	Louis J. Tullio Arena
8	Sunday	April 22	Cincinnati Commandos	L 34-55	4-2	Louis J. Tullio Arena
9	Sunday	April 29	Johnstown Generals	W 74-14	5-2	Louis J. Tullio Arena
10	Sunday	May 6	Huntington Wildcatz	W 102-30[8]	6-2	Louis J. Tullio Arena
11	BYE
12	BYE
13	Saturday	May 26	at Cincinnati Commandos	W 62-18	7-2	Cincinnati Gardens
14	Saturday	June 2	at Johnstown Generals	W 88-35	8-2	Cambria County War Memorial Arena
15	Saturday	June 9	at Marion Blue Racers	L 64-65 (OT)	8-3	Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Postseason

Round	Day	Date	Opponent	Results		Location
				Score	Record
Northern Semifinals	Saturday	June 16	Marion Blue Racers	W 56-47[6]	1-0	Cathedral Preparatory School
Northern Championship	Saturday	June 23	at Cincinnati Commandos	L 40-62	1-1	Cathedral Preparatory School

Standings

2012 United Indoor Football League
Team	Conference			Overall
	W	L	PCT	W	L	PCT	PF	PA
Northern Conference
Cincinnati Commandos-y	7	2	.778	8	2	.800	594	373
Erie Explosion-x	7	3	.700	8	3	.727	748	362
Marion Blue Racers-x	5	4	.556	6	5	.636	602	467
Johnstown Generals	3	6	.333	3	6	.333	264	441
Western Pennsylvania Sting	0	6	.000	0	7	.000	132	497
Southern Conference
Florida Tarpons-y	11	0	1.000	11	0	1.000	687	287
Eastern Kentucky Drillers	5	4	.556	6	4	.600	613	361
Lakeland Raiders-x	5	5	.500	6	5	.545	639	379
Rome Rampage	1	6	.143	1	6	.143	100	462
Mississippi Hound Dogs	1	9	.100	1	9	.100	281	559

Roster

2012 Erie Explosion roster
Quarterbacks  7 A. J. McKenna Running Backs 99 Bob Hammer Wide Receivers  1 A. J. Harris 85 Willie Idlette  8 Terry Jackson  6 Andre London  5 Tirone Morris		Offensive Linemen 62 Joe Blanks 55 Bob McQuiston Defensive Linemen  9 Andre Portis  4 Michael Robinson 12 Zach Williams		Linebackers  2 Roosevelt Benjamin 24 Jon D'Angelo -- Jamaal Stokes Defensive Backs 20 Quintarrius Brooks 21 A. J. Saunders  3 Enrique Shaw Kickers 11 Shon Rowser		Injured Reserve Currently vacant Exempt List 10 Colton Hansen QB Practice Squad Currently vacant Rookies in italics Roster updated February 19, 2013 19 Active, 1 Inactive, 0 PS

Coaching staff

2012 Erie Explosion staff
	Front Office Director of Operations – Bill Stafford Marketing – Sarah Lander Director of Sales – Shawn Struble Head Coach Head Coach – Shawn Liotta Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator – Shawn Liotta Director of Player Personnel – Jeremy Liotta			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – Kirk Rearick Defensive Backs – Sam Reynolds Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator – Ed Martin

References

1. "Erie Explosion joins new league". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. August 27, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
2. John Dudley (March 1, 2012). "Erie Explosion count on new QB to lead way". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
3. Bob Jarzomski (April 1, 2012). "Debut dynamite for Erie Explosion QB McKenna". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
4. "Explosion stumble, lose top seed in playoffs". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 11, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
5. "Erie Explosion to play indoor football playoff game outdoors". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 12, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
6. Bob Jarzomski (June 17, 2012). "Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
7. "Explosion fall in UIFL playoffs". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. June 24, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
8. "Erie Explosion score 102 point in rout". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. May 7, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2015.