Keyed by the best game of his professional career, Mitch Tanney '06
and the Alabama Steeldogs saw their late-season arena football
playoff push rewarded with the franchise’s first postseason
appearance since 2004.
The Steeldogs secured the spot with a 51-21 victory Saturday
night over the Cincinnati Jungle Kats, coupled with a loss by
playoff contender Oklahoma City. Tanney was solid in the game,
earning Offensive MVP honors with 14-of-18 passing for 132 yards and
four TDs.
But Tanney’s biggest game during the Steeldogs’ 2-0 finish came
the week before, when he was part of nine touchdowns in a 71-61
shootout against the South Georgia Wildcats. He reached the end zone
on four short runs and also connected on five passing TDs while
going 28-of-40 for 324 yards. For his big night, Tanney was honored
as the af2’s Offensive Player of the Week.
For the regular season, Tanney was 325-of-490 for 3,404 yards and
67 TDs, while throwing only nine interceptions. He was ranked third
in the 30-team league in completion percentage (66.3) and his passer
rating of 112.8 ranked seventh.
With their 7-9 record, the Steeldogs knew they’d draw a tough
first-round foe. Their opponent this Sunday will be the Rio Grande
Valley Dorados, who finished the regular season with a 15-1 mark.
Football
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