210905 Stuttgart Surge - Berlin Thunder

Players to watch: #16 QB Michael Winterlik: Played the last 5 drives against Frankfurt Galaxy in Week 7: 85 passing yards, 9 completions / 16 attempts - 1 interception. He is a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

#42 LB Zachary Blair - Week 11: 12 total tackles (8 solo tackles), 1 sack, 5 TFL, 1 forced fumble. Week 9: 10 total tackles, 5 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks / 3 TFL. Week 8: 8 total tackles, 2 solo tackles, 1 TFL. He was questionable for the game against Frankfurt in Week 7 but still had some good stats: 11 total tackles (3 solo tackles, 2 TFL), 1 forced fumble, 1 deflected pass. He joined the team ahead of the game against Leipzig in Week 4. Week 6: 5 solo tackles (10 total tackles), 2 TFL. Nickname: Hitman; works as a teacher in a special school. Holds the record for NCAA Div. II - career tackles for loss - 75,5)

#5 TE David Meza - Week 11: 5 receptions for 41 yards. Week 9: 2 receptions for 75 yards. Missed a few games due to an injury. Week 8: 3 receptions, 23 yards. He was Ellis´ favorite target with 6 attempts. Week 4: Scored the game-winning TD (14-yard pass) - 4 receptions in the game for 64 yards. Hobbies: Watching movies, skateboarding and chess. 

#18 WR Paul Steigerwald - Week 11: 1 reception for 25 yards - 1 TD. Week 9: 6 receptions for 73 yards. Week 8: 1 reception for 17 yards that resulted in the first touchdown of the game against Leipzig - He was questionable during the week for the game against Barcelona. Week 7: 2 receptions for 24 yards. Week 6: 11 receptions, 159 yards, 1 TD. Nickname: “To Tall Paul”, started playing football for the Stuttgart Silver Arrows in 2017 (2017-2020), is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks.  

Keep an eye on #23 CB Marcel Dabo: Week 11: Paul Lenhardt, the actual #1 target (due to the injury of Pounds) of Cologne´s QB Weinreich had just 5 receptions and 40 receiving yards against him. Marcel Dabo always plays against the best receiver on their opponent´s offense. Had a few difficult games in the past weeks. Dabo is a potential candidate for the NFL-Pathway-Program and he could possibly be invited to the NFL-Combine. According to some experts he is an extraordinary talent who needs a little bit more experience to make it to the NFL in the future. He was born in 2000 and played very well against Dable-Wolf (Leipzig) in Week 4 - in Week 8 Dable-Wolf scored a TD and received the ball for two successful 2-pt conversions against Dabo. Week 6: 3 total tackles, 1 safety (PAT return). In Week 7 he had only one solo tackle / Week 8: 2 solo tackles (3 total), 1 TFL, 1 deflected pass. Had 2 assisted tackles in Week 9 against Barcelona and 1 interception against WR Jean Constant (the best player of the league according to Lorenz Leinweber / Sports Illustrated) but Constant had 3 TDs and 128 yards.

Head Coach: Martin Hanselmann - 1982-1993 WR and QB for the Rothenburg Knights, later Franken Knights; 2000-2006 HC of German National Team, 2007-2010 HC Düsseldorf Panther (and a lot of other HC jobs).

NFL: Hanselmann was a big fan of Joe Montana - so he likes the 49ers and was happy when Mark Nzeocha joined them in 2017. Coaches who inspired him: Bob Nielson and Tom Coughlin (2004 - 2015 HC NY Giants and 2x Super Bowl Champion as HC). He would like to meet Coughlin.

Players to watch: #7 WR Seantavius Jones – Week 11: 2 receptions, 74 yards and 1 TD. Week 10: Stitt attempted to pass the ball to him three times - that was everything. Week 9: 4 receptions, 2 TDs, 76 yards. Week 7: 5 catches, 52 receiving yards, 1 TD. Height: 1,93m, Weight: 95kg. Played 5 years in the NFL (Saints, Chiefs, Eagles, Colts). Chio MVP of the Week in Week 3. Scored an 83-yd TD against Wroclaw. Berlin used him in Wildcat formation as “rusher” and passer in a few games this season. 

#52 LB Wael Nasri - Week 11: 18 total tackles (10 solo), 1 sack / 1 TFL. Week 10: 14 total tackles (9 solo) / 1 sack, 2 TFL - He was ranked as the 4th best player of the league (the best LB) by Lorenz Leinweber (Sports Illustrated). 

#45 DE Kolin Hill - Week 11: 3 total tackles, 1 sack / 1 TFL for a loss of 7 yards, 1 forced fumble, 1 deflected pass. Week 10: 9 total tackles (5 solo) - 5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Week 9: 8 total tackles (5 solo tackles) - 1 sack (10 yards) / 2 TFLs, 2 FF.

Additional player stats: #15 DB Moritz Thiele - Week 11: 7 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble. Week 10: 4 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 deflected pass, 1 Pick Six (40 yards INT return TD). Week 9: 4 solo tackles. Week 7: 8 solo tackles (11 total tackles) - Jag Bal told us before the game against Leipzig in Week 7 that he can step up and surprise everyone. “He is hungry for success”. 

#1 RB Joc Crawford – Week 11: 8 carries, 12 net rushing yards. Week 10: 19 carries, 107 net rushing yards, 5.6 yards per rush - one completed pass for 19 yards in Wildcat Formation. Week 9: 12 carries, 23 net rushing yards - 2 catches for 11 yards and a TD. Week 7: 15 carries for 115 net rushing yards (7.7 yards per rush).  Height: 1,93 m, Weight: 95kg. Played college football in the US. Big RB, size and speed. Week 6: 201 net rushing yards, 8.7 average per rush, 23 carries (one big play for 55 yards) - 3 receptions for 16 yards and one completed pass for 12 yards as passer in Wildcat Formation.

#6 QB Calvin Stitt – Week 11: 151 passing yards, 1 TD, C-A-I: 6-16-1. Week 10: 42 passing yards, only 7 completions, 35% completion rate - 8 carries for 31 net rushing yards. Week 9: 136 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 41,4% completion rate (32 net rushing yards). Played only the 2nd half against Leipzig - Week 7: 45 passing yards, 36,4% completion rate - 7 rushing plays for 42 net rushing yards and 2 TDs. Height: 1,80m, Weight: 82,5kg. He is from England - Father played RB for the 49ers in the NFL. Played High School football in the US. Mobile quarterback (dual threat). 

#11 QB/WR Bryan Zerbe - Started the game against the Panthers but had very unsatisfying stats - Week 11: 3 passing yards, C-A-I: 3-12-1. Last full game as starting QB in Week 6 in Barcelona (Loss 41:16): 127 passing yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs - he carried 14 times the ball as rushing QB for 18 net rushing yards (1.3 average yards). 

Coaches: Head Coach Jag Bal: Canadian, 37 years old. Played defensive line himself. Was with the Berlin Rebels, Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and Dresden Monarchs. Favorite NFL team: Jag has not a favorite team but he is a Westcoast guy and loved the Raiders and the 49ers as a kid.  

Inspiration: “As for who motivated me to be a coach: Played 10 years as a safety for the BC Lions (Vancouver) - Bernie Glier. He never let anything come easy, and you always had to prove your worth and dedication. He was a great teacher in life, honest, hard working and always had a way of making you feel like he had your back. My favourite traits in any person. He exemplified them. I'd see him in the mornings after my 4:30 hockey practice at 6 am running laps on the track and then right in the highschool weight room. Awesome individual.”

OC Marcus Herford: American, 31 years old. ST coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College. 2016-2017 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes HC/OC with best offense in the GFL, 405,7 yards/per game.