Questions, comments? JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
Former Manheim Central and University of Delaware star quarterback Matt Nagy is having a terrific career in the Arena Football League. Last Saturday, Nagy led his team, the Columbus Destroyers, to a come-from-behind victory in a wildcard playoff game. Up next for Nagy and Destroyers is a divisional-round tester at Dallas, which is 15-1. I caught up with Matt this week as he and the Destroyers prepped for Dallas. Here’s my story from Thursday’s New Era:
Matt Nagy has played in the Arena Bowl – the Arena Football League’s equivalent of the Super Bowl.
It was 2005, and Nagy, the former Manheim Central and University of Delaware star quarterback, led the Georgia Force into the AFL title game against the Colorado Crush, who topped Nagy and his mates that day in Las Vegas.
Fast forward two years, and Nagy has another team in line to get back to the Arena Bowl.
And after the former Barons’ standout led the Columbus Destroyers to a riveting come-from-behind victory over Tampa Bay in a wild wildcard playoff game last Saturday, he’s hoping to keep the momentum going this Saturday, when he and the Destroyers (8-9 overall) head to Dallas for the National Conference divisional round playoff game against the league’s top team, the Desperados (15-1).
The game is set for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast by ESPN.
“We not satisfied with just being in the playoffs,” Nagy said from Columbus this week.
“We want to keep winning and keep going further. But we know Dallas is a really good football team. They’re 15-1. But we feel like we’re playing pretty well right now, so we’re excited to go down there and play them.
“I always knew our team had a chance to go pretty far and do some good things, and right now we’re putting it together when it matters most. Our focus right now is on Dallas, and going down there and finding a way to beat them. It’s going to be tough. We know we’re going to have our hands full with them.”
Columbus is 0-2 against Dallas this season.
On April 5 in Dallas, Columbus jumped out to a 30-point lead in the first half but Dallas rallied and won the game 53-51 on a last-second field goal. And on May 26 in Columbus, Dallas rode into town and pinned a 56-47 loss on Nagy and his mates.
“We hope the third time will be the charm,” said Nagy, who has completed 341-of-545 passes (63 percent) for 3,557 yards and 75 touchdowns this season. He’s been intercepted 15 times, but he’s scored six rushing TDs, including the go-ahead score last Saturday in Columbus’ thrilling 56-55 win at Tampa Bay.
The Destroyers got the ball back with 1:07 to play, and Nagy capped the drive with a 1-yard TD plunge with one second to go to tie the game at 55.
“That was a great feeling because I knew our kicker was going to make the extra point,” Nagy said. “Then it was just a matter of whether their kicker would make or miss the field goal at the end.”
Columbus did make the PAT and took a 56-55 lead. After the kickoff, Tampa
Bay kicker Seth Marler hooked a 56-yarder with no time left and Columbus, which survived a late-season five-game losing streak and beat New York on the last day of the regular season just to clinch a playoff spot, advanced.
“It was the first playoff victory in the history of the franchise, so it was definitely special,” said Nagy, who completed 19-of-26 passes for 260 yards and five TDs against Tampa Bay - and earned AFL Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts.
“If we can continue to catch some fire here, some good things are going to happen,” said Nagy, who tore a ligament in his left (non-throwing) elbow earlier this season, and continues to rehabilitate that injury.
“My body feels good and my arm is holding up pretty well,” said Nagy, who is 29.
Nagy’s contract with Columbus is up at the end of this season, but he said talks of a contract extension with the Destroyers are under way.
Nagy’s goal has always been to get a shot with a National Football League franchise. He’s still holding out that hope, but said he’d be happy finishing his career in the AFL.
“It’s getting to the point now where the NFL teams are shying away from guys my age and concentrating on the guys coming in from college,” Nagy said. “Trust me, I can accept that. That said, I’ll never totally understand why I never got the chance to get an opportunity (in the NFL), but I love the Arena League.
“This league is growing and it’s going in the right direction, and I’m proud to say I’m a part of it. And I’d have no problem playing in this league for another six-to-eight years. I truly mean that. I’m always open to an opportunity (in the NFL) and I’ll always be sort of stubborn that I never got a true opportunity, but at the same time I’m very happy and I’m very comfortable where I’m at.”
Nagy will be even happier if he can lead Columbus over Dallas, and one step closer to the Arena Bowl.
NOTES: The other three AFL divisional-round playoff games include the Colorado Crush against the San Jose SaberCats (Saturday, 3 p.m., ESPN), the Philadelphia Soul against the Georgia Force (Sunday, 7 p.m., ESPN2), and the Los Angeles Avengers against the Chicago Rush (Monday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2).
