ALBANY — Another tumultuous week, another Albany Empire loss.
The Empire (1-5) extended their losing streak to five games with a 49-27 loss to the Fayetteville Mustangs (3-3) Saturday night at MVP Arena. Albany trailed for most of the game, leading only briefly in the third quarter.
“I think guys can be proud of how they played, how hard they played. I think it’s a situation now where we got to go two or three steps back and evaluate, watch film and try to figure out where we stand as a team and how we can move forward,” coach Pete Porcelli said.
Albany started the week without a head coach; Porcelli, an assistant coach at La Salle and former Albany Firebird, agreed to take the job Monday afternoon.
Tuesday, quarterback Jonathan Bane asked for his release. To replace Bane, the Empire re-signed Roland Rivers III, a former Division II star who played for Albany in a three-point loss to West Texas on May 6.
Empire majority owner Antonio Brown, a former NFL All-Pro wide receiver, had said repeatedly that he would take the field against Fayetteville for his first professional football appearance in over a year. But come Saturday, Brown was left off the active roster because, Porcelli said, his physical paperwork wasn’t filed with the league in time.
“It’s been a tough process, I’m going to be honest with you, but it’s like, we still got to go. We still got to roll with the punches,” said defensive back Brian Foy Jr.
The Empire trailed 20-7 before their third-quarter rally. Facing fourth and four at Fayetteville’s 11-yard line, Rivers pitched the ball to Kerry Starks, who joined Albany in a trade from Jacksonville this week, for a first down.
On the next play, Rivers threw his only passing touchdown of the game to tight end Bryant Nolan Jr., getting Albany within six.
Foy tackled…
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