Looking for a road rebound

CEDAR RAPIDS - Halfway through the Indoor Football League season, the Cedar Rapids Titans are looking to send a message.

Beginning Saturday at Bemidji, Minn., five of the final eight games will be away from the U.S. Cellular Center. Road games have been a struggle for the Titans (4-2), who needed double-overtime March 15 to survive at still-winless Billings before being undone by two late touchdowns in a 52-42 loss last week at Nebraska.

'The message is get back to focus,” Cedar Rapids Coach Mark Stoute said. 'Make sure that we're not going to give them those openings, we're not going to make the mistakes that we made. ... We're going to tighten up what we do and play Titan football and get back on track to winning the game.”

The quarterback position has been intriguing this week. Sam Durley was replaced by backup Sean Reilly during the second half at Nebraska. Then Monday, the club traded offensive lineman Walter Stuller for Colorado Ice quarterback Willie Copeland, the league MVP last season who has been limited to two games this year because of an ankle injury and an undisclosed dispute.

'We're not playing as well as I would like it,” Stoute said. 'But it's not a quarterback position that's not playing well. Offensively, we're not playing well as a group and we've got to improve that.”

Copeland, who played for the Titans during their 2012 expansion season, was dealt while on Colorado's 'Refused to Report” list. As a result, he must sit out three games.

'He's a veteran guy,” Stoute said. 'Obviously, he's a proven product at quarterback. That always can help you.”

Copeland's temporary ineligibility did not prevent Stoute from a Thursday release of Reilly, who threw for 119 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. The club signed offensive lineman Samuel Maxie and receiver Rickie Simmons, who could play quarterback in an emergency until Copeland is available.

In the meantime, Durley has the opportunity to cement his role as the primary quarterback. With 759 yards passing and 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season, the proof will come largely on the road as the Titans try to retain a top-two position in the United Conference.

'Coach preached to us, ‘It's us against the world now,'” receiver Charles Watkins said. 'We know with two losses it's going to be harder if we lose again to make the playoffs. Our focus is just to go undefeated the rest of the season and when the smoke has cleared, hopefully we're holding the trophy.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com