Ernest Lover
 Ernest Lover - S27 Ultimus Champion with the Sarasota Sailfish | |
| No. 69 – Sarasota Sailfish | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | October 5, 2016 (aged 44) Romance, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 300 lb (136 kg) |
| Username: | Mojojojo |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Ripley High School |
| College: | Longwood University |
| ISFL Undrafted: | 2041 |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Retired |
Ernest Lover (born October 5, 2016) was an American football defensive end for the Sarasota Sailfish of the International Simulation Football League (ISFL).
Contents
Early years
Ernest Lover was born in Romance, West Virginia. He was raised by his mother, Florence Lover. Lover's father walked out on the family when Ernest was 4 and his younger brother, Keane, was still an infant. Now suddenly finding herself a single-mother with two young children, Florence found herself a job at the Romance Post Office, where she worked her way up from a clerk to a shift manager.
During high school, Lover played for the Ripley Vikings. He began his high school football career as a linebacker. However, in his junior year his mother Florence lost her job and his family fell into financial distress. Depression and lack of quality food led to Lover gaining considerable weight and his performance as a linebacker deteriorated. Lover's football career would likely have ended there if it had not been for his high school coach, Bryce Cares. Coach Cares updated Lover's training regiment, teaching him how to use his new-found bulk to his advantage and helped him switch positions to defensive end. His senior year, he played his first full season as a starting defensive end for his high school team.
College career
After graduating high school, Lover joined the Longwood Lancers a relative newcomer to the ACC. At Longwood Lover continued to refine his knowledge of the defensive end position. He saw action in only 10 games with no starts and only 7 tackles (2 solo) to end the season. But this was a formative year in his college career as he replaced mass with muscle under the supervision of the Lancers' training staff and with better care paid to nutrition and diet. As a sophomore, Lover saw action in all season games, breaking into the starting lineup 3 games into the season against Clemson. In his first start, he recorded a then career-best 4 tackles in a single game, despite a resounding 20-35 loss to the returning conference champions. Lover returned as a starter for his junior and senior years, in which he played and started all games for the Lancers, contributing as a key member of the defence. Despite the team's poor record, Lover finished his final season with 50 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries and 1 pass breakup.
While playing football at Longwood, Lover completed a degree in Sports Psychology.
College career statistics
| College statistics | Defense | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Tck | TFL | FF/FR | Sck | Int | PD | Sfty | TD | Blk P/XP/FG |
| 2035 | Longwood | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2036 | Longwood | 12 | 29 | 3 | 0/0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2037 | Longwood | 12 | 41 | 8 | 1/0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/1 |
| 2038 | Longwood | 12 | 50 | 12 | 2/1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
Personal life
Ernest Lover has been married to his high school sweetheart Constance Goode for 5 years. Constance received her degree in Mining and Minerals Engineering from Virginia Tech, during which time she and Ernest maintained a cross-campus relationship. Constance has a successful career in metallurgical engineering. Ernest and Constance have one daughter, Avery Goode-Lover, in 2038.
Lover put his professional career on hold after graduating in 2038, taking paternity leave after the birth of Avery as his wife finished her Master's degree.
Lover's younger brother, Keane Lover, declared for the DSFL draft in S27 as an offensive lineman and was picked up on waivers by Ernest's former DSFL team the London Royals.
Professional career
DSFL career
Season 24 (2039): Ernest Lover was picked up on waiver by the Kansas City Coyotes during S24. Lover played the final three games of the season with the team. Despite the team losing their final games and missing out on a playoff run, Lover made a strong DSFL debut with 10 tackles, 5 of which were for a loss, in his three appearances.
Season 25 (2040): Lover was the first defensive end taken in his DSFL draft class, picked 8th overall by the London Royals. Lover fell to the end of the first round, but did not disappoint the London fans, putting up great numbers in S25 along with an incredible group of young talent and some big-name defensive veterans. With 75 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, and 8 sacks in 14 games, Lover's tenacity on the field helped the team get to its second consecutive appearance in the Ultimini match. While the Royals didn't take home the trophy, Lover continued to improve throughout the season, fully embracing the defensive lineman position.
DSFL draft card
Signature (by Simo)
Finishing his first season in the DSFL, Lover entered the S26 ISFL draft. He put up great numbers at the pre-draft combine, finishing in the 96th percentile among defensive linemen for Wonderlic, 97th percentile for vertical jump and broad jump, and 3-cone drill, and 98th percentile in shuttle. While Lover's intelligence and agility clearly made a mark at the combine, his strength and speed are areas for improvement. Lover was only 88th percentile in bench press and 89th in 40-yard dash.
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad | BP | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
300 lb (136 kg) |
4.4 s | 4.30 s | 7.12 s | 34.2 in (0.87 m) |
128.5 in (3.26 m) |
40 reps | 29 |
ISFL career
Season 26 (2041): Lover was drafted to the Baltimore Hawks at the 3rd overall pick of the first round of the S26 ISFL draft. Lover was immediately called up to play for Baltimore at defensive end. Getting to know a new city and a new playbook, Lover struggled to match his DSFL stats with the much fiercer competition in the big league. And it was rumored that team-player Lover was having trouble getting along with others in the locker room. Despite some strong defensive performances from fellow-teammates, the Hawks languished with a season record of only 6-10 (2nd from the bottom of the NSFC).
Following a disappointing season in Baltimore where Lover felt like he failed to "click" with his teammates and management, Lover was relieved to be traded to the Sarasota Sailfish during the offseason. Lover and his family made the move from Maryland to Florida to join an elite defensive core in Sarasota.
ISFL draft card
Signature (by Crunk)
Season 27 (2042): Now starting with three different teams in as many seasons is never easy, but Lover was excited to take on the new challenge. He immediately felt at home with his teammates, gaining a level of comfort and confidence in himself that he had been looking for in Baltimore. He doubled down to study the team's playbook, focus his workouts towards stopping the run game, and learned new technique to be able to take snaps at defensive tackle in certain formations. While his stats remained lackluster, Lover felt ecstatic to be part of an elite defensive group.
And the team excelled, going 12-4 through the regular season and securing the number 1 spot in the NSFC and the league going into the playoffs. Lover's first playoff appearance in the ISFL was the NSFC Championship game against the Colorado Yeti. Given Lover's specialization in stopping the run and Colorado's notoriety for relying on their pass game, Lover knew he would be playing a supportive role. He registered one tackle for a loss in the game, making a small contribution to the team's overall stellar defensive performance that helped seal the 47-27 victory. The Sailfish then faced the New Orleans Second Line in the Ultimus title match, where Lover had 3 tackles, 2 for a loss, and the team won 34-10. Only in his second season in the ISFL, Ernest Lover is an Ultimus Champion!
Season 30 (2045): From S27 to S30, Ernest Lover continued to develop into his own as a linebacker behind a veteran Sarasota Sailfish defensive squad -- known by fans and players as "Blue Crush." After all the moves among teams and positions, Lover had finally found his home.
The team continued to be competitive at the top of the NSFC, consistently securing a playoff berth. In S30, the team finished with a regular season record of 11-5 and comfortably held the first seed into the playoffs. Lover contributed to the team's success with his best season in terms of stats since his ISFL debut: 111 tackles, 6 TFLs, 8 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries, and 13 pass deflections in 16 games. After a bye-week to start the playoffs, the Sailfish dispatched the Berlin Fire Salamanders 30-24 at home in the NSFC championship match. They then went on the road for a tough Ultimus match against the Arizona Outlaws. The Sailfish, fueled by their underdog status, pounded the Outlaws to take home the trophy with a final score of 27-10. This second Ultimus was made all the sweeter since Lover was able to share in the celebration with his younger brother and teammate, Keane Lover, who played for the Sailfish on the offensive line.
Season 34 (2049): Now in his eighth season with the Sarasota Sailfish, Ernest Lover has become a veteran cornerstone of Sarasota's heavy-hitting defensive squad. With age, Lover is a bit slower on his feet, but what he lacks for in young athleticism he makes up for in situational awareness and on-field experience. So he continues to put up strong numbers for his team, registering 99 tackles, a combined 21 loss-making plays (7 TFLs and 14 sacks), 2 turnovers (1 fumble recovery and 1 interception) and 4 forced fumbles, and 8 passes deflected. While he continues to put up his fair share of stats, Lover is always a team-first player. It is the team's playoff streak -- the longest active streak in the ISFL -- that really gets him fired up. In press conferences, Lover is known to praise his teammates and the Sailfish front office for the team's continued success on the field and positive community presence off-the-field.
Season 35 (2050): Season 35 was a difficult season for the Sarasota Sailfish. Despite a strong roster of veterans and up-and-coming future stars, the team struggled to play together. After many frustrating and close loses, the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in over 10 seasons. However, the adversity only brought the team closer together. Lover put up solid stats throughout the season, particularly in coverage, but his age was beginning to show on the blitz as he tried to push through the line of scrimmage and find his way to the quarterback or the running back. Starting in all 16 games, Lover registered 95 tackles, but only 3 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. But in coverage, he deflected 10 passes and registered one interception for a touchdown. To make up for his waning athleticism on the field, he stepped up his leadership role in the locker room to keep his team working towards its future.
Season 36 (2051): The Sarasota Sailfish bounce back! After a difficult season 35--the first in a decade to not see the postseason--Season 36 saw the young Sailfish roster starting to come into its own. The team finished 12-4-0 on the regular season and found themselves in the second seed going into the playoffs. In the playoffs, the Sailfish hosted the Yellowknife Wraiths in the NSFC wildcard game and won 25-22 to advance to the NSFC championship, where they won the away game against the Chicago Butchers and proceeded to the Ultimus match. Turnovers plagued the team in the final game and they lost the title to their S22 expansion franchise rivals the Honolulu Hahalua in a close game 28-31. Throughout the season, Lover continued to play well against the run game, posting 93 tackles and 5 tackles for a loss. However, he didn't find the quarterback as often as in his heyday and his performance in pass coverage started to show his age. Lover was happy to see younger players stepping into the primary Linebacker role and took his supporting role seriously, continuing to put his all into every snap.
Season 37 (2052): The Sarasota Sailfish entered Season 37 just as strong as they were a the start of their Ultimus-contending Season 36. And the team did not disappoint expectations, closing out the season with a 12-4-0 record and going into the playoffs with homefield advantage secured through the title match. The Sailfish hosted the Yellowknife Wraiths for the NSFC championship game, moving onto the Ultimus match with a 41-24 victory. For the second season in a row, the team made it all the way to the Ultimus match, only to lose out on the ring--this time to the Arizona Outlaws.
Season 37 marked the end of Ernest Lover's time with the Sailfish. As the team developed new players at the critical LB position, there was no longer a clear role for Lover on the roster and he entered the offseason as a free agent. Lover signed a one-year contract with the Orange County Otters with the plan to retire after Season 38. Playing 11 out of his 13 career seasons for the Sarasota Sailfish as either Defensive End or Linebacker, Lover secured his place as a franchise record-holder. At the end of S37, Lover holds the Sailfish career record for tackles (at 982) and for forced fumbles with 25. He is 2nd in sacks with 109, 4th in tackles for loss with 41, 4th in passes defended with 106, and helped contribute to a tradition of Sailfish scoring defenses with 2 defensive TDs and 2 safeties.
Professional career statistics, regular season
| Professional Career Statistics | Defense | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Tck | TFL | FF/FR | Sck | Int | PD | Sfty | TD | Blk P/XP/FG |
| 2040 (S25) | London Royals (DE) | 14 | 75 | 11 | 1/0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2041 (S26) | Baltimore Hawks (DE) | 16 | 38 | 4 | 0/0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2042 (S27) | Sarasota Sailfish (DE) | 16 | 35 | 1 | 1/0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2043 (S28) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 75 | 1 | 0/1 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0/0/0 |
| 2044 (S29) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 109 | 2 | 3/1 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2045 (S30) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 111 | 6 | 6/3 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2046 (S31) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 84 | 3 | 2/0 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2047 (S32) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 97 | 4 | 2/0 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/1 |
| 2048 (S33) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 111 | 5 | 5/1 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2049 (S34) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 99 | 7 | 4/1 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2050 (S35) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 95 | 3 | 1/0 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0/0/0 |
| 2051 (S36) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 93 | 5 | 1/0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2052 (S37) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 16 | 73 | 4 | 0/1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
Professional career statistics, playoffs
| Professional Career Statistics | Defense | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Tck | TFL | FF/FR | Sck | Int | PD | Sfty | TD | Blk P/XP/FG |
| 2042 (S27) | Sarasota Sailfish (DE) | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2043 (S28) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2044 (S29) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2045 (S30) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 2 | 25 | 0 | 0/0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2046 (S31) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2047 (S32) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2048 (S33) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0/1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2049 (S34) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2051 (S36) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 3 | 21 | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
| 2052 (S37) | Sarasota Sailfish (LB) | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0 |
Achievements and records
S25 - DSFL Defensive Linemen of the Year
S25 - DSFL Pro Bowl as Defensive Linemen *unanimous selection
S27 - Ultimus Champion (Sarasota Sailfish)
S29 - 2nd Team ISFL All-Pro, Linebacker
S30 - 2nd Team ISFL All-Pro, Linebacker
S30 - Ultimus Champion (Sarasota Sailfish)
S33 - 1st Team ISFL All-Pro, Inside Linebacker
