The Indoor Football Preview

The 2019 Indoor Football League Season

Volume 1, Issue 1

Volume 1, Issue 1

More Inside

Iowa Gets Its Title

Forewords

2

The Calendar—2019

3

The 2018 United Bowl

8

Brad Green’s Memories 10 The F.A.N. Show

12

Dixie’s New Staff

14

Team Previews

16

Page 2

Indoor Football Preview

Connor Ferguson Publisher—The Indoor Football Preview Hey guys, First off, thanks for reading, and a big thanks to my editor, Brad Green for everything he has done for this magazine.

When I first thought up this idea the day after the 2018 United Bowl, I didn’t dream that it would come to fruition.

Eight months of hard work later, here we are.

When I started covering indoor football four seasons ago, all I wanted to do was give it my all and turn it into something cool.

I am thrilled with how this magazine turned and am confident that it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever produced in my career.

As I get going on Year No. 5 of covering this sport, I am probably the most excited I’ve Hello friends.

Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to Connor for the opportunity to help him with this awesome publication.

I have been aware of this game for a long time and have had a lot of great experiences with it. You can read about many of them in my column (Page 10).

It’s hard to believe the IFL has been around for 11 years. I remember when the league was created back in 2008. The league has seen teams come and go but I feel that the 2019 season will be among the strongest in recent memory.

I’m excited for the season to start. The IFL season is one of many highlights that I get to experience each year.

Cheers and good luck to all of the players, coaches and teams as they drive to bring home the United Bowl crown.

Forewords Photo Credit: Mjkphoto.com

Joe Stasi ever been for the season. Get ready for this one—it’s about to be a whole lot of fun.

Richard Tieman

Voice of the Iowa Barnstorm- Host of The F.A.N. Show ers and Radio Show host

Brad Green Editor—The Indoor Football Preview

What an exciting year for IFL Fans. The expansion to a 10-team league is just what the doctor ordered. It has all the ingredients for a very competitive league and will be entertaining. I am also very excited about the future of the IFL as plans are in place to have even more teams join the league in 2020. This league has the talent and experience in the front office to continue the expansion of new teams.

As the radio voice for the 2018 United Bowl Champion Iowa Barnstormers, I look forward to see how Coach Dixie Wooten and his staff will take a core group of returners, mix in top notch new talent, & make another run at a United Bowl Championship. Coach Wooten’s talent and work ethic are contagious. I expect another championship caliber team to defend the United Bowl on the field this year.

I’m really excited about the 2019 IFL season.

With the possibility of this being the final F.A.N. Show tour, (Read more about it on Pages 12 & 13), I’d like to get some more experience somewhere in some way in the radio booth.

Even if it’s not a full game, to be up in that broadcast booth doing what I’m going to school for—to get that experience would be really special for me.

If this is the last tour for however long, I want to make it the best and I can’t wait.

The Indoor Football Preview

Page 3

February 2019 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2 IFL TRAINING CAMP ENDS

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22 SD @ QC

23 BIS @ NEB SF @ CR

24 AZ @ GB

25

26

27

28

KEY AZ—Arizona Rattlers BIS—Bismarck Bucks CR—Cedar Rapids River Kings GB—Green Bay Blizzard IA—Iowa Barnstormers NEB—Nebraska Danger QC—Quad City Steamwheelers SD—San Diego Strike Force SF—Sioux Falls Storm TUC—Tucson Sugar Skulls

What 2 Watch 4  The Opener

Friday, Feb. 22 San Diego @ Quad City The first game on the IFL schedule features a long trip for the expansion San Diego Strike Force to face a Quad City team in its first year competing in the IFL. San Diego comes into the game led by head coach Burt Grossman, who played previously with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

As for Quad City, the Steamwheelers move over from the CIF and will be hosting the first game of the year in the new league. Talk about pressure to bring home a win.

 Bismarck’s first Saturday, Feb. 23 Bismarck @ Nebraska The Bismarck Bucks will play their first game in the IFL as well when they take on the Nebraska Danger in another road game for an expansion team. With

how the season went for both of these teams in 2018—a 5-7 record for Bismarck in the CIF and a 4-10 mark for the Danger in the IFL—a win could go a long, long way.

 Familiar Foes Saturday, Feb. 23 Sioux Falls @ Cedar Rapids I know what you’re thinking.

“No way.

There is no way Cedar Rapids can knock off Sioux Falls, especially in their first game of the year with a relatively new team.”

I’m here to tell you that crazier things have happened. This one, though, might not be too far to call unimaginable.

Historically, Sioux Falls has had trouble with Cedar Rapids at some of the most unexpected times possible.

Over the past two seasons, there have been several games that the Titans— now River Kings—kept close with the Storm. It’s even more so noticeable in the earlier years, when Mark Stoute was leading the reins in his first stint with the team.

Stoute returns to the team and this game gets a whole lot bigger than anyone thought it would be before he was hired.

It’s just a bonus for Cedar Rapids that it is the newly re-designed team’s home opener.

Page 4

What 2 Watch 4  Iowa War l Sunday, Mar. 3 Iowa @ Quad City With three different teams in the state of Iowa taking to the field in the IFL this season, there are bound to be some budding rivalry games. This will be the first of the year as the old-time Arena Football 2 rivals square off for the first time since 2009. Rumor has it that the “Pilot Wheel & Prop” trophy will be making its return for the renewal of the big game as well.  Tucson’s first Sunday, Mar. 3 Tucson @ San Diego For fans of the league, this game will be one of the mostwatched games of the entire season. This is the first time fans will get a look at the new team down in Tucson. The Sugar Skulls are loaded with talent, having previously successful IFL players and coaches joining their ranks.  The Banner Unveiling Saturday, Mar. 9 Green Bay @ Iowa The Iowa Barnstormers haven’t lost to Green Bay since the 2016 season, taking seven in a row in the series between the two teams, but this season’s home opener in Des Moines will still be extra special.

Iowa will be unveiling the 2018 United Bowl Championship banner at some point during the night. This is a can’t miss game, especially for Iowa fans.

The Indoor Football Preview

March 2019 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1 NEB @ GB

2

3 IA @ QC CR @ AZ TUC @ SD

4

5

6

7

8

9 SD @ CR GB @ IA SF @ NEB

10 BIS @ TUC

11

12

13

14

15 QC @ CR

16 TUC @ AZ SF @ BIS

17

18

19

20

21

22 QC @ SF

23 IA @ NEB

25

26

27

28

29 GB @ QC

30 NEB @ BIS IA @ CR

24 GB @ SD I n31 s i SF de @ S t AZ ory SD @ TUC

Headline

 Iowa War ll Friday, Mar. 15 Quad City @ Cedar Rapids Like previously stated, the matchups between teams within the state of Iowa cannot be overstated in the IFL this season.

With the Barnstormers being the defending champs, this series will be crucial for both QC and CR. The teams play each other twice—once at home and once on the road for both of them—and each game provides a huge chance for each team to propel themselves ahead.

 Owner vs. Coach Saturday, Mar. 16 Tucson @ Arizona The day after the first installment of one in-state rivalry, another will be born.

After it became known that Arizona Rattlers coach Kevin Guy was going to own his own indoor team, rumors swirled based on if the team would be affiliating itself with the IFL or the CIF. Now that the team has officially entered the IFL, the longtime AZ coach will face off against the team that he owns. It will be the first matchup of four between the two teams, so it is sure to be the first of a big rivalry.

 Conference Title Rematch Sunday Mar. 31 Sioux Falls @ Arizona Though the IFL didn’t operate under a conference system when it came to the playoffs last season, when these two teams met in the semifinals, the game was still billed as the Intense Conference Championship. Arizona won the two regular season matchups with the Storm, but Sioux Falls escaped in the playoffs with a 69-68 OT win.

This next installment should be just as exciting.

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 5

April 2019 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4

5 QC @ GB

6 SF @ BIS CR @IA TUC @ NEB SD @ AZ

7

8

9

10

11

12

13 NEB @ GB

14 IA @ BIS AZ @ TUC CR @ SD

15

16

17

18

19

20 BIS @ CR GB @ NEB IA @ SF TUC @ QC

21 AZ @ SD

22

23

24

25

26 CR @ NEB

27 AZ @ SF IA @ TUC

28 QC @ BIS

29

30

Inside Story Headline

KEY AZ—Arizona Rattlers BIS—Bismarck Bucks CR—Cedar Rapids River Kings GB—Green Bay Blizzard IA—Iowa Barnstormers NEB—Nebraska Danger QC—Quad City Steamwheelers SD—San Diego Strike Force SF—Sioux Falls Storm TUC—Tucson Sugar Skulls

What 2 Watch 4  The Iowa Bowl

Saturday, Apr. 6 Cedar Rapids @ Iowa The original IFL Iowa rivalry… Despite the long strings of wins between these two teams, the Barnstormers and River Kings (previously, Titans) always seem to put on a sneaky good game when fans least expect it.

Overall, the teams have met 11 times over the four years where both have been in the league. Iowa currently leads the series 6-5.

However, the Barnstormers have taken each of the past six games. The River Kings won all five before that. Lately, it’s been seemingly a one-sided rivalry. It just depends on which team has the better squad each year.

Regardless of the winner, these matchups always seem to be close.

 Two in a Row Saturday, Apr. 13 Nebraska @ Green Bay This will be the first game of a rare, IFL-style back-toback matchup between the

Blizzard and Danger. The two teams combined for just seven wins last season. That means, by this time in the schedule, wins will be crucial to staying in the playoff hunt. With the games being back-to-back, look for emotions to be running high.

 The 1st United Bowl Rematch

Saturday, Apr. 20 Iowa @ Sioux Falls In what is always one of the most intriguing games of every IFL season, the first of two United Bowl rematches will happen in Sioux Falls on the 20th. Lorenzo Brown and the Storm will be looking for a little bit of redemption in what is always an electric atmosphere in the Denny Sanford Premier Center. This one promises to be entertaining.

 Two Weeks of Juggernauts Saturday, Apr. 27 Arizona @ Sioux Falls A week after facing the Barnstormers, Sioux Falls will welcome in Arizona—who they beat in last season’s Intense Conference Championship. This one will be another big game for the Storm. Last year, Arizona won each of the regular season meetings before Sioux Falls took down the Rattlers in double overtime in the playoffs. With both starting QB’s returning, look for a pass-heavy game with lots of action in this one.

 Month of Opportunity for Bismarck

Sunday, Apr. 28 Quad City @ Bismarck For a new team in the IFL, one of the most important things is establishing a string of wins to keep momentum throughout the season. The Bucks are scheduled to have two bye weeks through the first five weeks of the season before playing six straight weeks of action. That includes four games in April, including two against SF and IA. If the Bucks can put a few together and find an upset along the way, they’ll be in the playoff hunt.

Page 6

The Indoor Football Preview

What 2 Watch 4  Five-Pack of Fun Saturday, May 4 In the entirety of the 2019 IFL schedule, there is only one date aside from the regular season finale where each of the 10 teams will play games on the same day. May 4 promises to be a good one.

Two expansion teams will face off in Tucson when the Strike Force visit the Sugar Skulls. The pair of teams begin a two-game, back-toback series at each other’s arenas.

Along with that, it will mark the first time Bismarck and Green Bay face each other in the IFL and also Nebraska’s first game against Arizona in a 2017 Intense Conference Championship rematch.  Back-to-back Thursday, May 9 Tucson @ San Diego If you thought playing two games in a row in a span of seven days was exciting—which it’s proven to have been in the past—just wait until you see this.

Tucson and San Diego will face off within five days of each other in the first week of May. With the defense that Tucson is bringing to this game, and

May 2019 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2

3

4 BIS @ GB CR @ IA SF @ QC SD @ TUC NEB @ AZ

5

6

7

8

9 TUC @ SD

10

11 QC @ IA GB @ SF

12

13

14

15

16

17 CR @ QC

18 TUC @ BIS NEB @ SF AZ @ SD

19 IA @ GB

20

21

22

23

24 BIS @ IA QC @ NEB

25 AZ @ TUC

26

27

28

29

30

31

Inside Story Headline

Derrick Bernard leading the charge for SD, look for a great matchup to get real chippy.  A rivalry being born?

Friday, May 17 Cedar Rapids @ Quad City These two Iowa teams will have played each other one time before this May 17 date, but this one could have more meaning and more fight with it being the second matchup. The game will come at a crucial time in each team’s seasons as the year wears down and the

playoffs approach.

Look for this to be an important game for both teams late in the season.  Sneaky Good Saturday, May 18 Tucson @ Bismarck This one is just how it sounds, a sneaky good game. With Tucson and Bismarck both being new to the league, this meeting will feature a pair of teams that are making an identity for themselves.

KEY AZ—Arizona Rattlers BIS—Bismarck Bucks CR—Cedar Rapids River Kings GB—Green Bay Blizzard IA—Iowa Barnstormers NEB—Nebraska Danger QC—Quad City Steamwheelers SD—San Diego Strike Force SF—Sioux Falls Storm TUC—Tucson Sugar Skulls The matchup to watch in this one features IFL veteran Mike Tatum (BIS) against Tucson’s stout defense.

The Indoor Football Preview

Page 7

What 2 Watch 4

June/July 2019 Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat 1 GB @ BIS AZ @ CR SD @ SF

2

3

4

5

6

7 BIS @ QC NEB @ SD

8 GB @ CR SF @ IA TUC @ AZ

9

10

11

12

13

14

15 CR @ GB NEB @ IA BIS @ SF SD @ AZ QC @ TUC

16

17

18

19

20

21

22 IFL Playoffs Wildcard Round

 Where it Went Down First Saturday, June 8 Sioux Falls @ Iowa Nearly 11 months to the day of Iowa’s first championship, the Barnstormers will host the same team they defeated to win it.

The Storm will return to Wells Fargo Arena at a crucial time in the season as the playoffs approach. This game has the best chance out of any in the month of June to be played for a shot at first place in the league.

 Arizona Round 4 Saturday, June 8 Tucson @ Arizona In the lone matchup for this June Sunday, Tucson and Arizona will face off for the fourth time this season. The big story here will be what this rivalry grows to as the season goes on. This is a can’t-miss game.

 Separation Saturday 23/30

24

25

26

27

28

29 IFL Playoffs Conference Titles

30/7

1/8

2/9

3/10

4/11

5/12

July 13 IFL Playoffs United Bowl

KEY AZ—Arizona Rattlers BIS—Bismarck Bucks CR—Cedar Rapids River Kings GB—Green Bay Blizzard IA—Iowa Barnstormers NEB—Nebraska Danger QC—Quad City Steamwheelers SD—San Diego Strike Force SF—Sioux Falls Storm TUC—Tucson Sugar Skulls

Saturday, June 15 NOTE One of the best times in the IFL season can come on the last day of the year. With a 10-team, 14-game season coming to a close, what better way to set it up than for each team to play on the same day? You won’t want to miss these games. At least one of them is going to have big playoff implications.

Who will play in the 2019 United Bowl?

to pick the Storm—until they fail to make it.

Then again, how could the defendWith the IFL playoffs being exing champs be left out? The Barnpanded back to six teams for the stormers welcome back coach Dixie 2019 season, things are sure to be Wooten as well as add an intriguing unpredictable. What would a preoffseason signing in Connor Hollenseason magazine be without some beck. premature predictions?

Finally, Arizona will be looking to The rosters are sure to change. return as well. The Rattlers won the Injuries are sure to happen. Alttitle game and broke SF’s win streak hough, if there was a matchup that is two years ago and were one point to be expected in the IFL, it would be away from making a repeat trip. hard not to include the Sioux Falls Nothing is guaranteed, but those Storm. After all, they’ve made it to three are our favorites. nine title games in a row. You’ve got

The Last 5 United Bowl Results 2014: Sioux Falls 63, Nebraska 46 2015: Sioux Falls 62, Nebraska 27 2016: Sioux Falls 55, Spokane 34 2017: Arizona 50, Sioux Falls 41 2018: Iowa 42, Sioux Falls 38 Playoff Date note: Playoff Games will be played on the weekend they are listed on.

However, there is no guarantee that they will be played on that Saturday. Keep this in mind when making plans to attend these games.

The Indoor Football Preview

Page 8

United Bowl 2018

Barnstormers earn first title in franchise history

By Connor Ferguson

Jamal Tyler took a hand-off from quarterback Drew Powell.

Iowa trailed Sioux Falls 38-35 in the United Bowl championship game with 21 seconds left on the clock at the start of the play.

Tyler split two defenders before running into a third and spinning away.

A win would give the Barnstormers their first league championship in franchise history, dating back to their 1995 inaugural season.

While Tyler stayed on his feet, he met a trio of Sioux Falls defenders separating him with the end zone by two yards. Behind him came help from the Barnstormers offensive line.

Ken Van Heule and Brandon Haskin put their weight into the back of Tyler, pushing the smaller running back into the end zone, giving the Barnstormers the lead.

However, there was a flag on the field.

Indoor Football League officials gave an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Van Heule for taking his helmet off to celebrate the go-ahead score.

Sioux Falls coach Kurtiss Riggs was given a choice to enforce the 15yard penalty on the pointafter-touchdown or on the kickoff.

Iowa Barnstormer players gather around the United Bowl and MVP championship game trophies following the team’s 42-38 win over the Sioux Falls Storm. The victory marked Iowa’s first-ever indoor football championship, in the franchise’s third championship game appearance. The Barnstormers—under different ownership at the time—were downed in the 1996 and 1997 Arena Bowls while under the leadership of future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Kurt Warner.

He chose to move the PAT back.

That would mean that Josh Gable, Iowa’s kicker who ranked fifth in the league in field goal percentage coming into the game, would need to bomb a 35yarder to put his team up by four.

“When the ball is brought back, I love it,” Gable said, referencing the longer field goal distance.

“The ball straightens out when I kick from further distances.

Gable made it.

The crowd roared. Iowa had gone up by four, and

the fans were ready to celebrate. The only thing that would ruin the score was a freak Hail Mary or long kickoff return.

Then Riggs threw his challenge flag.

Although it wasn’t originally called on the field, Riggs and the Storm were challenging that there was holding on the PAT attempt.

In what was already a ridiculous rule, the IFL overturned it.

Gable would have to come back out and try to make a 45-yarder to yield the same result. He didn’t

flinch.

“I was happy that it would be further,” Gable said. “Now they get to see what I can do.”

From 45 yards out, he split the uprights, right down the middle.

Iowa had a four-point lead with 13 seconds to go, and the crowd grew quieter as the kickoff approached.

On the kick, Ryan Balentine, a usual wide receiver, came up with a big tackle and held Sioux Falls kick returner Damond Powell to just five yards.

Wells Fargo Arena was

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 9

United Bowl M VP Ryan Balentine The 2018 United Bowl could not have been a bigger game for the city of Des Moines as the Barnstormers took on Sioux Falls in their first championship appearance since 1997. The team took the field in front of a packed house in one of the coolest atmospheres Wells Fargo Arena has seen. There couldn't have been a better stage set for Ryan Balentine to play one of the best games of his career.

The Barnstormers receiver earned 91 yards and scored three touchdowns,

buzzing.

The Sioux Falls offense put together 17 yards on the next play before an incomplete pass, and would control the ball at midfield for the last play of the game.

One Iowa Barnstormer didn’t watch though.

“I was in the locker room,” IFL MVP quarterback Drew Powell said. “I was just waiting on the crowd. When the crowd went crazy, I just came out.”

Powell was accountable for every touchdown prior to Tyler’s game winner, either throwing the ball or running it in each time the Barnstormers scored. He was the MVP for a reason.

As Powell listened from the locker room, Sioux Falls had one play left. Two seconds remained on the clock.

Lorenzo Brown took the snap and escaped the pocket, which was pressured by Keith Jones Jr., B.J. Butler, and Byron Bennett.

Brown threw a high pass to Damond Powell, who

including the second of the game pictured to the left.

Iowa ran three hitch routes and let Balentine run a fly that left him wide open. On his way to the end zone, he made sure to let the defensive back know he screwed up.

Balentine went on to score one more touchdown in the first half before grabbing a jump ball to put the Barnstormers ahead with his third score of the night with 9:12 to play in the fourth quarter. His performance was one for the ages.

Ryan Balentine looks over his shoulder after catching a touchdown pass in the 2018 United Bowl held at Wells Fargo Arena. He went on to finish with three touchdown receptions. Photo by Connor Ferguson.

leaped over the boards trying to catch it.

The ball was knocked out

by Tyrell Pearson, and ruled incomplete.

The Iowa Barnstormers had won the United Bowl.

Confetti rained down from each corner of the arena, Sweet Caroline echoed through the air, and the franchise experienced its greatest day in team history. “[We’ve got] a [expletive] United Bowl championship,” Butler said. “It’s the first for me in my football career and it feels amazing.”

Butler earned the first touchdown of the night that gave the Barnstormers the momentum they would need to keep pace with Sioux Falls.

Despite starting on the defensive line, Butler lined up as a receiver behind the offensive line and caught a nine-yard dump pass to put his team up 7-0.

“I honestly didn’t think that that play was going to get called [so early], but I’m glad it did,” Butler said. “It

shows my versatility of playing both sides of the ball and also that I can catch the ball.

Me being a big guy and all, some people think I’m just going to go in and block. I can do a lot of stuff if given the opportunity.”

Through the season, Butler had been wearing a towel that hung from his waistband that read, “Overrated,” which was a quote from Arizona Rattlers coach Kevin Guy describing Butler in an interview.

Butler had a message for Guy following the game as well.

“What did he call me again?” Butler said.

“Overrated? Iowa. Winners.

That’s all I’ve got to say. See you next year, man.”

Leading the team with three touchdowns on the night, and winning United Bowl MVP was Balentine, the same player who had the tackle on the final kickoff.

“What can I say about it?” Balentine said. “It was a great game. We came out

with the dub.”

Balentine had been playing on teams with Barnstormers coach Dixie Wooten on the staff for five straight seasons. This is the first title either of the two have won.

When asked if Balentine would come back for a reunion tour with Wooten, he had a confident answer.

“You know I am,” Balentine said.

As the confetti sat on the green Wells Fargo Arena turf, and jubilant fans riddled the playing surface celebrating with the players, it couldn’t have felt more perfect.

The city of Des Moines had won a professional sports championship, no matter how small the sport may be viewed.

“We’ve been putting in work since before February [for this],” defensive lineman Jones Jr. said. “I’m glad we were able to win this for the city. They’ve been loyal.”

Page 10

The Indoor Football Preview

19 Seasons around Indoor Football, Bring on #20!

By Brad Green

The year was 2000, aka Y2K. I was a sophomore in high school and a lifelong sports fan. I read something in the Argus Leader about indoor football coming to Sioux Falls.

The newly-christened Sioux Falls Cobras were going to play in the IFL. I wanted to be a part of the action. I had saved up some money and then made a call to my best friend Josh to see if he wanted to join me. He said sure and the rest is history.

We became inaugural season ticket holders for the Cobras, who were to play their games at the Sioux Falls Arena.

After an opening win on the road, the day came for the Cobras to make their Sioux Falls debut. They were hosting the Sioux City Attack on Saturday, April 8th. In what would be the first of many games involving the two cities, the Attack defeated the Cobras 47-31. Josh and I were even asked to be a part of the first-ever halftime show where we rode tricycles on the turf, hit Nero, the mascot from Domino’s Pizza with a pass, and rode back. I didn’t win but Josh did, winning pizza for a year (actually it was only

12 pizzas) but it was still cool.

Sioux Falls earned its first home win the next Friday night as they beat the Lincoln Lightning 61-56 highlighted by a goal-line stand near the end of the game with a key fourthdown tackle coming courtesy of linebacker Donnie Hilsenroth.

Throughout the year, the Cobras played other teams from around the region: Billings, Bismarck, Black Hills (Rapid City), Casper, Fargo, Topeka and Wichita. Sioux Falls finished the year with an 8-6 record but did not make the IFL playoffs.

Some of the faces of the Cobras that I remember were wide receiver Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Kurtiss Riggs, who had played collegiately at the University of Sioux Falls where they led the Cougars to the 1996 NAIA Division II national championship, the aforementioned Hilsenroth, offensive lineman Roger Pederson, kicker Pete Sanchez and safety Todd Tryon. Rich Roste did the play-by-play for the team’s radio broadcasts.

The next year (2001) brought a new team name, new colors and a new league. The Cobras became the Storm, changed their colors from teal, green & silver to red, white & blue and moved onto the National Indoor Football League. Sioux Falls would play in the NIFL for the next four seasons and nearly brought home its first title in 2004 but fell 59-38 to the Lexington Horsemen in Indoor Bowl IV. 2005 brought another new league as the Storm were

one of the founding members of United Indoor Football. The team went 8-8 in the regular season before advancing to the UIF playoffs. The Storm proceeded to win the next two games, both on the road, to clinch a spot in the inaugural United Bowl. Sioux Falls would play their rival, the Sioux City Bandits, at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City. In an instant classic, the Storm would defeat the Bandits 40-38 and claim their first-ever championship.

2006 saw the Storm go a perfect 15-0 in the regular season before heading to the playoffs. I was home after graduating from college that summer so I took in the playoff games as Sioux Falls defeated Evansville in the semifinals and Lexington in the second United Bowl to bring home another title for Storm Nation. I got to know some of Storm’s front office, which would prove to be beneficial later that year.

In December of 2006, I applied to work as an intern for the Storm hoping to help them with their media relations. During my interview, however, they told me that they had forwarded my resume onto the UIF league office. Shortly thereafter, I got a call from a man named Dave Holly asking if I wanted to come in for an interview. I said yes. I remember wearing a suit and talking with Dave, who was Director of Communications, and Dakota Crow, who was the Commissioner. I don’t remember much about the interview but I re-

member stating if they hired me, I’d like to wear a tuxedo for the championship game and help with the trophy presentation. They agreed and offered me a season-long internship. I jumped at the chance to be able to work in sports.

The league was headquartered in Omaha but since many of the employees lived around Sioux Falls, they had an office there. After the first of the year in 2007, I joined the league office as a Communications Assistant. There was a lot to do before the opening kickoff.

I helped create the league’s yearbook, which was a lot of fun. I helped compile stats, write and proof stories and reach out to the teams to be able to obtain their information needed for the yearbook. During the season, I would write press releases, create game notes and broadcast schedules, compile media databases and help Dave with other communication-related duties among them being a part of the league’s radio show. I had a weekly segment named “Ref’s Random Reference.”

And of course, I got to watch the game of indoor football as well while serving in a league capacity, often working.

A lot of the games I watched were near Sioux Falls, so I was able to see the Storm, the Bandits and the Omaha Beef (more on them later as well) play many times. A highlight was being able to watch Lexington play at legendary Rupp Arena where the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team played

their home games. During the game, Lennie House (the Horsemen’s owner) introduced me to two legendary college basketball coaches, Louisville’s Denny Crum and Kentucky’s Joe B. Hall, who were friends of Lennie’s and happened to be at the game.

Later that summer, the Storm would host the United Bowl once again as they would again face off with Lexington.

True to my word from earlier in the year, I went and rented a tuxedo for the game. I wore it the entire game complete with white gloves and got to help with the trophy presentation.

Two weeks after the championship game, the Casey’s All-Star Classic was held in Bloomington, Illinois. Dave and I worked together with Bryan Bloodworth, PR guy for the Bloomington Extreme, to handle the communications efforts for the weekend. I was tasked with the opportunity to help create AllStar trading cards highlighting players, coaches and other league personnel. This was a blast for a kid who had collected sports cards his entire life.

There were even some “Ref’s Random References” on a select few of the cards.

After we got home from Bloomington, I continued to work in the league office before being asked by Dakota to join him in Omaha. He had recently

resigned as Commissioner and was a part of a group that was purchasing the Omaha Beef. He wanted me to come along as his Director of Communications. I spent the next six months living in Omaha working in communications for the Beef and did some work again for the UIF writing press releases.

I met Nebraska Cornhusker great Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers before one Beef game as I had asked him to join us for a game day promotion called Husker Coin Toss. Later in the season, I moved back to Vermillion where I had gone to college. I continued to work for the Beef and the UIF through the end of the season. The UIF would merge that summer with another indoor football league, the Intense Football League, and become the Indoor Football League. I did some initial communication work for the new league before they moved the league offices to Richmond, Virginia.

After living in Vermillion for a couple of years, I moved home to Sioux Falls in 2010 and quickly became a fan of the Storm again. I enjoyed watching the team as they made their annual drive for the United Bowl championship again.

Sioux Falls did not bring home the 2010 crown but won in 2011 and 2012. During one Storm game in 2012 against Tri

-Cities, I went up to the press box to greet Rich Roste and Nate Wek, who were doing the radio broadcast for the Storm. I had met Rich back in 2000 when he was doing radio for the Cobras and had met Nate in 2011 at the United Bowl press conference.

Later in the season when the Storm advanced to another United Bowl, I asked Nate if there was any way that I could be part of the broadcast. He said he would ask Rich and would let me know. Nate came back and said I could serve as producer. I got to spend the championship game up in the press box helping them out during the game. I even got to join Nate, his friend Jerry Palleschi and then-USD women’s basketball player Kelly Stewart on air at halftime and for post-game coverage.

This was the perfect jumpstart for the next season, which would see yours truly as the color commentator for the home radio broadcasts of the Storm. I had a contemporary media and journalism degree so this fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine to be able to cover my hometown team. Rich handled the play-by-play so it was my job to be able to watch the game and provide insight and facts for the broadcasts. At the end of the year, the Storm won their third straight championship and I was a part of my third championship team joining two I had been a part of while at Washington High School in Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls won the United Bowl again in 2014 but then moved from the Sioux Falls Arena into the new Denny Sanford Premier Center for the 2015 season. After watching the first couple games from an end zone seat that had an awesome view, I quickly got in

touch with the Storm’s ticketing director and asked if I could order the tickets for the rest of the year. She said yes and I still have the seats today. I’ve had friends and family members join me in the seats throughout the years and I’m sure if you ask them, they’d hopefully say they have enjoyed sitting there with me. I’ve got to see the Storm win two championships from my seats and it was an awesome experience both times.

Last season, I had the opportunity to travel to Des Moines to see the Iowa Barnstormers play at home for the first time since they joined the league. I’d been aware of the Barnstormers for a long time and even remember when Iowa native and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner played for them.

My girlfriend Kym and I went down three times last year to see the Barnstormers play. We saw them play the Storm in March, Arizona in June and went back in July when they hosted the Storm for the United Bowl. I’ve become an Iowa fan in addition to being a Sioux Falls fan. Members of the “Flight Crew” are some of my favorite people.

Over the past 19 seasons, I have been a part of this awesome game called indoor football. I’ve been a fan, an intern, a team employee, a team color commentator and now I’m back to being a fan. I’ve met players, coaches, league and team personnel, media members, other football heroes and a whole lot of dedicated fans. I’ve traveled around this country watching this sport and think this game is truly special. The IFL has added some great teams for this season and I can’t wait for it to start! Cheers to indoor football and thanks again for the memories!

Page 12

The Indoor Football Preview

Welcome to the F.A.N. Show

Richard Tieman hopes that if this year’s F.A.N. Show tour is the last one then it will be the best ever.

By Connor Ferguson

One of the coolest parts of the Indoor Football League and the sport in general actually happens off of the field.

What started as a simple podcast has grown into a touring, College GameDay-esque talk show headed by Richard Tieman.

“Welcome to the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world show, made for the fans, by a fan. I am your host, as always, Richard Tieman. This is the award-winning F.A.N. Show.”

That’s what listeners hear upon tuning into the show, which plays host to a variety of athletes and interesting personalities around the United States.

In what has become a yearly tradition, Tieman takes the show on tour around the United States to different arenas in and around the IFL. On top of it, Tieman sells show merchandise, hosts pregame shows at area restaurants, and even tailgate parties like he

Richard Tieman poses with 2017 United Bowl MVP Arkeith Brown. Since the tour started that year, the winner of the championship games MVP award is given a custom, F.A.N. Show belt thanks to one of Tieman’s sponsors.

did at the 2018 United Bowl with the help of fans from both of the competing teams.

“To be able to kind of go and experience that in each city

Tieman’s F.A.N. Show shirts are a hot sell around the league. Everyone from fans to players and even coaches can be seen with a shirt at one time or another.

that I go to and to help the fans get to know the players, it’s become an extended family for me,” Tieman said.

The show brings the world of indoor football and specifically the IFL into the entire fan base’s phones and internet.

It’s part of what makes the show so unique. Tieman brings the players—who are already close to the fans—even closer.

“That’s kind of the culture,” Tieman said. “It’s more intimate [than bigger leagues like the NFL]. People know a lot more about the players they see on the field each week.”

One year ago, Tieman went back to school to earn a degree in sports journalism—differing from his original choice in college.

This time around, the voice behind the F.A.N. Show would enter a two-year program with Full Sail University. The school is a sports media-centered school ran by Dan Patrick, a sportscaster with experience at ESPN, ABC, NBC and also Sports Illustrated.

That’s where this year’s tour becomes a different one for him.

Following school, Tieman wants to enter the industry at a more professional level.

Whether that involves being the a play-by-play or color voice of an indoor football team, or something even bigger remains to be known, but it brings up a different situation.

“If a team were to finally pick me up, I wouldn’t know

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 13

Richard Tieman is pictured here with Joe Stasi—voice of the Iowa Barnstormers—ahead of the team’s 2018 home opener. Tieman made it a point to host the show at nearby sponsor of the Barnstormers, both helping himself and the team as well.

what the future holds or where I’d be able to go,” Tieman said.

“There’s just a lot of stuff up in the air going into this tour, but I want to make this one especial-

ly good in case I don’t have the opportunity to do it again for a while.”

Hence, this could be the last F.A.N. Show tour.

Richard Tieman runs out of the tunnel for entrances with coach Ameer Ismail during the 2017 CIF season. Ismail invited Tieman to run out with him after being a reccurring guest on the F.A.N. Show.

“The thought of it being possibly the last tour has dawned on me, but it hasn't quite hit me,” Tieman said.

“I’m trying not to think about it

because I want to have a good tour.”

Tieman’s 2019 tour will kick off in Des Moines, Iowa on March 9—where the Barnstormers will host their banner unveiling from the 2018 United Bowl.

Along with that stop, Tieman hopes to take the show all over the U.S., citing Green Bay, Tucson, San Diego, Orlando, and more as possible destinations for the F.A.N. Show this season.

No matter where he goes, however, he just wants to make it the best tour possible.

“I just want to make sure that wherever I go, and whatever the stop is, I do the best in my power to give the fans for that game something unique,” How to listen to the F.A.N. Show The F.A.N. Show is broadcasted live on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights on Spotify, iTunes, and Facebook Live. Search “The F.A.N. Show on social media.

Page 14

The Indoor Football Preview

Dixie’s New Staff gets Acquainted, Ready for Barnstormers are trying to repeat with a brand-new Title-Defending Season The supporting cast.

By Connor Ferguson

Dixie Wooten will return to the Iowa Barnstormers staff for the 2019 IFL season following a year that saw the team win its first championship in franchise history.

The biggest goal, obviously is to get back to the championship game, however Wooten will have to do it with a new supporting cast around him.

Following the 2018 season, the team’s defensive coordinator Marcus Coleman left Des Moines to take the head coaching job in Tucson, with the Sugar Skulls. He would bring both Malcolm Nelson and Dixie Wooten takes the field before a Barnstormers home game in 2018. Wooten will return to coach the BarnHurtis Chinn—the remain- stormers for a third year after winning back-to-back IFL Coach of the Year awards. ing two Iowa assistant coaches—with him. door leagues before eventually “But, [Wooten] has a strongcomforting. I felt I had a lot of Now, there’s a new staff in being named the Barnstormers’ hold on it. [Wooten] is the best work on my shoulders at that Des Moines, but they’re hoping defensive coordinator and spe- coach with the lead. He can run time being a first-year defento be just as successful. cial teams coach for the 2016 the ball effectively, constantly, sive coordinator.”

“Everything’s going percampaign. and keep getting first downs. It The former Mizzou Tiger fect,” Wooten said. “We’re “[Simpson] was a heck of a keeps their offense off the spent the past two sesaons ready to do it again.” player,” Wooten said. “A play- field.” working with the Barnstormers’ The Barnstormers brought in er like him was at the top of the Simpson thinks that will be front office. three new faces for the year, line. As a coach, he did a great one of the keys to sustaining Simpson’s position with the with two of them being new to job with the Barnstormers. He the Barnstormers’ recent sucteam between coaching includDes Moines and a third, famil- had his guys rolling.” cess. ed everything from marketing iar face.

Though the record may not “Time of possession for our to helping out with game-day That face is defensive backs show it, Simpson’s Barnstorm- offense is what allows our deoperations and even spending coach Jason Simpson (pictured er defense played with loads of fense to be successful,” Simp- some time in the broadcast to the top right of page 15). passion. son said. booth calling games.

Simpson played for Iowa’s Simpson points the lack of This year, Simpson will be “Just being that close to AFL franchise after a complet- results to time of possession. focusing solely on the defenfootball is awesome,” Simpson ing a college career with the “We didn't have as much sive backs, said. “I love football. I’m excitUniversity of Missouri. He offense and as much time of “This time around, I have a ed to work with the team this would go on to play a number control on the offensive side as more limited role,” Simpson year and just want to see this of seasons across multiple inwe should have,” Simpson said. said. “It’s very nice and very team excel and win a champi-

Page 15

Volume 1, Issue 1

onship again.”

That love for football is something that Wooten appreciated.

Since he had taken over as Barnstormers head coach in 2017, Wooten has utilized Simpson as a resource to have around him.

“I was always looking at Jason [and] waiting for him to get ready to be a coach again,” Wooten said. “This time was the best time to bring him back on [staff].”

This time around, though, the Barnstormers will have a target on their backs.

“Once we came through and made that move, the target has been there,” Simpson said.

“Now, it has intensified, because we are the top dog. We’re defending our championship and not just going on a championship run.”

To do that, the staff is focused around one simple thing: Attention to detail.

“I’m a detail oriented guy, so I always do my homework,” Wooten said.

That’s why Wooten brought in the new faces to the staff this season.

Chuck Miller will be head-

ing the defense for the team as well as taking charge of the defensive line.

Marshall Hart on the other hand will be specializing in the offensive line and controlling the franchise’s special teams.

“I saw [Miller] through the year as an offensive line coach,” Wooten said.

“He’s very detail oriented as well. That’s a great thing to have with your defensive coordinator.”

Miller is coming off of Jason Simpson is one of the new—or old—faces of the staff that will be taking a stint as a run-game coor- on the defensive backs this year. Simpson played for the Barnstormers when dinator with the Green Bay they were in the AFL and was the defensive coordinator as well as the special Blizzard and also brings in teams coach in 2016. defensive coordinator experience from the high school current Cedar Rapids coach just as important. game.

Mark Stoute, Hart was named “Miller knows how the O“[Miller] stood out in the co-head coach of the team. line is going to attach him and way he handles his business “I wanted to bring in an of- he knows how he is going to and the way he can coach both fensive line coach that had ex- counter,” Simpson said. sides of the ball,” Wooten said. perience and understood how to “Having a bunch of line guys “He stuck out like a sore play our style,” Wooten said. like that in the office… I feel thumb. I wanted him on my “Hart was a guy that tought like we’re just going to domistaff.” being physical and a lot of tech- nate up front. If we don’t, Wooten brought in Hart— nique. He was the perfect guy something is wrong.” who also has experience in the for us.”

The only thing left for the run game—from the Nebraska That brings up the point of staff to accomplish was getting Danger. what Iowa’s strengths will be acclimated to each other.

Following a falling out with this season. After all, the team “The guys are cool, everydoes lose 2018 IFL MVP quar- body gets along real well,” terback Drew Powell.

Simpson said. “We all love This year will be all about food. We’re big foodie guys. the running game.

Everybody’s cooking and hav“For starters, we should def- ing a good time. We’re just initely have no problem runIFL Team Previews ning the ball, for sure,” SimpPages 16-35 son said. “Both [assistant Following this page are our coaches] are run game coordi- team previews surrounding what to nators from last year (Green expect from each team in the IFL Bay and Nebraska).” this season.

The previews are complete with The good news for Iowa will full rosters entering the teams’ be the return of running back training camp (updated to February Jamal Tyler, but Tyler can’t Dixie Wooten takes the field with his now former coach12), coaching profiles, and open ing staff before am Iowa Barnstormers game in the 2018 carry the load alone. schedule tables so that you can year. This year, he’ll bring in a new crew.

The offensive line play is

keep track of the results through the season at home!

Page 16

The champs are here. After being clubbed in the 2017 United Conference championship game, the Iowa Barnstormers put an entire season together in 2018 that included a sevengame win streak, a sweep of longtime AFL foe Arizona, and a title earned and celebrated at their home Wells Fargo Arena.

Now, in 2019, Dixie Wooten and company look to do it again.

Offense > The Barnstormers lost IFL MVP quarterback Drew Powell to the Canadian Football League, but return a plethora of players all over the offense. Jamal Tyler and Ryan Balentine will suit up again for the team after the pair each played major roles in winning the championship for the team last season. Tyler had the

The Indoor Football Preview

game-winning score, while Balentine took home the MVP award for the game.

Also returning up front will be Corey Madlock on the offensive line. Being the only returning piece there, Madlock will be instrumental in maintaining the culture that was set in 2018.

The team added a couple of big new faces on the unit as well, including former Cedar Rapids Titan Connor Hollenbeck at wide reciever.

Hollenbeck finished seventh in the league in both yards per game and touchdowns.

As for a replacement for Powell? Iowa signed both Daquan Neal and Yianni Gavales to try and find the right player to do so.

Defense > Iowa’s defense

was at the top of the league in 2018 in least rushing yards allowed per game and interceptions. This year could be replicative of that, too.

The Barnstormers return four players to the defensive back core that played significant minutes last season. That’s a good look, even if the team loses 2018 defensive POTY Bryce Enyard.

Pair that with the return of B.J. Butler and Iowa’s defense promises to be adequate again.

Special Teams > Iowa went in-state to find kicker Nathan Criswell out of Iowa Central.

He was an all-conference selec-

Also on the Roster

IOWA BARNSTORMERS DEPTH CHART Offense

tion there in 2013.

Outlook > The Barnstormers’ schedule for a team trying to defend their first -ever franchise championship is actually oddly favorable.

The schedule gives Iowa some extra time to prepare with a bye week during the first Saturday of the season and features zero games against the Arizona Rattlers, who faced Iowa three times last year.

Five of Iowa’s last six games will be at home, and if the Barnstormers are as good as they were last year, more home games could be added in the postseason.

WR Chris Robinson Jr. DL Ahkeem Barton

Southern Utah Prairie View A&M

Defense

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Yianni Ga valas Daquan Neal

Long Island Uni v. Pos t Eliz abeth Ci ty Sta te

DL

B. J. Bu tler Tra von te Valen tine

Louis ville LSU

RB

Ja mal Tyler Malik Brown

Pi ttsburgh Sta te Sou thern Utah

NG

Collin Be vins Iz aah Burks

Northwest Missouri Sta te Bowling Green Sta te

WR

Connor Hollenbeck Jaz eric Pete rson

Edinboro Fa ulkner

DL

Tren ton Thompson Reggie McGee

Georgia Ball Sta te

WR

Ryan Balen tine Samuel Charles

Sou thern Mississippi Edward Wa ters

LB

C. J. Thompson

Wilming ton

WR

Thomas Shuler lll Raheem Ha rve y

Marshall Lewis -Clark Valle y

DB

Tyrell Pearson Te vin Madison

Sou th Alabama Texas Tech

OL

K yle Avalo y Sterling Cla rk

Illinois Sta te Wilming ton

DB

Jou rdan Wickli ffe Robert Lewis

Eastern Illinois Grand View

C

Demarvious Lo ving Quan te Hines

Grand View Blue field

DB

Je rem y Glo tson Raleigh Johnson II

Elon Prairie View A& M

OL

Core y Madlock Oli ver Lumpkin

Tennessee Martin Charles ton

DB

Rocky Ha yes Jajuan Harle y

Arkansas Sta te Middle Tennessee Sta te

K

Na than Criswell

Iowa Cen tral

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 17

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

IA Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Dixie Wooten

Feb. 23 Mar. 03

@ Quad City

Mar. 9

Green Bay

Mar. 16 Mar. 23

@ Nebraska

Mar. 30 @ Cedar Rapids Apr. 06

Cedar Rapids

Apr. 14

@ Bismarck

Apr. 20

@ Sioux Falls

Apr. 27

@ Tucson

May 04

Cedar Rapids

May 11

Quad City

May 19

@ Green Bay

May 24

Bismarck

June 01 June 08

Sioux Falls

June 15

Nebraska

In 2016, the Iowa Barnstormers finished off their seventh straight losing season. They needed a new face, and he needed to fix things quickly. Iowa was being established as a team that perennially lost.

Enter Dixie Wooten.

The Barnstormers found their guy in a man that took the team from 4-12 in ‘16 to the playoffs with a 13-3 record in his first season in 2017. The next year, Iowa earned its first championship.

That was two years. It’s not supposed to happen that fast. It’s not supposed to be that easy.

Nonetheless, Wooten found himself in tears, with confetti raining down around him as he sat on the platform put at midfield of Wells Fargo Arena. He had done

exactly what he had set out to do: bring a championship to the city of Des Moines, Iowa.

Wooten enters his third season with the Barnstormers and is carrying a 26-7 career record into the year.

If Iowa wants to repeat, Wooten will need to do it without the supporting coaches he had in 2018.

Iowa loses defensive coordinator Marcus Coleman and other assistants to the IFL expansion franchise in Tucson.

Though, Wooten is no stranger to roster turnover. Between his 2017 IFL semifinal team and his 2018 IFL championship squad, the coach only brought back five players between the pair of rosters.

Who’s to say that that won’t happen again?

Page 18

The Indoor Football Preview

Arizona Rattlers The Arizona Rattlers enter 2019 with a rejuvenated but experienced roster returning to Phoenix and head coach Kevin Guy. Offense > Maybe the most notable story of the Rattlers—at least on paper before the season starts—is that the core of the offense returns entirely. Quarterback Jeff Ziemba and running back Darrell Monroe will be back in the backfield to again compete to be two of the top players in the IFL at their respective positions. Ziemba was second in the league in touchdowns last season alongside Monroe, who led the league in rushing touchdowns.

On the sides of the field, the Arizona re-signed two of the league’s top receivers as well.

Anthony Amos finished in the top 10 in total receiving yards

and was even tied for second in receiving touchdowns, proving to be one of best weapons in the league. Add in Dezmon Epps, the Rattlers’ other receiver whose stats lie in the top 15, and the Arizona’s offense that averaged a league-leading 53.3 points per game looks primed to be back at it in 2019.

Defense > On the defensive side of the ball, the pickings are a little light for the Rattlers.

The team loses all of Justin Shirk, Arkeith Brown, and Nathan Lindsey—who were solely the top three tacklers on the team last season. Arizona was at least able to retain Allen Chapman—a defensive back that was fourth in the league in interceptions last year.

Special Teams > Special teams gets a little hazy for the Rattlers as well, as perennial

QB J e f f Zi em ba kicking specialist Sawyer Petre was not re-signed in the off-season. Instead it will be Jimmy Camacho handling things for AZ. Outlook > The Rattlers rode an eight game win streak into their second meeting with the Iowa Barnstormers last season before being upended by Iowa at home and suffering a second loss to the eventual league champions. The two teams would meet once more at the end of the season, with Arizona in the driver’s seat and controlling its own destiny for the first seed in the playoffs. Iowa got the best out of the Rattlers for a third straight game sending

ARIZONA RATTLERS DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

Arizona back to Phoenix with the No. 2 seed. In the playoffs, the Rattlers were defeated by Sioux Falls in a 2017 United Bowl rematch.

However, this season, the Rattlers will not match up with Iowa as far as the regular season schedule goes. In fact, Arizona’s record against teams that return to their schedule is a stunning 11-1.

With a favorable schedule like Arizona was dealt this year, it isn’t hard to imagine them in their second United Bowl in three years.

Also on the Roster QB QB RB RB WR WR OL

Ma tt Behrend t Michael Keir Roland Genes y Jr. Jabre Lolle y Johna thon Parks Dillion Win fre y Abram Holland

Wisconsin-Whi tewa ter Cali fornia ( U of Penn) Indiana Sta te Shepherd Ariz ona Chris tian Cen tral Arkansas New Mexico Sta te

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Je ff Ziemba Ve rlon Reed Jr.

Shephard Ohio Sta te

DL

Lance Mc Dowdell Ni kolaus D' Avanz o

Cen tral Florida New Mexico

RB

Darrell Monroe L. A. Ramse y

Ariz ona Weste rn Georgia Sou thern

NG

Chris Mc Allis ter Joshua Go rdon

Ba ylo r Minnesota Sta te Manka to

WR

An thon y Amos Malik Golson

Middle Tennessee Delaware Sta te

DL

Connor Flagel Michael Kluge

Cen tral Missouri Wes tern Oregon

WR

Dez mon Epps Ja mal Miles (also a RB)

Idaho Ariz ona Sta te

LB

Ricky Wya tt Jr. Terry Johnson

Cen tral Arkansas Youngs town Sta te

WR

Ja rrod Harring ton Ja meon Lewis

Campbells ville Mississippi Sta te

DB

Da von tae Merriweathe r Carlos Hu tton

Wes t Texas A&M Wes t Georgia

OL

Ryan Schmid t Ste ven Gurrola

St. Lawrence Ariz ona

DB

Phillip Henry De vin Cockrell

Sou th Ca rolina Sta te UTEP

C

La mar Mad y Chris Boles

Youngs town Sta te Illinois

DB

Allen Chapman Braden Roe

Kansas Sta te Valdos ta Sta te

OL

Ken Van Heule Mason Butle r

Midwestern Sta te Ti ffin

DB

Dexter Reese

Alabama A&M

K

Ji mm y Camacho

Fresno Sta te

DB

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 19

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 24

@ Green Bay

Mar. 03

Cedar Rapids

AZ Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Kevin Guy

Mar. 09 Mar. 16

Tucson

Mar. 23 Mar. 31 Sioux Falls Apr. 06

San Diego

Apr. 14

@ Tucson

Apr. 21

@ San Diego

Apr. 27

@ Sioux Falls

May 04

Nebraska

May 11 May 18

@ San Diego

May 25

@ Tucson

June 01

@ Cedar Rapids

June 08

Tucson

June 15

San Diego

It was a busier off-season than usual this year for Arizona Rattlers coach Kevin Guy… or maybe that’s Mr. Kevin Guy. In a major move for both the league and Guy, it was announced that the Rattlers head coach would be the new owner of the IFL expansion franchise in the Tucson Sugar Skulls.

Guy got to work early. After making a decent-sized amount of early signings, the coach/owner would announce that Iowa’s Marcus Coleman and Malcolm Nelson would be leaving the Barnstorm-

ers’ coaching staff and joining the Sugar Skulls.

Though it was a big move for Tucson, it’s evident that Guy has his mind on the team he will be coaching in 2019.

With the re-signing of Jeff Ziemba, Darrell Monroe, and Anthony Amos, it’s evident that Guy knows he can win with the team he has in Phoenix, and he wants to win now. We’ll see if the 2019 Rattlers can use the chemistry to bring home a championship.

Page 20

The Indoor Football Preview

Sioux Falls Storm The Sioux Falls Storm are back, and they’re back with two straight years without a championship to their name. That’s something that, at least in this decade, is unheard of in South Dakota. The Storm are used to dominating the likes of the IFL, but since the arrival of Arizona and the resurgence that Iowa made, Sioux Falls has been left without a title. Is this the season things go back to the way they were?

Offense> If this is the year where things change for Sioux Falls, it will be one with the same leader taking charge of the Storm. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown returns to South Dakota for yet another season with the team. Brown brings in a whole lot of experience in-

cluding his 2016 United Bowl MVP award—the year the Storm last won the title. Also returning to the always dominate offense is wideout Damian Ford. Ford caught eight touchdowns in six games during the 2018 season.

Over the off-season, Sioux Falls also signed a big name free agent in Darrian Miller.

The former UNI Panther earned 2018 season MVP honors in the neighboring CIF before signing with the Storm this season. Miller ended the season with 855 yards and 35 touchdowns in 15 games for the Sioux City Bandits—both numbers leading the league.

Defense> Sioux Falls returns less star power on the defensive side of the football,

QB Lo r en zo B r o wn but the foundation is still there.

Trey Wafford returns to carry the Storm’s defensive backs in 2019. Wafford was fourth in the league in tackles last season, corralling 88 over the span of 13 games. To go with it, he recovered a league leading four fumbles.

On the line of scrimmage, Sioux Falls was able to ink the physical Claude Davis to lead the front four. Davis finished 2018 with 29 tackles and two sacks.

Special Teams> In the special teams department, the team re-signed one of the best kickers in the IFL in Miles

Bergner.

The former South Dakota Coyote led the IFL in field goal percentage last season hitting at a 65% clip, and also outscored the rest of the league’s kickers.

Bergner tallied 143 of the Storm’s points last year.

Outlook> Sioux Falls added a valiant piece to its offense and returns some other key pieces to the roster. A regular season schedule with four games against perennial powers Iowa and Arizona means the Storm could help determine the number one seed. but they’ll definitely be around come playoff time.

Also on the Roster

SIOUX FALLS STORM DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

QB Tra’von Chapman RB/WR Harold Cooper Jr. WR Ridge Turner LB Daelin Young

Akron Rhode Island West Alabama West Texas A&M

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Lorenz o Brown Michael Whi tle y

Sioux Falls La keland

DL

Claude Da vis Sergio Phillips

Sou th Flo rida San Diego Sta te

RB

Darrian Miller Calen Campbell

Northern Iowa Lindenwood

NG

Jalen Cousar Brandon Robeson

Fa ye tte ville Sta te Salisbury

WR

Damian Fo rd Markis Sump ter

Stillman Wes tern New Mexico

DL

Desmond Jackson Charles Williams

Texas Northwood

WR

Ken t Shelb y Brandon Sheperd

McNeese Sta te Oklahoma Sta te

LB

T. J. Neal Dez min Reed

Illinois Appalachian Sta te

WR

John P ra ther Xa vier Hawkins

Carnegie Mellon Oregon Sta te

DB

Qumain Black DeShawn Ha thom

East Ca rolina Wes tern New Mexico

OL

Fo rres tal Hickman Mel vin Owens

Missouri S&T Mississippi Valle y Sta te

DB

Solomon St. Pierre Garre tt Reece-Sco tt

Sioux Falls Colorado Mesa

C

Dwa yne Orso-Bacchus

Oklahoma

DB

Eldrick Brigh t Branden Les ton

Wes tern New Mexico Wes tern Ken tucky

OL

Lawrence Martin IV Shaquille Wallen

Sou th Flo rida Mid America Naz arene

DB

Tre y Wa fford De Andre Sco tt

Middle Tennessee Sta te Akron

K

Miles Bergner

Sou th Dako ta

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 21

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 23

@ Cedar Rapids

SF Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Kurtiss Riggs

Mar. 02 Mar. 09

@ Nebraska

Mar. 16

@ Bismarck

Mar. 22

Quad City

Mar. 31 @ Arizona Apr. 06

@ Bismarck

Apr. 13 Apr. 20

Iowa

Apr. 27

Arizona

May 04

@ Quad City

May 11

Green Bay

May 18

Nebraska

May 24 June 01

San Diego

June 08

@ Iowa

June 15

Bismarck

It’s been two years since the Sioux Falls Storm hoisted a United Bowl championship trophy, and Kurtiss Riggs is the head man to try and get that trophy back to Sioux Falls. However, it’s going to be even tougher than ever before.

With four new teams joining the ranks of the IFL this season, and a barrage of other coachingplayer transactions, the league is as unfamiliar with itself as it ever was.

If there was a coach to do it, Riggs has shown that he is the guy.

Riggs enters his 17th season at

the helm of the Storm—a career that has tallied multiple championships, including 10 victories in the IFL’s United Bowl. He’s been the pinnacle of success when it comes to the league.

This year, he has opted to return less stars back to Sioux Falls to try and capture another title.

The question lies within Riggs’ ability to coach a similar group of players to the team he had last year that fell short of the title, and find a way to change and improve that result at the end of the 2019 season. Can Riggs do it with this group?

We shall see.

Page 22

New Year, New Team, New staff. That’s the story for the Tucson Sugar Skulls—like with other expansion clubs—this season. This might be the most intriguing one to watch out for of the new teams.

The Sugar Skulls are bringing together a staff with a lot of the integral pieces that took the Iowa Barnstormers to their first ever league championship.

Offense > Early on, it didn’t look like Tucson would sign many playmakers on offense, however, as the off-season grew older the team made some big moves.

Indoor veteran Bryan Hicks takes charge of the offense along with RB Shadrach Thornton in the back field.

Both players performed well

The Indoor Football Preview

D L K e i th J ones Jr .

last season and will be important for the Sugar Skulls’ success this season.

Defense > The team bolstered its defensive unit with free agent signing Keith Jones Jr. The St. Louis native comes to Tucson after spending the past two seasons with Iowa. On top of finishing third in the league in sacks, Jones Jr. was named to the 2018 All-IFL first team at defensive lineman.

Another player that joins Jones from Iowa this year will be Dee Maggitt Jr.—who returns to the IFL after a one-year hiatus from the game, He’ll provide a big spark for the team.

At LB, Tucson poached AllIFL second teamer Robert Metz from the Green Bay Bliz-

zard. In his first full season with the Blizzard, (he played the final three games of 2017) Metz was fifth in the IFL in 2018 in tackles for loss with 10.5. In comparison, his new teammate in Jones Jr. was first with 15.5.

Special Teams > At kicker, Tucson signed both James Naehu and Diego Marquez to compete for the spot.

Outlook > Tucson will get a little bit more time than others in the league to prepare for this year, as the team is on bye for Week 1. As far as their schedule goes, however, it’s loaded with opportunities. The Sugar

TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

Skulls have four matchups with their in-state rival, the Arizona Rattlers—who are coached by Tucson owner Kevin Guy— that are spaced out throughout the season. If that wasn’t enough, the Sugar Skulls host the defending champion Iowa on April 27. It’s a demanding schedule that features some tough tests, but don’t be surprised to see this team making waves by the end of the year.

The June 15 date against QC might turn out to be the most important game of the season.

Also on the Roster QB Tasleem Wilson RB/WR Tyler Ross WR Shaquan Curenton WR Donovan Rasberry LB Darius Morris OL Antonio Rosales K James Naehu

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Bryan Hicks Domonique Harris

Sou thweste rn Benedic t

DL

Kei th Jones Jr.

UT Martin

RB

Shadrach Thorn ton Mike Jones

North Ca rolina Sta te Be thune- Cookman

NG

Aaron Cha rleston Shalore Phillip

Washburn Widener

WR

Alex Whea t Jr. Bryan Miller

Utah Sta te Benedic t

DL

La Trez e Mushatt Rusmin Nikoce vic

Murra y Sta te Texas Sta te

WR

Brandon Sampson Tro y Gran t

Midwestern Sta te Abilene Chris tian

LB

Robert Me tz Tra Vaughn Paschal

Dixie Sta te Ken tucky

WR

Ja rid Brown Greg Jones

Wes tern Illinois Pima

DB

Dee Maggi tt Jr. Jonah Mc Cu tcheon

Hawaii Tuskegee

OL

Mike Mon tero An tonio Rosales

Fl orida In terna tional San Diego Sta te

DB

Kenne th James Carlos Anderson

Sou thern Illinois Portland Sta te

C

Tren ton Saunders Moses Mondesir

Fl orida In terna tional Wes t Texas A&M

DB

Micah Eugene Jr.

LSU

OL

Chancellor House Alex Rios

Iowa Weste rn East Tennessee Sta te

DB

Nigel Be thel Cam Gaddis

Texas Tech Pima

K

Diego Marquez

Miami

HOLD

Limestone Hutchinson Scottsdale Winston Salem State Carson-Newman San Diego State Bethel

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 23

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

TUC Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Marcus Coleman

Feb. 23 Mar. 03

@ San Diego

Mar. 10

Bismarck

Mar. 18

@ Arizona

Mar. 23 Mar. 31 San Diego Apr. 07

@ Nebraska

Apr. 14

Arizona

Apr. 20

@ Quad City

Apr. 27

Iowa

May 04

San Diego

May 09

@ San Diego

May 18

@ Bismarck

May 25

Arizona

June 01 June 08

@ Arizona

June 15

Quad City

After two years of being the defensive coordinator of the Iowa Barnstormers, Marcus Coleman has moved on. The former Texas Tech Red Raider and New York Jet has been named the head coach of the IFL’s new Tucson Sugar Skulls.

Over the course of two seasons with Iowa, Coleman earned a 26-7 mark as the Barnstormers’ defensive specialist. While in Iowa with Dixie Wooten, Coleman’s defense was the name of the game. The plays he called and the stars he produced were out of this world.

Iowa went from being irrelevant

to the best in the league, not to mention his star defensive back— Bryce Enyard—earned 2018 Indoor Football League Defensive Player of the Year. It was Coleman’s defense that was securing the wins week after week. Even Enyard credited the players and coaches around him—including Coleman—for creating the situation and the environment to make him such a force in the league.

Now, the spotlight is directly on Coleman. How will the decorated player control coach up a squad, and can he find as much success as he did in Iowa?

Page 24

It’s been a long offseason for the team that finished dead last in the IFL in 2018, but one of the most productive as well.

The team, under new ownership and management, has rebranded to the River Kings nickname and has shown major signs of progress to come this year.

Offense > Perhaps the most promising off-season news when it comes to the roster for Cedar Rapids is a return of a player amidst the changes we’ve seen all over. The River Kings chose to re-sign wide receiver Marquel Wade for the 2019 year.

The former Arkansas Razorback led the IFL last season in yards per game amongst receivers, tallying 65.9 yards per

The Indoor Football Preview

game.

Along with Wade, the River Kings retained another solid receiver in Javon Bell—who was fifth in the league in the same category—and added former Washington State WR Ricky Galvin, too.

The River Kings quarterback should have no issues finding talent to throw the ball to, the question remains, however, as to who that will be.

Cedar Rapids signed five QB’s over the course of the offseason and will enter the year with two on the roster in Kurt Palandech and Ben Wilkerson. Look for whoever wins that battle to have a good season throwing the ball.

Defense > The bright spot on the River Kings’ defense

comes with a pair of former teammates from Jacksonville University in LB Malik Slater and DB K.J. Jenkins.

Slater ended his career at Valdosta State, but while the two were at Jacksonville, they led the team to an 18-4 record.

It didn’t involve a PFL conference title, but at the very least these two know how to win.

Special Teams > Kicking for the team will be South African native Henry Nell, who earned second-team all-NAL while kicking for the Maine Mammoths a year ago. Nell earned player of the week in Week 6 of the NAL season in

CEDAR RAPIDS RIVER KINGS DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

2018 and included a drop kick in that performance.

Outlook > The River Kings open the season with a pair of matchups against Sioux Falls and Arizona, which won’t be an easy task. Not to mention Iowa is lurking for a back-to-back right around the corner.

Cedar Rapids has shown tremendous growth this offseason, and it could translate to the field well, but don’t be surprised to see them perform better later on in the season, when they aren’t playing some of the proven powerhouses.

Also on the Roster DB RB RB WR WR WR LB

Jason Johnson Na thaniel Cha vious Di von te Beale Jordan Smi th Jaron Moorer D’ Angelo Bowie Je ff Branch

Wes t Virginia Wes. Sacred Heart SW Minneso ta Sta te Tennessee Tech Clarion Wes tern New Mexico Presenta tion

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Kurt Palandech Ben Wil kerson

UNLV Al fred Sta te

DL

Bryce McClain Ryan Aelker

Shaw Blu ffon

RB

Ra ymond Ta ylor Kalif Phillips

Oklahoma Sta te North Ca rolina a t Charlo tte

NG

Eric Ban ford Isaiah Matthews

Wes tern Carolina North Dako ta Sta te C o f Sci

WR

Marquel Wade Khari Kimbrough

Arkansas Ma ys ville Sta te

DL

Derw yn Scales Ra fael Lamas

Sou theas tern College of the Desert

WR

Ja von Bell Deme trius Harper

Texas Tech Coe

LB

Maurice Daniels Malik Sla ter

New Mexico Valdos ta Sta te

WR

Ricke y Gal vin Damon Black Jr.

Washing ton Sta te Sain t Vincen t

DB

Tra von ti Johnson Na’Shawn Lewis

Cen tral Florida St. Francis

OL

Lenicio Noble Ja von Chris tian

San Diego Sta te Webber In terna tional

DB

Rick Rumph Nick Brassell

Wes t Virginia Ole Miss

C

K yle Saxelid Charles Walker

UNLV North Dako ta Sta te College of Sci.

DB

K.J. Jenkins La’ Darius Newbold

Jac kson ville Illinois Sta te

OL

Linwood Fo y

Louis ville

DB

Ricky Johnson Ta vion Garrison

Fo rt Valle y Sta te Cen tral Arkansas

K

Henry Nell

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 25

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 23

Sioux Falls

Mar. 03

@ Arizona

Mar. 09

San Diego

Mar. 15

Quad City

Head Coach: Mark Stoute

CR Opp W/L Score Score

Mar. 23 Mar. 30 Iowa Apr. 06

@ Iowa

Apr. 14

@ San Diego

Apr. 20

Bismarck

Apr. 26

@ Nebraska

May 04

@ Iowa

May 11 May 17

@ Quad City

May 25 June 01

Arizona

June 08

Green Bay

June 15

@ Green Bay

This season, along with the re-brand, the River Kings are slated to rock some new uniforms that include the re-coloring of the team. These jerseys are a major upgrade from what the Titans of the past were wearing—which for one season, didn’t even include a road uniform.

Two years ago, Mark Stoute completed his fourth year as head coach for the Cedar Rapids Titans.

His team had reached a careerbest win mark for Stoute, earning a 12-4 record over the 2016 season. The year ended with the same result as the last three seasons had: with a loss to Sioux Falls in the United Conference Championship game.

After the year, Stoute had explored jobs and decided to take a spot coaching in the newlyformed National Arena League for the Jacksonville Sharks. So there went Stoute, along with a plethora of talented players to the Sharks for the 2017 season. His new team started the year with an 8-0 mark before Stoute was unexplainably

fired. The team went on to win the inaugural NAL championship.

Although Stoute wasn’t the coach for it, he can be credited as the reason that team was so dominant.

Last season, Stoute took over a doomed, injury-ridden Nebraska Danger squad that couldn’t seem to escape bad news week after week.

Now, Stoute has the chance to turn things around. He’s leading a brand-new team into the flames of the IFL in a low-pressure situation. Not to mention, he has already confirmed former assistant Michael Custer to be back. With that and the re-brand, it’s all about opportunities for Stoute & company.

Page 26

The Indoor Football Preview

WR K e yva n Ru dd

Quad City Steamwheelers From the CIF to the IFL, the Quad City Steamwheelers have made a booming return to the indoor football ranks.

Once a largely successful AF2 franchise that went away when the second-tier league did. The team reopened its doors last season spending their first year back in the CIF. This year, team owner Doug Bland has moved his squad to the IFL in what promises to be an intriguing year.

Offense > Leading the offense for the second straight year in Quad City will be E.J. Hilliard for the Steamwheelers.

The former Valdosta State gunslinger finished in the top five in both yards per game and touchdowns last season in the CIF, helping the team to a

playoff appearance in their first year back on the field.

He’ll be aided by the return of receivers Keyvan Rudd and Quinton Pedroza. Both of the two finished in the top 20 in the CIF in yards per game and touchdowns last year.

Whether it will be good enough to compete in the IFL is still yet to be seen until the team takes the field, but at the very least the offense is familiar for Cory Ross’ team.

Defense > There’s a lot of unproven faces on Quad City’s defensive roster. One player returning that was a hit last season for the team is Shannon Winesberry.

The linebacker finished the year in second on the team with 60 tackles and will need to be a

Photo Credit: Rich Glancey/Pictureman Sports Photos strong piece of the defense if the Steamwheelers want to see the postseason once again.

Special Teams > Jacob Stytz is another familiar face returning to Quad City, kicking for the Steamwheelers again.

Stytz finished 2018 with an 80% conversion rate on extra point attempts, though he only converted 39% of his field goals.

If Stytz can improve on the field goal mark, there is no reason to believe he can’t be a solid kicker in the league this season.

Outlook > For their first

QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

year in the IFL, the Steamwheelers caught a bit of a break in their schedule with seven games against teams that finished with losing records last season and another pair of games against expansion teams.

That includes three of their last four games being against those teams that finished under .500 in 2018. If you want a sleeper team to sneak into the IFL playoffs this year, Quad City is the team to choose. Those three games could come into play in June.

Also on the Roster QB RB RB LB LB LB DB

Dillon Turner Isiah Neel y Darren Walker Shannon Winesberry Logan Larson-Smi th Robert Jones Lynn Williams

Dako ta Wesle yan Slippery Rock Minnesota Dulu th Rock Valle y N/ A N/ A Rock Valle y

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

E.J. Hilliard An thon y Ianno tti

Valdos ta Sta te Wisconsin-Whi tewa ter

DL

Da vid Perkins

Illinois Sta te

RB

Carlos Wiggins (also a WR) Richard Mon tgome ry

New Mexico Idaho

NG

An thon y Prui tt Gare tt Oden

Ken t Sta te Alabama Sta te

WR

Ke yvan Rudd Chris topher Lewis

Minnesota Sta te Manka to Sou th Alabama

DL

Perez Fo rd (also a LB) Kewan Al fred

Northern Illinois Memphis

WR

Quin ton Pedroz a Hussien Scott

Hawaii Wes tern Illinois

LB

La’Kel Bass Chris tian Jacobs

Texas -San An tonio McNeese Sta te

WR

Darius Hic ks Andre Ta ylor Jr.

Lincoln Pi ttsburgh Sta te

DB

Danz el McDaniel Evere tt Nicholas V

Kansas Sta te Mississippi Valle y Sta te

OL

Ehijele Ubuane Chance Dollahi te

Morgan Sta te Sou thern Oregon

DB

Darnell Walker Jr. Malik Duncan

Langs ton St. Francis

C

Darius Crosb y Edward Beason

DuPage N/ A

DB

Demareo Marr Joseph Bloun t Jr.

Ole Miss Cen tral Sta te

OL

Connor Hart

Robert Morris

DB

Leona rd Smi th Kei th Lewis

Iowa Cen tral Vi rginia U o f Lynchburg

K

Jacob Stytz

Augus tana

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 27

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 22

San Diego

Mar. 03

Iowa

QC Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Cory Ross

Mar. 09 Mar. 15

@ Cedar Rapids

Mar. 22 @ Sioux Falls Mar. 29

Green Bay

Apr. 05

@ Green Bay

Apr. 13 Apr. 20

Tucson

Apr. 28

@ Bismarck

May 04

Sioux Falls

May 11

@ Iowa

May 17

Cedar Rapids

May 24

@ Nebraska

June 01 June 07

Bismarck

June 15

@ Tucson

Cory Ross will return to the Quad City Steamwheelers for his second season after a successful first year in the CIF. In his first campaign, Ross led the Steamwheelers to an 8-4 record, which was also the team’s first year back too.

Ross brings a plethora of experience with him to the team. As a player, he appeared in the CPIFL late in his career, as well as years in the CFL and NFL with the Baltimore Ravens.

From there, Ross coached the Lincoln Haymakers—the same team he played for in the CPIFL—for two years. After Lin-

coln, he stayed in the Midwest and took charge of the Omaha Beef in the CIF—where his team made the championship game for the first time since 2003.

With a pair of seven-win seasons in his final two years with Omaha as well as the 8-4 mark in Quad City last year, it’s evident that Ross knows how to win and can do it anywhere.

That’s exactly what the Steamwheelers need coming into the year that promises to be a tough one. His team could be the biggest example of what the bridge is between a good CIF team and a successful IFL one.

Page 28

The Indoor Football Preview

K Co d y B a r ber

Green Bay Blizzard The Green Bay Blizzard are back again on the field. The goal has had for each of the past five years remains the same: trying to reverse history and finish over .500 for the first time since 2012.

Before this rough stretch of Blizzard history, Green Bay was a successful franchise year in and year out. 2019 is another shot for the Blizzard to try & get back to the glory days.

Offense > The Green Bay offensive signings for a year was a bit lackluster compared to some in the rest of the league, which could spell doom if the Blizzard don’t figure out how to utilize their talent.

The bright spot for the team will come from the backfield in running back Imani Cross. The

former Nebraska Husker rushed for 1606 yards in his career and made a big impact for the team in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl.

It was his final game as a Cornhusker and he helped lead his team to a 35-29 win over UCLA with 62 yards & a TD. Since the IFL is the heaviest running league of the indoor leagues in the nation, the Blizzard could look to utilize Cross as much as they can. He could end up being one of the best in the league if used properly.

Defense > There was more adversity for the Blizzard in the off-season as the team lost breakout linebacker Robert Metz to Tucson. However, the roster doesn't look like a slouch. The secondary unit will again be led by IFL Hall of

Famer B.J. Hill. Hill has set records on records in the league and can be a great mentor for Jadar Johnson and Isaiah Brown—who both are bright spots having played at familiar schools.

Special Teams > At the special teams spot, the Blizzard signed one of the more accurate kickers in the IFL to return to the team this year in Cody Barber. Barber first played for the team midway through last season after being released from Iowa, despite having the second best field goal percentage in the league. Now, Barber is slated to be one of the best. With Sawyer

GREEN BAY BLIZZARD DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

Petre not re-signing with Arizona, Barber will have a great shot at leading the league in the kicking game in 2019.

Outlook > It will be a test for GB to get through the first three weeks of the season with stretches against powerhouses Iowa and Arizona. If they go 03 or even 1-2, the task will be resetting things going into three straight matchups with expansion teams. Find a way to string some wins together there and the playoffs won’t be a pipe dream like they have been for Blizzard.

Also on the Roster RB OL OL OL DL DL

Kamal Cass Joseph Kupcikevicius Jus tin Cook Jahlil Ma this -Ellis Karsman Johnson Kee vin Aus tin

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Leno rris Foo tman Jus tin Billio t

Alcorn Sta te Wes tmins ter

DL

Michael Smi th Teko Powell

Sou thern Mississippi UAB

RB

Imani Cross Rameses Owens

Nebraska Robert Morris

NG

Sil ve rberry Mouhon Deldrick Can ty

Cincinna ti Louisiana Tech

WR

Kez low Smith Keshaun Ta yl or

La keland Mars Hill

DL

Brandon Boudreau x True tt Box

Tro y Chadron Sta te

WR

Ja red Garcia Marquis Warford

Concordia Alcorn Sta te

LB

Ma tt Zakrz ewski Da yshawn Ta ylor

Indiana Sou th Ca rolina Sta te

WR

Le vi Copelin

Pi ttsburgh Sta te

DB

B. J. Hill Joe Powell

Ball Sta te Oklahoma

OL

Vincen t Calhoun Khalil Hun te r

Minnesota Louis ville

DB

Jada r Johnson Bakari Triggs

Clemson Lindenwood

C

Zachary Fondal Richard Duncan-Murph y

Kansas Maris t

DB

Marquez Gollman Isaiah Brown

Grand Valle y Sta te New Mexico

OL

Robert Ma rco Jon te Berry

Washburn Northweste rn Oklahoma Sta te

DB

Kei th Tru mps Dono van Jackson

Tuskegee Morgan Sta te

K

Cod y Barber

Coolidge HS ( AZ)

HOLD

Eastern New Mexico Az usa Pacific Mars Hill Texas Sou thern Fa ulkner Nassau CC

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 29

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 24

Arizona

Mar. 01

Nebraska

Mar. 09

@ Iowa

GB Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Corey Roberson Photo Credit: Matt Hinshaw

Mar. 16 Mar. 24

@ San Diego

Mar. 29 @ Quad City Apr. 05

Quad City

Apr. 13

Nebraska

Apr. 20

@ Nebraska

Apr. 29 May 04

Bismarck

May 11

@ Sioux Falls

May 19

Iowa

May 25 June 01

@ Bismarck

June 08

@ Cedar Rapids

June 15

Cedar Rapids

When looking at the Green Bay Blizzard’s history of coaches, there hasn’t been a lot of upside since Robert Fuller was awarded as the IFL’s coach of the year following an 11-3 season that put the Blizzard into the conference championship. Fuller led the team to that spot in back-to-back years, but after that, things went downhill, quickly.

Fuller was let go after starting the 2013 year with a 1-5 mark. No one has been able to reverse the dreadful spell since.

Chris Baldwin finished his time in Green Bay with a 3-11

mark, Tommie Williams went 814. and Chris Williams followed it up with an 8-29 mark over his career with the Blizzard. It, to say the least, has not been glamourous.

Corey Roberson took over the team after five games a year ago and ended his first season with a 2 -7 record. Now, he’s tasked with trying to improve this Green Bay team and end the playoff drought.

Roberson has a few bright spots on his squad. If he can’t figure out a way to use them, it could be another long year up north.

Page 30

The Indoor Football Preview

Nebraska Danger The Nebraska Danger are coming off of a 4-11 season.

However, the team hopes to keep its six-year playoff streak alive with a rejuvenated roster and new coaching staff in 2019.

Offense > The new-look roster starts right at the forefront of the unit with the offseason signing heard around the state. Former Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. will be leading the charge in the state where he made his name. This should be a great sign for Danger fans.

Armstrong Jr. ranks first in Nebraska history in career yards and career touchdowns, among other records.

Not to mention, he will have a big target to throw to in Gregory Dent Jr. Dent Jr. is

the leading returning reciever for the Danger, tallying 10 touchdowns and also 531 receiving yards—good for 8th in the league.

Defense > Nebraska’s offense looks solid. That will be crucial to help them try and win games this season. On the opposite side of the ball, the pickings are slim.

The Danger had to replace a majority of their defense, which didn’t perform well in 2018.

They had to find some new talent—one of which was Seyvon Lowry, out of UCF. Lowry was a part of the 2017 undefeated team at the school and helped lead them to the Peach Bowl win over Auburn.

Special Teams > At the

QB To mm y Ar ms tr on g Photo Credit: University of Nebraska Athletics kicking spot, the Danger signed Jarod Haynes out of East Central University—where he was a two-sport athlete in football and swimming & diving. *ECU’s S&D team earned four straight national championships while Haynes’ was a member of the team.

It will be Haynes first year kicking in the IFL. Outlook > It’s quite the rarity to see a team go 4-10 and still make the playoffs, but nevertheless, the Danger accomplished that feat in a six-team IFL. This year, though, it is going to be a bit tougher.

For the Danger to succeed,

NEBRASKA DANGER DEPTH CHART Offense

Defense

they will need to take care of business against teams like Bismarck, Quad City and San Diego. They also need to find a way to sneak in an upset if they want to keep the playoff streak alive. They managed one last year against Iowa in Week 6.

The big question for this season is if they can do pull an upset again.

Look for the possibility of a solid, six-game stretch after Nebraska faces Iowa. The six games after that are definitely big chances for Nebraska to find wins.

Also on the Roster QB RB WR WR DL

Jo van te Seard Breon Allen Malcom Gran t Eric Thomas Byron Cooper

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Tomm y Arms trong Jr. Brandon Preas ter

Nebraska Pi ttsburgh

DL

Dasmine Ca the y Brad Du ru

Memphis Sco ttsdale CC

RB

Quince y Walden (also a WR) Tro y Evans Jr. (also a WR)

Be thel Marshall

NG

Se yvon Lowry Keon tae Cha vies

Cen tral Florida Be than y

WR

Gregory Den t Jr. Tyler Jones

Valdos ta Sta te Cen tral Missouri

DL

Chris Martin Michael Brooks Jr.

Fl orida Alcorn Sta te

WR

Chip Ree ves Jr. Don ta Arms trong

Tro y Wes t Alabama

LB

Camnik Ca mpbell La’Mo re Wise

East Cen tral Northeas tern Sta te

WR

Noah Housh Ta va ris McCormick

Has tings Tro y

DB

Najee Brigh t Clarence Coun ts

Alabama Sta te Graceland

OL

Adolphus Barnes Raphael Smile y

Eastern Illinois Langs ton

DB

Marcus McCo y Paul Robinson

Upper Iowa Pi ttsburgh Sta te

C

Adonis Cruz Donell And rews

Che yne y Sain t Augus tine’s

DB

Ja mal Blackwell Jason Baxter

Wes t Alabama Sou th Ca rolina Sta te

OL

Zach Ta ylor Ta ylor Warner

Bre vard NE Oklahoma A&M

DB

Le va rious Varnado Kalik Williams

Louisiana La fe ye tte The Ci tadel

K

Ja rod Ha ynes

HOLD

Clarion Snow Alcorn Sta te Tro y Widener

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 31

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 23

Bismarck

Mar. 01

@ Green Bay

Mar. 09

Sioux Falls

NEB Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Pig Brown

Mar. 16 Mar. 23

Iowa

Mar. 30 @ Bismarck Apr. 06

Tucson

Apr. 13

@ Green Bay

Apr. 20

Green Bay

Apr. 26

Cedar Rapids

May 04

@ Arizona

May 11 May 18

@ Sioux Falls

May 24

Quad City

June 01 June 07

@ San Diego

June 15

@ Iowa

The Nebraska Danger finished the 2018 season with a 4-10 record. It was their worst finish since the team’s inaugural season, in which the Danger finished the year with a 3-11 mark.

However, the team still qualified for the playoffs.

They ultimately lost to the Iowa Barnstormers 48-17 in the conference championship last season.

That game technically continued the Danger’s streak of six straight playoff trips, but it certainly wasn't how the franchise was looking to get there. This year, the Danger are hoping for a different result. They have moved

forward with the hiring of newlyinducted IFL Hall of Famer Pig Brown.

Brown was the defensive coordinator during 2018 and was later promoted to co-interim coach during the middle of the season.

During his time as a player in the IFL, Brown accumulated the second most amount of tackles all -time in the league. He also set the record for sacks in a season when he earned nine during 2014.

We’ll see if Brown can apply the same success to an entire team as he had as a player in the league.

The good news is, that if there was any player to model a team after, Brown is a good one.

Page 32

The Indoor Football Preview

QB D er r ic k Ber na r d

San Diego Strike Force The 10th and final team announced for the 2019 Indoor Football League season came just a few days ahead of the schedule release.

The San Diego Strike Force are led by president Greg Anderson as they try to expand and establish the league in the western part of the country.

Offense > It took a little while into the offseason, but the new expansion team managed to make some waves on the rest of the free agent market. The Strike Force first signed quarterback Derrick Bernard to head the offense for the team.

2019 marks his first appearance in the IFL since he threw for 17 touchdowns in eight games for the Nebraska Danger in 2017.

If he can improve those numbers just a tad, then San Diego will set off for a good first year.

Of course, that will depend on the weapons the team can put around him. The Strike Force are sparing no efforts to make sure they find the right ones. The team signed 11 wide receivers to go into training camp with. One or two of them are bound to be stars, right?

Defense > San Diego’s defensive brigade is led by Kenric Young Jr. out of Utah.

Young Jr. played three years of wide receiver for the Utes before making the transition to defensive back.

He only grabbed one pick during the ____ season, but impressed scouts enough to eventually earn a mini-camp tryout with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

Special Teams > Like a majority of their roster, the Strike Force went local on a

Photo Credit: Iris Photography good amount of their signings the Strike Force will face the this year. The kicker spot is no other western teams with the different. Dominick Grimm likes of Tucson and Arizona. will likely be putting it through San Diego will be matching the uprights for the team out of up with both Tucson and ArizoCalifornia Lutheran. Grimm na, playing each of them four mostly punted in college, but he times throughout the year in has a shot to show off his what is sure to cause some strong leg in San Diego. chippiness and rivalry between Outlook > The Strike Force the three teams fron the region. will start out the season with Whether or not the Strike one of the most intriguing Force have a successful first games of the year, which just year in the league could deterhappens to be the league’s first. mine the league’s future sucThe team takes on Quad City cess out West. on the road in one of its longest road trips on the year and will Also on the Roster look to take down one of the WR David Carter Seton Hill other new teams.

WR Marques Rodgers Western New Mexico Over the rest of the season, WR Julian Stafford K Marcus Diaz K Ernesto Lacayo

SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE STRIKE FORCE Offense

Mississippi Valley State San Diego Mesa Hastings

Defense

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

Derrick Bernard Jiha Ve rcher

Sul Ross Sta te Ti ffin

DL

Kori Hu rd ll Brian Khoury

Ariz ona Chris tian Carnegie Mellon

RB

Ja reke Arms trong Jr. George Moreira Jr

San Diego Illinois Sta te

NG

Je ffe ry Bradle y

New Mexico

WR

Cory Bu tler- Byrd Rashad Ridle y

Utah Sou th Dako ta School of M& T

DL

Terrence Fullum

Richmond

WR

Tyler Cooperwood Tra y Boone

Utah Dickinson Sta te

LB

Lonnie Bickham lll Mikell Mair

Sou thweste rn CC Texas A&M Comme rce

WR

Daniel Walsh Tro y McCo rmick Jr. (also a RB)

TCU Utah

DB

Amess Ikner Timo th y Mo ten

Middle Tennessee Sta te Benedic tine

OL

Quen tyn Jackson Isaiah Folasa- Lu tui

North Park New Mexico Sta te

DB

Cod y Smi th Sean Po tts - Harris

Ariz ona Co ffe yville CC

C

Zian Jones (also a DL) Ro yce Roxas

Syracuse Ci trus

DB

Kenric Young Jr. Emanuel Wya tt

Utah Ariz ona Chris tian

OL

Fa leaoga Russell (also a DL)

Lincoln

DB

Tyrie Mack

Eastern Michigan

K

Dominick Grim m

Cali fornia Lu theran

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 33

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 22

@ Quad City

Mar. 03

Tucson

Mar. 09

@ Cedar Rapids

SD Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Burt Grossman

Mar. 16 Mar. 24

Green Bay

Mar. 31 @ Tucson Apr. 06

@ Arizona

Apr. 14

Cedar Rapids

Apr. 21

Arizona

Apr. 27 May 04

@ Tucson

May 09

Tucson

May 18

Arizona

May 25 June 01

@ Sioux Falls

June 09

Nebraska

June 15

@ Arizona

Photo Credit: Richard Tieman, The F.A.N. Show

After hiring 2018 NAL coach of the year Ameer Ismail in the early part of the off-season, the Strike Force organization would have to change its plans, as Ismail accepted a better offer to remain in the NAL. Choice No. 2 was former San Diego Charger Burt Grossman.

Grossman comes into the IFL as the only head coach without any professional head coaching experience, however, he has been around football for his entire life.

Grossman is well known in the San Diego community for his work with youth programs and

donations he’s made since his NFL career came to an end.

"Not only did he prove and establish himself on the field as a player here in San Diego, but more importantly he's done some incredible things in the community and he's exactly the kind of leader we wanted for the Strike Force,” team president Greg Anderson said in a press release when Grossman was hired.

The questions now turns into whether Grossman will be successful in the record books as he’s been everywhere else in his football life.

Page 34

The Indoor Football Preview

Bismarck Bucks The Bismarck Bucks moved to the IFL along with three other expansion teams over the 2018-19 offseason. Though they waited a bit longer than most to make moves and sign players, Bismarck has put together a relatively solid roster for its first season in the league.

Offense > It starts with the quarterback position, where John Gibbs and Homer Causey will compete for the top spot. Both Gibbs and Causey bring good numbers from their pasts. At Alcorn State, Gibbs helped the Braves to a SWAC championship, throwing for 2,482 yards and 21 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Causey, on the other hand, threw for 761 yards over six games during the 2014 season at Texas Southern. He also got his feet wet in the IFL with

Green Bay a season ago.

In the backfield, running back Dareyon Chance will be the leading candidate to carry the ball for the Bucks.

Chance played under coach P.J. Fleck while at Western Michigan and could provide a big spark for Bismarck. He will likely be paired with indoor veteran Mike Tatum. With those two, the team has a real chance to do some work on the offensive side of the ball.

Defense > The Bucks will be looking for a big spark on the defensive side to help take control of the defense. It’s a spot that will remain wide open until potentially after training camp or through part of the season. Antoine Albert out of Cal could be one that takes that role. He played DB at the school when Jared Goff was in

Photo Credit: Quad City Steamwheelers the prime of his college career.

Other than that, the defense may need some help.

Special Teams > Blake Levin will be handling the kicking duties out of Faulkner.

Levin transferred there after a stint with the Mid-American Conference’s Bowling Green State Falcons.

Outlook > It’s no secret that the first year in the IFL will be a tough one for Bismarck. In their first two years in the CIF—the neighboring Midwest indoor league—Bismarck finished each year with 5-7 marks.

It was good enough to make two straight trips to the

Also on the Roster QB RB RB RB WR

BISMARCK BUCKS DEPTH CHART Offense

playoffs. If they don’t make a big jump, they’ll be lucky to finish the year with five wins— even with a 14-game schedule.

The good news for the Bucks is that two of the team’s three bye weeks come in the first five weeks of the season. If the Bucks can get even one win in the first three games of the season, it will be big.

Whether it be on the road in their first two matchups or a victory in their home opener over Sioux Falls, an early win would give Bismarck a plus at the start of a tough schedule.

Defense

Ronald Johnson De vion Young Pres ton Hamle tte Dian tae Thomas DLron Sim mons

Concordia Asa College Ma yville Sta te Carson-Newman Lac kawanna

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

POS

NAME

COLLEGE

QB

John Gibbs Home r Cause y

Alcorn Sta te Texas Sou thern

DL

Aaron Berg Stephon Hall

North Dako ta Minnesota West

RB

Dare yon Chance Je ff Mackll

Wes tern Michigan Long Island

NG

Ja merron Johnson Quin tin Pri vo tt

Sou thweste rn Fi tchburg Sta te

WR

Brand ynn Clark DeCeon Schumann

Missouri Western Concordia

DL

Ja martae Brown Makini Manu

Ma yville Sta te Ri ve rside Ci ty

WR

Mike Ta tum Ni ko Shellow

Oxnard Allan Hancock

LB

D’ Von ta Derrico tt Howard Stephens Jr.

Eastern Ken tucky Shorte r

WR

William Gi bbs Gl yn Borel

Hous ton Mino t Sta te

DB

Derrick Dyer Michael Jenkins

Se ton Hall

OL

Wondell Ru tledge Emmanuel Koleosho (also a DL)

Toledo College of the Can yons

DB

An toine Albert An twan Smi th

Cali fornia Dickinson Sta te

C

Khasmere Blakne y John Tongilia va (also a DL)

Lac kawanna Ma yville Sta te

DB

Margo Reed Brandon Baile y

Sou th Alabama Sa vannah Sta te

OL

Tyler Wisniewski Ono Ta fisi

N/ A Adams Sta te

DB

Bill y Kellogg

Sou thweste rn Oklahoma Sta te

K

Blake Le vin

Fa ulkner

HOLD

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 35

2 019 Regular Season Schedule Date

Opponent

Feb. 23

@ Nebraska

Mar. 02 Mar. 10

@ Tucson

Mar. 16

Sioux Falls

Mar. 23 Mar. 30 Nebraska Apr. 06

Sioux Falls

Apr. 14

Iowa

Apr. 20

@ Cedar Rapids

Apr. 28

Quad City

May 04

@ Green Bay

May 11 May 18

Tucson

May 24

@ Iowa

June 01

Green Bay

June 07

@ Quad City

June 15

@ Sioux Falls

BIS Opp W/L Score Score

Head Coach: Rod Miller As the Bismarck Bucks make the transition from the CIF to the IFL, Rod Miller is hoping to ease the jump as smooth as possible for his team.

Miller, a long-time coach in the indoor game, brings 20 years of experience with him to Bismarck. The Omaha, Nebraska native has spent time with the AFL’s Philadelphia Soul and Cleveland Gladiators, the CIF’s Omaha Beef and Wichita Force, and most recently was the head coach of AFL China’s Qingdao Clippers.

Miller knows how hard the jump will be from the CIF to the IFL as well. He spoke to the Bismarck Tribune in an interview days after taking the head coaching job for the Bucks this year.

“I think the biggest difference would be line play,” Miller told the Tribune in a story. “There are very good players in both, but I think you see better line play in the IFL.” The Bucks have a long way to go, but it bodes well that Mil-

ler was able to land the IFL’s alltime leader in all-purpose yardage in Mike Tatum. That could turn out to be one of the biggest signings in the league this off-season.

The Bucks have a good leader in Miller, and for what they were expected to get in the off-season this year, it looks like they’ve got a pretty good fit for the 2019 campaign.

Let’s just wait and see if it translates to wins on the field.

Volume 1, Issue 1

Where to find us!

Thanks again for reading the 2019 Indoor Football Preview. We hoped to bring you the best coverage of the sport in this book and also online. Keep up with my social media to stay informed.

Facebook.com / connorferg9 Twitter.com / cfchangs9 connorferg9@yahoo.com

AUTOGR APHS

Thanks to our sponsors!