Bluegrass Warhorses | |
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Established 2013 Folded 2014 Played in Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky | |
League/conference affiliations | |
Continental Indoor Football League (2014)
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Current uniform | |
Team colors | Blue, Red & White |
Personnel | |
Owner(s) | JaQuar Sanders |
Head coach | Harry Lewis |
Team history | |
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Championships | |
League championships (0) | |
Conference championships (0) | |
Division championships (0) | |
Home arena(s) | |
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The Bluegrass Warhorses were a professional indoor American football team based in Lexington, Kentucky. The team joined the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2014 as an expansion team. The Warhorses were the second indoor football team based in Lexington. (The Kentucky Horsemen of the United Indoor Football and af2 were the first.) The owner of the Warhorses is JaQuar Sanders. The Warhorses played their home games at the Alltech Arena inside of Kentucky Horse Park but were forced to cancel their last four home games "due to unpaid arena rent and other bills". [1]
The franchise was first announced in May 2013. It announced that the Warhorses would be playing at the Alltech Arena on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park. [2] In July, it was announced the Warhorses would be a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. [3] [4] Harry Lewis was introduced in August as the team's first head coach. [5] With former University of Kentucky quarterback, Shane Boyd leading the Warhorses, [6] they fell to the Northern Kentucky River Monsters 20–36, in what became an internet sensation game, due to Jared Lorenzen's 320-pound quarterback play. [7] The team fell into financial problems halfway through the season, cancellation of their four remaining home dates, and moving the league to seek new ownership for a possible 2015 season. [1] [8]
Bluegrass Warhorses roster | ||||||
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
| Defensive backs
Kickers
| Injured reserve
Exempt list
Practice squad
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Note: Statistics are correct through Week 12 of the 2014 Continental Indoor Football League season.
Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
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W | L | T | Win% | W | L | |||
Harry Lewis | 2014-present | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | 0 | 0 |
Bluegrass Warhorses staff | ||||||
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Front office
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League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card Berth | League Leader |
Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||||
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Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||||
2014 | 2014 | CIFL | South | 4th | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||||
Totals | 1 | 7 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2014) | |||||||
0 | 0 | - | All-time postseason record (2014) | ||||||||
1 | 7 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2014) | ||||||||
Jared Raymond Lorenzen was an American football quarterback and administrator who played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons with the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Kentucky, where he set the school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, and was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004. At 285 lb (129 kg), Lorenzen was the heaviest quarterback to play in the NFL. He was nicknamed "The Pillsbury Throwboy" and "Hefty Lefty" because of his weight and being left-handed.
The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL). It was formed by Jeff Spitaleri, his brother Eric, and a third member, Cory Trapp, all from the Canton, Ohio, area.
The Port Huron Pirates were a professional indoor football team based in Port Huron, Michigan. The team was a charter member of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL) joining the league in 2006 as an expansion team. The Pirates were the first professional indoor football team to be based in Port Huron. They played their home games at McMorran Arena in Port Huron, Michigan.
Shane Boyd is a former American football quarterback. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. Boyd was also a member of the Cologne Centurions, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Montreal Alouettes, California Redwoods, Indianapolis Colts, Sacramento Mountain Lions, Milwaukee Mustangs, Tampa Bay Storm, Portland Thunder, Bluegrass Warhorses, San Antonio Talons, Arizona Rattlers, Cleveland Gladiators and Baltimore Brigade.
The Cincinnati Commandos were a professional indoor football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team suspended operations for the 2013 season, with hope of returning in 2014. They began play in 2010 as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League before moving to the United Indoor Football League in 2012. The Commandos then left the UIFL after winning Ultimate Bowl II and re-joined the CIFL, but never took the field after its announcement. The Commandos were the fifth arena or indoor football in Cincinnati, after the Cincinnati Rockers, Cincinnati Swarm, Cincinnati Marshals, and Cincinnati Jungle Kats. The owners of the Commandos are Dennis Whitman and Paul Napier. The Commandos played their home games at Cincinnati Gardens.
The Kentucky Drillers were a professional indoor football team based in Pikeville, Kentucky. The franchise started as the Eastern Kentucky Drillers and joined the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2013 after playing their first two seasons as a charter member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) for its inaugural 2011 season. The owner of the Drillers was Rick Kranz. The Drillers played their home games at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville, Kentucky.
The Marion Blue Racers were a professional indoor football team based in Marion, Ohio. The Blue Racers began play as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2011, before moving to the United Indoor Football League (UIFL) for the 2012 season. The Blue Racers returned to the CIFL in 2013. The team had announced that it would be joining the Xtreme Indoor Football League (XIFL) for the 2014, but later re-signed with the CIFL. During the 2015 season, the Blue Racers played as members of X-League Indoor Football.
The 2011 Northern Kentucky River Monsters season was the first season for the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise. Announced as a startup team for the newly formed Ultimate Indoor Football League in 2010, the team was purchased by Jill Chitwood from the UIFL in February 2011. Just a week before the season began, team General Manager, Jared Lorenzen, relieved himself of his duties as general manager, and became the quarterback for the franchise. In the River Monsters first ever game they defeated the Canton Cougars by a score of 63–41. With a Week 9 win over the Saginaw Sting, the River Monsters had clinched a postseason berth in their first season, clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. After wrapping up the season, the UIFL had discovered that the River Monsters had been paying their players over the league's salary cap. The UIFL stripped the River Monsters of the #1 seed and made them the #4 seed, taking away the River Monster's chance to earn playoff money. The River Monster now traveled to Saginaw, Michigan to play the Sting, where the Sting upset the River Monsters 48–47. On June 6, 2011, it was announced that the UIFL and the River Monsters mutually agreed to part ways, leaving the team free to join another league. However, the UIFL had a lease agreement with the arena, which hampered the likelihood the River Monsters would play in Highland Heights in 2012. The team had been mentioned as a charter member Stadius Football Association, but that league never got off the ground.
The Northern Kentucky River Monsters were a professional indoor football team based in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The River Monsters began play as a charter member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) for its inaugural 2011 season spending one season in the UIFL before reaching an agreement with league management to leave. After a two-year hiatus, the River Monsters returned in 2014 as a member of the South Division of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The River Monsters played their home games at The Bank of Kentucky Center. On June 6, 2011, it was announced that the UIFL and the River Monsters mutually agreed to part ways, leaving the team free to join another league. However, the UIFL had a lease agreement with the arena, which hampered the likelihood the River Monsters would play in Highland Heights in 2012. The team had been mentioned as a charter member Stadius Football Association in 2012, but that league never got off the ground. The team suspended operations on October 1, 2014.
The Owensboro Rage, formerly the Evansville Rage, was a professional indoor football team based in Owensboro, Kentucky. The team was a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. The Rage joined the CIFL in 2012 as an expansion team. The Rage were the first indoor football team to be based in Owensboro. The Rage were founded in 2011 by David Reed. Reed stepped down as President and General Manager in March 2012 due to lack of funds. In 2013 the owner of the Rage became Melissa Logsdon. The Rage played their home games at The Next Level Sports Facility.
The Louisville Xtreme were an indoor football team based in Louisville, Kentucky, with home games at the KFC Yum! Center. They began play as the Kentucky Xtreme in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2013 and 2014. Midway through the 2014 CIFL season, the league removed the team's membership and the Xtreme temporarily suspended operations. After playing the 2015 season in the semi-professional Minor League Football Alliance (MLFA), the team rebranded as the Louisville Xtreme in 2017. In 2020, the Xtreme were added to the American Arena League (AAL) but cancelled its season citing the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2021 season, the Xtreme were announced to be joining the National Arena League, but instead joined the Indoor Football League three months later.
The Kane County Dawgs were a professional indoor American football team based in Kane County, Illinois. The team joined the Continental Indoor Football League in 2013 as an expansion team. The Dawgs were one of three indoor football teams based in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League are based in Rosemont, and the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League are based in Hoffman Estates. The CIFL has had the Chicago Pythons which replaced the Chicago Knights, formerly the Chicago Cardinals, as the Illinois-based CIFL team, which replaced the Slaughter after they left for the Indoor Football League after a dispute with CIFL management. The Owners of the Dawgs are Mike Dortch and Macey Brooks. The Dawgs played their home games at the Seven Bridges Ice Arena in 2013.
The Detroit Thunder was a professional indoor football team based in Fraser, Michigan. The team was a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. The Thunder were the third indoor football team to have called the Motor City home, following two Arena Football League teams: the four-time ArenaBowl champion Detroit Drive (1988–1993) and the Detroit Fury (2001–2004). In addition, a team called the Motor City Reapers was proposed for the 2007 CIFL season, but the team folded before ever playing a single game. The Thunder were owned by Terrence and Lawrence Foster.
The 2013 Owensboro Rage season was the second and final season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise.
The 2013 Continental Indoor Football League season will be the Continental Indoor Football League's eighth overall season. The regular season will start on Friday February 8, with the Marion Blue Racers visiting the Saginaw Sting at the Dow Event Center, and will end with the 2013 CIFL Championship Game, the league's championship game being held on, or around, May 18. The league approved the expansion of the playoff format from four teams to six teams.
The 2014 Continental Indoor Football League season was the Continental Indoor Football League's ninth overall season. The regular season started on Monday February 3, with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters visiting the Bluegrass Warhorses at the Alltech Arena, and ended with the 2014 CIFL Championship Game, the league's championship game held on May 18.
The 2014 Marion Blue Racers season was the fourth season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise.
The 2014 Bluegrass Warhorses season is the first season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise.
The 2014 Northern Kentucky River Monsters season was the second and final season for the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) franchise.
The Alltech Arena is a 5,517-seat multi-purpose arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The facility, named for the title sponsor Alltech, opened on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park in July 2009. It was originally constructed for the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.