Canton Cougars

Last updated
Canton Cougars
Established 2010
Folded 2012
Played in Canton, Ohio
at the Canton Memorial Civic Center
CantonCougars.PNG
League/conference affiliations
Ultimate Indoor Football League (2011)
Current uniform
Team colorsBlack, Gold, Red    
MascotCujo Da Cougar
CheerleadersCougar Kittens
Personnel
General managerRobb Bickis
Head coachPaul Farrah
Team history
  • Canton Cougars (2011)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The Canton Cougars were a professional indoor football team based in Canton, Ohio. The team began play in 2011 as a charter member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) for its inaugural 2011 season. The Cougars played their home games at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. The Cougars were Canton's second indoor football team; their first since the American Indoor Football Association's Canton Legends, which played from 2005 until 2008 (winning the AIFL championship in 2006).

Contents

History

2011

The Cougars were formed by the head of the Ultimate Indoor Football League, Andrew Haines. [1] Haines made the hire of Rashan Hall to become the Cougars first ever head coach. [2] The Cougars played their first ever game on February 20, 2011 against the Huntington Hammer, a game in which the Cougars lost 41-26. [3] With the team getting off to a rough 0-3 start, Haines issued a guarantee to the people of Canton, saying that the revamped Cougars roster would defeat the Saginaw Sting during their week 4 meeting. [4] The Cougars didn't make their owner a liar, defeating the Sting 53-52. [5] Their victory over the Sting proved to be the lone bright spot for the Cougars, who would lose 9 straight before firing their Hall, and replacing him with Paul Farrah. [6] Farrah would lose the game, with less than a week to prepare. The Cougars finished with a 1-13 record, and finished last in the UIFL.

2012

On June 16, 2011, it was announced that Michael Taylor and Andrew Hines had sold their controlling state in the Cougars to Tim Clark. [7] Clark was the former owner of the Johnstown Generals, but the commute was becoming a hassle. Once he gained ownership, he made several personnel changes including, naming Paul Farrah as its new head coach. Farrah was recently hired as the director of football operations. He also hired Canton South High School head coach Mo Daniska as the new defensive coordinator, while Louisville High School defensive coordinator Troy Davis will serve as the director of community relations, focusing on developing youth football camps and clinics. Former head coach Rashaun Hall has been retained as an assistant coach and will also serve as director of player personnel. [8] They also announced and hired seasoned operations executive David Lopez as the new director of sales and marketing. The new group made plenty of signings for the 2012 season, and lasted until January when the franchise suspended operations. [9]

Notable players

Final roster

Canton Cougars roster
Quarterbacks
  •  6Ray Marrow
  • --Marc Pullen

Running backs

  • 43Daniel Suitca

Wide receivers

  •  3Ryan Brinson
  • --Nate Ford
  • --Chris Kolokithas
  •  7Tim Smith
Offensive linemen
  • --Zack Anderson
  • 73Donald Foster
  • 74Chris Saunders
  • 55Luke Summers

Defensive linemen

  • --Anton Ceasar
  • 93Jerome Jackson
  • 56Harrison Jones
  • 98Antonio Reynolds
  • 20Dawon Smith
Linebackers
  • 22Cody Smith
  • 42Lawrence Vickerstaff

Defensive backs

  • 15John Chisolm
  • 24Pat O'Malley
  •  9 JoJo Polk
  • 33Dawon Woodward

Kickers

  • --Jared Thomas
Injured reserve
  • currently vacant

Exempt list

Practice squad

  • currently vacant

rookies in italics
Roster updated March 28, 2011
23 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

All-League selections

Head coaches

NameTermRegular seasonPlayoffsAwards
WLTWin%WL
Rashal Hall 2011 1120.07700
Paul Farrah 2011 010.00000

Season-by-season results

League ChampionsConference ChampionsDivision ChampionsWild Card BerthLeague Leader
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLossesTies
2011 2011 UIFL 6th1130
Totals1130All-time regular season record (2011)
00-All-time postseason record (2011)
1130All-time regular season and postseason record (2011)

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References

  1. ↑ Ed Balint (January 18, 2011). "Baseball league has big plans for Munson stadium". www.cantonrep.com. GateHouse Media, Inc. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  2. ↑ Jim Thomas (July 14, 2010). "Rashan Hall to coach Canton Cougars indoor football team". www.cantonrep.com. GateHouse Media, Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  3. ↑ David Walsh (February 20, 2013). "Hammer wins opener, 41-26". www.herald-dispatch.com. HD Media Company, LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Canton Owner Issues Guarantee". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. March 14, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ Jim Thomas (March 22, 2011). "Cougars rally, take thriller for first win of season". www.cantonrep.com. GateHouse Media, Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Canton Cougars hire ex-Louisville coach Paul Farrah". www.cantonrep.com. GateHouse Media, Inc. May 23, 2011. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  7. ↑ Mike Popovich (June 14, 2011). "Tim Clark takes control of Canton Cougars". www.cantonrep.com. GateHouse Media, Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Clark takes over Canton, makes changes". www.theuifl.com. UIFL. Archived from the original on 2011-12-10.
  9. ↑ Michael Stainbrook (January 30, 2012). "Football: Former Ohio QB switches teams before UIFL season". www.thepost.ohiou.edu. The Post. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
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