Frisco Fighters

Last updated

Frisco Fighters
AmericanFootball current event.svg Current season
Established 2019;5 years ago (2019)
Play in Frisco, Texas
at the Comerica Center
FriscoFighters.com
Frisco Fighters Logo.svg
League/conference affiliations
Current uniform
Frisco Fighters - 2021 Home and Away Uniforms.jpg
Team colorsNavy blue, sky blue, orange, silver, white
     
Personnel
Owner(s)The Germain family (Steve, Kim, Jessica, Austin & Zach Germain) [1]
Head coachAndre Coles [2]
Team history
  • Frisco Fighters (2020–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (4)
Home arena(s)

The Frisco Fighters are an inactive professional indoor football team based in Frisco, Texas. A member of the Indoor Football League, the Fighters play their home games at the Comerica Center. The team was set to participate in the 2020 season, but were unable to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team will sit out the 2025 season, but plan to return for 2026.

Contents

History

Founding and 2020 season

The Frisco Fighters are the third indoor football team to play in Frisco following the Intense Football League's Frisco Thunder (2007–2008) and Champions Indoor Football's Texas Revolution (2018–2019). [3] The Texas Revolution played in Frisco as a Champions Indoor Football team from 2017 until early 2019, when their membership in that league was terminated. [4] On November 24, 2019, the IFL announced it would debut a new expansion team in Frisco, owned by automobile dealer Steve Germain and his family. [1]

On December 11, the new Frisco franchise revealed their new team name as the "Frisco Fighters", along with their logo, color scheme, and coaching staff. The TEAM Management, LLC was retained to manage operating the Fighters. [5] [6] Arena football veteran Clint Dolezel (best known for his time as quarterback of the Grand Rapids Rampage and Dallas Desperados) was announced as the team's inaugural head coach. [4] [6] [7] In February 2020, the Fighters added former Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Drew Pearson as chief relationships officer and an analyst for all the Fighters' televised games. [8]

The IFL completed two games in the 2020 season before the entire season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, without the Fighters playing a game. [9] The Fighters' inaugural season was eventually cancelled outright. [5] The Fighters continued to advertise on local after their season was cancelled, and engaged in community contributions. [5]

2021 season

The Fighters' 2021 home opener at the Comerica Center. Frisco Comerica Center - IFL Frisco Fighters vs Duke City Gladiators - 05 June 2021 - 001.jpg
The Fighters' 2021 home opener at the Comerica Center.

The Fighters played their first game on May 15, 2021, on the road in a 36–33 win over the relaunched Spokane Shock. [10] Near the end of the 2021 season, head coach Dolezel was signed to a multi-year extension after leading to the team to a 10–2 record. [6] The team then finished with a 10–3 record and advanced to the playoffs, making it to the league semifinal, where they lost to the Massachusetts Pirates 43–22.

2022 season

After the 2021 season ended, Dolezel left the team to pursue other opportunities, and was replaced by former Spokane Shock head coach Billy Back. [11] Also during the off-season, the Germain family and the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League jointly announced a new partnership, which replaced the Fighters' 2020–21 business management team with the Dallas Stars organization for the 2022 season. [12] [13]

A 2022 Frisco Fighters home game. 2022 Frisco Fighters v Tucson Sugar Skulls - 001.jpg
A 2022 Frisco Fighters home game.

The Fighters opened the 2022 season on March 12 on the road against the 2021 IFL champion Massachusetts Pirates, and were initially scheduled to play their first 2022 home game on April 1 against the Bismarck Bucks. [12] However, due to the collapse of the Spokane Shock franchise in February, the IFL revised its schedule, moving the Fighters' first home game up to March 26 against the Duke City Gladiators. Frisco finished the regular season with a 14–2 record, the best record in the Eastern Conference, advancing to the playoffs for the second year in a row. [14]

After winning a playoff quarterfinal game against the Iowa Barnstormers, [15] the Fighters were eliminated in the conference championship with a 48–41 loss to the Quad City Steamwheelers. [16]

Current roster

Frisco Fighters roster
Quarterbacks
  •  32 Tripp Harrington

Running backs

  • 22 Martez Carter
  •  3 Jimmy Smith

Wide receivers

  • 10 Cole Blackman
  • 10 Phazione McClurge
  •  7 Lionell McConnell
  •  9 Devon McCoy
  •  6 Justin Rankin
  •  1 Spencer Tears

Offensive linemen

  • 65 Damien Love
  • 57 Adrien Hernandez
  • 50 Tyran Hunt
  • 70 Noah Johnson

Defensive linemen

  • 99 Joshua Jackson
  • 51 Jakharious Smith
  • 11 Charles Williams
  •  8 Solomon Wise

Linebackers

  • 24 Royce See

Defensive backs

  • 12 Ikechukwu Adigwu
  • 21 Ethan Caselberry
  •  0 Carloss Crawford
  • 7 Tyrell Pearson
  • 16 Kentrelle Pierce

Special teams

  • 19 Bryce Crawford
Reserve lists
  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated June 26, 2024
25 Active, 0 Inactive

→ More rosters

Season-by-season results

League championsConference championsPlayoff berth
SeasonLeagueConferenceRegular seasonPostseason results
FinishWinsLosses
2020 IFL Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 IFL 3rd103Won First round (Spokane) 44–43
Lost Second round (Massachusetts) 43–22
2022 IFL Eastern1st142Won First round (Iowa) 64–39
Lost Second round (Quad City) 48–41
2023 IFL Eastern1st132Won First round (Quad City) 57–29
Lost Second round (Sioux Falls) 45–44
2024 IFL Eastern2nd133Lost First round (Massachusetts) 50–53
Totals5010All-time regular season record
34All-time postseason record
5314All-time regular season and postseason record

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Bay Blizzard</span> American indoor football team

The Green Bay Blizzard is a professional indoor football team based in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, founded in 2003. The Blizzard began play in the Indoor Football League in 2010, after having played the previous seven seasons in af2, the now-defunct minor league of the Arena Football League. They play their home games at the Resch Center. The team's logo represents Bruiser, the team mascot.

The Quad City Steamwheelers were a professional arena football team. They were a charter member of the AF2 and played their home games at iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa Barnstormers</span> Arena football team

The Iowa Barnstormers are a professional indoor football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena, known in indoor football circles as "The Well".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane Shock</span> Arena football team

The Spokane Shock were a professional indoor American football team based in Spokane, Washington, that played their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The team was initially a member of arenafootball2 (af2), the Shock won division titles in all four seasons and ArenaCups in 2006 and 2009 before they joined the Arena Football League (AFL) in its 2010 relaunch. The team advanced to the playoffs three times after joining the AFL, winning ArenaBowl XXIII in their first season, making them the only arena football franchise to win both the ArenaCup and the ArenaBowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Dolezel</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Clint Dolezel is an American football coach and former professional arena football player in the Arena Football League (AFL).

Cory Ross is a former American football, Canadian football and indoor football running back. He is now the head coach of the Quad City Steamwheelers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Nebraska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indoor Football League</span> Indoor American football league founded in 2008

The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams among indoor football leagues. As of the 2024 season, the league consists of 16 teams in two conferences with each team playing 16 games over 19 weeks.

John D. Griggs is an American football defensive end for the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played college football for the University of Akron. He went undrafted during the 2013 NFL draft, and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Daron Clark is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He played college football at Stillman College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Champions Indoor Football</span> Indoor American football league

Champions Indoor Football (CIF) was a professional indoor American football minor league created in 2014 out of the merger between the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) and Lone Star Football League (LSFL), plus one team from the Indoor Football League and two expansion teams.

Rayshaun Kizer is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator of the Tucson Sugar Skulls of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He was the former head coach and defensive coordinator of the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and of the Omaha Beef of Champions Indoor Football (CIF). He is also a former National Football League, Canadian Football League, and Arena Football League defensive back. He played his college football at Walsh University and graduated with his bachelor's degree in Computer Science. He has been a member of the New York Jets of the National Football League, Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, Orlando Predators, Philadelphia Soul, Arizona Rattlers, New Orleans VooDoo, Los Angeles KISS and Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League and Green Bay Blizzard of the Arena Football 2. He also served as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coach of the Bismarck Bucks of the IFL.

The IFL National Championship is the Indoor Football League's championship game. It has been played every year since 2009, except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current champions are the Arizona Rattlers, who won their seventh indoor National Championship, defeating the Massachusetts Pirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Bland</span> American entrepreneur and former athlete

Doug Bland is an American entrepreneur and former athlete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad City Steamwheelers (2018)</span> American indoor football team

The Quad City Steamwheelers are an indoor American football team that began play in 2018. They played their first season as part of the Champions Indoor Football, and then joined the Indoor Football League prior to their second season. Based in Moline, Illinois, the Steamwheelers play their home games at the Vibrant Arena at The MARK. The team announced it would be dormant for the 2021 season due to the arena capacity restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to play in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massachusetts Pirates</span> American indoor football team

The Massachusetts Pirates are a professional indoor football team of the Indoor Football League based in Lowell, Massachusetts, with home games at the Tsongas Center. The Pirates began play in the 2018 season as a member of the National Arena League (NAL).

The 2020 Indoor Football League season was the twelfth season of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and the first season of being the top indoor football league, after the folding of the Arena Football League. The league was set to play the season with thirteen teams, up from ten the previous season, by adding three expansion teams, one team from Champions Indoor Football, and one team folding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Arizona Wranglers</span> Professional indoor football team

The Northern Arizona Wranglers are a professional indoor football team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona. They are members of the Indoor Football League and play their home games at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley beginning in the 2021 season.

The 2021 Indoor Football League season was the thirteenth season of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The league played the season with twelve teams, down from thirteen the previous season, by adding one expansion team, one team from the National Arena League, one team from the American Arena League, and four teams going on hiatus. In addition, three existing teams made their IFL on-field debut after the 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Indoor Football League season was the fourteenth season of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The league played the season with 14 teams, up from 11 teams the previous season. The Bay Area Panthers, Quad City Steamwheelers, and San Diego Strike Force, returned from dormancy after electing not to play during the 2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vegas Knight Hawks joined the league as an expansion team. The Cedar Rapids River Kings did not return and the announced 2022 expansion Columbus Wild Dogs never returned. The Spokane Shock were removed from the league in February 2022 after the team lost its lease for their home arena.

Trent J. Edwards II is an American football quarterback for the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played college football for Southwest Baptist and the University of Indianapolis. Edwards has had a lot of success in indoor football leagues, winning the IFL Most Valuable Player in 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 Juarez, Lindsey (November 24, 2019). "New Indoor Football League team coming to Frisco". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Frisco Fighters promote Andre Coles to Head Coach!". Frisco Fighters. September 8, 2023.
  3. ↑ "IFL Adds Team in Frisco, TX". GoIFL.com. November 24, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Ucles, Elizabeth (December 11, 2019). "'Frisco Fighters' named Indoor Football League team for the city". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Hunt, Stephen (May 1, 2021). "Finally Ready for Takeoff". Frisco STYLE (magazine). Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "FIGHTERS SIGN DOLEZEL TO MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION". IFL. August 21, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Frisco Announces Team Name". GoIFL.com. December 12, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Fighters Add Drew Pearson to Organization". GoIFL.com. February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  9. ↑ "IFL Cancels Remaining 2020 Games". IFL. April 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Spokane Shock rewind: After losing 'sloppy' opener, Shock hope to learn from their miscues in preparation for the Massachusetts Pirates". The Spokesman-Review . May 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ "FIGHTERS HAVE A NEW LEADER". Frisco Fighters. November 9, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Frisco Fighters Partner with Dallas Stars Hockey Club for Business Operations". oursportscentral.com (Press release). Frisco Fighters. January 12, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Frisco Fighters partner with Dallas Stars for Business Operations". nhl.com (Press release). Dallas Stars. January 12, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  14. ↑ Johnston, Tom (July 17, 2022). "IFL: Finally in, Steamwheelers set sights on playoff run". Quad City Times . Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Fighters Open Playoffs with Win over Iowa". oursportscentral.com (Press release). Frisco Fighters. July 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Fighters Left on Doorstep of Title Matchup, Lose to Quad City in Semis". oursportscentral.com (Press release). Frisco Fighters. July 30, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.