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 (3)
Home arena(s)

The Frisco Fighters are a 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.

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

Running backs

  • 3 Jimmy Smith
  • 22 Martez Carter

Wide receivers

  • 1 Spencer Tears
  • 7 Lionell McConnell
  • 9 Devon McCoy
  • 10 Cole Blackman
  • 17 Kenedy Snell
  • 27 Eli Mack

Offensive linemen

  • 77 Richard Ramirez
  • 57 J.R. Hensley
  • 70 Noah Johnson
  • 55 Henry Mitchell III
  • 65 Damien Love
  • -- Adrien Hernandez

Defensive linemen

  • 95 Craig Evans
  • 51 Jakharious Smith
  • 33 Desmond Raiford
  • 11 Charles Williams
  • 8 Solomon Wise

Linebackers

  • 24 Royce See

Defensive backs

  • 0 Jalaan Owens
  • 6 Micahh Smith
  • 12 Norris Wreen
  • 16 Kentrelle Pierce
  • 21 Ethan Caselberry

Special teams

  • 19 Bryce Crawford
Reserve lists
  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated April 8, 2024
25 Active, 0 Inactive

→ More rosters

Season-by-season results

League championsConference championsPlayoff berthLeague leader
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 Eastern20
Totals397All-time regular season record
33All-time postseason record
4210All-time regular season and postseason record

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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.
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