2014 Indoor Football League season
The 2014 Indoor Football League season is the sixth season of the Indoor Football League (IFL). Playing with nine teams in two conferences spread across the United States, the league's regular season kicked off on February 21, 2014, when the reigning league champion Sioux Falls Storm played host to the Nebraska Danger. The regular season ended 17 weeks later on June 21, 2014, with the Nebraska Danger visiting the Texas Revolution.[1]
| 2014 IFL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Indoor Football League |
| Sport | Indoor Football |
| Duration | February 21, 2014 – June 14, 2014 |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | Willie Copeland (Colorado) |
| Playoffs | |
| Intense champions | Nebraska Danger |
| Intense runners-up | Colorado Ice |
| United champions | Sioux Falls Storm |
| United runners-up | Cedar Rapids Titans |
| 2014 United Bowl Championship | |
| Champions | Sioux Falls Storm |
| Runners-up | Nebraska Danger |
| Finals MVP | Chris Dixon |
Teams
For 2014, the IFL maintained its two-conference no-divisions format with each of 9 teams scheduled to play 14 games during the 17-week regular season.[1] That was the same number of teams as played in the 2013 IFL season. The Minnesota-based Bemidji Axemen expansion team replaced the Chicago Slaughter which returned to the Continental Indoor Football League for the 2014 season.[2]
United Conference
| Team | Location | Arena (Capacity) |
|---|---|---|
| Bemidji Axemen | Bemidji, Minnesota | Sanford Center (4,700) |
| Cedar Rapids Titans | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | U.S. Cellular Center (6,900) |
| Green Bay Blizzard | Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin | Resch Center (8,621) |
| Sioux Falls Storm | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Sioux Falls Arena (4,700) |
| Texas Revolution | Allen, Texas | Allen Event Center (6,275) |
Intense Conference
| Team | Location | Arena (Capacity) |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Ice | Loveland, Colorado | Budweiser Events Center (7,200) |
| Nebraska Danger | Grand Island, Nebraska | Eihusen Arena (7,500) |
| Tri-Cities Fever | Kennewick, Washington | Toyota Center (5,970) |
| Wyoming Cavalry | Casper, Wyoming | Casper Events Center (8,395) |
Personnel
In mid-December 2013, Michael Allshouse moved up from assistant to commissioner of the IFL, replacing Robert Loving who is now the league's chief financial officer.[3] For 2014, Mike McCoy serves as the Director of Business Development and Tom Falcinelli returns as the Director of Officiating.[4][5]
Expansion
In January 2014, the league announced that the Billings Wolves would join the league for the 2015 season. The Wolves will play their home games at Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark in Billings, Montana.[6] The city was previously home to the Billings Outlaws who folded after a tornado heavily damaged their home arena.[7][8]
Standings
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Playoffs
| Conference Championships | 2014 United Bowl | ||||||||
| 2 | Nebraska | 45 | |||||||
| 1 | Colorado | 15 | |||||||
| I2 | Nebraska | 46 | |||||||
| U1 | Sioux Falls | 63 | |||||||
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | 36 | |||||||
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 73 | |||||||
Awards
Individual season awards
| Award | Winner | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Willie Copeland | Quarterback | Colorado Ice |
| Offensive Player of the Year | Chris Dixon | Quarterback | Sioux Falls Storm |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Tyler Knight | Linebacker | Sioux Falls Storm |
| Special Teams Player of the Year | Rockne Belmonte | Kicker | Cedar Rapids Titans |
| Rookie of the Year | Nathan Wara | Quarterback | Green Bay Blizzard |
| Adam Pringle Award | Cody Kirby | Quarterback | Bemidji Axemen |
| Coach of the Year | Heron O'Neal | Head Coach | Colorado Ice |
| Executive of the Year | Charlies Bosselman | Owner | Nebraska Danger |
1st Team All-IFL
|
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| Special teams | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicker | Rockne Belmonte, Cedar Rapids | ||||
| Kick returner | Tory Harrison, Sioux Falls | ||||
2nd Team All-IFL
|
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| Special teams | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicker | Parker Douglass, Sioux Falls | ||||
| Kick returner | Robert Brown, Cedar Rapids | ||||
References
- Hamar, Bob (September 30, 2013). "Danger building for 2014 season". Grand Island Independent. Grand Island, NE: Omaha World-Herald Company. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- "2014 Regular Season Schedule Released". Indoor Football League. October 18, 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- "IFL Announces Changes to League Office". Indoor Football League. December 16, 2013. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
- Hamar, Bob (December 16, 2013). "Danger GM takes on IFL duties". Grand Island Independent. Grand Island, NE: Berkshire Hathaway. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
- "About the IFL: Staff". Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
- Zimmer, Mike (February 19, 2014). "Billings Wolves to bring indoor football back to Billings in 2015". Billings Gazette. Billings, MT. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- Breen, Scott (January 6, 2014). "Billings close to deal with Indoor Football League". Missoula, MT: KPAX-TV. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- Krieger, Dan (January 13, 2014). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- "2014 IFL Individual Awards Announced - Charlie Bosselman Exec of Year". www.nebraska.tv. WorldNow and NTV. June 26, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- "All IFL Announced". www.newsacrossnebraska.com. News Across Nebraska. June 20, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.