Colorado Ice

Colorado Ice
Founded 2006
Current season 2015
League UIF (2007-2008)
IFL (2009-present)
Conference Intense (2009)
United (2010)
Intense (2011-present)
Division Western (2007-2008)
Pacific (2009)
Central West (2010)
Mountain West (2011)
Team history Colorado Ice 2006-present
Based in Fort Collins, Colorado
Arena Budweiser Events Center
Colors Navy Blue, Carolina Blue, White
              
Owner(s) Tom & Patty Wigley
Art Clarkson
President Art Clarkson
Head coach Heron O'Neal[1]
Championships 0
Conference titles 0
Division titles 1: (Mountain West: 2011)
Playoff berths 6: (UIF: 2007, IFL: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Dancers Icicles
Mascot Glacier

The Colorado Ice are a professional indoor football team based in Fort Collins, Colorado. They are a member of the Intense Conference of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Ice began play in 2007 as an expansion member of United Indoor Football (UIF) and joined the IFL as part of the UIF-Intense Football League merger of 2009. The Ice are owned by Tom and Patty Wigley, and are coached by Heron O'Neal. The Ice have played at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado since their inaugural season.

The Ice were a sub-.500 team during their first 4 years of existence, but still managed to make the playoffs twice. Their first winning season came in 2011 when they were Mountain West Division Champions, but were defeated in the first round of the playoffs. Since 2011 the Ice have made the playoffs every season, but are still winless in the postseason. They have competed in one Intense Conference Championship Game, where they lost 50-55 to the Nebraska Danger.

History

In July 2006, Colorado real estate executive, Danny DeGrande, was awarded an expansion franchise of United Indoor Football to begin play in 2007.[2]

2011 saw an overhaul of the team's roster and a reversal of its fortunes as the Ice began the season with seven straight wins and finished with an 11–3 record plus the Mountain West Division title. The Ice fell to the Tri-Cities Fever in the first round of the playoffs. This was Collins Sanders' last season as head coach before his promotion to general manager in 2012.[3]

2012 was the team's first year under new head coach Heron O'Neal. They recorded an 8–6 record and reached the playoffs but lost to the Tri-Cities Fever in the first round.

2013 saw the return of Heron O'Neal as head coach and a strong start with three consecutive home wins. Both of the Ice's 2012 All-AFL Team players returned for the 2013 season.

Heron O'Neal returned as head coach for a third season.

Season-by-season

Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Colorado Ice (UIF)
2007 6 9 0 4th Western Lost Round 1 (Sioux Falls)
2008 6 8 0 4th Western --
Colorado Ice (IFL)
2009 5 9 0 3rd Intense Pacific Lost Divisionals I (Fairbanks)
2010 2 12 0 5th Central West --
2011 11 3 0 1st Mountain West Lost Conference Semi-Final (Tri-Cities)
2012 8 6 0 4th Intense Lost Round 1 (Tri-Cities)
2013 8 5 0 2nd Intense Lost Conference Champ (Nebraska)
2014 10 4 0 1st Intense Lost Conference Champ (Nebraska)
2015 2 5 0 Intense --
Totals 58 67 0 (including playoffs)

Players of note

Current roster

Colorado Ice roster
Quarterbacks
  •  7 Jake Johnson
  •  9 Brandon Mitchell

Running Backs

  •  6 Julian Laing
  • 21 Rodney Scott

Wide Receivers

  •  8 Kyle Kaiser
  • -- Quintin Payton
  • 15 Donovan Rasberry
  • 12 Roy Roundtree
  • 22 Rashard Smith
Offensive Linemen
  • 75 Jacolby Ashworth
  • 55 Deshaun Byrd
  • 58 Marcus Cuellar

Defensive Linemen

  • 97 Jesse Dickson
  • 93 John Griggs
  • 95 Avalisi Lapuahu
  • -- Tim McGill
  • -- Alec Petrocelli
  • 90 Bryan Spruill
  • 92 Meili Valele
Linebackers
  • 33 Timote Fotu
  •  4 Armogen Walker

Defensive Backs

  •  3 Justin Blake
  • 13 Louis Covington
  •  1 Darnell Evans
  • 28 Quinton Richardson
  • 20 Corey Sample

Kickers

  • 19 Christopher Diaz
Injured Reserve
  • 54 Jason Jones DL
  • 66 Eric Pike OL
  • 99 Curtis Porter DL
  • 10 Chris Slaughter WR
  • 78 Walter Stuller OL

Exempt List

  • 21 Danny Mason, Jr. LB

Refused to Report

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated April 27, 2015
27 Active, 6 Inactive

→ More rosters

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Ice players who have won league Awards

Season Player Position Award
2011 David Knighton Quarterback Most Improved Player
2014 Willie Copeland Quarterback Most Valuable Player

All-IFL players

The following Ice players have been named to All-IFL Teams:

Staff

Head coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through Week 9 of the 2015 Indoor Football League season.

Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Collins Sanders 2007-2011 30 41 0 .423 0 3
Heron O'Neal 2012-present 28 19 0 .596 0 3 IFL Coach of the Year (2014)

Coaching staff

Colorado Ice staff
Front Office
  • Co-Owner – Tom Wigley
  • CFO/Co-Owner – Patty Wigley
  • Co-Owner/CEO – Art Clarkson
  • Director of Operations – Aaron Ontiveros
  • Account Representative - George Martinez
  • Director of Group Sales – Barkley Collinson
  • Business Operations, Sales Representative - Josh Swado
  • Public Relations, Sales Representative - Breanne Jackson
  

Head Coach

  • Head Coach – Heron O'Neal

Offensive Coaches

  • Offensive Linemen – Rico Ochoa
  • Assistant Offensive Linemen – Darren Koretko
  • Running backs / Wide Receivers - George Martinez

Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs – Brian Arndt
  • Defensive Linemen - Rico Ochoa

Special Team Coaches

  • Special Teams Coordinator – Brian Arndt

Radio

Games and weekly coach's show are broadcast on KFKA (1310 AM).

References

  1. ↑ "Colorado Ice announce 2014 coaching staff". Fort Collins Coloradoan (Fort Collins, CO: Gannett Company). September 6, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  2. ↑ Andy Vuong (July 18, 2006). ""Ice" to join Colorado's team ranks". www.denverpost.com. The Denver Post. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  3. ↑ Mike Brohard (July 7, 2011). "Ice make changes; O'Neal new head coach". www.reporterherald.com. Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

External links