An 8-7 record and a playoff berth in 2006, the team’s first, are the main highlights. But that season the Barracudas had various player injuries, failed to find a consistent quarterback and had their first coach resign just past the halfway point of the season.
Now on their fifth head coach, the Intense Football League’s Barracudas hope the 2008 season provides more stability and consistency. They’ll see how far they have to go when they open the season on the road against the Frisco Thunder at 7 tonight.
“I know it’s going to take one or two games,” said first-year head coach Chris Duliban, whose team will play its home opener against the San Angelo Stampede-Express on March 29 at Bell County Expo Center in Belton. “Things are progressing and we’re having fun.”
But that one or two games is just for the players to become better acquainted and develop a feel for the indoor game.
As an organization, the Barracudas are finding more consistency under Dr. Fred Barnett’s ownership. The organization has retained Byron Wilkerson and Brett Quigley, who last year served as general manager and assistant GM, respectively. This season they have different titles but expanded roles, as Wilkerson is in charge of sales and player personnel.
It is in that role that he helped the Barracudas land former Baylor quarterback Shawn Bell and retain several key players from last year’s team, including defensive backs Rolandus Johnson (Mary Hardin-Baylor) and Roderick Knight (Cameron Yoe), wide receivers P.J. Williams (Rockdale/UMHB), Olan Coleman and Kendrick Wade and lineman Tim Cook.
“The veterans really are the engine of the train that is the Barracudas,” Duliban said. “They know the league, know the game and know the competition. What’s been really exciting for me is to see these guys become leaders and take the new guys under their wings, helping a guy at the same position move up. That shows me there’s no animosity and we’ve bonded together.”
The Barracudas will have their share of news faces, including both quarterbacks. Considering past performances, Duliban and the Barracudas made finding the right QBs a top priority and that meant bringing in completely new players, even those with no indoor experience. They looked at several players before finding the right duo to lead the team.
Starter Bart Gloyd has played with IFL opponent Odessa and with the Mississippi Mudcats, another indoor team. He will be backed up by Bell, who has strong ties to the area as a China Spring graduate.
The Barracudas also keep their strong ties to UMHB. Joining former Crusaders standouts Johnson and Williams are Roderick Thompson and Jason Miller. Thompson was a tight end at UMHB but will play fullback for CenTex, and Miller is learning to play linebacker.
“Thompson will start this week,” Duliban said. “Miller won’t be on the active roster this week, but both of those guys have done a good job making the adjustment to this game and I’m proud of them. We have quite a few rookies and you need those rookies for the excitement. They are just excited to be here and they’ll hit anything that steps on the field - including me. They’ll run smack through me.”
The question is, how will they fare against the Frisco Thunder, which already has a 3-0 record?
“It’s going to be a big challenge for us,” Duliban said. “Frisco is going into their fourth game. They are getting in a rhythm and are near midseason form. They have a good team and don’t make mistakes. They make you make mistakes. But we are going to go up there and not back down until the final whistle. I think our guys are jacked to play and hopefully we can use our emotions to our advantage.”
Win or lose tonight, the Barracudas already feel like they are much better off than they ever were last season. And Duliban, who remains head football coach at Austin Hyde Park Baptist, will continue to make sure it stays that way.
“I heard stories about last year’s team,” he said. “And I thought ‘Man, I’m not up for attitudes or prima donnas.’ But these guys are just all, ‘Coach what do you need?’ It’s been good and we are trying to make it as professional and exciting for the fans. I just hope they come out and give us a shot because we have a good group of guys here."
mhood@temple-telegram.com
