Bill Briggs NEW Billings Outlaws offensive coor

[Ninthman]

Bill Briggs has rejoined the coaching staff of the Billings Outlaws as offensive coordinator.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/29/sports/local/40-outlaws.txt

Best of luck to Bob Bees. He should make someone a good coach. He sure helped make Billings a wining team while he was here.

The story states.

"The Salem, Ore., native will be replacing Bob Bees, who has stepped down to pursue other coaching opportunities in indoor/arena football."

[OutlawFan#5]

From what I remember about Coach Briggs, he was a coach @ Rocky right? Where was he the last couple of years, it looks like Rocky needs some help too, glad he's back with us. He did a great job with Higgs when he was here can't wait to see him and Chris Dixon together.

[OutlawFan#5]

Just saw in the paper today that Rocky is looking for an Offensive Coordinator, anyone heard from Briggs. He should give it another go. Can he coach for the outlaws and Rocky?...If anyone can I bet Coach Briggs can do it!

[Ninthman]

Latest news for the Outlaws in Billings.


Story available at http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/11/30/sports/local/45-outlaws.txt

Published on Thursday, November 30, 2006.
Last modified on 11/30/2006 at 12:54 am

Outlaws to play in UIF's West division
By The Gazette Staff

OMAHA, Neb. - The Billings Outlaws will join Sioux Falls, S.D., Omaha, Neb., Sioux City, Iowa and Fort Collins/Loveland, Colo., in the Western Conference of the United Indoor Football league for the 2007, the league has announced.

The 11-team league will also feature River City (St. Louis), Ohio Valley (Wheeling, W.Va.), Lexington, Ky., Evansville, Ind., Rock River (Rockford, Ill.), and Bloomington, Ind., in the Eastern Conference.

Both Billings and Sioux Falls are defending league champions.

Billings is moving up to the UIF this season after winning the National Indoor Football League championship in 2006. Sioux Falls, also a former NIFL team, has won the UIF championship in both years of the league's existence (2005 and '06).

"We are very excited about our upcoming 2007 season," said UIF commissioner Dakota Crow. "Based on the strength of our returning teams and our three expansion teams (Billings, St. Louis and Fort Collins/Loveland), we may well have the strongest 11 teams in indoor football."

Two UIF teams from last season will not participate in 2007.

The owners of the Peoria (Ill.) Roughriders have decided to shut down operations for 2007, while the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Freedom recently had an ownership change and the new owners unexpectedly moved the team to the arenafootball2 league.

Crow expressed disappointment in the loss of both teams.

"Peoria has had a long history in indoor football and was a great market for the UIF geographically," said Crow. "We hope to see new viable UIF ownership in the Peoria market by the 2008 season.

"As for Fort Wayne, we're very disappointed about the actions of the new ownership and disappointed in the fact that the Ft. Wayne Coliseum management cancelled its existing lease to move in the direction they did. We still have hopes that Fort Wayne will be back in the UIF very soon."

Crow said the 2007 UIF schedule will be released in early December. The regular season will likely begin in late March.

For information, go to the league Web site.


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Bees to coach NIFL expansion team
SAN DIEGO - Former Billings Outlaws assistant coach Bob Bees has been hired as the head coach of the San Diego Shockwave, an expansion team in the National Indoor Football League.

It is the first head coaching job for the 34-year-old Bees, who was the offensive coordinator for Billings last season as the Outlaws posted a 16-1 record and won the NIFL championship. Bees also filled in for three games as the starting quarterback.

Under Bees' guidance last year, the Outlaws led the NIFL in passing offense at 205 yards per game. Billings' Chris Dixon was the league's top-rated quarterback with 51 touchdowns passes and only five interceptions.

Bees is a veteran of the indoor game. The former Rocky Mountain College All-American threw for more than 14,500 yards and 290 touchdowns in his six-year indoor football career, which included stints in the Arena Football League, arenafootball2 and NIFL.

Bees has hired Eric Sellars - a former Outlaws player who was the owner and head coach of the NIFL's Big Sky (Bozeman) Thunder last season - as an assistant coach.

San Diego is one of 13 expansion teams in the NIFL this season. Five of the new teams are in California.

Billings left the NIFL after last season and will begin its first season in the United Indoor Football league in March.

[Ninthman]

a story about the 9 new players, and O'Neal's statment on the competition of the UIF.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/12/06/sports/local/50-outlaws.txt

"Slade runs a legitimate 4.2 (in the 40-yard dash) ... he's a burner. He could end up being the best athlete on our team."
Jackson has impressed O'Neal with both his size and speed. The 6-5, 200-pounder has been timed at 4.5 in the 40 and has a 40-inch vertical jump.
"Kyle is a legitimate big-play guy," said O'Neal. "He averaged 22 yards a catch in his last year at Adams State. That's the kind of big-play potential we're looking for."
O'Neal also announced the signing of running back Marcus Whalen of BYU, wide receiver Daryl Lockridge of Rocky Mountain College, defensive back Davel Seamster from the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, defensive back Devron Johnson of the NIFL's Tennessee River Sharks, free agent defensive back Marlon Thomas, defensive lineman Kyle Stephenson of Compton Community College, and offensive lineman Teiano Sula from Laredo of the Intense Football League.
Lockridge and Thomas both spent time with the Outlaws last season.
"This is a real solid group of guys. I'm real happy with the 19 guys that we have signed right now," said O'Neal. "I'm going to bring 40 guys to camp ... those 40 will be a combination of new guys and players who are back from last year's team.
"I feel good about the talent level that we're bringing in. The talent level is definitely going to be higher in the UIF, so I'm doing everything I can to keep us at a championship level."
The Outlaws, who won the National Indoor Football League championship last year, will begin their first season in the United Indoor Football league (UIF) in late March.

[Grand Champion Dog]

With Robert Reed and Chris Dixon at the Gun it should be Instant Offense once again

[Ninthman]

One D lineman will not make it back next year.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/12/23/sports/local/50-miller.txt

Outlaws' Miller signs with B.C.
By Gazette News Services

Courtney Miller, a starting defensive back on the Billings Outlaws' National Indoor Football League championship team last summer, has signed with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Miller, 26, was a two-year starter at the University of Oregon. Prior to coming to Billings last season, he played for Lakeland, Fla., of the NIFL in 2005.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Miller had 25 tackles and three interceptions for Billings last season.

Miller said he will report to training camp in Vancouver, B.C., in June. "I'm excited. This is a good opportunity for me," Miller said on Thursday. "B.C. saw some film of me from last season and from college, and they liked what they saw.

"I'm looking forward to getting to camp and hopefully making the team."

But great news. our hart and sole on D will be back

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/12/25/sports/local/25-king.txt

"The King" is not ready to give up his throne just yet.

Linebacker Travis Salter, the most popular player ever to suit up for the Billings Outlaws, has signed a contract to play his fourth season for the indoor football team.

"Once an Outlaw, always an Outlaw," the 29-year-old Salter on Sunday. "This is the only place I want to play. I definitely plan to finish my career here ... whenever that might be."

Nicknamed "The King" last year by Outlaws head coach Heron O'Neal because of his phenomenal popularity among the team's fans, Salter combines size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), speed and a knack for making clutch plays to terrorize opposing offenses.
"Travis is a dominant player in the indoor game," said O'Neal. "His speed in getting to the quarterback can totally disrupt an offense. He plays with a relentless, reckless style that not many guys are capable of When Travis is on the field, he changes the game.


Crunch time
"And he has an unbelievable ability to make big plays when the game is on the line, whether it's getting a sack or creating a turnover. When it's crunch time, you know Travis is going to make a play."

Salter's legend grew even more at the end of last season, when he shook off torn ligaments in his right elbow to help the Outlaws defeat Fayetteville, N.C., 59-44 in Indoor Bowl VI, the National Indoor Football League championship game.

The crowd of 7,934 at the championship game - the largest football crowd ever at MetraPark Arena - roared when Salter donned a king's crown and cape for pregame introductions, and roared even louder when he forced a fumble on a first-quarter sack to help Billings to an early 17-0 lead.

"Travis is a warrior ... I think that's a big part of why our fans love him so much," said Outlaws owner Dan Austin. "Indoor football is a violent game, and you have to have guys who can play hurt. With Travis, it seems like the more banged-up he is, the better he plays."


Season opens in Colorado
Now with his elbow healed, Salter is ready to help the Outlaws seek a championship in a new league. Billings has moved up to the United Indoor Football (UIF) league, and will begin open the season Friday, March 23 at Fort Collins, Colo.

"I can't wait to get going," said Salter, who was among the NIFL leaders in tackles, sacks and forced fumbles last season. "Winning a championship was a huge goal of mine, and now that we've done that I want another one ... I want to experience that feeling again.

"The UIF is definitely a step up for us, but this is a team that can win another championship. I want to be part of that."

A Lynnwood, Wash., native and former NAIA All-American linebacker at Rocky Mountain College, Salter is now the owner/operator of Big Bear Weed Control, a Billings business that he started with the help of his grandfather, who previously ran his own weed-spraying business in eastern Montana.

"Billings is my home and the fans here are incredible," said Salter. "I play for the love of the game, but the energy I get from the fans motivates me that much more. That's what is motivating me right now to get ready for the season."

NOTES: The Outlaws home opener is Saturday, March 31 against Sioux Falls, S.D. For season or single-game ticket information, call the MetraPark ticket office at 256-2422. ... The Outlaws will hold an open tryout on Sunday, January 14 at MetraPark Arena. All free agent players and their player representatives are welcome. For information or to obtain a registration form, contact head coach Heron O'Neal at 406-672-4532 or send e-mail to owner Dan Austin at dan@billingsoutlaws.com