Fever Tab Ryan Lingenfelder as Head Coach
September 1, 2015 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
The Tri-Cities Fever would like to announce that former defensive coordinator Ryan Lingenfelder is returning to the Tri-Cities to become the team's new Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel. Coach L, by signing a one year contract with an additional option year, has relocated to the Tri-Cities to make it his full time home. He will have offices at the Toyota Center and work for the team year round. By living locally, Coach L will be available in the community for all team related activities.
Coach L spent the 2015 season in the AFL coaching the Linemen for the New Orleans Voodoo. He says, "I learned a lot from head coach Dean Cokinos and lucky to have been a part of that team and organization", and "I really learned some good lessons that have made me a better coach moving forward".
After departing the Fever in 2012 Ryan took on the job as the head coach for, then member of the IFL, Wyoming Cavalry. Even though Coach's record does not speak for his abilities, there he was able to move on several of his players to the AFL and several others still are on IFL rosters. On the field, his second year, had an offense that had several players in the top 10 in a few statistical categories, including Sam Durley who moved on to play for IFL's Cedar Rapids and then was given a contract with the Voodoo during the 2015 season. Coach was pleased to see several of his former players compete against and with him in the AFL who made rosters with the Spokane Shock, Orlando Predators and New Orleans Voodoo. "My time in Wyoming was both good and trying, but I still am very thankful for the Layton's to give me to opportunity to be employed as a football coach".
From 2009 - 2012 Coach L was a part of the Fever Organization. In '09 he joined the staff as the "Big Man" coach during the final season of the AF2. Coach was retained when Pat O'Hara came aboard as the head coach and was part of a run that won 4 of the final 6 games.
2010, the inaugural season the Fever joined the IFL, Ryan was promoted to the Defensive Coordinator by then first year head coach Adam Shackleford. Both Ryan and Adam developed a coaching relationship that was full of prosperity, back-to-back conference championships and repeat United Bowl appearances. As the defensive coordinator Coach L had a defense that the Fever fans stood behind. The 2011 and 2012 seasons the Fever defense ranked in the top of many statistical categories and also held eventual champion Sioux Falls offense to its lowest outputs in the championship games.
During his time in Tri-Cities coached developed a love for the area, fans, organization and the Fever brand. "I am so very excited to be back in my football home and take it as an honor to be the Fever's head coach", says L, who will also be making Tri-Cities his full-time home.
Before initially joining the Fever he spent the '07 and '08 seasons with the University of Idaho Vandals, just north in Moscow, ID as a coaches assistant. He worked with a college teammate as an assistant O-Line coach and the TE's his second year. During his time with the Vandals he worked under his former head college coach Steve Axman and Rob Akey who was the Def. Cord at NAU while Lingenfelder ended his college-playing career. Working closely with these coaches is what gives him his solid understanding of fundamental football.
Ryan began his coaching career in Arizona in 1999 coaching his younger brothers grid-kid team while he was recovering from his career ending knee injury. After a hiatus from football, L became the offensive coordinator for Cortez HS in Glendale Arizona in 2002.
The next season he took on the same task for Phoenix Jr. College in Phoenix Arizona.
Coach moved up to Idaho in 2005 to become the offensive coordinator for Idaho Falls HS in Idaho Falls. For two years he was part of a long storied program that was a play-off contender each year.
L has other experience with a few semi-pro teams in Idaho and Arizona, "these were great teams to be a part of during my off-season that filled in that void without football."
Ryan grew up in Lake Havasu City, AZ and attended college in Flagstaff, AZ where he played center for the Lumberjacks.
As a member of the NAU Football team he was a four-year starter and a four-time All-Big Sky honored player. Coach was a two-year captain and realized there that football was something he couldn't be without. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Liberal Studies with and Emphasis in Athletic Coaching.
He has also earned a Masters Degree in Education/Counseling.
He spent one year playing professional football, 1998, in the AFL with the Portland Forrest Dragons in Portland, OR after attending camp with the Arizona Rattlers.
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Indoor Football League Stories from September 1, 2015
- Fever Tab Ryan Lingenfelder as Head Coach - Tri-Cities Fever
- Shock Announce Move to the Indoor Football League - Spokane Shock
- Spokane Shock Join IFL - IFL
- Nighthawks Part Ways With Head Coach - Wichita Falls Nighthawks
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