Fighters Grow Stronger Going into Home Stretch
Published on June 24, 2022 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
Billy Back has been doing things his way for nearly a decade and a half.
It's obviously working.
The Fighters entered this season with a slew of new faces and, at this point, Frisco's head coach will tell you that this is the best collection of talent in the Indoor Football League.
"The chemistry (and) what we have from top to bottom," Back said. "Everybody is just pulling the rope in the right direction, getting along, and just having fun ... It took some guys to see it to believe it, and to understand that, if you aren't having fun doing something, it ain't worth doing."
Employing the indoor game's premier offensive and defensive lines, at least by his count, and the most productive rusher has made this go-round enjoyable.
"The way Justin Rankin runs the football and the zone read concept with the quarterbacks (TJ Edwards and Blake Sims), it's a two-headed snake," Back said of his attack, which ranks behind only Arizona and Tucson right now. "You can't prepare for it. You can't stop it."
Back praises the team's operational group. He, along with Director of Player Personnel Adam Shackelford and a handful of assistants, constructed this group. Dave Ewart, Frisco's defensive coordinator and one of three coaches to return after the inaugural season, was a part of that project.
Players were evaluated first and foremost on their character, then on their abilities.
"We just tried to find those guys that can play football," Back said. "This is a passion. You can't do this and not love to play the game. If you play it because you're just passing time, you're doing it for the wrong reason."
Quarterback Blake Sims is one of the players that Back references as being a pure football player. The coach contends that Sims' value at other speed positions pushes those who are also penciled in on the depth chart.
"You can put him anywhere (and) he's going to produce," Back said. "Knowing him as a quarterback - he's a great quarterback - but he makes us even better being able to play quarterback, receiver, running back, kickoff return, (and) kickoff.
"That's a Swiss Army knife in our arsenal."
It helps that Sims understands the utility role and has done what has been needed since Edwards, for the most part, took over behind center.
"We went with TJ out of camp because he was making plays, but his leadership ability wasn't leading like we wanted him to do it," Back said.
Having the chance to watch how Sims worked in given situations showed Edwards how to take control of his crew. The tandem also rooms together on road trips.
However, the Fighters hope to only have to go on one more of those - to Las Vegas for the Dollar Loan Center IFL National Championship on Aug. 13.
Frisco rounds out their regular season schedule with three consecutive contests in their own digs, the first of which coming against the Green Bay Blizzard Saturday.
"Hopefully, if we do our job, we'll have five straight home games," Back said. "That (would include) two playoff games, but we avoid the travel and the cluster of just getting on the bus and going to get the hotel."
"We want to finish in Vegas, but if you overlook how you're getting there, you're going to stumble on the way," he added. "We need to make sure we keep our head down and keep working each week."
Indoor Football League Stories from June 24, 2022
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