Game 12 Preview: Quad City vs. Jacksonville
June 20, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release
The Quad City Steamwheelers will travel to Jacksonville, Florida, for the only time this season, to take on Eastern Conference foe, the Jacksonville Sharks, in a tough road matchup. Sitting at 9-2, the sQUAD remains in first place in the conference, while the Sharks have fallen to fourth place in the conference at 7-4. This game not only could shape playoff implications down the line, but it is also a potential playoff matchup between the number one and four teams, if the current seeding holds through the rest of the season.
Kick-off is at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at VyStars Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL. To watch online, head over to the IFL Network.
About the Steamwheelers
Last week, the sQUAD defeated the Fishers Freight 45-28 in a game the Wheelers never trailed. Kyle Kaplan opened the scoring with a deuce on the opening kickoff and later added a field goal and another deuce. The Wheelers' defensive unit forced key turnovers, including a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Malik Duncan and an interception by defensive lineman Chima Dunga. Jarrod Ware Jr. rushed for two touchdowns, and Daquan Neal connected with Jordan Vesey for two scores through the air. KeShaun Moore, Bubba Arslanian and David Cagle provided key defensive plays, such as Cagle's fumble recovery late in the game that sealed the victory. After hitting a scoring rut when Neal missed two games, the Wheelers' offense is back to their old ways, scoring 51 and 45 in their past two games, and ranking fifth in points per game with 43.8. The Wheelers' defense is continuing to dominate, allowing only 36.9 points per game, which is second best in the IFL. A big reason for their success is their ability to force turnovers, with the defense ranking tied for first with 18 interceptions, second with eight fumbles forced and tied for first with nine fumbles recovered. Linebacker Bubba Arslanian leads the league by a wide margin with 93 total tackles on the season, averaging 8.5 per game.
QC - Players to Watch
Daquan Neal / QB - In their last game against the Sharks earlier in the season, Neal threw for 130 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 48 yards and another score. However, Jacksonville forced Neal to throw his first two interceptions of the season in that game. With Neal's previous success against this Sharks' defense and the Sharks' ability to take away the football, this will be a crucial matchup.
Bubba Arslanian / LB - A key player on defense every game, Arslanian finds himself in the spotlight for this week's game, not only for what he did last time these two teams faced off, but because of what the Sharks' offense is able to do. In the week six win over Jacksonville, Arslanian recorded nine tackles, one fumble recovery and one interception. Arslanian holds the task of trying to contain Sharks' quarterback Tyler Huff, who ran for 56 yards and three touchdowns last week.
About the Sharks
Last week, the Sharks kept battling but fell short against the Green Bay Blizzard, 75-43. The Sharks opened strong in the first quarter and kept it close by scoring a rushing touchdown. Tyler Huff rushed for three touchdowns in the first half, while Larry McCammon and Ka'ron Ashley contributed to the offense as well. The Sharks fell behind in the third quarter but fought back in the fourth with two touchdowns. Marcus Rogers and Ashley moved the ball effectively, while Huff and McCammon combined for five rushing touchdowns and over 100 yards on the ground in the losing effort. Despite their offense only ranking seventh in the IFL with 42.7 points per game, the Sharks' offense is well capable of high-scoring games, scoring 43 last week against Green Bay, 54 against Arizona, 46 and 59 against Fishers and 53 against Iowa. Their defense is solid as well, allowing 38.5 points per game, which is tied for fourth best in the league. The best aspect of their defense is its ability to force turnovers, ranking first in the league with nine fumbles forced and tied for first with 18 interceptions.
Jacksonville- Players to Watch
Tyler Huff / QB - Despite just signing with the Sharks on May 20 and missing the first matchup between these two teams, Huff has been a dynamic player since arriving in Jacksonville. In four games, Huff already has 14 total touchdowns, 11 of which were on the ground, and 594 total yards. Huff will look to continue his dominant play against a Wheelers defense that has been trying to cut down rushing quarterbacks as of late.
Malik Jones / DB - Despite having a quiet game last time out against Green Bay, Jones' six interceptions on the season are tied for the league lead in the category and make him a serious threat to the Quad City offense. He is also one of two Sharks' defenders who caught a Neal interception in the last matchup between these teams.
Last Time Around....
The Steamwheelers and Sharks last met on 4/26/25 in Moline, Illinois, which resulted in a 62-41 Steamwheelers win. Quarterback Daquan Neal led the way on offense, throwing for 130 yards and five touchdowns while adding a score on the ground. His main target, Jordan Vesey, finished with three touchdowns and 81 receiving yards, making several highlight-reel plays. Gino Appleberry contributed one rushing and one receiving touchdown, adding 54 yards on the ground. The Wheelers' defense was aggressive all game against the Jacksonville offense, with Bubba Arslanian making nine tackles, netting a fumble recovery, as well as a key interception, while Camron Harrell forced and recovered a fumble. Wheelers' kicker Kyle Kaplan also played a key role by putting points on the board with a field goal and a deuce on a kickoff.
Additional Fan Experience
Head to our FREE Official Away Game Watch Party at Blackhawk Bowl & Martini Lounge! Meet the Deckmate Dancers and enjoy drink specials as you watch the game!
Indoor Football League Stories from June 20, 2025
- Game Preview: Barnstormers at Knight Hawks - Iowa Barnstormers
- 2025 Pirates Youth Football Camp: Presented by AutoFair - Massachusetts Pirates
- Game Preview: Green Bay Blizzard at Fishers Freight: June 21 - Green Bay Blizzard
- Freight Host Blizzard for Summer Camp Night - Fishers Freight
- Game 12 Preview: Quad City vs. Jacksonville - Quad City Steamwheelers
- Home Turf, High Stakes: Sugar Skulls Look to Lasso the Wranglers to Another Win - Tucson Sugar Skulls
- What You Need to Know: Star Wars Night - Jacksonville Sharks
- Freight Sign Two Players Ahead of Green Bay Game - Fishers Freight
- Pirates Tangle with Tulsa on Saturday Night - Massachusetts Pirates
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
