IFL Bay Area Panthers

Panthers Host Undefeated Frisco on Military Appreciation Night

Published on May 19, 2023 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Bay Area Panthers News Release


The Panthers host the Frisco Fighters bring an undefeated record to the SAP Center with a 8:05 p.m. CT kickoff.

Bay Area (4-3) is coming off a one-point loss at Northern Arizona after being shutout in the fourth quarter. Reigning IFL Offensive Player of the Week Dalton Sneed threw three scoring passes to JT Stokes, including one of the best plays of the IFL season with Stokes soaring over the wall on the left side of the end zone for a score in the second period.

"We just can't make mistakes at the end of the game," said Stokes, who leads the league with 13 TD catches. "We have to finish a little better collectively as a team. We left some plays out there that we should have made and keep working on finishing."

Bay Area will take the field one game behind Northern Arizona for the top spot in the logjam of the Western Conference. Six teams are separated by two games heading into the weekend.

Frisco is the only undefeated team in the league and coming off their stiffest test of the year. Expansion Tulsa had the Fighters on the ropes until Bryce Crawford nailed a 46-yard field goal with 1:36 left for a hard-fought 39-37 win. It was just the second game of the season for Frisco decided by single digits.

Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli is famous for having said, "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics." The numbers don't lie when it comes to Frisco. They are the highest scoring team in the IFL and rank second in scoring defense. They allow the fewest yards per game, ranked first against the run and lead the league in interceptions with 13.

Key to the Fighters' success is the play of quarterback TJ Edwards who is completing 62 percent of his throws with 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. Also, the dual-threat QB leads the league in rushing touchdowns with 19. Jerminic Smith has been his favorite target with 36 receptions for 396 yards and seven scores.

Establishing the run is a huge part of the Panthers' offense with Justin Rankin getting a chance to shine against his former team. Rankin is second among league backs in touchdowns and yards per carry. Last season playing for Frisco, Rankin was the top rusher among running backs and his 28 touchdowns was second to Tucson's Mike Jones.

The Panthers ranked fourth in both scoring offense and defense. Money back Bill Atkins leads the team in tackles and ranks eighth in the league in that category.

Following the loss at Northern Arizona, Defensive Coordinator Rob Keefe pointed out the reality of IFL games: it always comes down to the 3-5 plays that are game-changers. Misfires on special teams, empty fourth quarter possessions and the inability to get the defense off the field in crunch time were issues Keefe pointed out as reasons for coming up short in Prescott Valley.

The Panthers are second in the league in sacks and bringing pressure on Edwards and containing him on the perimeter are critical to escape with a win. Tulsa was the one team to have some success but Edwards still threw for 215 yards and four scores. No team has forced the throw into coverage for a game-changing interception.

The Oilers showed it's possible to keep the score down with a chance to win and Keefe is astute at breaking down film for tendencies. Meanwhile, the Bay Area offense has scored 109 points in the last two home games and may need a similar video game-like performance in the Saturday showdown.

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Indoor Football League Stories from May 19, 2023


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.

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