In the IFL the off-season is the hot time of year for teams to make moves to improve their performance for the season. This week several IFL teams made roster moves to hopefully move them a step closer to winning the 2023 IFL National Championship. For many teams, this means adding talent and depth to their roster, but for other teams, this means making moves to maintain your team leadership including the coaching staff. Ultimately, every move a team makes will help them play at a higher level and have a chance to be a championship team in 2023. Let’s take a look at the moves that were made this week in the IFL.
Green Bay Blizzard Getting Offensive
The Blizzard has focused their efforts on adding offensive firepower this week. That is understandable when you realize that they had the 13th-ranked offense in the IFL in 2023. Green Bay has added former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater quarterback Max Meylor.
Meylor is a 6’3″, a 220-pound player maker that is not a stranger to playing for championships. Meylor lead UWW to the 2019 Division 3 National Championship game and was named a 2021 WIAC player of the week. The Blizzard has also added versatile receiver Lakeem Christmas.
Christmas can play receiver, defensive back, and return kicks. He has previous professional experience with the Rapid City Marshalls of the CIF, and with the Mexico City Rojos.
Beefing Up The Line of Scrimmage
Several IFL teams added beef to their offensive and defensive lines this week. The 2022 IFL National Champion Runner-Up Quad City Steamwheelers added defensive lineman Krystapher Oakley for NAIA power Marian University, in 2019 he produced 39.5 tackles, 11 TFLs, and 3 sacks. Iowa added 6’5″ defensive lineman Dillon Salva who has spent time on the Atlanta Falcons Mini-Camp roster and participated in the Washington Commander’s training camp.
The NAZ Wranglers picked up indoor veteran defensive lineman Armonti Carey, the 6’5″ 320 pound Carey who played most recently with the Bismarck Bucks, but has also spent time with several NAL teams and the San Jose Sabercats of the AFL in 2015. The Tulsa Oilers added an offensive lineman to their roster, the 6’3″, 300-pound Chris Ivy has experience at left tackle with the University of Tulsa.
Focusing On The Details
The multi-time indoor football champion Arizona Rattlers added to their coaching staff. Siaha Burley was named the assistant head coach and has prior experience coaching receivers, coordinating offense’s for the Orlando Predators and Cleveland Gladiators of the AFL and has been the head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks of the NAL.
The Rattlers also added Offensive Line coach Kevin Ashak who had indoor playing experience with the New Orleans Voodoo in the AFL, and the Arizona Rattlers in 2017. The Massachusetts Pirates also are focusing on details by re-signing kickers Josh Gable. Both the Rattlers and the Pirates were near the top of the IFL in 2022, and look to take the next step to a championship in 2023.
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