Billy Back is the new Frisco Fighters coach
FRISCO, Texas — The Frisco Fighters had a strong inaugural season in the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Fighters went 10-3, reaching the third-best record in the twelve-team league. The IFL had fewer games in 2021 and also had a few teams sit out the season due to pandemic-related issues, plus the Louisville Xtreme had their membership terminated midway through the season. But the Fighters were able to get to the playoffs during this abbreviated season, as the team reached the league semifinals, losing to the eventual champion Massachusetts Pirates.
Coach Clint Dolezel left the team after the season to pursue other opportunities. The Fighters have since brought in a new head coach in Billy Back, the former head coach of the IFL’s Spokane Shock.
“Given the strength of Coach Back’s reputation and extensive experience coaching, the Germain family couldn’t be more excited than to have Coach Back lead the Frisco Fighters for the 2022 season,” Steve Germain, owner of the Frisco Fighters, said.
Back has an extensive amount of experience coaching indoor football. He played in many indoor football leagues for six seasons in the 2000’s. He was the all-purpose yards leader for the National Indoor Football League in 2006.
He became the coach of the Cincinnati Commandos from 2010 to 2012. The team went 35-3, winning all six of their playoff games. Back also coached two league MVPs while with the Commandos. But the Commandos’ playing situation was shaky, as the team had to move from the Continental Indoor Football League to the United Indoor Football League in 2012. The team folded after the 2012 season, as Back left to focus on other opportunities. The Commandos’ owners felt they could not be competitive without Back as their coach.
Back also coached the IFL’s Texas Revolution in 2013 and the Professional Indoor Football League’s Nashville Venom in 2014 and 2015. The Venom won the PIFL title in 2014.
His next step came in the National Arena League, where he coached the Carolina Cobras in their first two seasons in 2018 and 2019. The Cobras won the NAL championship in 2018 and lost in the 2019 championship game.
He soon joined the Spokane Shock of the IFL. Back led the Shock to a 6-6 record in 2021. The team reached the playoffs, where they lost to the Fighters in the first round. The Fighters defeated the Shock 36-33 in Spokane during the regular season and then again 44-33 in the playoffs at the Comerica Center.
Overall, Back has a 112-45 indoor football coaching record over ten years. He has five indoor football championships to his name.
The Frisco Fighters will start their sixteen-game 2022 season on March 12, when they will travel to Worcester, Massachusetts, to play the Massachusetts Pirates. Their home debut at the Comerica Center will be on April 1 against the Bismarck Bucks.
The 2022 season will return to its standard length, as the IFL was forced into playing a shortened season due to pandemic-related restrictions. There will also be fifteen teams in the IFL in 2022, as a few opted to not play last year.
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