2017 Spokane Empire season

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2017 Spokane Empire season
OwnerIFL Partners, LLC (Nader Naini, Managing Owner)
Head coachAdam Shackleford
General managerRyan Eucker
Home fieldSpokane Veterans Memorial Arena
Results
Record8–8
Conference place3rd
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 2017 Spokane Empire season was the second season for the professional indoor football franchise in the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Empire were one of ten teams that competed in the IFL for the 2017 season and were members of the Intense Conference.

Led by head coach Adam Shackleford, the Empire played their home games at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington. After the season, the team ceased operations.

Roster changes[]

Free agents[]

Position Player 2016 team Notes
QB Aaron Aiken Arizona Rattlers Signed with the Rattlers on November 1, 2016[1]
WR Diondre Borel Arizona Rattlers Signed with the Rattlers on October 27, 2016[2]
DL Brett Bowers Spokane Empire Re-signed on October 4, 2016,[2][3] released February 20, 2017[4]
OL Michael Boyefio TBD
DB Robert Brown Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 22, 2016[5][6]
WR Samuel Charles Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 23[5][7]
K Patrick Clarke Beijing Lions Drafted in the 18th round of the China Arena Football League
QB Charles Dowdell Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 23[5][8]
DB Josh Ferguson TBD
OL Kyle Fischer Spokane Empire Re-signed on September 1, 2016[9][10]
LB Nick Haag Spokane Empire Re-signed on October 18, 2016[2]
WR J. J. Hayes Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 23[5][11]
WR Justin Helwege Spokane Empire
OL Brandon Haskins TBD
DL Toby Jackson Spokane Empire Re-signed on October 18, 2016[2]
DB Adrian James Spokane Empire Re-signed on September 10, 2016[9][12]
RB Trevor Kennedy Spokane Empire Re-signed on February 7, 2017[4][13]
OL Dave Lefotu Spokane Empire Re-signed on September 10, 2016[9]
DL C. J. Olaniyan TBD
DL Ben Perry TBD
RB Antonio Pierce TBD
DL Michael Reynolds Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 12,[5][14] released February February 21, 2017[4]
DB Tyree Robinson Spokane Empire Re-signed on August 22[5][15]
DL Donte Rumph TBD
DB Cassius Sendish TBD
WR Carl Sims Spokane Empire Re-signed on February 16, 2017[4][16]
OL Mike Trice TBD
LB Pasquale Vacchio Spokane Empire Re-signed on January 17, 2017[17][18]
DB Lorenzo White Spokane Empire Re-signed on October 11, 2016,[2][19] released February February 21, 2017[4]

Signings[]

Position Player 2016 Team Notes
OL Sedrick Flowers Rookie Signed August 12, 2016,[20] released February 20, 2017[4]
OL Darren Pinnock Rookie Signed August 12, 2016[21]
QB Austin Trainor None Signed August 12, 2016,[22] released February 20, 2017[4]
DL Rika Levi Rookie Signed August 13, 2016,[23] released February 20, 2017[4]
OL Jonah Austin Rookie Signed August 22, 2016[5]
OL Larry Mazyck Rookie Signed August 23, 2016,[5][24] released February 16, 2017[4]
DB John Hardy-Tuliau None Signed August 23, 2016[5][25]
WR Orlandus Harris Bloomington Edge Signed August 30, 2016[5][26]
LB Andrew Jackson None Signed August 30, 2016[5][27]
WR Thomas Shuler None Signed August 30, 2016,[5][28] released February 16, 2017[4]
RB Rob Brown Tri-Cities Fever Signed September 10, 2016,[9][29] released February 21, 2017[4]
RB Mulku Kalokoh None Signed September 10, 2016[9]
WR Tri-Cities Fever Signed September 10, 2016[9]
OL Siosifa Tufunga Rookie Signed September 22, 2016[9][30]
OL James Atoe Colorado Crush Signed October 4, 2016[2][31]
DL Royce LaFrance None Signed October 11, 2016[2][32]
DB Norris Wrenn III Billings Wolves Signed October 11, 2016,[2][33] released February February 21, 2017[4]
DL Pat McNeil Rookie Signed October 15, 2016, [2] released February 16, 2017[4]
QB Aaron Wilmer Rookie Signed October 15, 2016[2][34]
OL Bill Vavau Colorado Crush Signed October 24, 2016[2][35]
OL Deveric Gallington Portland Steel Signed November 1, 2016[1][36]
DB Stephen Godbolt Tri-Cities Fever Signed November 1, 2016,[1][37] released February February 21, 2017[4]
DL O. J. Mau None Signed November 11, 2016[1][38]
WR Lamont Bryant None Signed January 24, 2017,[17][39] released February February 20, 2017[4]
OL Cassidy Curtis None Signed January 24, 2017,[17] released February February 21, 2017[4]
DL Junior Alexis Rookie Signed February 7, 2017[4][13]
OL Mikingson Marsaille Rookie Signed February 7, 2017,[4][13] released February 16, 2017[4]
WR Devonn Brown Rookie Signed February 8, 2017[4][40]
DL J. D. Griggs Colorado Crush Signed February 9, 2017[4][40]
DB Malcolm Griggs Rookie Signed February 7, 2017,[4] released February 16, 2017[13]
DL Harold Love III Dodge City Law Signed February 16, 2017[4][41]
WR Bryan Pray Iowa Barnstormers Signed February 16, 2017[4][16]
K Craig Peterson Tampa Bay Storm Signed February 21, 2017[4]
Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's 2016 season.

Staff[]

2017 Spokane Empire staff
Front Office
  • Majority owner – IFL Partners, LLC
  • General manager – Ryan Eucker
  • Director of sponsorship sales – Suzie Dunn
  • Director of game operations – Karen Kiehl
  • Director of community relations – Crystal Medina
  • Director of ticket sales – Chris Combo
  • Group tickets coordinator – Hannah Holman
  • Corporate account executive – Jake Martin
  • Account executive – Ryan Hagel
  

Coaches

  • Head coach – Adam Shackleford
  • Assistant head coach – Cleveland Pratt

Other assistant coaches

  • Anthony Payton
  • Marquise Liverpool
  • Marshall Hart

Schedule[]

Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Regular season[]

All start times are local time[42]

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance
Score Record
1 BYE
2 Thursday February 23 7:00pm Green Bay Blizzard W 34–31[43] 1–0 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
3 Friday March 3 5:05pm at Wichita Falls Nighthawks L 56–57 (2OT)[44] 1–1 Kay Yeager Coliseum
4 Monday March 13 6:00pm at Salt Lake Screaming Eagles W 41–35[45] 2–1 Maverik Center 4,196
5 Friday March 17 5:00pm at Colorado Crush W 70–37[46] 3–1 Budweiser Events Center
6 Friday March 24 7:00pm Salt Lake Screaming Eagles W 53–36[47] 4–1 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
7 Saturday April 1 7:00pm Nebraska Danger L 36–42[48] 4–2 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
8 BYE
9 Friday April 14 7:00pm Colorado Crush W 36–24 5–2 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
10 Saturday April 22 7:00pm at Arizona Rattlers W 60–51 6–2 Talking Stick Resort Arena 12,725
11 Sunday April 30 3:00pm Salt Lake Screaming Eagles W 31–29 7–2 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
12 Saturday May 6 5:05pm at Sioux Falls Storm L 32–62 7–3 Denny Sanford Premier Center
13 Friday May 12 7:00pm Arizona Rattlers L 35–49 7–4 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
14 Thursday May 18 5:00pm at Colorado Crush L 36–45 7–5 Budweiser Events Center
15 Friday May 26 7:00pm Colorado Crush W 48–43 8–5 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
16 Saturday June 3 7:00pm Arizona Rattlers L 16–33 8–6 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
17 Friday June 9 5:05pm at Iowa Barnstormers L 28–58 8–7 Wells Fargo Arena 7,153
18 Friday June 16 6:00pm at Salt Lake Screaming Eagles L 42–45 8–8 Maverik Center 4,581

Standings[]

2017 Intense Conference
  • view
  • talk
 W L T PCT PF PA CON GB STK
y - Arizona Rattlers 12 4 0 .750 782 610 8–1 — W8
x - Nebraska Danger 9 7 0 .563 717 660 5–2 3.0 W1
Spokane Empire 8 8 0 .500 654 677 7–5 4.0 L3
Salt Lake Screaming Eagles 5 11 0 .313 675 762 4–8 7.0 W1
Colorado Crush 3 13 0 .188 629 821 2–10 8.0 L4

Roster[]

2017 Spokane Empire roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • 18 Trevor Kennedy
  • 30 Andrew Pierce

Wide receivers

Offensive linemen
  • 70 Jonah Austin
  • 66 Deveric Gallington
  • 57
  • 74 Darren Pinnock
  • 55 Bill Vavau

Defensive linemen

Linebackers
  • 47 Nick Haag
  •  8 Andrew Jackson
  •  7 Joseph Thornton
  • 13 Pasquale Vacchio

Defensive backs

  • 20
  • 33 John Hardy-Tuliau
  • 21

Special teams

Reserve lists
  • 60 James Atoe OL (Exempt)
  • 79 Cassidy Curtis OL (Exempt)
  • 72 Kyle Fischer IR
  • 80 J. J. Hayes WR (Did not report)
  • 12 Toby Jackson DL (Did not report)
  • 22 Adrian James DB (Exempt)
  • 48 Royce LaFrance DL (Exempt)
  • 56 Dave Lefotu OL (Exempt)
  • 91 O. J. Mau DL (IR-DFR) Injury icon 2.svg
  •  5 Tyree Robinson DB (IR) Injury icon 2.svg

Rookies in italics
Roster updated June 14, 2017
26 Active, 10 Inactive

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "IFL Transactions November 2016". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "IFL Transactions October 2016". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "Empire Re-Signs DL Brett Bowers". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 6, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "IFL Transactions February 2017". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "IFL Transactions August 2016". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  6. ^ "Spokane Re-Signs All-IFL DB Robert Brown". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 31, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  7. ^ "Spokane Re-Signs WR Samuel Charles". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 29, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  8. ^ "Quarterback Charles Dowdell re-signs with Spokane Empire". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. August 22, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "IFL Transactions September 2016". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "Empire Re-Signs OL Kyle Fischer". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 8, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  11. ^ "Spokane Re-Signs WR J.J. Hayes". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 30, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  12. ^ "Empire Re-Signs DB Adrian James". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 7, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d "Empire Makes Roster Moves as Training Camp Opens". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  14. ^ "Empire Signs DL Michael Reynolds". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 15, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  15. ^ "DB Tyree Robinson Returns to Empire". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 23, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Empire Adds Top Two IFL Career Receiving Leaders". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  17. ^ a b c "IFL Transactions January 2017". www.goifl.com. Indoor Football League. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  18. ^ "Empire Re-Signs LB Pasquale Vacchio". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. January 11, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  19. ^ "Empire Re-Signs DB Lorenzo White Jr". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 12, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  20. ^ "Empire Signs OL Sedrick Flowers". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 16, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  21. ^ "Spokane strengthens offensive line with free agent talent". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 12, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  22. ^ "Empire Signs QB Austin Trainor". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 14, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  23. ^ "Empire signs defensive lineman". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. August 18, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  24. ^ "Spokane Signs OL Larry Mazyck". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 24, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  25. ^ "Spokane Signs DB John Hardy-Tuliau". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 25, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  26. ^ "Spokane Signs WR Orlandus Harris". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 6, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  27. ^ "Spokane Signs Lb Andrew Jackson". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 1, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  28. ^ "Spokane Signs WR Thomas Shuler". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 7, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  29. ^ "Empire Signs Veteran IFL Rb Rob Brown". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 1, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  30. ^ "Empire Signs OL Siosifa Tufunga". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 30, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  31. ^ "Empire Adds ALL-FL OL James Atoe". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 5, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  32. ^ "Empire Signs DL Royce Lafrance". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 16, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  33. ^ "Empire Signs DB Norris Wrenn". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 11, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  34. ^ "Empire Signs QB Aaron Wilmer". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. October 26, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  35. ^ "Empire Signs Former Colorado Ol Bill Vavau". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 3, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  36. ^ "Empire Signs Veteran Ol Deveric Gallington". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 5, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  37. ^ "Empire Signs Former Fever DB Godbolt". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 4, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  38. ^ "Empire Signs DL O.J. Mau". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 11, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  39. ^ "Empire Signs WR Lamont Bryant". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  40. ^ a b "Empire Signs WR Brown and DL Griggs". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 9, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  41. ^ "Empire Signs DL Harold Love III". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  42. ^ "2017 Schedule : Spokane Empire". Indoor Football League. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  43. ^ Josh Horton (February 23, 2017). "Rusty Empire edge Green Bay 34-31 in season opener". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  44. ^ "Spokane Empire fall in double overtime to Wichita Falls". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  45. ^ "Empire ground Screaming Eagles in IFL action". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  46. ^ "Devonn Brown catches 4 touchdowns in Spokane Empire's rout of Colorado Crush". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  47. ^ "Spokane Empire thwarts Salt Lake – and its play-calling fans". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. March 24, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  48. ^ Steve Christilaw (April 1, 2017). "Spokane Empire lose to Nebraska, fall into first-place tie". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved April 3, 2017.

External links[]

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