Cincinnati Commandos
The Cincinnati Commandos were a professional indoor football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team suspended operations for the 2013 season, with hope of returning in 2014. They began play in 2010 as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League before moving to the United Indoor Football League in 2012. The Commandos then left the UIFL after winning Ultimate Bowl II and re-joined the CIFL, but never took the field after its announcement. The Commandos were the fifth arena or indoor football in Cincinnati, after the Cincinnati Rockers (Arena Football League 1992–93), Cincinnati Swarm (af2 2003), Cincinnati Marshals (National Indoor Football League 2004–2006), and Cincinnati Jungle Kats (af2 2007). The owners of the Commandos are Dennis Whitman and Paul Napier. The Commandos played their home games at Cincinnati Gardens.
| Cincinnati Commandos | ||
|---|---|---|
| Established 2009 Folded 2013 Played in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Cincinnati Gardens | ||
| ||
| League/conference affiliations | ||
| Continental Indoor Football League 2010
United Indoor Football League (2012)
| ||
| Team colors | Army green, kelly green, red, light gray | |
| Cheerleaders | Commando Cuties | |
| Personnel | ||
| Owner(s) | Dennis Whitman Paul Napier | |
| General manager | Jason Buckley | |
| Head coach | Billy Back | |
| Team history | ||
| ||
| Championships | ||
| League championships (3) | ||
| Conference championships (0) | ||
Division championships (1)
| ||
| Playoff appearances (3) | ||
| Home arena(s) | ||
| ||
Franchise history
Play begins: 2010
The Commandos posted a 9-1 regular season mark in the 2010 season, winning their first nine games before losing the final one at Wisconsin. After a three-week break, Cincinnati defeated Miami Valley, 48-24, in the CIFL Semifinals, and then defeated the Wisconsin Wolfpack, 54-40 in the 2010 CIFL Championship Game, on June 26, to claim Cincinnati's first ever professional football championship.
2011
Head Coach Billy Back returned for the 2011 season, Brian Wells, former head coach of the Miami Valley Silverbacks, was hired as Assistant Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach. For 2011 the Commandos have announced the signing of: Tyler Sheehan (QB), Derrick Crawford (Defensive Line), Maurice Lee (WR), Corey Clarke (WR), Brandon Harrison (WR), and Peter Warrick (WR)[1] Cincinnati opened up defense of its 2010 CIFL Championship with a convincing 53-7 victory over Chicago on March 5. Cincinnati unveiled its championship banner at The Gardens that same night and gave its fans a memorable evening. Cincinnati dominated the game from start to finish jumping out to 21-0 lead and 27-7 halftime lead. Cincinnati scored just once in the third quarter before adding three more scores in the final stanza. Cincinnati was led by two quarterbacks. Starting quarterback Tyler Sheehan was 11 of 20 for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow quarterback and 2010 CIFL MVP Ben Mauk was nine of 15 for 102 yards and four touchdowns. The passing was spread around to seven receivers. The top receiver was Keynes Mincy with six receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Other receivers include Brandon Boehm wo had three catches for 50 yards; George Murray had four receptions for 44 yards; and Greg Moore had two catches for 35 yards. The leading rusher was Greg Moore with 24 yards on nine carries. On March 19, quarterback Tyler Sheehan broke a Commandos record, by throwing 8 touchdown passes against the Indianapolis Enforcers. The previous record had been 7, which Mauk achieved twice in the 2010 season.[2] On May 29, 2011, the Commandos completed their first ever undefeated regular season, with a 50-20 win over the Marion Blue Racers, in what was a battle for first place and home field advantage throughout the CIFL Playoffs. Once again, the season ended with the Commandos as CIFL Champions, defeating the Blue Racers 44-29.
2012
After an initial report that stated the Commandos would join the Stadius Football Association,[3] on July 11, 2011, the Commandos announced they were leaving the CIFL to join the Ultimate Indoor Football League.[4] On August 23, 2011, it was announced that Bill Back would return as head coach for a 3rd season with the Commandos[5] On July 2, 2012, the Commandos completed their third straight league championship, defeating the Florida Tarpons 62-44 in the UIFL's Ultimate Bowl II. The Commandos had won the CIFL Championship the previous two seasons.[6][7]
2013
The Commandos left the UIFL after winning its third championship in a row. On August 3, 2012, they re-joined the CIFL.[8] In September 2012, head coach Billy Back told the Commandos that he was not returning to pursue a higher level coaching position in professional football.[9] The team named receivers coach, and former Arena Football League receiver, J.C. Baker as Back's replacement.[9] In November 2012, the Commandos announced that they would suspend operations for the 2013 season, and re-organize for their future success.[10] However, seeing as though ownership thought they could not win with anyone other than Back, the team never returned and disappeared.
Statistics
Season-by-season results
| League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card Berth | League Leader |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||||
| 2010 | 2010 | CIFL | 1st | 9 | 1 | Won CIFL semifinals (Silverbacks) 48–24 Won 2010 CIFL Championship Game (Wolfpack) 54–40 | |||||
| 2011 | 2011 | CIFL | 1st | 10 | 0 | Won CIFL semifinals (Knights) 71–13 Won 2011 CIFL Championship Game (Blue Racers) 44–29 | |||||
| 2012 | 2012 | UIFL | Northern | 1st | 10 | 2 | Won UIFL semifinals (Explosion) 62–40 Won Ultimate Bowl II (Tarpons) 61–44 | ||||
| Totals | 29 | 3 | All-time regular season record (2010–2012) | ||||||||
| 6 | 0 | - | All-time postseason record (2011–2012) | ||||||||
| 35 | 3 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2010–2012) | |||||||||
Players
Final roster
| Cincinnati Commandos roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Quarterbacks Running backs
Wide receivers
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Kickers
|
Injured reserve
Exempt list
Practice squad
Rookies in italics | |||
Awards and honors
The following is a list of all Commandos players who have won league awards:
| Season | Player | Position | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Dominick Goodman | WR | Offensive Player of the Year |
| 2010 | James Spikes | DL | Co-Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2010 | Ben Mauk | QB | CIFL MVP |
| 2010 | Ben Mauk | QB | CIFL Championship Game MVP |
| 2011 | Tyler Sheehan | QB | Offensive Player of the Year |
| 2011 | Tyler Sheehan | QB | CIFL MVP |
| 2011 | Tyler Sheehan | QB | CIFL Championship Game MVP |
| 2012 | James Spikes | DL | UIFL North Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2012 | Derrick Moss | RB | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Phillip Barnett | WR | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Kyenes Mincy | WR | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Frank Straub | OL | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | James Frazier | DL | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | James Spikes | DL | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | E. J. Underwood | DB | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Mack Ogletree | All-Purpose | 1st Team All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Tyler Sheehan | QB | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Brandon Boehm | WR | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Richard Bailey | OL | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Richard Deutch | OL | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Terrill Byrd | DL | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Santino Turnbow | LB | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Jeff Demary | DB | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
| 2012 | Corry Stewart | DB | Honorable Mention All-UIFL North |
Other notable former players
- Rayshawn Askew - RB
- Maurice Lee - WR
- Robert Redd - WR/DB
- Khalil El-Amin - OL
- Chris Respress - DB
- E.J. Underwood - DB
Staff
| Cincinnati Commandos staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coach
|
Offensive Coaches
Defensive Coaches
| |||||
References
- "Niet compatibele browser". Facebook. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
- SFA Press Release. "FireHawks joining new league". Wane.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- "Two-time CIFL champion Commandos joins UIFL". Theuifl.com. 2011-07-11. Archived from the original on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- "Commandos re-sign Back as head coach". Theuifl.com. 2011-08-23. Archived from the original on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- "Mincy accounts for nine touchdowns as Cincinnati claims title". www.uiflfootball.com. UIFL.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-10-12. Retrieved 2012-07-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Commandos Return Home to CIFL". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- "Wide Receivers Coach J.C. Baker Takes Over Command of the Commandos". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
- "Commandos Suspend Operations for 2013". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.