Dixie Wooten was unsure what to do during his time away from the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
In a normal year, Wooten, the coach and general manager of Tucson’s Indoor Football League team, splits his time between scouting and development. Six months are dedicated to football, while the other six are for family. Six in Tucson, six in Houston.
When the IFL shuttered the 2020 season at the start of the pandemic, family time took over. There was no film to watch, and no players to coach.
“I can’t say the word, but it was tough,” Wooten said after the Sugar Skulls’ scrimmage at Kino Sports Complex on Thursday. “It was everything other than football. I’m glad I’m back on this field. … My wife and kids got tired of me. They’re happy that we’re playing, and now they can use Arizona as a vacation spot now.”
The IFL’s decision to cancel the 2020 season and postpone the start of the 2021 schedule — Tucson plays its first game Friday — forced Tucson to hit the reset button.
“Unfortunately, we had some good people that were working for us — and some moved on. We were able to evaluate some things and we had to build a staff back,” said Sugar Skulls co-owner Kevin Guy. “(There was a) whole offseason of expenses and no season of revenue; we went to work and didn’t really complain about it. We just put our heads down and went to work.”
Players spent the last 14 months trying to make ends meet. Sugar Skulls cornerback Cam Gaddis, a Tucson native, ramped up his personal training sessions with local youth athletes and formed a 7-on-7 football club, “Gaddis Gainz Elite.”
“The first year we had a bunch of kids come out, but the second year even more kids showed out. It’s still growing, but when I was growing up, we didn’t have anything like this around,” said Gaddis, who is one of two Tucsonans, along with offensive tackle Antonio Rosales, on the Sugar Skulls’ 2021 roster. “The talent level out here, we got it, it’s just the exposure, and I want to help kids get that exposure. … I love being out here, but I also love helping out our kids.”
Former Tucson Sugar Skulls coach and general manager Dixie Wooten returns to the Old Pueblo as offensive coordinator of the Bay Area Panthers.
During the down time, the IFL forged a media rights partnership with Stadium. The cable channel will broadcast and stream a “Game of the Week.” Fans who can wager legally will be able to do so in real time.
The deal “gives us a national television platform with a much larger vision than simply having our games on TV. We believe the dynamic engagement we will be able to have with viewers during each game will help our league grow immensely,” commissioner Todd Tryon said.
Tucson will play three games on Stadium — all of them on the road. They’ll take on the Arizona Rattlers on June 12, the Northern Arizona Wranglers on June 26 and the Spokane Shock on July 17.
The team’s seven-game home schedule includes a nod to the pandemic. The club has set up COVID-19 vaccination clinics outside Tucson Arena for fans. Those who get vaccinated will receive a discounted single-game ticket, Guy said.
Tucson players and staffers will all be fully vaccinated before the season opener.
“Everybody bought in, complied and this is what we got to do to get back to normal,” Guy said. “Everyone made some sacrifices, but I think it’s safe. … I don’t know where the (infection) numbers are today, but they’re getting better and better.”
Tucson’s plans to have 50% capacity for its home opener, while its in-state rivals — the Rattlers and Wranglers — are at 100% capacity. Still, “I feel strongly that we’ll open up at full capacity before the end of the season,” Guy said.
Tucson’s roster includes quarterback E.J. Hilliard, the 2019 IFL Offensive Player of the Year. He’ll be joined by All-IFL receivers Ryan Balentine, Jazeric Peterson and Sheldon Augustine. The IFL’s reigning rushing champion, Mike Jones, is also expected to start in Tucson’s offense this year.
Defensive lineman BJ Butler and defensive back Jajuan Harley join the club for 2021. A former first-round NFL draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens, Matt Elam, an All-American and 2012 All-SEC selection, will play his first season in the IFL after spending the last few years in the CFL and XFL.
Tucson Sugar Skulls coach and GM Dixie Wooten, right, watches as defensive back Matt Elam communicates with the defense. Elam, a former first-round NFL draft pick, joins Tucson this season after spending time in the CFL and XFL.
Guy said the new players “pass the eye test when you see them. They look like a completely different team than they did in 2019.”
Wooten and Guy believe the club has what it takes to compete for a championship.
“No, it’s championship or bust,” Wooten said. “We want to win everything and bring home playoff games to Tucson, and we want to bring a championship to Tucson, because at the end of the day, it’ll help our economy. By us winning, it helps Tucson out big time.”
Extra points
Bill Foley, the CEO and chairman of the NHL’s Las Vegas Golden Knights, has purchased an expansion IFL franchise that will begin play in 2022. Las Vegas was previously home to the Las Vegas Gladiators and Las Vegas Outlaws in the extinct Arena Football League. The new team’s name has yet to be determined.
Former Tucson Sugar Skulls offensive lineman Antonio Rosales was one of two locals on this year’s roster, along with defensive back Cam Gaddis. Rosales played at Tucson High and San Diego State.
Tucson’s seven home games this season will be broadcast on CW Tucson (Ch. 8/58). Pat Parris will again handle play-by-play, and will be joined by talk-show host and former Sugar Skulls president Jay Gonzales. KGUN-9 sports director Jason Barr is back for another season as the sideline reporter.
Tucson native Robert Metz will not rejoin the Sugar Skulls this season. The former Canyon del Oro High School standout will focus on being a firefighter.
Hilliard did not report to Thursday’s scrimmage, but is expected to return to the team in time for the opener. Quarterbacks Demry Croft and Tahj Tolbert took snaps with the offense.
