Tucson Sugar Skulls 'mutually' agree 'to part ways' with head coach Billy Back

The Billy Back era for the Tucson Sugar Skulls has come to an end after two seasons.

The Sugar Skulls announced they have “mutually agreed to part ways” with Back, who was the franchise’s head coach and general manager.

“We appreciate the experience and determination Billy brought to the Sugar Skulls, and the team showed improvement last season,” Sugar Skulls co-owner Cathy Guy said in a statement. “But after a two-year evaluation, we both thought it was best to part ways. Billy is a championship coach, and we wish him all the best.”

Back went 8-24 in two seasons and missed the playoffs. The Sugar Skulls haven’t had an IFL postseason appearance since 2023. The 2025 season was punctuated with a 55-18 loss to the Vegas Knight Hawks.

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Whoever replaces Back, who previously coached the Frisco Fighters, will be Tucson’s fifth coach since the IFL franchise started in 2019. Other Sugar Skulls coaches include Marcus Coleman, Dixie Wooten and Hurtis Chinn, who was the offensive coordinator of the Vegas Knight Hawks, which recently won the IFL championship in Tucson.

Tucson Arena is set to host the next two IFL championships in 2026 and ’27.

“Getting our team to the national championship game in the next two years is a high priority for us,” Guy said. “We feel we have the resources and community and fan support to get that done.”