Lessons were learned from the Tucson Sugar Skulls’ 2021 season.
Sugar Skulls coach and general manager Dixie Wooten essentially gutted the roster and only re-signed three players from last season’s 6-8 team: All-IFL running back Mike Jones and offensive linemen Kordell Brewster and Antonio Rosales, the latter of whom was released last season after punching an official during a mid-game skirmish.
As he rebuilt the roster with newcomers, Wooten held mandatory virtual team meetings over Zoom. The new Skulls studied Wooten’s offensive and defensive playbooks while getting to know each other.
“We talked about the playbook, but we also got to know each other, we laughed and we joked,” Wooten said as he and the Sugar Skulls (1-0) prepared for Friday night’s game against the Frisco Fighters in Texas. “They laugh at some of the things I say because I’m from Houston and they think it’s funny. When they got to camp, it was almost like they already knew each other from a long time ago.”
Tucson showed of its newfound chemistry in Sunday’s season opener, beating the Las Vegas Knight Hawks 48-39 on the road.
“At first we started fast, but then we hit those first-game mistakes and had some sloppy drives. We went into halftime, corrected those mistakes and came out clicking,” quarterback Daquan Neal said. “We took what the defense gave us and didn’t really rush anything. Then our defense stepped up and sealed the game for us.”
Neal, the IFL’s Offensive MVP in 2019, completed 13 of 18 passes for 178 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in Tucson’s win over Vegas.
It was a change from last year, when quarterback play was at the forefront of Tucson’s issues.
The Sugar Skulls started Demry Croft for most of last season, but late-game blunders and goal-line turnovers cost Tucson wins. Wooten benched Croft for dual-threat quarterback Cory Murphy, but the new QB wasn’t enough to make a playoff push.
Now?
“We got our quarterback,” Wooten said. “We got a guy under center who can make a difference, and it showed in our game.”
Neal, a Franklinton, North Carolina native, and Elizabeth City State University product, scored 128 all-purpose touchdowns in two seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers, including a league-best 83 during his MVP campaign in 2019. Wooten was his head coach that year.
“When he walks in the building, they know who he is, they Google him and know what he’s about,” Wooten said. “When he talks, everyone listens. When somebody does something wrong, he corrects it. His presence alone makes us 10 times better.”
It took just a few practices for Wooten to know that Neal was different. Wooten prepares newbies at quarterback by putting them “in the worst situation in camp,” he said. While Iowa’s offense scrimmaged the defense, Wooten called every defensive play to disrupt the offense.
“It only gives you one window, so when he was making mistakes as a rookie in camp, he never got down on himself and he never quit.” Wooten said. “He always motivated himself to do the right thing and always asked the right questions.”
One day, Wooten announced the entire practice would be a scrimmage. Neal “got so excited because it felt like the real thing,” Wooten said. “I knew that day he was going to be our starting quarterback.”
From there, Wooten and Neal always maintained an honest and transparent relationship, especially when they’re watching game film together. Although they love to work together, both hope Neal can move on to the CFL or NFL.
“I always show him the things that he needs to get better at. That’s what motivates him. He knows he’s a top-of-the-line talent, but he’s here to move up to the next level. So any time we watch film, it’s always about what he did wrong, what he needs to improve on and fix,” Wooten said. “One thing about him is that once we show him what he did wrong, he immediately goes to the field and tries to fix it.”
One game into the 2022 season, the Sugar Skulls till have question marks. But quarterback — and togetherness — isn’t one of them.
“Everybody is bonding into the coaches’ game plan. We don’t have any outsiders and everybody that’s on the team is close-knit and will do anything for each other,” Neal said. “Having that team chemistry and camaraderie, that’s how you win a championship.
“And we got that this year.”
Extra points
Former Sugar Skulls wide receiver Sheldon Augustine is now playing for Frisco.
Neal’s backup is Vincent Testaverde, the son of Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback Vinnie Testaverde. The younger Testaverde played college ball at Albany before joining the Arizona Rattlers last season.
The IFL is now separated into two divisions. The Western Division features the Sugar Skulls, Rattlers, Northern Arizona Wranglers, San Diego Strike Force, Bay Area Panthers, Vegas Knight Hawks and Duke City Gladiators. The Eastern Division features the Frisco Fighters, Massachusetts Pirates, Iowa Barnstormers, Sioux Falls Storm, Bismarck Bucks, Green Bay Blizzard and Quad City Steamwheelers.
