Post by Banana Cat on Feb 25, 2012 13:08:02 GMT -5
billingsgazette.com/sports/football/professional/o-neal-excited-for-new-opportunity-as-head-coach/article_f0a19a40-1ec6-5dbe-9f32-c72aefc65717.html
O'Neal excited for new opportunity as head coach
By MIKE ZIMMER / billingsgazette.com
February 24, 2012
It was only a matter of time before Heron O’Neal got another shot to be a head coach.
That time is now.
The former Billings Outlaws coach is now the head man for the Colorado Ice, a former rival of Billings in the Indoor Football League. O’Neal will make his head coaching debut for the Ice on Sunday against the New Mexico Stars in Rio Rancho, N.M.
“I’m excited and ready to go,” said O’Neal, who served as Colorado’s defensive coordinator last season after the Billings franchise folded. “Last year was tough, taking a step back to assistant after being a head coach for five years. I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m ready to make the most of it.”
O’Neal, 37, officially took over as Colorado’s coach last summer when longtime Ice coach/general manager Collins Sanders stepped down to become the team’s full-time GM.
Fans in Fort Collins, Colo., can only hope that O’Neal has the same kind of success he had in Billings. The Outlaws went 67-17 in five seasons under O’Neal (2006-10) and won three league championships — one in the NIFL and two in the IFL.
In his last two years in Billings — both championship seasons — O’Neal was the offensive and defensive coordinator as well as the head coach. With the Ice, he’ll run the offense but will turn the defense over to Brian Arndt.
“My stress level will be a little lower than it was in Billings,” said O’Neal with a laugh. “I enjoyed doing all three in Billings, but it was a lot of work. I know coach Arndt will do a great job with our defense, and it will give me more time to focus on the head coaching duties and implementing our new offense.”
O’Neal said he returns several key players from last year’s Ice, which finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the IFL’s Western Division but lost on a last-second field goal in its first playoff game after a first-round bye. The team also features a large number of newcomers to indoor football, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
“I’d say this team is real similar to our 2009 team in Billings,” he said. “We started the season with a lot of rookies who ended up being some of the best players in the league ... guys like Michael Eby, Tim Brown, Travonti Johnson and Kadafi Tunsil.
“I don’t ever like to lose a game, but I know I’m going to have to be a little patient with this team in the early part of the season. By the end of the season, I think we’ll have a team that can play with anybody in the league.”
Just as was the case during his tenure in Billings, O’Neal’s Ice — and the rest of the league — are chasing the Sioux Falls Storm. Led by former Outlaws quarterback Chris Dixon, the Storm cruised to the IFL title last season with a 16-1 record.
“We play Sioux Falls in the last game of the regular season ... we’ll definitely find out if we’re ready for the playoffs or not,” said O’Neal. “They’re loaded again this year. They’re the best team in the league and they have to be considered the team to beat until somebody knocks them off.
“Hopefully we’ll be in that position within the next couple of years ... like we did in Billings. I signed a three-year contract here and I hope to be here for a while. The owners treat me great and we’ve got some great fans here ... hopefully we can put together a run like we did in Billings.”
By MIKE ZIMMER / billingsgazette.com
February 24, 2012
It was only a matter of time before Heron O’Neal got another shot to be a head coach.
That time is now.
The former Billings Outlaws coach is now the head man for the Colorado Ice, a former rival of Billings in the Indoor Football League. O’Neal will make his head coaching debut for the Ice on Sunday against the New Mexico Stars in Rio Rancho, N.M.
“I’m excited and ready to go,” said O’Neal, who served as Colorado’s defensive coordinator last season after the Billings franchise folded. “Last year was tough, taking a step back to assistant after being a head coach for five years. I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m ready to make the most of it.”
O’Neal, 37, officially took over as Colorado’s coach last summer when longtime Ice coach/general manager Collins Sanders stepped down to become the team’s full-time GM.
Fans in Fort Collins, Colo., can only hope that O’Neal has the same kind of success he had in Billings. The Outlaws went 67-17 in five seasons under O’Neal (2006-10) and won three league championships — one in the NIFL and two in the IFL.
In his last two years in Billings — both championship seasons — O’Neal was the offensive and defensive coordinator as well as the head coach. With the Ice, he’ll run the offense but will turn the defense over to Brian Arndt.
“My stress level will be a little lower than it was in Billings,” said O’Neal with a laugh. “I enjoyed doing all three in Billings, but it was a lot of work. I know coach Arndt will do a great job with our defense, and it will give me more time to focus on the head coaching duties and implementing our new offense.”
O’Neal said he returns several key players from last year’s Ice, which finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the IFL’s Western Division but lost on a last-second field goal in its first playoff game after a first-round bye. The team also features a large number of newcomers to indoor football, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
“I’d say this team is real similar to our 2009 team in Billings,” he said. “We started the season with a lot of rookies who ended up being some of the best players in the league ... guys like Michael Eby, Tim Brown, Travonti Johnson and Kadafi Tunsil.
“I don’t ever like to lose a game, but I know I’m going to have to be a little patient with this team in the early part of the season. By the end of the season, I think we’ll have a team that can play with anybody in the league.”
Just as was the case during his tenure in Billings, O’Neal’s Ice — and the rest of the league — are chasing the Sioux Falls Storm. Led by former Outlaws quarterback Chris Dixon, the Storm cruised to the IFL title last season with a 16-1 record.
“We play Sioux Falls in the last game of the regular season ... we’ll definitely find out if we’re ready for the playoffs or not,” said O’Neal. “They’re loaded again this year. They’re the best team in the league and they have to be considered the team to beat until somebody knocks them off.
“Hopefully we’ll be in that position within the next couple of years ... like we did in Billings. I signed a three-year contract here and I hope to be here for a while. The owners treat me great and we’ve got some great fans here ... hopefully we can put together a run like we did in Billings.”