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San Diego Strike Force
Current season
Established 2018
Play in San Diego, California
at the Pechanga Arena
SDStrikeForce.com
File:SDStrikeForce.png
League/conference affiliations
Indoor Football League (2019–present)
Current uniform
Team colorsFlight suit green, stealth black, yellow, white
       
Personnel
Owner(s)Roy Choi[1]
PresidentVivian Lin[2][3]
General managerGeno Gerbo[2]
Head coachBurt Grossman[4]
Team history
  • San Diego Strike Force (2019–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The San Diego Strike Force is a professional indoor football team based in San Diego, California. It is a member of the Indoor Football League and began play in 2019 at Pechanga Arena in the city's Midway district.[5] It is owned by Roy Choi, who also owns the IFL's Cedar Rapids River Kings and Oakland Panthers.[6] It is the second professional football team in San Diego that began play in spring 2019, after the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football, more than year after the departure of the NFL's San Diego Chargers in 2017.

The Strike Force is the third indoor team to play in San Diego, after the San Diego Riptide of af2 (2002–2005) and the San Diego Shockwave of the National Indoor Football League (2007).[7] The team may have planned on being called the San Diego Lightning, as the organization's original email addresses and internal website links used that name.[8]

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team went dormant for at least the 2021 season.[9]

History

The team was initially announced as a 2019 Indoor Football League expansion team in November 2018. The team announced their colors as black, navy blue, silver, as well as their initial staff on December 17, 2018.[1] Brian Cox, a former sports agent and quarterback, was hired as the general manager, while ex-Chargers defensive end Burt Grossman was named head coach.[10][11]

The Strike Force was plagued by turmoil throughout its inaugural season, with Grossman remarking the games were like he was "Southwestern College going to play Clemson or something."[12] Their season opener against the Quad City Steamwheelers saw them allow 43 points in the first half as they lost 67–49;[13] Grossman attributed the team's struggles to a lack of headsets for the coaches. He eventually fired the defensive coordinator and released four players on defense; the offensive coordinator had also been fired two weeks prior, though Grossman noted both coaches were on the staff prior to his arrival.[14] The Strike Force's first home game, a 65–44 defeat by the Tucson Sugar Skulls,[15] saw a poor playing field consisting of carpet pieces held together with duct tape; four additional players were released a day later.[16] After a 0–3 start, owner Choi brought in the River Kings' general manager Ryan Eucker to replace Cox.[17] The team finished the season with a 1–13 record and last place in the league; their lone win was a 40–34 victory over the River Kings.[18]

Following the 2019 season, Eucker announced the team would undergo a minor rebrand with a new logos and colors, choosing more military tones in olive green, black, silver, and brass to better represent the city.[19] After playing one game, a 50–36 win over the Bismarck Bucks,[20] the rest of the 2020 season was canceled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Strike Force also withdrew from the 2021 season due to continued pandemic restrictions in California.[21] During the hiatus, Eucker left the team and was replaced by Geno Gerbo as general manager.[22]

Roster

San Diego Strike Force roster
Quarterbacks
  • -- Michael Carrillo
  • -- Quinn McQueary


Running backs

  • -- Nathaniel Chavious


Wide receivers

  • -- Treydonte Hill
  • -- Khari Kimbrough
  • 12 Marques Rodgers
  • -- Marquel Wade


 Offensive linemen
  • -- Jonte Berry
  • 65 Jackson Dallas
  • -- James Hines
  • -- Melvin Owens
  • -- D.J. Park


Defensive linemen

  • -- Robert Caldwell Jr
  • -- Ralph Harvey Jr
  • -- Kenny Horsley
  • -- Skye King
  • -- Anthony Pruitt
  • -- Manuel Wright Sr


 Linebackers
  • -- D'Vonta Derricott
  • -- Tyrell Robinson


Defensive backs

  • -- Tareq Abulebbeh
  • -- Shaine Boyle
  • -- Malik Boynton
  • -- Omar Cook
  • -- Jarmaine Doubs Jr
  • -- Donnie Duncan
  • -- Micah Eugene Jr
  • -- Malcom Lee


Kickers


Reserve list


  • Rookies in italics
  • Roster updated March 8, 2019
  • 29 Active, 0 Inactive
→ More rosters

References

  1. ^ a b "Indoor Football League takes flight in America's Finest City with the San Diego Strike Force". Strike Force. December 17, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Front Office". Strike Force. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "Vivian Lin Named President of the San Diego Strike Force". OurSports Central. May 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Strike Force Name Head Coach". IFL. January 10, 2019.
  5. ^ "New professional football team coming to San Diego". San Diego News. December 13, 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  6. ^ "IFL Announces San Diego Expansion Team". OurSportsCentral.com. November 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Yet Another New Team Coming To Town". San Diego Sports Domination. November 19, 2018.
  8. ^ "San Diego Strike Force (Official website)". sdstrikeforce.com. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  9. ^ "2021 IFL SCHEDULE RELEASED". IFL. November 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Krasovic, Tom (December 18, 2018). "Column: Founder of San Diego indoor football team had harrowing NFL moment, leading to football success". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "Strike Force Name Head Coach". Indoor Football League. January 10, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  12. ^ Krasovic, Tom (March 4, 2020). "Column: Burt Grossman says overhaul bodes well for Strike Force to bounce back after first-year chaos". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  13. ^ Tappa, Steve (February 22, 2019). "Steamwheelers strike down 'Force in season opener". The Dispatch / The Rock Island Argus. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  14. ^ Krasovic, Tom (March 1, 2019). "Column: After road fiasco, Strike Force of Burt Grossman will make San Diego debut". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  15. ^ Nguyen, Alexander (March 3, 2019). "San Diego Indoor Football Team Loses in Home Debut". Times of San Diego. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  16. ^ Krasovic, Tom (March 22, 2019). "San Diego Strike Force overhaul business side, including slashing ticket prices". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Cedar Rapids River Kings' front office reshuffle ends with Reggie Harris as new GM". The Gazette. March 16, 2019.
  18. ^ "Game 7 Recap - San Diego vs. Cedar Rapids". San Diego Strike Force. April 14, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  19. ^ Ferguson, Connor (August 14, 2019). "San Diego Strike Force reveal Re-design". Last Word on Sports. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  20. ^ "SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE TAKES DOWN BUCKS 50-36". Strike Force. March 9, 2020.
  21. ^ "STRIKE FORCE LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022 SEASON". Strike Force. April 14, 2020.
  22. ^ "FOOTBALL IS BACK!". Strike Force. April 30, 2021.
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