(Tucson, AZ) The Tucson Sugar Skulls will open their season on the road in Las Vegas against the newly formed Knights Hawks franchise at the Dollar Loan Center. The game will start Sunday at 1:05 PM (AZ time) and be available for stream on the IFL’s YouTube Channel.
The Sugar Skulls finished last season strong, winning five of their last seven games after a slow start. Dixie Wooten and his staff will take a revamped roster into this season carrying that momentum from last year, looking to return to the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Key Returner Spotlight
Mike Jones will be returning for his third season with the Sugar Skulls. He is the longest-tenured Sugar Skull and an original member of the inaugural team. Jones is the all-time leading rusher in franchise history with 1,072 yards. He was the IFL rushing champion and a 1st Team All-IFL selection in 2019, rushing for 732 yards (average of 56.3 yards per game).
In 2021, Jones started all 14 games for Tucson, leading the team with 27 touchdowns scored (22 rushing, five receiving). A skilled receiver as well as runner, Jones has caught 65 passes in his IFL career accumulating for 571 yards and nine touchdowns.
“Having Mike Jones back is huge for our organization,” says Sugar Skulls Head Coach and General Manager Dixie Wooten. “He brings a great understanding of the game and is one of the best backs in the IFL. He will make our running game dangerous and is a huge match-up problem in the passing game.”
Reunited, and it feels so good
Second-year Tucson head coach Dixie Wooten will have a familiar face under center for him this year in quarterback Daquan Neal. When Wooten was the head coach of the Iowa Barnstormers in 2019, Neal, under Wooten, became the first rookie in IFL history to win MVP. After a prolific 12-2 regular season, Wooten and Neal fell in the IFL Semifinals to Sioux Falls. Neal is a true dual-threat quarterback that will make an impact from day one.
In 2021, Daquan Neal ran for 16 touchdowns while throwing for 29 with the Iowa Barnstormers. His 16 touchdowns on the ground ranked third among all quarterbacks in the IFL, while his 29 through the air ranked fourth in the league.
First Loss… Ever?
The Sugar Skulls will be looking to hand the Vegas Knight Hawks their first-ever loss in franchise history. The inaugural franchise started their season off with a 22-9 victory over the Northern Arizona Wranglers.
More Skulls to Watch
LB- Connor Taylor: Taylor joins the Sugar Skulls for his first season. He played for two years at Snow College where he was named National Junior College Association (NJCAA) Defensive Player of the Year before transferring to Louisiana Tech.
OL- Isame Faciane: Faciane returns to the Sugar Skulls for his third season in the IFL and second in Tucson. Known by the nickname “Ice,” Faciane was signed last season before the Skulls’ June 5th home opener vs. Iowa, and made his debut in that game on the defensive line, registering the first Tucson sack of 2021.
WR- Quinton Pedroza: Pedroza will be joining the Sugar Skulls for his first season with the team and second in the IFL. He spent 2019 with the Quad City Steamwheelers, when he was the leading receiver on the No. 1 passing offense in the league (194.9 yards per game).
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