(Tucson, AZ) The Tucson Sugar Skulls today announced the official coaching staff for the 2024 IFL Season.
Led by Head coach Billy Back, the Sugar Skulls have put together a dynamic staff with winners, leaders, and plenty of professional football experience.
Coach Back said, “I’m excited to work with the coaching staff this season. We have some young, hungry guys who know what it takes to win championships and whose energy and passion will be contagious. Having coaches at each position who have IFL playing and coaching experience makes a huge difference in this game. This group understands how to coach and bring out the best in others, and we look forward to implementing that to our players.”
Full Staff: Billy Back, Rayshaun Kizer, Mook Zimmerman, Andrew Erbes, Cameron Gaddis, Marshall Hart, and Jonathan Perry.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: RAYSHAUN KIZER
Kizer will serve as the defensive coordinator for the Sugar Skulls in 2024. Kizer brings a wealthy amount of professional football experience both as a coach and a player to Head Coach Billy Back’s staff.
He led the Omaha Beef to their first-ever undefeated season in the CIF (Champions Indoor Football League) in 2023 and also won the CIF Championship.
Kizer has previous head coaching experience with the Massachusetts Pirates in 2022 where he posted an 11-5 record. He was the Assistant Head coach and Defensive Coordinator in 2021 with the Massachusetts Pirates, leading the number-one-ranked defense and 2021 IFL Champions.
“We became a much better team by adding Coach Kizer as our Defensive Coordinator. He’s a young, hungry coach with attention to detail that is off the charts. We have talked about working together in the past, but it never materialized until now. Bringing him in to lead our talented defensive roster makes Tucson a factor in the West.”
Kizer, a product of Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007 and spent two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. After playing with the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League in 2009, Kizer embarked on an eight-year career in the Arena Football League.
Kizer had an impeccable AFL career as a player, notching 67 interceptions, ranking third All-Time in AFL History.
DEFENSIVE LINE COACH: MOOK ZIMMERMAN
Coach Mook comes with experience in arena football as a former standout indoor/arena football player and with a Championship pedigree.
Mook began his coaching career as Head Coach with the Buffalo Lightning, an independent indoor football team, during the 2016 season where they were undefeated before discontinuing the organization.
In 2017, Mook joined the Richmond Roughriders of the Arena Pro Football League (APF) as their Head Coach and led the team to two undefeated seasons with two championship victories and won the AAL Coach of the Year during 2017 and 2019. Coach Mook recently served as the Defensive Line/Linebackers coach for The Massachusetts Pirates in 2023.
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH: ANDREW ERBES
Assistant to the Director of Football Operations.
This is coach Erbes first season coaching professional football. He has several years of experience both as a player and coach, including serving as the Offensive Line coach for Chandler High School. He also served as an assistant offensive line coach for Mesa Community College.
The local product played professionally for the Montreal Alouettes in 2018 and the Cedar Rapids Titans in 2017.
Coach Erbes played collegiately at UNLV, the University of Idaho, Mesa Community College, and Arizona State University.
Andrew Played High school football at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH: CAMERON GADDIS
Cam Gaddis joins the Sugar Skulls’ coaching staff as the defensive backs coach for the 2024 IFL season.
The former Sugar Skull and Tucson native played his college football at Pima Community College and Middle Tennessee State University.
His football career continued as he played on many different professional levels, which included the first 3 seasons of the Tucson Sugar Skulls where he finished his seasons leading the team and interceptions and pass breakups. He was a dominant defensive back at the indoor level, specializing in man coverage.
Cam gives back to the community continuously by being the Offensive Coordinator at Tucson High as well as starting his own youth nonprofit organization; he currently already owns “Gaddis Gainz Athletics”, which is a performance training business specializing in football athletics.
Gaddis was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona.
DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL: MARSHALL HART
Coach Hart boasts an extensive indoor football background, notably in the Indoor Football League (IFL). His coaching journey commenced with the Spokane Empire in 2016, achieving top-four rushing stats in both 2016 and 2017.
Transitioning to the Nebraska Danger in 2018 as Offensive Line Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, the team reached the Conference Championship. In 2019, with the Iowa Barnstormers, Coach Hart contributed to an impressive 11-2 record, a United Conference Championship appearance, and a second-place league ranking in total offense.
Hart spent two seasons with the Spokane Shock (2020-2021), guiding them to the playoffs. Notably, Coach Hart has developed 6 offensive linemen who advanced (XFL, NFL, CFL, USFL).
Currently serving as the Head Football Coach at Northwest Christian High School, also handling PE and Health instruction, Coach Hart’s decade-long tenure at the school includes 3 League Championships, 2 semi-final, and 4 quarter-final appearances. With a stellar 2023 season, achieving an 11-1 record and a semi-final berth, Coach Hart’s leadership set school records for average points scored and points allowed. He earned recognition as the 2023 NE2B Coach of the Year.
Residing in Spokane, Washington, Coach Hart shares his life with his wife and son.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL: JONATHAN PERRY “JP”
Jonathan Perry (JP) joins the Sugar Skulls staff as the Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the 2024 season.
Familiar with the Arizona area, Jonathan Perry “JP” played Junior College Football at Eastern Arizona College, being a part of the 2018 WSFL Conference Championship team, earning a spot in the 2018 Mississippi Bowl. Later, Perry played Division 2 Football at Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan.
After his player career, JP served as the Offensive Line Coach at John Glenn High School in Bay City, MI, during the pandemic season in the fall of 2020. Here, he led over 21 offensive linemen, conducted film sessions, and played a pivotal role in securing college scholarships for his players.
Currently the Defensive Coordinator at Northwest Christian HS in Colbert, WA, Jonathan has overseen a remarkable defensive transformation, reducing points per game from 31.3 to 5.1 and contributing to the school’s first-ever recruitment of a Power-5 athlete.
Press Release courtesy of the Tucson Sugar Skulls – Brandon Dueñas
Click on Logo
