The
Austin Wranglers were an
American footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
team from
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 15th-largest in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in the nation...
in the arenafootball2. They began play as a 2004 expansion team in the
Arena Football LeagueThe Arena Football League was founded in 1987 as an indoor American football by Jim Foster. It was played indoors on a smaller field than American football, resulting in a faster-paced and higher-scoring game...
.
History
The Wranglers began playa in February of
20042004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :** January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14...
, and played home games at the
Frank Erwin CenterThe Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center — usually just The Frank Erwin Center in common usage — is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin...
on the
University of TexasThe University of Texas at Austin is a public research university located in Austin, Texas, United States, and is the flagship institution of The University of Texas System. The main campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol...
campus, playing in the Southern Division of the National Conference. The franchise is not to be confused with another Arena Football team called the
Oklahoma WranglersNot to be confused with the Austin Wranglers of af2.The Oklahoma Wranglers was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League that also operated in Memphis, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon...
, who played the
20002000 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Renate Götschl, Austria-American football:...
and
20012001 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Janica Kostelic, Croatia-American football:...
seasons in Oklahoma City.
In 2004, the Wranglers accumulated an 8-8 record with such notables as quarterback
John KaleoJohn Kaleo is a retired American football quarterback in the Arena Football League for the Albany Firebirds , Cleveland Thunderbolts , St...
, Charlie Davidson, and
Darryl HammondDarryl Hammond is a retired arena football Wide receiver / Defensive back in the Arena Football League....
leading the Wrangler's respectable offensive campaign. The Wranglers however were unable to qualify for the playoffs, after stumbling to 3 losses to close out the season.
The 2004 off-season was relatively quiet; signings included former All-Rookie teamer OL/DL Bryan Henderson, OS Ira Gooch ha his last name is gooch, and QB John Fitzgerald. Departed was former starting quarterback John Kaleo, traded to the Los Avengers for cash and future considerations.
The training camp which ensued was headlined by the competition between free agent pick up
John Fitzgerald-American football:*John Fitzgerald , former Dallas Cowboys center*John Fitzgerald , former quarterback with the af2's Austin Wranglers* John Fitzgerald , former University of Central Oklahoma lineman...
, fresh off leading the expansion VooDoo to the playoffs, against 2004 back-up Bobby Pesavento. Pesavento would ultimately defeat Fitzgerald for the starting job though Fitzgerald would take over four games into the season.
John Fitzgerald remained one of the only bright spots on a depleted team, as the Wrangler's finished 2005 with a 6-10 record.
Realizing the past failures in 2004 and 2005, the Wranglers management had an active off-season. Team presidents Doug MacGregor and Glyn Milburn both made important re-signings and signings, including Sedrick Robinson, AFL all time leading tackler Damon Mason, Donvetis Franklin, Donovan Arp, Derrick Lewis,
Chance MockChance Mock is a former American football quarterback who played college football for the University of Texas and played professionally for the Austin Wranglers in the Arena Football League...
, and Marcus McKenzie.
On Wednesday, April 26, 2006,
Deion SandersDeion Luwynn Sanders is a former National Football League cornerback, Major League Baseball outfielder, and is currently an NFL Network commentator. He carries the nicknames "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion"....
, the multi-talented athlete who retired from playing in the
NFLThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
, became one of the franchise's owners.
On May 7, 2006, the Wranglers clinched their first ever playoff berth with a win over the
Grand Rapids RampageThe Grand Rapids Rampage is an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They are coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
. Unfortunately the Wranglers were eliminated from the playoffs after losing to the
Philadelphia SoulThe Philadelphia Soul were a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play in as an expansion team. The team played in the Eastern Division of the National Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59-56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
in the first round of the wild card playoffs.
Shortly after the end of the Wranglers' season, team owner Doug MacGregor announced the firing of Skip Foster, after leading the Wranglers to a franchise best 10-6 season. This shocking move led to many to speculate what the Wrangler's intentions were for the future.
After a month full of searching for the future head coach of the Wranglers, Austin announced on June 29, 2006, former offensive coordinator of the Colorado Crush, Brian Partlow, would lead the Wranglers in 2007. During his three seasons as offensive coordinator with the Crush, Partlow established a respected offense in the AFL, in which managed to win one Arena Bowl. Along with this success, Partlow coached offensive specialist Damian Harrell to two consecutive offensive player of the year seasons, while establishing John Dutton, cover boy of EA Sport's Arena Football, as one of the most feared quarterbacks in the league.
On September 15, 2006, the Arena Football League sent shockwaves through its fanbase announcing the implementation of free-substitution, substantially eliminating any remains of the AFL's highly regarded reputation of Ironman football. Previously teams were restricted one substitution per quarter, forcing wide receivers, defensive backs, offensive and defensive linemen to play both sides of the ball. It was highly believed teams would take advantage of this change, in increasing signings of former NFL and
NFL EuropeNFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
players rather than searching for existing talent already in the AFL. A month later in October, the Wranglers quickly proved this theory.
After a relatively quiet opening to the free agency period with the signing of former Georgia Force defensive specialist
Nate CogginsNate Coggins is a former Arena Football League defensive specialist. He played for the Georgia Force , the Austin Wranglers and is playing the 2008 season with the Columbus Destroyers.- High School Years:...
, the Wranglers took advantage of the AFL's free-substitution rule, signing of a rather large batch of rookies lacking experience in the arena game including former Texas Longhorn
Mike WilliamsMike Williams may refer to:* Mike Williams , President of the New Zealand Labour Party* Mike Williams , UK software developer and freelance writer critical of 9/11 conspiracism...
. In addition, the Wranglers signed 2004 AFL Rookie of the Year and former Florida State Seminoles quarterback
Adrian McPhersonAdrian Jamal McPherson is a quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
.
Following training camp 2007, the Wranglers roster was set as seven rookies made the cut (nearly a fourth of the team), while
Adrian McPhersonAdrian Jamal McPherson is a quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
,
Nate CogginsNate Coggins is a former Arena Football League defensive specialist. He played for the Georgia Force , the Austin Wranglers and is playing the 2008 season with the Columbus Destroyers.- High School Years:...
, Anthony Hines, and
Chad DukesChad Dukes may refer to:* Chad Dukes * Chad Dukes...
were the lone AFL veteran free agent pick ups making the squad. The rest of the roster remained the core nucleus of the Wrangler's playoff run in 2006, including starting defensive specialist
Damon MasonDamon Mason is an American football defensive back for the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League. He played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette....
and stand out wide receiver
Derrick LewisDerrick Lewis is an American football wide receiver that plays for the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League...
.
The 2007 season, which would end up being the Wrangler's last in the AFL, served largely as a disappointment. Highly touted free agent pick up
Adrian McPhersonAdrian Jamal McPherson is a quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
failed to live up to high expectations and was cut midway through the season, while the defense was among the league's worst, ranking 18th and 17th in defensive passing and receiving respectively. Fans speculate whether the loss of former defensive coordinator Jon Norris may have attributed to the Wrangler's defensive struggles in 2007.
On October 12, 2007, the team announced that they were moving from the AFL to the
af2AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
after much speculation. The ownership had made the decision due to financial difficulties, some rumoring the Wrangler's had lost over 4 million in 2007. In addition the decision was lubricated by the fact Doug MacGregor had purchased four expansion teams in the af2 in 2007, including the
Corpus Christi SharksThe Corpus Christi Sharks were a 2007 expansion member of the af2. They played their home games at the American Bank Center. Michael Trigg was the team's head coach. Trigg previously was a head coach in the Arena Football League with the Milwaukee Mustangs, Grand Rapids Rampage and Philadelphia...
and the
Lubbock RenegadesThe Lubbock Renegades were an expansion member of the af2. The team played its home games at the City Bank Coliseum, which was the former home of the IFL/NIFL team, the Lubbock Lone Stars/Gunslingers. The team was owned by Doug McGregor, Rick Dykes, and Bart Reagor. It was coached by former Texas...
.
A new era of Wrangler's football began on October 22, 2007 with the signing of AFL Hall of Famer Ben Bennett as head coach of the Wranglers. In addition to an impressive resume as quarterback in college and the arena league, Bennett had coached the
Florida FirecatsThe Florida Firecats are a professional arena football team. They are a 2001 expansion member of the af2. They play their home games at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida, which is halfway between Naples, Florida and Fort Myers, Florida.-Season-by-season:|-...
to an
ArenaCupThe ArenaCup is the af2's championship game. For the league's first five years, it was held at the arena of the higher seeded team. However, as their parent league, the AFL, has changed, the af2 has changed too. The 2005 ArenaCup was the first to be played at a neutral site in Bossier City,...
title in 2004, and had accumulated a 56-33 record with the
Manchester WolvesThe Manchester Wolves are a professional arena football team, based at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. They play in the East Division of the American Conference of the af2 league, which is the minor league of the Arena Football League....
from 2005-2007.
Despite dropping to af2 and considering playing in Cedar Park Entertainment Center to cut costs, success did not follow the Wranglers to af2 while financial difficulties continued to plague the team. Ownership announced in September 2008 that the franchise would cease operations and not appear in 2009.
Season-by-season
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Austin Wranglers (AFL)
|-
|2004 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 4th NC Southern || --
|-
|2005 || 6 || 10|| 0 || 5th NC Southern || --
|-
|2006 ||10 || 6 || 0 || 2nd NC Southern || Lost NC Wild Card (
PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia Soul were a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play in as an expansion team. The team played in the Eastern Division of the National Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59-56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
52-35)
|-
|2007 || 4 ||12 || 0 || 5th NC Southern || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Austin Wranglers (af2)
|-
|2008 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 2nd NC Southwest || Lost NC Round 1 (
SpokaneThe Spokane Shock are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football 1 from Spokane, Washington, USA. They play their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena...
42-14)
|-
!Totals || 36 || 46 || 0||colspan="2"| (including AFL playoffs)
|-
Head coaches
- 2004-2006: Skip Foster, 24-25
- 2007: Brian Partlow
Brian Partlow is the Offensive Coordinator of the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. He is the former Head Coach for the Austin Wranglers where he had a career record of 4-12, including a 0-0 mark in the postseason. He spent the 2006, 2005, and 2004 seasons as the offensive...
, 4-10
- 2008: Ben Bennett
Ben Bennett is an American football coach most recently the head coach of the af2's Austin Wranglers. He has been involved in professional football as a player and coach since 1984...
, 6-5
Radio and television
The Wranglers flagship radio station is 1300 The Zone "The Longhorn's Station."
As far as television, all Wrangler games may be seen on the af2's online television service af2TV.
Trivia
The original mascot for the Austin Wranglers was named Blaze, who was a horse, and in 2005 he was joined by a cowboy - Red Eye (whose eyes glowed red). Due to the expansion team in Utah, the Blaze, the Austin Wranglers changed the name of their mascot to avoid confusion, so the new mascot is now wilder than before and goes by the name Trigger.
External links