Odessa Roughnecks
Encyclopedia
The West Texas Roughnecks is a professional indoor football team based in Odessa, Texas
that plays in the Lone Star Football League
. The team's nickname is a tribute to the oil industry, which has been the source of Odessa's wealth over the past century.
The team began operations in 2004
as the Odessa Roughnecks, a charter member of the Intense Football League
(IFL). In 2005
, the IFL merged with the NIFL
. For the 2006
season, the IFL was resurrected, and the Odessa Roughnecks returned to their original league. In 2008 the Intense Football League merged again, this time with the UIF
to create the Indoor Football League
.
The team plays its home games at the Ector County Coliseum
in Odessa. The team was sold by its original owner (Tommy Benizio) in September 2008 to Allegiance Pro Sports, Inc. In January 2010, Dale and Jay Morris of Midland, Texas purchased the Roughnecks from Allegiance Pro Sports.
The Roughnecks are coached by Chris Williams. The 2011 season will be Coach Williams's eighth season with the Roughnecks.
The Roughnecks won its first championship in 2006 at Intense Bowl 2 by beating the Corpus Christi Hammerheads
97–56, which is an IFL
record for most points scored by one team in a game. The team finished with an overall record of 14–2.
During the season, Roughnecks games are broadcast live on KQRX
. Up through the 2009 season games were broadcast on KMCM
.
For the 2012 season, the Roughnecks are joining the Lone Star Football League
.
and Chicago, was now spreading across the nation in small to middle sized cities. Jerry Jones of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys kicked off his AFL franchise in Dallas and secured the rights to every smaller market in the state of Texas with a suitable arena for indoor football. When Jones couldn’t be reached to discuss selling these rights, a new league was formed throughout the state. In August 2003, Chad Dittman, President of the fledgling Intense Football League announced that Odessa would be one of the sites for his new professional indoor football league.
Through prayer shortly after, Abby and Tommy Benizio decided to purchased the franchise and moved to the Permian Basin along with their pet prairie dogs. By the close of 2003, the franchise creatively announced the name of “Roughnecks” along with the unveiling of a logo fit for the community and a mascot whom has become a staple in both Odessa and Midland known as Digger.
The team kicked off on May 8, 2004 under the direction of head coach Chris Williams, who led the team to a 9-7 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. Lubbock defeated Odessa in overtime just one game shy of the championship but the season did not end without the success of leading the IFL in attendance and having promoted more players to the next level than any other team in the league.
This success became well known throughout the national football community, and along with the hard work of the teams coaches, Odessa enjoyed a very rare undefeated regular season in the National Indoor Football League in 2005. Despite losing one game shy of the championship again, the Roughnecks were once more atop of their league in attendance, successfully hosted the first ever NIFL All-Star Game, and could boast a 16-1 overall record.
The team was recently bought by Jay and Dale Morris of Midland, Texas. They will be changing their name to the West Texas Roughnecks.
For the 2012 season, the Roughnecks are joining the Lone Star Football League
.
in Odessa on June 17, 2006, giving the Roughnecks 26 straight regular season wins. The streak began with a 20-0 victory against the San Angelo Stampede on July 31, 2004, in San Angelo, Texas
and ended at 27 wins with a 70-63 loss against the Louisiana Swashbucklers
on July 1, 2006, in Lake Charles, Louisiana
. On March 29, 2008, the Sioux Falls Storm of the United Indoor Football League lost to the Omaha Beef 34-18, ending their historic 40-game winning streak and giving them their first loss since July 15, 2005. They went on to win their fourth United Bowl later that season against the Bloomington Extreme.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Intense Football League)
|-
|2004 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 3rd League || Lost Semifinals (L. Lone Stars
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (NIFL)
|-
|2005 || 14 || 0 || 0 || 1st Pacific North || Won Pacific Conference Quarterfinal (Beaumont
)
Won Pacific Conference Semifinal (Corpus Christi
)
Lost Pacific Conference Final (Tri-Cities
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Intense Football League)
|-
|2006 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 1st League || Won Semifinals (Louisiana
)
Won Intense Bowl II (Corpus Christi
)
|-
|2007 || 8 || 6 || 0 || 4th League || Lost Semifinals (Louisiana
)
|-
|2008 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 4th League || Won Round 1 (Frisco
)
Lost Semifinals (Louisiana
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2009 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 5th Intense Lone Star || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | West Texas Roughnecks (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2010 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 2nd Lonestar West || Lost Round 1 (Amarillo)
|-
|2011 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 2nd Lonestar || Lost Round 1 (Tri-Cities
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | West Texas Roughnecks (LSFL)
|-
|2012 || -- || -- || -- || -- || --
|-
!Totals || 70 || 44 || 0
|colspan="2"| (Regular Season Only)
* = Kickoff Classic Weekend, before week 1 starts.
** = Replacement Team.
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
that plays in the Lone Star Football League
Lone Star Football League
The Lone Star Football League is a regional professional indoor football league set to begin its inaugural season in 2012. All six of the LSFL's charter teams are based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Southern Indoor Football League and two from the Indoor Football...
. The team's nickname is a tribute to the oil industry, which has been the source of Odessa's wealth over the past century.
The team began operations in 2004
2004 in sports
2004 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...
as the Odessa Roughnecks, a charter member of the Intense Football League
Intense Football League
The Intense Football League was a professional indoor football league that initially began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska.-History:...
(IFL). In 2005
2005 in sports
2005 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Bode Miller ** Women's overall season champion: Anja Pärson -American football:...
, the IFL merged with the NIFL
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
. For the 2006
2006 in sports
2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia...
season, the IFL was resurrected, and the Odessa Roughnecks returned to their original league. In 2008 the Intense Football League merged again, this time with the UIF
United Indoor Football
United Indoor Football was a United States indoor football league that started in 2005. Ten owners from the National Indoor Football League, including one expansion and two from arenafootball2 took their franchises and formed their own league...
to create the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
.
The team plays its home games at the Ector County Coliseum
Ector County Coliseum
The Ector County Coliseum is a 5,131 seat multi-purpose arena in Odessa, Texas.It is home to the Odessa Roughnecks , the Odessa Jackalopes , the Sand Hills Rodeo, and the biennial Permian Basin International Oil Show.The Coliseum was built in 1954 and was previously the home of the original...
in Odessa. The team was sold by its original owner (Tommy Benizio) in September 2008 to Allegiance Pro Sports, Inc. In January 2010, Dale and Jay Morris of Midland, Texas purchased the Roughnecks from Allegiance Pro Sports.
The Roughnecks are coached by Chris Williams. The 2011 season will be Coach Williams's eighth season with the Roughnecks.
The Roughnecks won its first championship in 2006 at Intense Bowl 2 by beating the Corpus Christi Hammerheads
Corpus Christi Hammerheads
The Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team from Corpus Christi, Texas. They are a member of the Lone Star Football League.-History:The Hammerheads were a charter member of the Intense Football League...
97–56, which is an IFL
Intense Football League
The Intense Football League was a professional indoor football league that initially began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska.-History:...
record for most points scored by one team in a game. The team finished with an overall record of 14–2.
During the season, Roughnecks games are broadcast live on KQRX
KQRX
KQRX is a commercial radio station located in Midland, Texas, broadcasting to the Midland-Odessa market. KQRX airs an adult hits music format.-History:...
. Up through the 2009 season games were broadcast on KMCM
KMCM
KMCM , branded as "KMCM 97 Gold Oldies", is a radio station that serves the Midland–Odessa metropolitan area with oldies by broadcasting the Classic Hits satellite feed from ABC Radio Networks...
.
For the 2012 season, the Roughnecks are joining the Lone Star Football League
Lone Star Football League
The Lone Star Football League is a regional professional indoor football league set to begin its inaugural season in 2012. All six of the LSFL's charter teams are based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Southern Indoor Football League and two from the Indoor Football...
.
History
In 2003, the nearly 20 year old Arena Football League that had been only in major markets like New York CityNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Chicago, was now spreading across the nation in small to middle sized cities. Jerry Jones of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys kicked off his AFL franchise in Dallas and secured the rights to every smaller market in the state of Texas with a suitable arena for indoor football. When Jones couldn’t be reached to discuss selling these rights, a new league was formed throughout the state. In August 2003, Chad Dittman, President of the fledgling Intense Football League announced that Odessa would be one of the sites for his new professional indoor football league.
Through prayer shortly after, Abby and Tommy Benizio decided to purchased the franchise and moved to the Permian Basin along with their pet prairie dogs. By the close of 2003, the franchise creatively announced the name of “Roughnecks” along with the unveiling of a logo fit for the community and a mascot whom has become a staple in both Odessa and Midland known as Digger.
The team kicked off on May 8, 2004 under the direction of head coach Chris Williams, who led the team to a 9-7 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. Lubbock defeated Odessa in overtime just one game shy of the championship but the season did not end without the success of leading the IFL in attendance and having promoted more players to the next level than any other team in the league.
This success became well known throughout the national football community, and along with the hard work of the teams coaches, Odessa enjoyed a very rare undefeated regular season in the National Indoor Football League in 2005. Despite losing one game shy of the championship again, the Roughnecks were once more atop of their league in attendance, successfully hosted the first ever NIFL All-Star Game, and could boast a 16-1 overall record.
The team was recently bought by Jay and Dale Morris of Midland, Texas. They will be changing their name to the West Texas Roughnecks.
For the 2012 season, the Roughnecks are joining the Lone Star Football League
Lone Star Football League
The Lone Star Football League is a regional professional indoor football league set to begin its inaugural season in 2012. All six of the LSFL's charter teams are based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Southern Indoor Football League and two from the Indoor Football...
.
Regular-season winning streak
The Roughnecks at one time held the longest regular-season winning streak in professional football history with 27 straight regular-season victories under the arm of Bobby Glenn Ruth Jr.. The record was broken with a 55–35 win over the Laredo LobosLaredo Lobos
The Laredo Lobos were a professional arena football team based out of Laredo, Texas. They were a member of the af2 league. They played their home games at the Laredo Entertainment Center...
in Odessa on June 17, 2006, giving the Roughnecks 26 straight regular season wins. The streak began with a 20-0 victory against the San Angelo Stampede on July 31, 2004, in San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
and ended at 27 wins with a 70-63 loss against the Louisiana Swashbucklers
Louisiana Swashbucklers
The Louisiana Swashbucklers is a professional indoor football team formed in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League as the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. In 2006, they moved to the Intense Football League and shortened their name to Louisiana Swashbucklers...
on July 1, 2006, in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. On March 29, 2008, the Sioux Falls Storm of the United Indoor Football League lost to the Omaha Beef 34-18, ending their historic 40-game winning streak and giving them their first loss since July 15, 2005. They went on to win their fourth United Bowl later that season against the Bloomington Extreme.
Season-by-Season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Intense Football League)
|-
|2004 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 3rd League || Lost Semifinals (L. Lone Stars
Lubbock Gunslingers
The Lubbock Gunslingers were a professional indoor football team. They played their home games in Lubbock, Texas at Lubbock Municipal Coliseum....
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (NIFL)
|-
|2005 || 14 || 0 || 0 || 1st Pacific North || Won Pacific Conference Quarterfinal (Beaumont
Beaumont Drillers
The Beaumont Drillers were a professional indoor football team. They played their home games at Ford Arena in Beaumont, TX. They originally began playing as the Louisiana Rangers in the Indoor Professional Football League in 2000 when they replaced the Louisiana Bayou Beast...
)
Won Pacific Conference Semifinal (Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi Hammerheads
The Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team from Corpus Christi, Texas. They are a member of the Lone Star Football League.-History:The Hammerheads were a charter member of the Intense Football League...
)
Lost Pacific Conference Final (Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities Fever
The Tri-Cities Fever are a professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. Their first season was in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League. Though they represent the entire Tri-Cities region, they play their home games exclusively at the Toyota Center...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Intense Football League)
|-
|2006 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 1st League || Won Semifinals (Louisiana
Louisiana Swashbucklers
The Louisiana Swashbucklers is a professional indoor football team formed in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League as the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. In 2006, they moved to the Intense Football League and shortened their name to Louisiana Swashbucklers...
)
Won Intense Bowl II (Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi Hammerheads
The Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team from Corpus Christi, Texas. They are a member of the Lone Star Football League.-History:The Hammerheads were a charter member of the Intense Football League...
)
|-
|2007 || 8 || 6 || 0 || 4th League || Lost Semifinals (Louisiana
Louisiana Swashbucklers
The Louisiana Swashbucklers is a professional indoor football team formed in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League as the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. In 2006, they moved to the Intense Football League and shortened their name to Louisiana Swashbucklers...
)
|-
|2008 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 4th League || Won Round 1 (Frisco
Frisco Thunder
The Frisco Thunder was an indoor football team in Frisco, Texas. They were a member of the Intense Football League and played their home games at the Dr Pepper Arena....
)
Lost Semifinals (Louisiana
Louisiana Swashbucklers
The Louisiana Swashbucklers is a professional indoor football team formed in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League as the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. In 2006, they moved to the Intense Football League and shortened their name to Louisiana Swashbucklers...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Odessa Roughnecks (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2009 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 5th Intense Lone Star || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | West Texas Roughnecks (Indoor Football League)
|-
|2010 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 2nd Lonestar West || Lost Round 1 (Amarillo)
|-
|2011 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 2nd Lonestar || Lost Round 1 (Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities Fever
The Tri-Cities Fever are a professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. Their first season was in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League. Though they represent the entire Tri-Cities region, they play their home games exclusively at the Toyota Center...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | West Texas Roughnecks (LSFL)
|-
|2012 || -- || -- || -- || -- || --
|-
!Totals || 70 || 44 || 0
|colspan="2"| (Regular Season Only)
Regular Season
| Week | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Score | Team Record | ||||
| 0* | February 21 (Mon) | 7:11pm | Bricktown Brawlers Bricktown Brawlers The Bricktown Brawlers were an Indoor Football League team that played in the 2011 season. Based in Oklahoma City, the Brawlers played its home games at Cox Convention Center... |
W 39-22 | 1-0 |
| 1 | February 28 (Mon) | 7:05pm | @Allen Wranglers | W 60-46 | 2-0 |
| 2 | Bye | ||||
| 3 | Bye | ||||
| 4 | March 20 (Sun) | 3:05pm | @Bricktown Brawlers Bricktown Brawlers The Bricktown Brawlers were an Indoor Football League team that played in the 2011 season. Based in Oklahoma City, the Brawlers played its home games at Cox Convention Center... |
L 27-31 | 2-1 |
| 5 | March 25 (Fri) | 7:11pm | Amarillo Venom | W 37-34 | 3-1 |
| 6 | April 1 (Fri) | 7:05pm | @Wichita Wild Wichita Wild The Wichita Wild is a professional indoor football team located in Wichita, Kansas. The wild plays in the Indoor Football League the second biggest football league in the United States only after the NFL. The IFL was formed in 2008 through a merger between the Intense Football League and the... |
W 54-47 | 4-1 |
| 7 | April 8 (Fri) | 7:05pm | @Allen Wranglers | L 28-33 | 4-2 |
| 8 | April 16 (Sat) | 7:11pm | Omaha Beef Omaha Beef The Omaha Beef are a professional indoor football team. They are a member of the Indoor Football League . They play their home games at Omaha Civic Auditorium, which was also once the home of the AHL's Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights and is now the home of the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey... |
W 39-16 | 5-2 |
| 9 | April 23 (Sat) | 7:05pm | @Amarillo Venom | W 66-23 | 6-2 |
| 10 | Bye | ||||
| 11 | May 7 (Sat) | 7:05pm (8:05pm Central) |
@Arizona Adrenaline Arizona Adrenaline The Arizona Adrenaline were a professional indoor football team of the Indoor Football League. The team was based in Prescott Valley, Arizona, with home games played at the Tim's Toyota Center.... |
W 82-27 | 7-2 |
| 12 | May 14 (Sat) | 7:11pm | Allen Wranglers | L 26-54 | 7-3 |
| 13 | May 21 (Sat) | 7:11pm | Wichita Wild Wichita Wild The Wichita Wild is a professional indoor football team located in Wichita, Kansas. The wild plays in the Indoor Football League the second biggest football league in the United States only after the NFL. The IFL was formed in 2008 through a merger between the Intense Football League and the... |
L 21-22 | 7-4 |
| 14 | May 28 (Sat) | 7:05pm | @Bricktown Brawlers Bricktown Brawlers The Bricktown Brawlers were an Indoor Football League team that played in the 2011 season. Based in Oklahoma City, the Brawlers played its home games at Cox Convention Center... |
W 48-6 | 8-4 |
| 15 | June 4 (Sat) | 7:11pm | Arizona Adrenaline Arizona Adrenaline The Arizona Adrenaline were a professional indoor football team of the Indoor Football League. The team was based in Prescott Valley, Arizona, with home games played at the Tim's Toyota Center.... |
W 92-6 | 9-4 |
| 16 | June 11 (Sat) | 7:11pm | Amarillo Venom | W 37-24 | 10-4 |
| Playoffs | |||||
| 1 | June 20 (Mon) | 7:00pm (9:00 Central) |
@Tri-Cities Fever Tri-Cities Fever The Tri-Cities Fever are a professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. Their first season was in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League. Though they represent the entire Tri-Cities region, they play their home games exclusively at the Toyota Center... |
L 49-61 | --- |