2012 Marion Blue Racers season

The 2012 Marion Blue Racers season was the 2nd season for the United Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise.

2012 Marion Blue Racers season
OwnerLaMonte and Shavonne Coleman
General managerLaMonte Coleman
Head coachLorenzo Styles (resigned March 30: 3-1 record)
Marc Huddleston (interim)
Home fieldVeterans Memorial Coliseum
220 East Fairground Street
Marion, OH 43302
Results
Record7–5
Conference place3rd
Playoff finishLost Semifinals 47-56 (Explosion)

On July 5, 2011, the Blue Racers announced they were leaving the CIFL to join the Ultimate Indoor Football League.[1] The Blue Racers were added as a member of the Northern Conference, re-uniting with, their arch-rivals, the Cincinnati Commandos. On August 17, 2011, Lorenzo Styles was named the 3rd head coach in franchise history.[2] In February, team CEO and General Manager, LaMonte Coleman, took a coaching position with the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League.[3] The following day, Ryan Sawyer was named the team's interim general manager while Coleman was coaching in Pittsburgh.[4] On March 30, 2012, Styles resigned as the head coach of the Blue Racers after compiling a 3-1 record, citing personal reason as the reason for his resignation.[5] Offensive Coordinator Marc Huddleston, took over as the team's head coach.[6] The team remained a strong pipeline for the Pittsburgh Power, as both the team's kickers, Trey Kramer and Seth Burkholder, signed with the team.[7][8] The Blue Racers finished the season with a 7–4 record, earning the 3rd seed in the UIFL North playoff. The team traveled to play the second seeded Erie Explosion, where the game was played at a high school field, where the team had built walls for the playing field. It is the first time an indoor football game, has been played outdoors. The Explosion went on to defeat the Blue Racers 56–47, after the Blue Racers had led 22–0 early in the game.[9]

Schedule

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Key:   Win   Tie   Loss   Bye

Regular season

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Week Day Date Opponent Results Location
Score Record
1 Saturday March 3 Eastern Kentucky Drillers W 48-34[10] 1-0 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
2 Saturday March 10 Western Pennsylvania Sting W 68-27 2-0 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
3 Sunday March 18 at Eastern Kentucky Drillers L 47-61[11] 2-1 Eastern Kentucky Expo Center
4 Saturday March 24 Johnstown Generals W 41-19 3-1 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
5 BYE
6 Saturday April 7 at Johnstown Generals W 56-23 4-1 Cambria County War Memorial Arena
7 BYE
8 Saturday April 21 Huntington Wildcatz W 98-6 5-1 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
9 Saturday April 28 at Cincinnati Commandos L 38-58 5-2 Cincinnati Gardens
10 Saturday May 5 Cincinnati Commandos L 53-61 5-3 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
11 BYE
12 Saturday May 19 Cincinnati Commandos W 51-49 6-3 Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13 BYE
14 Saturday June 2 at Cincinnati Commandos L 24-30 6-4 Cincinnati Gardens
15 Saturday June 9 Erie Explosion L 64-65 (OT) 6-5 Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Postseason

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Round Day Date Opponent Results Location
Score Record
Northern Semifinals Saturday June 16 at Erie Explosion L 47-56[12] 0-1 Cathedral Preparatory School

Standings

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Team Conference Overall
W L PCT W L PCT PF PA
Northern Conference
Cincinnati Commandos-y 7 2 .778 8 2 .800 594 373
Erie Explosion-x 7 3 .700 8 3 .727 748 362
Marion Blue Racers-x 5 4 .556 6 5 .636 602 467
Johnstown Generals 3 6 .333 3 6 .333 264 441
Western Pennsylvania Sting 0 6 .000 0 7 .000 132 497
Southern Conference
Florida Tarpons-y 11 0 1.000 11 0 1.000 687 287
Eastern Kentucky Drillers 5 4 .556 6 4 .600 613 361
Lakeland Raiders-x 5 5 .500 6 5 .545 639 379
Rome Rampage 1 6 .143 1 6 .143 100 462
Mississippi Hound Dogs 1 9 .100 1 9 .100 281 559

y - clinched regular-season title x - clinched playoff spot

Final roster

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2012 Marion Blue Racers roster

Quarterbacks

Offensive backs

Receivers

 

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Kickers

Injured Reserve

Exempt List

Practice squad

  • currently vacant

rookies in italics
Roster updated May 7, 2012

23 Active, 2 Inactive, 0 PS

References

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  1. ^ "Marion Blue Racers join UIFL". TheUIFL.com. UIFL. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Lorenzo Styles to Coach Blue Racers". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. August 18, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  3. ^ "Coleman Signs with AFL's Power". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 15, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  4. ^ "Sawyer Promoted". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  5. ^ "Lorenzo Styles resigns as Blue Racers coach". Marion Star. March 30, 2012. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  6. ^ Shawn Curtis (April 6, 2012). "Generals looking to stay unbeaten at War Memorial". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
  7. ^ "Trey Kramer Moves Up". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. May 3, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  8. ^ "A Second Blue Racer Kicker Moves On". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. May 11, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  9. ^ Bob Jarzomski (June 17, 2012). "Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game". Erie Times-News. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Bob Putman (March 4, 2012). "Blue Racers win UIFL opener". www.marionstar.com. The Marion Star. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  11. ^ "Blue Racers suffer first loss". www.marionstar.com. The Marion Star. March 19, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  12. ^ Bob Jarzomski (June 17, 2012). "Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game". www.goerie.com. Cyberlink and Erie Times-News. Retrieved December 27, 2013.