Cedar Rapids River Kings

The Cedar Rapids River Kings are a professional indoor football team based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The River Kings joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) as an expansion team in 2011 as the Cedar Rapids Titans and first took the field for the 2012 season.

Cedar Rapids River Kings
Current season
Established 2011
Play in U.S. Cellular Center
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
GoRiverKings.com
Cedar Rapids River Kings logo
League/conference affiliations
Indoor Football League (2012–present)
  • United Conference (2012–2017)
Team colorsNavy blue, light blue, yellow
     
Personnel
Owner(s)Roy Choi
General managerReggie Harris[1]
Head coachVictor Mann
Team history
  • Cedar Rapids Titans (2012–2018)
  • Cedar Rapids River Kings (2019–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (4)
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Home arena(s)

Since 2014, the River Kings franchise has played its home games at the newly renovated U.S. Cellular Center, after having played their first two seasons at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

The Titans were the first indoor team to be based in Cedar Rapids. The Titans have appeared in two United Conference championship games (2013, 2014), losing to the Sioux Falls Storm both times.

During the 2018 season, the Titans were sold to new ownership and announced that they would rebrand for 2019 with a name-the-team contest,[2] eventually taking on the Cedar Rapids River Kings name.[3]

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the River Kings went dormant for at least the 2021 season.[4]

Franchise history

2012 – Titans

In August 2011, it was announced that the Cedar Rapids Titans would become an expansion team of the Indoor Football League for the 2012 season owned by Chris Kokalis, Bob Sullivan and Kenneth Moninski.[5] Titans' general manager, Chris Kolalis stated, "We believe that Cedar Rapids is a fantastic market to bring a team into. We hope to promote economic development and be a part of the growth of the community by being active and giving back to the fans."[5] The team also announced that they would play their home games at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, with the intentions to play in the newly renovated, U.S. Cellular Center in 2013.[5] On November 18, 2011, the Titans hired former NFL player, Kyle Moore-Brown, as the first coach in franchise history.[6] They won their inaugural game on March 3, 2012 with a 32–13 win over Lehigh Valley Steelhawks.[7]

2013

The Titans lost their pre-season warm-up against Green Bay but began the 2013 regular season with three straight wins in a home-and-home series with Chicago and hosting the new Texas Revolution franchise out of Allen.[8] After a two-week bye, the team lost its next three games. The Titans recovered from this stumble and finished the season second in the United Conference with a 95 record. They made the post-season but lost to the Sioux Falls Storm in the United Conference Championship.[9] The team fared much better at home than on the road with 5 of its 6 losses coming when it was away from the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

2014

The Titans were one of eight returning teams plus one expansion team for the 2014 Indoor Football League season. After a 38–47 loss to open the 2014 season, the Titans went on to win their next 8 games in a row. The Titans entered Week 12, with a chance to claim first place in the United Conference, but fell 36–48 to the undefeated Storm. The Titans avenged the loss during the final game of the season, defeating the Storm 49–37. The victory placed the Titans in second place in the United Conference, and ended the Storm's undefeated season. The Titans' 2nd-place finish meant a road playoff game against the Storm in the United Conference Finals, where they were defeated 36–73.

2015

The Titans were tasked with replacing 2014 starting quarterback Spencer Ohm, while also losing the IFL's leading rusher, LaRon Council. The team signed Sam Durley, from the defunct Wyoming Cavalry, to be their new starting quarterback. Durley got the Titans off to a 6–3 start, good enough for second place in the United Conference, but he was released on May 4, 2015 to sign with the New Orleans VooDoo.[10] However, just two weeks prior to Durley's release, the Titans had traded for the 2014 IFL MVP, Willie Copeland.[11] Jeremiah Price was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

2016

The Titans were yet again looking for a quarterback heading into 2016. The team selected Dylan Favre (quarterback for the national team from the 2015 Football World Cup and the nephew of Brett Favre) to lead the team. Favre finished 6th in the league in passing touchdowns and 5 in passing yards as the Titans finished the season 12–4, clinching the 2 seed in the United Conference. The Titans won their first playoff game in team history with a 66–36 victory over the Wichita Falls Nighthawks,[12] but were once again defeated by the Sioux Falls Storm 48–41 in the United Conference Championship. Price repeated as the Defensive Player of the Year.

2017

The Titans hired former Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver, Marvin McNutt as the third coach in team history.[13]

2018

After the 2017 season, head coach McNutt took over as general manager and hired Billy Back, the 2016 IFL coach of the year with the Wichita Falls Nighthawks, as the new head coach.[14] However, coach Back would leave the team a couple of months after his hiring to coach the expansion Carolina Cobras of the National Arena League for the 2018 season. The Titans then hired former NFL linebacker Marvin Jones as his replacement.[15]

On January 30, 2018, the Titans' ownership announced the team was for sale with hopes of selling to new local ownership.[16] In June, it was announced that the Titans had been sold to Roy Choi, a California-based businessman, with the intentions of keeping the team Cedar Rapids.[17]

River Kings

In a letter to fans posted on the team's website on August 17, 2018, new general manager Ryan Eucker announced that the Titans' name and identity would be replaced as part of a rebranding process after the ownership change.[2] On August 20, 2018, Eucker announced a name-the-team contest to select a new team name and identity with submissions due by September 5.[18] On September 22, the team announced their new name as the Cedar Rapids River Kings with a new logo and color scheme to be unveiled by mid-October.[3] On September 25, 2018, general manager Ryan Eucker announced that Mark Stoute had returned as the head coach of the River Kings. He coached the Titans from 2013 to 2016.[19] A few games into the season, general manager Eucker was sent by the new owner to his other IFL team, the San Diego Strike Force, to take over as general manager. Reggie Harris was promoted to the River Kings' general manager.

The River Kings finished with a 1–13 record and head coach Stoute was fired after the season.[20] Victor Mann was brought in as head coach after his previous team, the Texas Revolution, had folded the previous season.[21]

The River Kings participated in one of the two league games that were completed in the 2020 season before the entire league's season was curtailed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team also withdrew from the league's 2021 season.

Players

Roster

Cedar Rapids River Kings roster
Quarterbacks
  • 4 Homer Causey
  •  5 Jake Medlock

Running backs

  • 25 Raphael Lawson-Gayle
  • 48 Tyler Scalzi

Wide receivers

  •  7 Javon Bell
  •  1 Erick Brundidge
  • 11 Raheem Harvey
  • 17 Jordan Smith
  •  3 Marquel Wade
Offensive linemen
  • 65 Sean Brown
  • 62 Randall Harris
  • 72 Aundrea Liddell

Defensive linemen

  • 54 Ricarlo Bell
  • 99 Dequan Ivery
  • 72 Marcus Haynes
  • 42 Bryce McClain
  • 45 Walter Walker Jr.
Linebackers
  •  8 Raheem Bramwell
  • 44 Moses White

Defensive backs

  • 22 Justin Barnes
  •  6 James Calhoun
  •  2 E. J. Frain
  • 20 Elijah Lee
  • 23 Danzel McDaniel

Special teams

  •  4 Michael Georgetti
Reserve lists
  • 9 Ify Asoluka DB (IR)
  •  2 Cedric Dozier DB (IR-DFR)
  • 60 Andrew Erbes OL (Did Not Report)
  • 66 Herbert Gonzales III DL (Did Not Report)
  • 18 Connor Hollenbeck WR (IR-DFR)
  • 22 Tyler Thomas RB (Did Not Report)
  • Roster updated May 16, 2018
  • 23 Active, 6 Inactive
More rosters

All-IFL players

The following Titans/River Kings players have been named to All-IFL Teams:

  • RB LaRon Council (2)
  • WR Carl Sims, Bryan Pray (2), Damond Powell
  • OL Maurice Robinson, Albert Erni, Jr., A. J. Harmon
  • DL Xzavie Jackson (4), Kyle Jenkins, Jeremiah Price (2)
  • LB Nikolas Sierra
  • DB T. J. Simmons, Ricky Johnson
  • K Rockne Belmonte (2), Nicholas Belcher
  • KR Robert Brown, Demetruce McNeal

Individual awards

The following is a list of all Titans/River Kings players who have won league awards

Staff

Cedar Rapids River Kings staff
Front office
  • Owner – Roy Choi
  • General manager – Reggie Harris
  Coaching staff
  • Head coach – Victor Mann

Statistics and records

Season-by-season results

League Champions Conference Champions Division Champions Playoff berth League leader
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLossesTies
2012 2012IFLUnited 7th4100
2013 2013IFLUnited 2nd950Lost United Conference Championship (Storm) 20–44
2014 2014IFLUnited 2nd1130Lost United Conference Championship (Storm) 36–73
2015 2015IFLUnited 2nd950Lost United Conference Championship (Storm) 12–34
2016 2016IFLUnited 2nd1240Won United Conference Wild Card (Nighthawks) 66–36
Lost United Conference Championship (Storm) 24–58
2017 2017IFLUnited 5th1150
2018 2018IFL 5th3110
2019 IFL 9th1130
2020 IFL 010Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Totals 50670All-time regular season record (2012–2020)
14All-time postseason record (2012–2020)
51710All-time regular season and postseason record (2012–2020)

Head coach records

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2020 Indoor Football League season.

Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
WLTWin%WL
Kyle Moore-Brown20124100.28600
Mark Stoute20132016
2019
42300.583142013 IFL Coach of the Year
Marvin McNutt20171150.06300
Marvin Jones20183110.21400
Victor Mann2020010.00000

References

  1. "Cedar Rapids River Kings' front office reshuffle ends with Reggie Harris as new GM". The Gazette. March 16, 2019.
  2. Ryan Eucker (August 17, 2018). "LETTER TO FANS FROM GM RYAN EUCKER". CedarRapidsTitans.com.
  3. Ryan Eucker (September 22, 2018). "Cedar Rapids IFL Announces New Team Name". CedarRapidsTitans.com.
  4. "2021 IFL SCHEDULE RELEASED". IFL. November 17, 2020.
  5. "Professional Football Coming to Cedar Rapids". www.kcrg.com. ABC. August 29, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  6. Jeff Johnson (November 18, 2011). "Titans hire Moore-Brown as head coach". The Gazette. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  7. Mike Condon (March 3, 2012). "Titans trounce Lehigh Valley, 32-13, in first game for Cedar Rapids IFL franchise". The Gazette. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  8. Bonner, Michael; Saville, Scott (March 2, 2013). "Titans Steamroll Texas To Stay Perfect". Cedar Rapids, IA: KCRG-TV. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  9. "Titans fall to Storm in conference championship". thegazette.com. The Gazette. June 22, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  10. Douglas Miles (May 3, 2015). "Durley leaving Titans for AFL's New Orleans VooDoo". www.thegazette.com. The Cedar Rapids Gazette. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  11. Douglas Miles (April 13, 2015). "C.R. Titans trade for reigning IFL MVP". www.thegazette.com. The Cedar Rapids Gazette. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  12. Douglas Miles (July 9, 2016). "Dylan Favre totals 7 TDs for Cedar Rapids Titans in 66-36 playoff rout". www.thegazette.com. The Cedar Rapids Gazette. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  13. Douglas Miles (October 11, 2016). "Former Iowa Hawkeyes receiver Marvin McNutt named Cedar Rapids Titans head coach". www.thegazette.com. The Gazette. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  14. "FORMER COACH OF THE YEAR JOINS TITANS; MCNUTT PROMOTED TO GM". CR Titans. October 30, 2017.
  15. "FORMER ALL PRO NFL LINEBACKER NAMED TITANS HEAD COACH". Cedar Rapids Titans. January 3, 2018.
  16. "Cedar Rapids Titans up for sale". KCRG-TV. January 30, 2018.
  17. "Cedar Rapids Titans Announce New Ownership". OurSportsCentral.com. June 19, 2018.
  18. Ryan Eucker (August 20, 2018). "NAME THE TEAM CONTEST". CedarRapidsTitans.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  19. Ryan Eucker (September 25, 2018). "Cedar Rapids MARK STOUTE RETURNS AS HEAD COACH". GoRiverKings.com.
  20. "RIVER KINGS BEGIN SEARCH FOR NEW HEAD COACH". River Kings. July 20, 2019.
  21. "Victor Mann Agrees to Lead River Kings". OurSports Central. September 5, 2019.
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