The Salt Lake Screaming Eagles were a professional indoor football team based in West Valley City, Utah, near Salt Lake City. The Screaming Eagles started as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League (IFL) and began play in 2017 with home games at the Maverik Center. The team folded when ownership left the IFL to start their own league.
History The team was announced in April 2016 by a group called Project FANchise with the intent on creating an entirely fan operated indoor football team. The project announced that fans would vote on every aspect of the team including the name of the team, signing players, and calling plays. On June 6, the name of the team was announced as the Screaming Eagles after the 101st Airborne Division. The name was picked over the more controversial choices of "Teamy McTeamface," "Sandtroopers," and "Stormin' Mormons." William McCarthy was voted in as the first head coach in franchise history.
The team made their debut at home against the Nebraska Danger on February 16, 2017. They lost 78–47 in a game which featured the fans storming the field after the Eagles scored the first fan-called touchdown in franchise history. Also, the team introduced their part-owner, Norm Macdonald, who helped call part of the game streamed live on SI.com (Sports Illustrated) and YouTube. The team won their first game the next week defeating the Colorado Crush 42–41 on February 26. On March 1, the team then fired head coach William McCarthy due to philosophical differences and then hired Matthew Sauk as its new head coach without using the fan vote system. However, the FANchise vote system made national news once again when their fans voted against signing former NFL player Greg Hardy on March 30, 2017.
On April 20, 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported that Project FANchise was planning on launching a new league called the "Interactive Football League". Project FANchise CEO Sohrob Farudi confirmed that the Screaming Eagles would finish the 2017 Indoor Football League season and would be leaving the league afterwards. The league was later re-branded as the Electronic Football League (eFL) in October 2017 and then as the Fan Controlled Football League (FCFL) in November 2017. The new league planned to play all of its games in only one city with eight new teams and the Screaming Eagles did not appear to be one the team names considered. The new league eventually began play in February 2021 as Fan Controlled Football with four teams.
Statistics and records
Season-by-season results League championsConference championsDivision championsPlayoff berthLeague leader
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results Finish Wins Losses 2017 2017 IFL Intense 4th 5 11
Head coach records Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards W L Win% W L William McCarthy 1 1 0 0 Matthew Sauk 4 10 0 0
Personnel
Final roster 2017 Salt Lake Screaming Eagles roster Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams Reserve lists
→ More rosters
All-League selections WR Devin Mahina DB James Calhoun
Individual awards
Offensive Rookie of the Year Season Player PositionVerlon ReedQB
Staff Salt Lake Screaming Eagles staff Front office Majority owner – Project FANchise President – Thom Carter Head coach Head coach – Matthew Sauk Assistant to the head coach – Ron McBride
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – The Fans Offensive line coach – Jaren Skinner
Defensive coaches co-Defensive Coordinator – Sergio Gilliam co-Defensive Coordinator – Kevin Bello
2017 season
Schedule Key:
Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Score Record 1 Thursday February 16 7:00pm Nebraska Danger L 47–78 0–1 Maverik Center 8,191 2 Sunday February 26 3:00pm at Colorado Crush W 42–41 1–1 Budweiser Events Center 3 BYE 4 Monday March 13 7:00pm Spokane Empire L 35–41 1–2 Maverik Center 4,196 5 BYE 6 Friday March 24 7:00pm at Spokane Empire L 36–53 1–3 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena 7 Friday March 31 7:00pm Colorado Crush L 49–52 1–4 Maverik Center 4,121 8 Saturday April 8 7:05pm at Wichita Falls Nighthawks L 33–39 1–5 Kay Yeager Coliseum 9 Friday April 14 7:00pm Arizona Rattlers L 60–73 1–6 Maverik Center 3,785 10 Saturday April 22 7:05pm at Nebraska Danger L 30–49 1–7 Eihusen Arena 11 Sunday April 30 3:00pm at Spokane Empire L 29–31 1–8 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena 12 Sunday May 7 4:30pm at Colorado Crush W 64–41 2–8 Budweiser Events Center 13 Friday May 12 7:00pm Colorado Crush W 38–37 3–8 Maverik Center 4,855 14 Saturday May 20 7:00pm at Arizona Rattlers L 33–63 3–9 Talking Stick Resort Arena 15 Monday May 29 7:00pm Cedar Rapids Titans W 64–27 4–9 Maverik Center 2,981 16 Friday June 2 7:00pm Iowa Barnstormers L 36–58 4–10 Maverik Center 3,873 17 Saturday June 10 7:05pm at Green Bay Blizzard L 34–37 4–11 Resch Center 4,657 18 Friday June 16 7:00pm Spokane Empire W 45–42 5–11 Maverik Center 4,581
Standings
References
External links Official website