High Country Grizzlies

High Country Grizzlies
Current season
Established 2016
Play in Boone, North Carolina
at the George M. Holmes Convocation Center
HighCountryGrizzlies.com
HelmetLogo
League/conference affiliations

National Arena League (2017)

American Arena League (2018–)
Team colors Black, orange, silver, white
                   
Nicknames Grizzlies
Mascot Grizzy
Personnel
Owner(s) Paul & Christine Potter
Don Thompson
Bryan Bouboulis
General manager William Thompson
Head coach Jeff Hunt
Team history
  • High Country Grizzlies (2017–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The High Country Grizzlies are a professional indoor football team and a member of the American Arena League (AAL) that began play in the 2017 season. Based in Boone, North Carolina, the Grizzlies play their home games at the George M. Holmes Convocation Center on the campus of Appalachian State University.

History

2017 Helmet

On April 14, 2016, American Indoor Football (AIF) announced that it had granted an expansion franchise to the High Country region for the 2017 season.[1] At an introductory press conference on July 14, the Grizzlies officially introduced themselves, their staff, head coach, name, logo, colors and venue.[2][3] However, on July 18, the AIF ceased operations forcing the Grizzlies to find a new league.[4] On July 21, the team announced it had joined the Arena Developmental League for the new league's inaugural season.[5] In November 2016, the ADL then changed its name to National Arena League.

Prior to the 2017 season, the Grizzlies had recruited former Appalachian State and NFL wide receiver Dexter Jackson to be the marquee player and face of the team for marketing and ticket sales, agreeing to sales incentives and relocation reimbursement for Jackson and his family. Jackson initially requested his ticket sales incentives in February prior to the start of the season, but Jackson would leave the team over non-payment in May and the league suspended Jackson. In August, Jackson took the Grizzlies to arbitration with the league and the NAL ruled in Jackson's favor with the team owing Jackson US$9,500. Jackson filed another complaint with Watauga County over continued non-payment by the team as of January 2018.[6]

After one season in the NAL, the Grizzlies announced on September 20 that the organization had joined the newly formed American Arena League (AAL) for the 2018 season.[7]

Players

Current roster

High Country Grizzlies roster
Quarterbacks
  •  5 Reed Gurchiek

Running backs

  •  6 Undra Hendrix

Wide receivers

  •  3 Alex Coleman
  • 18 Shamar Graves
  •  7 Malachi Jones
 Offensive linemen
  • -- Jordan Farrow
  • -- Joe Hillin
  • -- David Wilson

Defensive linemen

  • 17 Demarcus Berry
  • -- Brandon Davis
  • 96 Ethan Farmer
  • 44 Matthew Hardison
  • 90 Brandon Sutton
 Linebackers
  • -- Kevin Cuffee
  • -- David Washington

Defensive backs

  • -- Sandy Chapman IV
  •  9 Tavian Lott
  •  2 Roshawn Marshall
  •  8 Reggie Sullivan
  • -- Darion Thomas

Special teams

  • -- Will Johnson
 Reserve lists
  • 99 Chase Blackburn DL (IR)
  • 22 Brandon Fuentes DB (Susp.)
  • 52 Trevon Goins OL (Susp.)
  • -- Michael Johnson LB (IR)
  • 23 Darius Lipford LB (IR)
  • 21 Troy Sanders DB (IR)
  • 77 Tyrell Smith OL (IR)
  • 83 Cody Sterrett WR (IR)
  • 62 Ken Van Heule OL (IR)
  • 10 Mackenzie Williams WR (IR)
  • Rookies in italics
  • Roster updated June 16, 2017
  • 26 Active, 12 Inactive

→ More rosters

Individual awards

Staff

High Country Grizzlies staff
Front Office
  • Principal owner – Paul Potter
  • Co-owner – Bryan Bouboulis
  • General manager/Director of football operations – William Thompson
  

Coaches

  • Head coach – Jeff Hunt
  • Offensive coordinator – Jeff Hunt
  • Assistant offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach – Mo Gore
  • Defensive coordinator – Lee Johnson
  • Offensive and defensive line coach – Dennis Edmunds

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
2017 2017NAL 5th370
2018 2018AAL 8th260
Totals 5130All-time regular season record (2017–2018)
00—All-time postseason record (2017–2018)
5130All-time regular season and postseason record (2017–2018)

Head coaches' records

Name Term Regular season Playoffs Awards
WLTWin%WL
Josh Resignalo2017370.300——
Scott Meserve2018260.250——
Jeff Hunt2019––––——

References

  1. ↑ "American Indoor Football Awards Newest Territory to Western North Carolina". American Indoor Football. April 14, 2016. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  2. ↑ Wood, Jesse (July 14, 2016). "High Country Grizzlies Ready To Impact the Community In More Ways Than One". HCPress.com. High Country Press. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ Behr, Steve (July 14, 2016). "Grizzlies management makes debut in High Country". WataugaDemocrat.com. Watauga Democrat. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "American Indoor Football League to Cease Operations". aifprofootball.com. July 18, 2016. Archived from the original on July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Grizzlies Announce New Affiliation". OurSports Central. July 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Dexter Jackson sues Grizzlies alleging unpaid revenue". Watauga Democrat. January 20, 2018.
  7. ↑ "High Country Grizzlies Leave NAL; Join AAL". Last Word on Sports. September 20, 2017.
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