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Ozarks Lunkers

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Ozarks Lunkers
Current season
Established 2023
Play in Springfield, Missouri
League/conference affiliations
Current uniform
Team colorsRed, Foliage Green, Sky Blue, Darker Lake Blue
       
MascotLunky the Lunker
CheerleadersLady Lures
Personnel
Owner(s)Mark Burgess
General managerCaleb Scott[1]
Head coachCam Bruffett
Team history
  • Ozarks Lunkers (2024–present)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

The Ozarks Lunkers are a professional indoor football team based in Springfield, Missouri. They are currently members of The Arena League (TAL). They will play their home games at Wilson Logistics Arena, a multipurpose arena built next to the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.

History

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On March 9, 2023, League Commissioner Tim Brown announced Springfield, Missouri as one of four cities that would be receiving an Arena League team.[2] The Lunkers are the second Arena Football team in Springfield, Missouri, after the short-lived Springfield WolfPack of the APFL.

On October 20, 2023, CoxHealth signed into a partnership with the Lunkers as the team's health care provider.[3][4]

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After receiving nearly five thousand entries for the name-the-team contest, Ozarks Lunkers was selected; submitted by Nixa resident, Diane Buatte. Lunker is an exceptionally large specimen, particularly a fish. The team's primary logo depicts a leaping largemouth bass wearing a red football helmet. The logos were designed by Ryan Foose.

Many submissions were related to fishing, Route 66, soda jerks, or the Great Cobra Scare of 1953.

Roster

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The first of two open tryouts for the Lunkers was held on October 21, 2023.[5] The Lunkers held a closed scrimmage of 19 players on November 19, 2023.[6] The second open tryout was held on December 9, 2023.[7] Most of the roster was populated by members of the Queen City Insane Asylum, a semi-professional eight-man football team that general manager Caleb Scott owned.[8]

On December 5, 2023, the Lunkers signed Matt Rush, the first player to sign with a TAL team.[9] Rush went to Springfield's Hillcrest High School and played defensive back at Missouri State.

Ozarks Lunkers roster
Players
  • 0 Ell Teycer
  • 1 Tobias Little
  • 3 Kendrick Payne WR
  • 4 Chris Scruggs, Jr. WR
  • 5 Brock Carter DB
  • 7 Darius Daniel WR
  • 8 Edward Sands
  • 9 Craig Travis LB
  • 10 Jackson Mitchell
  • 11 Marqui Smalls QB
  • 13 Ronnie Bertelsmeyer WR
  • 15 Josh Evans DL
  • 16 Laurenz Plummer WR
  • 17 Taiwo Oluwafunmila


Reserve lists
  • - Patrick Puletasi DL
  • - Myran Mounds DB
  • 6 Jai'len Jones DB
  • 12 Anthony Sherrils DB
  • 18 Wren Rodriguez


  • Rookies in italics
  • updated July 8, 2024
  • 15 Active, 5 Inactive

Staff

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Ozarks Lunkers staff
Front office
  • Owner – Mark Burgess
  • General manager – Caleb Scott
  • Vice president of team operations – Monica Henderson
  • Director of media – Dalton Bagley
  • Account executive of ticket sales and promotions – Nadia Deleon
  Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach – Zach Troutman
  • Offensive quality control – Justin DeFreece

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach – Jimmie Strong
  • Defensive line/Linebackers coach – Lee Howard
  • Defensive quality control – Cody Kimes

Management

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On June 14, 2023, the league announced Mark A. Burgess, a local airline owner, would be the principal owner of the team and that the team would be called the Ozarks Lunkers for their inaugural season. [10]

On October 4, 2023, the team announced Cam Bruffett as the head coach.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Ozarks Lunkers Hire Caleb Scott as General Manager". Ozarks Sports Zone. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Schmidt, John (March 9, 2023). "Springfield to get arena football team". KOLR. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Pickle, Geoff (October 20, 2023). "CoxHealth to provide care for Ozarks Lunkers". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  4. ^ "The Ozarks Lunkers partner with CoxHealth for inaugural season". CoxHealth. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  5. ^ "Ozarks Lunkers hold open tryouts". Ozarks First. October 21, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  6. ^ "Ozark Lunkers hold closed scrimmage for second team tryout". No. November 19, 2023. Ozarks First. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "Tryouts". Ozarks Lunkers. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  8. ^ Wheeler, Wyatt D. "What to know about Ozarks Lunkers football as Arena League starts this week". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Pinson, Chris (December 5, 2023). "Lunkers reel in Springfield native Rush". Ozarks First. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "Owner reveals name for Springfield's new Arena League football team". KY3. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "Ozarks Lunkers Hire Cam Bruffett as Inaugural Head Coach". Ozarks Sports Zone. October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
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