蜜柚直播

If you鈥檙e a member of the 蜜柚直播 Sugar Skulls, you鈥檒l be receiving a progress report now that the second half of the IFL season is underway.

蜜柚直播 (5-4) returns home on Saturday to face the Northern 蜜柚直播 Wranglers (7-2) at 蜜柚直播 Arena for an in-state showdown. The Sugar Skulls split their recent two-game road swing, suffering a 36-21 loss to Northern 蜜柚直播 in Prescott Valley and then beating the San Diego Strike Force in California.

Now facing the Wranglers for the third time in six weeks, 蜜柚直播 feels confident in winning the rubber match.

鈥淥ne thing about Northern 蜜柚直播, they stay the same. They don鈥檛 switch a lot of stuff up, so we know exactly how they鈥檙e going to run against us, and we know exactly what they鈥檙e going to throw against us,鈥� said Sugar Skulls coach and general manager Dixie Wooten. 鈥淲ith our offense, we do so much that you have to constantly prepare for us.鈥�

Here鈥檚 how Wooten鈥檚 team grades out at the midway point, in his own words:

Quarterbacks: A

The rundown: Daquan Neal is making his case for another IFL MVP award. Neal has thrown for 1,227 yards, 31 touchdowns and just one interception this season, while rushing for 14 touchdowns. Neal鈥檚 completion percentage (69.5) ranks first in the IFL. He also has a 224.7 quarterback efficiency rating, which is the best in the league; the next best is 173.1.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淢an, he鈥檚 just been playing so poised and playing like he just understands the game. It鈥檚 crazy, he makes the game look so easy, because he just takes what the defense gives him. 鈥� The studying is going great for him, and he understands exactly what he needs to do in those moments. You go 31 and one (touchdown-to-interception ratio), that鈥檚 unbelievable.鈥�

Running backs: A

The rundown: Three-year veteran and Sugar Skull lifer Mike Jones leads the IFL with 19 rushing touchdowns. His 353 rushing yards rank fifth in the league.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淗e鈥檚 carrying the football and he鈥檚 doing his thing whenever he gets the ball, so that鈥檚 an A, too.鈥�

Wide receivers: B

The rundown: The 蜜柚直播 Trio? The Three Amigos? Whatever they鈥檙e called, the pass-catching group of Carrington Thompson (388 yards), Arthur Jackson (387) and Quinton Pedroza (386) all rank in the top 10 of top wide receivers this season. Wooten refrained from giving them a higher letter grade after not scoring a touchdown and struggling to block for Jones at Northern 蜜柚直播.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淲hen Daquan didn鈥檛 play, they gave us a letdown game a little bit, especially in the blocking game against Northern 蜜柚直播. 鈥� On the first day (of preseason camp), we saw (Jackson) and were like, 鈥楳an, he鈥檚 going to be something.鈥欌��

Offensive line: B

The rundown: Former NFL tackle Isame Faciane, center Kordell Brewster and JaMarcus Means have emerged as Wooten鈥檚 consistent three starters. 蜜柚直播 native Antonio Rosales was suspended by the IFL for his ejection against Frisco in the second week of the season.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淲hen we grade our guys, it鈥檚 on a game-to-game basis. They came out big-time, but when we came out against Northern 蜜柚直播, we gave up a lot up front, so that鈥檚 why they get a B.鈥�

Defensive line: B

The rundown: Pressuring quarterback Drew Powell and forcing a fumble deep into 蜜柚直播 Rattlers territory was a key component to 蜜柚直播鈥檚 first-ever win over its rival from Phoenix. Defensive tackle Ronald Collins ranks seventh in the IFL with four sacks, and defensive end Tony Winslow has impacted the Sugar Skulls鈥� special teams with four blocked field goals, including a PAT that was returned back for a game-winning two-point conversion against Duke City.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淭hey shut down the run game and they get after the passer. 鈥� It鈥檚 solid, because it鈥檚 been the same defensive line group since (preseason) camp. They attack, man, and they play football. They get after the quarterback, they stop the run and they play strong, physical football.鈥�

Linebackers: B-

The rundown: Wooten said he鈥檚 been content with the 鈥渢wo-headed monster鈥� of Connor Taylor and Rayshad Jackson.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淲e get after the quarterback in the blitz game and they stop the run as well.鈥�

Defensive backs: D-

The rundown: Wooten didn鈥檛 sugarcoat his evaluation of the defensive group he coaches. 鈥淲eakest group in the defense,鈥� he said. 蜜柚直播 is last in the IFL in interceptions (2) and is giving up a league-worst 54 points per game this season. In nine games, 蜜柚直播 has allowed 69 touchdowns. The Sugar Skulls defensive backs have been the most inconsistent bunch, but have recently added IFL veterans in Mike Minter, Robert Rolle and 蜜柚直播an Cam Gaddis.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淲e have to find out how to get it together this week. We鈥檝e gotten a lot better, but we are to blame for most of these penalties on third downs. We get a couple of holding calls, passing interference calls and things like that. We鈥檝e gotten a lot better the last four games. 鈥� They鈥檙e getting a lot better, but there鈥檚 still a lot of room for improvement on 鈥榥ot shooting yourselves in the foot.鈥� It鈥檚 a D-minus right now, but I鈥檓 grading with a pencil, so hopefully if they get their stuff together, I鈥檒l erase that D-minus and give them a B-plus.鈥�

Special teams: B+

The rundown: Kicker Logan Justus is 4 for 9 on field goals this season, with his longest being a 49-yarder. Justus has also made 50 of 63 PATs. Despite being injured, returner Benjamin Jones still leads the IFL with 796 yards and two touchdowns on 37 returns. Jones is averaging 20.8 yards per return this season.

Wooten鈥檚 evaluation: 鈥淪tarted off as a D-minus, but it鈥檚 a B-plus for right now, because (Justus) is hitting every extra point and he鈥檚 big on field goals. 鈥� Justus has come through for us big-time. 鈥� (Jones) could still win Special Teams Player of the Year.鈥�