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Reset. Relax. Recharge.

That was the objective for the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Sugar Skulls during its bye week last week. It was the first bye week for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ since their inaugural 2019 season.

Some players returned back to their hometowns, while coach and general manager Dixie Wooten spent the week with family — and food.

Wooten caught roughly 40 blue crabs and made a seafood boil that included crawfish, crab, shrimp and fish.

“These guys get to go home, reflect and see the people who they’re playing for, whether it’s their kids, their girlfriend, their wife, their mom and dad — whatever they’re playing football for, they get to go home and look those people in the face and get rejuvenated for the season,� Wooten said. “We’re glad to be off our bye week and we’re glad to be back at home.�

The Sugar Skulls (5-5) return from the bye on Saturday night, when they host the Bay Area Panthers (1-9) at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Arena. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ sits in fourth place in the IFL’s Western Conference standings, behind the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rattlers (9-2), Northern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wranglers (9-2) and Duke City Gladiators (6-5). ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has a win over each of the three teams this season.

The final six regular-season games will be ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s “second season,â€� Wooten said.

“The guys were excited to get back. … Now they know, there’s nine games left: Basically, six regular season games, two playoff games and a championship. We’re looking at it like a nine-game season,� Wooten said. “We’re calling it our ‘Second Season.’ So, we’re starting from Game 1. These guys are excited about it, because at the end of the day, they know the potential of what they can do on the field, they know the mistakes that they made are fixable, so they’re ready to go.�

The Sugar Skulls want to carry some things with them, of course, like the second-highest scoring offense in the IFL — one that’s averaging 51 points per game. Sugar Skulls star quarterback Daquan Neal has thrown for 1,351 yards and 34 touchdowns, and has been intercepted just once. That’s good.

The bad: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s defense is allowing 52 points per game this season, which is second-to-last behind Saturday night’s opponent. Three times, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has squandered fourth-quarter leads. The Sugar Skulls’ most recent setback was a 34-32 loss to Northern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. The defense logged two interceptions in the first half to double its season total, but ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s offense didn’t score in the fourth quarter and fumbled a lead to the Wranglers.

“We know exactly what works, and what isn’t too well for us,� Neal said. “Coming in for this second half, we’re trying to focus on our weaknesses, so we can become a more balanced team. It’s a good time to get that started. …

“We need to come out and play to our abilities. I feel like too often we were playing to the other team’s energy and how good they are.�

Said Wooten: “The bye week makes you look at the whole big picture as a coach.�

To sustain a certain level of urgency amongst his players, Wooten installed “good-against-good� scrimmages between the starting offensive and defensive units at the end of practices, with prizes given to the winners.

Saturday, they’ll face a Panthers team that’s lost nine straight games — including an 83-21 loss to the Rattlers last week.

“We looked at that as like a challenge the Rattlers put out,� Wooten said. “It’s playoff football right now. You have to be playing your best by the time the playoffs start, so with the Rattlers doing that, we looked at that more as a challenge than Bay Area losing. … We want to send a message, too.�

Still, “we’re expecting them to come out and give us everything,� Wooten said. “They know their season is going to be over in 16 games, so they want to come out and put film up so they can get scouted. What we have to do is hit them in the mouth early and often.�

Extra points

Saturday’s game will be a “red out.â€� ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ will don red jerseys and fans are encouraged to wear red at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Arena. A player autograph session will be held on the field after the game.

The Panthers have two Pac-12 products on their roster, linebacker DJ Calhoun (ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State) and offensive lineman Boss Tagaloa (UCLA).

Sugar Skulls star kick returner Benjamin Jones (leg), who is averaging a league-best 20.8 yards per return, is expected to be out again this week.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ added linebacker Malcolm McCoy, who will replace Connor Taylor after he suffered a season-ending foot injury. The Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native starred at Bowie State.