The Katy Ruff Riders, the new professional indoor football franchise of the Intense Football League (IFL), introduced Lamar Consolidated and Rice Owl standout Donald Hollas as its first head coach at a news conference Friday.Beginning April 14, 2007, the Ruff Riders will play a 14 game Saturday schedule against other franchises in Lake Charles, La. and the Texas cities of Belton, Corpus Christi, Frisco, El Paso, Odessa, San Angelo, and Anchorage, Ala.
The Ruff Riders will play their home games at the 5,600-seat Merrell Center in Katy."I am extremely excited about this opportunity," Hollas said. "We must exhibit pride in everything we implement and we will establish championship standards for this franchise based on discipline."Our goal is to win a championship in our very first season," he said, "and I understand the family values and the conservative public attitude of our area," he continued. "Discipline and character is what we'll demand of our players."After graduating from Rice in 1991, Hollas played quarterback in the National Football League for nine years; four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, as well as spending time with the Detroit Lions, Houston Oilers and the Washington Redskins.
"In the NFL, defense wins championships. At different levels of football a running game wins championships, but in the indoor game, there are not a lot of running plays," said Hollas, who also be the team's offensive coordinator."The indoor game is very exciting," he continued. "I saw my first indoor game when I was with the Cincinnati Bengals in the early '90s, and Art Schlichter, the former Ohio State quarterback threw nine touchdowns that night," and Hollas said he and a group of Bengals went to every home game after that.Hollas has hired Stephen Wiggins as the team's defensive coordinator who brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience from the professional and collegiate ranks.As a defensive back for the Prairie View Panthers from 1985-86, Wiggins earned team co-MVP honors during the 1986 season and participated in the Cleveland Browns training camp during the fall of 1987.The San Antonio native earned a starting position with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football league in 1989 and helped the team capture the coveted Grey Cup Championship.Season tickets for the Ruff Riders will go on sale Monday, Nov. 20. For more information, log onto the team's website, www.KatyRuffRiders.com.
