The Carolina Speed were a professional indoor football team that operated from 2007 to 2011 in Concord and Charlotte, North Carolina, at Bojangles' Coliseum in 2009 and 2011. From 2007 to 2009, the Speed were members of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA). For the 2011 season, the Speed joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) and the team ceased operations after the season. The owner was Eddie Littlefield.

Carolina Speed
Established 2007
Folded 2011
Played in Concord, North Carolina at Cabarrus Arena and Charlotte, North Carolina at Bojangles' Coliseum
League/conference affiliations
American Indoor Football Association (2007–2009)
Southern Indoor Football League (2011)
Current uniform
Team colorsRed, yellow, black, white
       
Personnel
Owner(s)Eddie Littlefield
PresidentLarry Kennedy
Head coachBrentson Buckner
Team history
  • Carolina Speed (2007–2011)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Home arena(s)

History

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The Speed began in the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) and first played the 2007 and 2008 seasons in Concord, North Carolina, at Cabarrus Arena. In 2009, they moved home games to Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte. The team had decided not to participate in the 2010 AIFA season, but announced its intentions to return to the league in 2011. The team had also announced that it would play its future games at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center in Concord, North Carolina, marking a return to the facility where the Speed began in 2007.[1]

Due to the merger of the AIFA and Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL), the Speed returned in 2011 play in the SIFL. In addition, the Speed's website stated that they were not returning to Cabarrus and announced their 2011 season would once again have home games at Bojangles' Coliseum.[2]

The franchise was to return in 2013 as the Charlotte Speed and play in the Professional Indoor Football League, after originally deciding to play in the Indoor Football League.[3] However, their charter was revoked prior to the season opener and they have not been heard from since 2012.[4]

Logos

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The name "Carolina Speed" comes from the winning name of a contest held at the Cabarrus County fair, as well as paying tribute to North Carolina's NASCAR heritage.

Final roster

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Charlotte Speed roster
Quarterbacks
  • -- James Steadman
  • -- Garrett Sutphen

Running backs

  • -- Kai Williams

Wide receivers

  • -- Takory Burkett
  • -- Chris Jackson
  • -- Charles Walker
  • -- Clyde Washington
Offensive linemen
  • -- Mark Blakeny
  • -- Joseph Burns
  • -- Ty Gieser

Defensive linemen

  • -- LeeRon Boykin
  • -- Justin Childs
  • -- Keith Holliday
  • -- Brandon McCaulley
  • -- Jermaine Smith

Linebackers

  • -- Xavier Jordan
  • -- Bryce Smith
  • -- Mike Thompson
  • -- Timothy Tuck
Defensive backs
  • -- Quintarus Brooks
  • -- Calvin Brown
  • -- T. J. Drakeford
  • -- DeAndre Stevenson
  • -- Anthony Wiggins Jr.
  • -- Kevin Williams
  • -- Roger Williams

Kickers

  • -- Julian Rauch
Injured reserve
  • vacant

Exempt list

  • vacant

Practice squad

  • vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated October 30, 2012
28 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

Season-by-season

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Season records
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Carolina Speed (AIFA)
2007 7 7 0 4th Southern Lost SC Week 1 (Lakeland)
2008 6 8 0 3rd EC Eastern --
2009 7 7 0 4th Southern --
2010 Did not play
Carolina Speed (SIFL)
2011 3 9 0 2nd EC Mid-Atlantic --
Totals 23 32 0 (including playoffs)

2007 season schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 3 Huntington Heroes Away Won 61-57
February 12 Tallahassee Titans Home Lost 44-62
February 17 Florence Phantoms Away Lost 36-64
February 26 Montgomery Bears Home Won 48-16
March 24 Erie Freeze Home Won 40-29
March 31 Baltimore Blackbirds Away Won 48-25
April 7 Mississippi Mudcats Home Won 64-52
April 14 Lakeland Thunderbolts Away Lost 19-57
April 21 Montgomery Bears Away Lost 34-63
April 28 Mississippi Mudcats Away Lost 28-70
May 5 Baltimore Blackbirds Home Won 52-32
May 12 Florence Phantoms Home Won 32-22
May 18 Tallahassee Titans Away Lost 48-68
May 25 Lakeland Thunderbolts Home Lost 21-39
June 11 Lakeland Thunderbolts (Playoffs) Away Lost 32-55

2008 season schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 9 Erie RiverRats Away Lost 21-42
March 15 Reading Express Home Won 49-17
March 22 Canton Legends Away Won 38-35
March 29 Huntington Heroes Home Lost 35-40
April 5 Columbus Lions Home Won 59-44
April 19 Mississippi Mudcats Away Lost 33-37
April 26 Fayetteville Guard Home Lost 18-19
May 3 Florida Stingrays Home Won 56-23
May 10 Baltimore Mariners Away Lost 23-48
May 17 Baltimore Mariners Home Won 72-36
May 31 Mississippi Mudcats Away Lost 18-59
June 6 Augusta Colts Away Lost 42-53
June 21 Florence Phantoms Home Lost 35-53
June 28 Florida Stingrays Home Won 63-57

2009 season schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 7 Florence Phantoms Away Won 37-29
March 14 Columbus Lions Home Lost 49-50
March 22 Columbus Lions Away Lost 37-68
March 28 Fayetteville Guard Away Lost 32-57
April 4 Erie RiverRats Home Won 38-12
April 18 Florence Phantoms Home Lost 31-37
April 25 South Carolina Force Away Lost 27-37
May 2 D.C. Armor Home Won 28-20
May 18 Florence Phantoms Away Won 51-21
May 30 South Carolina Force Home Lost 36-50
June 6 Erie RiverRats Away Won 51-21
June 13 D.C. Armor Away Lost 44-50
June 20 Fayetteville Guard Home Won 45-40
June 29 South Carolina Force Home Won 38-35

2011 season schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 18 Fayetteville Force Away Lost 39-44
March 25 Albany Panthers Home Lost 45-58
April 1 Erie Explosion Home Lost 36-39
April 8 Harrisburg Stampede Home Won 51-36
April 15 Trenton Steel Away Lost 42-86
May 1 Columbus Lions Home Lost 60-74
May 6 Alabama Hammers Away Lost 44-52
May 14 Harrisburg Stampede Away Lost 30-59
May 20 Richmond Raiders Home Won 50-48
May 29 Fayetteville Force Home Won 84-22
June 4 Richmond Raiders Away Lost 36-37
June 11 Columbus Lions Away Lost 40-55

References

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  1. ^ Carolina Speed Downshifts for 2010
  2. ^ "Carolina Speed Official Webpage". Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
  3. ^ "PIFL Adds Eighth Member in Charlotte Speed". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2012.
  4. ^ "Charlotte Speed - Indoor/Arena Football on OurSports Central".
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