Omaha Beef

History

Omaha originally played in the Indoor Professional Football League in 2000 and 2001 as an expansion team before moving to the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) in 2002. The Beef then joined the newly formed United Indoor Football (UIF) in 2005 as a charter member. In 2008, the UIF merged with the Intense Football League to create the Indoor Football League.

From 2009 to 2011, the organization went through several general manager and head coaching changes. Despite those changes, the team finished in the top tier of the league. In 2009, James Kerwin was head coach of the Beef and led the team to a 12-2 record and to the second round of the IFL playoffs. The Beef continued their consecutive playoff qualification streak, which ended after 14 years across five leagues when the Beef failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2014.

The organization entered their thirteenth year of existence and fourth year as a member of the IFL in 2012. Despite constant changes within the league of expansion and contraction, the Beef were a constant and competitive member. 2012 saw the addition of new GM Josh Roehr from the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League (UFL) and the hiring of Bruce Cowdrey as head coach. Neither lasted a full season. As the rest of the 2012 season unfolded, the ownership of the team was then taken over by the IFL due to the actual owner not paying the fees associated with being a member. The head coach was let go, the GM left for new employment, and several other changes to cut costs. Despite this, Andy Yost and James Kerwin took over as co-head coaches and the Beef qualified for the playoffs with some key wins they were not going to be in the playoffs. This resulted in the ending of a 12-year playoff appearance streak.

The Omaha Beef were not included on the 2013 IFL schedule released on October 22, 2012. Their position in the United Conference was taken by the Texas Revolution being realigned from the Intense Conference. This was due to negotiations with the possible sale of the team or a new replacement team taking over the Beef's position. There were discussions that the team might change leagues and move into the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL). In December 2012, the Omaha Beef was accepted by the CPIFL to begin play in March 2013.

In December 2012, the Omaha Beef were bought by Cornhusker Beef, Inc. On December 6, 2012, the Beef announced the new ownership group composing of Rich Tokhiem, Gerard Daly and Jim Tokhiem. As of early 2013, the new ownership group made up of brothers Rich Tokheim and Jim Tokheim began administering the day-to-day operations of the Omaha Beef franchise, which was entering its 14th season of competition.

In their first season in the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), the Beef hired Andy Yost as head coach, who had finished the previous season as interim co-head coach. Yost led the Beef to a 10–2 record and qualified for the playoffs as they finished second, in a three-way tie (Sioux City(1), Wichita(3)) in the league. Despite a valiant effort the Beef fell to Wichita in the first round 31–25.

After leading the team to the playoffs in 2013, Yost moved from head coach to quarterback coach for the 2014 season. The Beef hired Steve Heimann as head coach and he coached the Beef to a win in their 2014 exhibition game. However, he then resigned before coaching a regular season game. The Beef promoted defensive coordinator Dan Thurin to head coach. The Beef finished with a record of 4–8, which was an all-time franchise worst at that time.

On January 7, 2015, the Beef announced that former Cornhusker and NFL veteran Cory Ross would be the head coach for the 2015 season. Ross previously coached the Lincoln Haymakers of the CPIFL, also owned by Beef owner Rich Tokhiem, which ceased operations after the 2014 season.

In 2015 season, the Beef started playing in Champions Indoor Football (CIF), created by the merger of the CPIFL with the Lone Star Football League (LSFL).

Omaha opened 2015 with their worst start in franchise history at 0–5. On April 1, defensive coordinator Demetrius Ross opined that the Beef's poor start was in part due to preparations beginning in January instead of October and that the coaches did not get to select the players that they wanted. The Beef finished the 2015 season with a record of 1–11, their worst record in franchise history. The Beef also finished in ninth place in the nine-team CIF, marking the first time the Beef ever finished last in a league. In their 11 losses, the Beef lost by an average of 25.0 points per game, were last in the league in points with given up at 672 (56.0/game), points scored at 395 (32.9/game), and a turnover differential of –16.

In 2016, the Omaha Beef took advantage of their schedule to improve their record to 7–5. Omaha played six of their 12 games against first year franchises (Chicago Eagles and Salina Liberty) in which the Beef recorded five of their seven wins. Omaha only had one win over a team with a winning record when they played (Wichita Force 4-1 on April 16) and only played three games all season against teams that came into the contest with a winning record. In the Beef’s seven wins, the opponent’s combined 2016 records were 29–54. Despite playoff expansion for the CIF in 2016, where half of all teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, the Beef failed to make the playoffs for the third year in a row, the longest playoff drought in franchise history. The Beef have only made the playoffs once under their current ownership and have posted a 24–29 (.452) record since taking over the team before the 2013 season. The Beef have only won 14 of their last 41 games.

Rivalries

Omaha has had some very heated battles in their time together with the Sioux City Bandits (since the NIFL days) and also Sioux Falls who also went from the NIFL to the IFL. The three cities have shown that they value the I-29 rivalries that exist in that they have followed one another through multiple leagues to stay in competition. A new rivalry developed when the IFL expanded to Grand Island, Nebraska, in 2011 as the Nebraska Danger creating the I-80 rivalry. However, Sioux Falls and Nebraska stayed in the IFL (Indoor Football League) when the Beef moved to the CPIFL before the 2013 season.

Non-player personnel

The Beef organization have the only all-male dance team in indoor football, the Rumproasters, along with an all-female dance team, the Prime dancers. The Prime dancers have won several awards including the best dance team three times in the UIF and 2009 dance team of the year in the IFL. They are ambassadors for the Beef organization as well and perform in conjunction with the Rumproasters, including a routine for the last regular-season home game which can include ballroom dancing. The Prime were named Dance team of the Year once again for 2012.

The mascot for the Beef is an Angus bull named Sir Loin. He won mascot of the year three times in UIF and was named 2009 mascot of the year in the IFL and is a fan favorite. He was named Mascot of the Year for 2011 and again in 2012.

Season-by-season

Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.

* Season currently in progress

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Beef players who have won league Awards

2000 Omaha Beef IPFL schedule

Week 1 – Omaha Beef 26, Idaho Stallions 12

Week 2 – Shreveport-Bossier Bombers 44, Omaha Beef 39

Week 3 – Portland Prowlers 43, Omaha Beef 23

Week 4 – Omaha Beef 38, Idaho Stallions 33

Week 5 – bye

Week 6 – Omaha Beef 39, Mobile Seagulls 36

Week 7 – Louisiana Rangers 40, Omaha Beef 33

Week 8 – Omaha Beef 28, Shreveport-Bossier Bombers 6

Week 9 – bye

Week 10 – Portland Prowlers 34, Omaha Beef 30

Week 11 – Portland Prowlers 67, Omaha Beef 54

Week 12 – bye

Week 13 – Mississippi Fire Dogs 49, Omaha Beef 46

Week 14 – Omaha Beef 54, Idaho Stallions 47

Week 15 – Omaha Beef 59, Idaho Stallions 39

Week 16 – Omaha Beef 57, Mobile Seagulls 44

Week 17 – Louisiana Rangers 35, Omaha Beef 27

Week 18 – Portland Prowlers 40, Omaha Beef 26

Week 19 – Omaha Beef 44, Mississippi Fire Dogs 38

Semifinals – Mississippi Fire Dogs 43, Omaha Beef 40

2001 Omaha Beef IPFL schedule

Week 1 – St. Louis Renegades 44, at Omaha Beef 61

Week 2 – bye

Week 3 – Omaha Beef 51, at Trenton Lightning 41

Week 4 – Boise Stallions 27, at Omaha Beef 56

Week 5 – Omaha Beef 55, at St. Louis Renegades 47

Week 6 – bye

Week 7 – Omaha Beef 57, at Boise Stallions 34

Week 8 – Tennessee ThunderCats 50, at Omaha Beef 72

Week 9 – Omaha Beef 49, at Boise Stallions 45

Week 10 – Tennessee ThunderCats 29, at Omaha Beef 56

Week 11 – Omaha Beef 54, at Tennessee ThunderCats 32

Week 12 – St. Louis Renegades 42, at Omaha Beef 53

Week 13 – Omaha Beef 34, at Tennessee ThunderCats 61

Week 14 – Omaha Beef 35, at Boise Stallions 9

Week 15 – Boise Stallions 19, at Omaha Beef 58

Week 16 – Omaha Beef 76, at St. Louis Renegades 37

Week 17 – bye

Week 18 – Omaha Beef 50, at St. Louis Renegades 33

Week 19 – Boise Stallions 18, at Omaha Beef 79

IPFL Championship – Tennessee ThunderCats 47, Omaha Beef 38