Beef / Bandits preview

May 5, 2023 

Two of the longest running indoor football teams meet for the 49th time as the 7-0 Omaha Beef (2000, IPFL) travel up Interstate 29 for the first of two meetings in May against the 5-2 Sioux City Bandits (2000 IFL as Attack, 2001 named changed to Bandits) on Saturday at the Tyson Events Center. The all-time series is tied at 24 and since 2019 they have rotated who won over those eight games. The Beef have won the last two playoff meetings vs the Bandits. They will meet for the 50th time on May 27th at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. 

Last week the Beef ran all over the Rapid City Marshals 62-12 as the Bandits suffered their second loss of the season at home vs the Gillette Mustangs 42-33. Sioux City sits in a tie with Salina for 3rd place in the standings with three games remaining. 

Omaha’s defense continues to dominate Champions Indoor Football. They have allowed an average of 20.0 points per game, 134.1 total yards per game, and have a +19 turnover margin. They have also scored four touchdowns in the last two games and have a four-point PAT defensive return. The Beef continues to score at a league best of 52.9 points per game while the offense sits in the middle of the pack in rushing (83.6 ypg - 3rd) and passing (101.6 ypg – 6th) averages. 

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong is currently 8th in rushing (24.4 ypg), 6th in passing average (95.9 ypg), 3rd in passing efficiency (105.3), 5th in total offense (120.3 ypg), and 3rd in scoring (11.1 ppg). The Beef’s newest running back Tabyus Taylor rushed for 42 yards on 11 carries vs Rapid City. He has taken over as Jeff Mack (139 yards 2 touchdowns), who went on the Short-Term injury reserve this week, and Jailin Singleton (93 yards) who recently came back from the injury reserve list. Gourney Sloan is the leading receiver for Omaha with 29 receptions for 378 yards and nine touchdowns, placing him 7th in reception per game and 3rd in receiving yards per game. Devanire Conliffe is second on the team with 15 receptions for 163 yards and 5 touchdowns. A big advantage for the Beef is in the kicking game where two-time Special Teams POW Paul Ortiz leads the CIF in field goal made (5), field goal percentage (54.5), and extra points kicks made (18) and extra points percentage (85.7). The Bandits signed former Omaha kicker Brandon Stewart this week. Stewart was 0-4 on field goals tries (three of them over 50 yards) and 4-8 on extra points in two games for Omaha. 

Three-time Defensive POW, JayShawn Washington, heads up the Beef defense line. Washington is currently third in sacks (6.5) and second in tackles for losses (11.5). His fellow linemen Tamar Heart (9th with 3.5 sacks) and Javari Nichols (13th with 2.0 sacks) and linebacker Key James Black (13th with 2.0 sacks) help supply pressure on the opponent's offenses that have led to 16 interceptions and ten fumble recoveries and 15 sacks. Dreko Statham leads the CIF with nine interceptions and 2nd in pass defended with 11. They will go against an offensive line that has allowed only two sacks, but Bandit’s quarterback Tasleem Wilson has thrown nine interceptions. 

The Bandits offense is in the middle of the CIF rankings as they rank 4th in scoring (45.0) and 5th in total offense (178.1 ypg). Drew Prohaska leads Sioux City in their rushing attack averaging 31.3 ypg (6th). Tasleem Wilson has a league leading 25 passing touchdowns thrown with 16 of them going to two of the receivers. Fred Bruno (21-322 yards and 8 TD’s) and Brandon Sheperd (14-155 yards and 8 TD’s). Braden Meints, one of the CIF best utility men, has rushed for seven yards, caught 15 balls for 170 yards, kick two extra points, does kickoffs, and has scored 59 points on the year. Defensively he has made 19 tackles, one force fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. Sioux City’s defense leads the CIF with 20 sacks on the year lead by Claude Davis (7.5) and Dajon Emory (6.0), but Tommy Armstrong has only been sacked once this year. Bandit’s head coach Erv Strohbeen is looking for his 100th career win as Sioux City’s head coach. 

The Beef’s final two regular season games are back at the Slaughterhouse as they play host to Topeka next Saturday and the rematch with Sioux City on May 27th. Sioux City will hit the road as they travel to Salina next week in an important playoff seeding game before returning to Ralston to close out the 2023 regular season. 

OTHER NOTES: The Omaha Beef - Tommy Armstrong Youth Football Camp will be held May 12 & May 13. In addition to the football camp, your registration will include an Omaha Beef shirt, pizza party, and a ticket to the May13th game where all participants will play football on the field before pre-game activities. https://a4footballacademy.eventsmart.com/.../ta-football.../