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Carolina Cobras (NAL)

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This article is about the team that began play in 2018 in the National Arena League. For the Arena Football League team of the same name that played from 2000 until 2004, see Carolina Cobras.
Not to be confused with the Greensboro Cobras, a team of the Tobacco Road Basketball League.
Carolina Cobras (NAL)
Current season
Established 2017
Play in Greensboro, North Carolina
at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex
CarolinaCobras.com
League/conference affiliations
Current uniform
Team colorsBlack, silver, red, white
       
CheerleadersVenom Hunnies [1]
Personnel
Owner(s)John Kane(Majority)
Mark Francis
Darren S. Hunter
Theron Davis
Paul C. Marquardt Sr.
PresidentBrandon Negron
General managerTrent Thomas
Head coachBrandon Negron
Team history
  • Carolina Cobras (2018–present)
Championships
League championships (1)
  • NAL: 2018
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (5)
Home arena(s)
Original Logo (2018-2023)

The Carolina Cobras are a professional indoor football team in the National Arena League (NAL) and that began play for the 2018 season. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Cobras play their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.[2]

The Cobras is the third indoor/arena team to call Greensboro home, following the Greensboro Prowlers of the af2 (2000–2003) and the Greensboro Revolution of the National Indoor Football League (2006–2007). A previous team called the Carolina Cobras played in the Arena Football League from 2000 until 2004. The AFL Cobras played three seasons in Raleigh and two in Charlotte before folding. The NAL Cobras use a logo similar in style to the defunct AFL Cobras' logo, but otherwise has no direct connection to the AFL franchise.

History

[edit]

The Cobras were officially announced as members of the National Arena League (NAL) on December 4, 2017.[2] In their introductory announcement, the team named former Cincinnati Commandos, Texas Revolution, Nashville Venom and Wichita Falls Nighthawks head coach Billy Back as their new coach.[3]

The Cobras inaugural season finished with a regular season record of 10–5, taking second place in the league. The Cobras then defeated the Jacksonville Sharks in the playoff semifinal and earned the right to host the 2018 NAL Championship game at home after the first place Massachusetts Pirates lost their semifinal to the Columbus Lions.[4] With the Lions missing several starting players including their quarterback Mason Espinosa and all running backs,[5] the Cobras dominated Columbus in the championship game 66–8.[6]

In their second season, the Cobras again made it to the championship game, where they lost to the Sharks 52–48. Following the season, head coach Billy Back and most of his staff left the team to coach the relaunched Spokane Shock in the Indoor Football League when the NAL was announced to merge with Champions Indoor Football for the 2020 season.[7] The Cobras initially hired Massachusetts Pirates' head coach Anthony Payton after the Pirates withdrew from the league due to the merger.[8] However, the merger fell apart[9] and the team then hired former defensive coordinator Josh Resignalo as head coach in December 2019.[10]

On September 22, 2022, head coach and general manager Josh Resignalo stepped down to "explore other opportunities". The next day, on September 13, the Cobras announced that their offensive coordinator and arena football veteran James Fuller would be tapped as only the team's third head coach in franchise history. [11]

On September 5th 2023 a decision to not retain Coach Fuller was made. He proceeded to take a position with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the IFL. The Cobras moved forward with hiring long time assistant and 2023 National Arena League Assistant Coach of the Year, Brandon Negron. In his first season, Negron led the Cobras to a 6-4 record (5-1 at home) but the team failed to make the playoffs losing two straight to close out the 2024 season. A decision to retain Negron was made for the upcoming season amidst ownership changes, league expansion and commitment by the team to remain in Greensboro for another season.

Season-by-season results

[edit]
League champions Playoff berth League leader
Season League Regular season Postseason results
Finish Wins Losses
2018 NAL 1st 10 5 Won Semifinal (Jacksonville) 73–48
Won NAL Championship (Columbus) 66–8
2019 NAL 2nd 9 5 Won Semifinal (Massachusetts) 30–26
Lost NAL Championship (Jacksonville) 48–52
2020 NAL Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 NAL 4th 3 5 Lost Semifinal (Albany) 41–55
2022 NAL 2nd 9 5 Won Semifinal (Columbus) 65–51
Lost NAL Championship (Albany) 20–47
2023 NAL 2nd 10 4 Won Semifinal (San Antonio) 52–36
Lost NAL Championship (Jacksonville) 45–54
2024 NAL 3rd 6 4
Totals 47 28 All-time regular season record
5 4 All-time postseason record
52 32 All-time regular season and postseason record

Current roster

[edit]
Carolina Cobras roster
Quarterbacks
  • Currently vacant

Running backs

  • Currently vacant

Wide receivers

  • Currently vacant
 Offensive linemen
  • Currently vacant

Defensive linemen

  • Currently vacant
 Linebackers
  • Currently vacant

Defensive backs

  • Currently vacant

Special teams

  • Currently vacant
 Reserve lists
  • Currently vacant
  • Rookies in italics
  • Roster updated August 9, 2024
  • 0 Active, 0 Inactive

Staff

[edit]
Carolina Cobras (NAL) staff

Front office

  • Team President – Brandon Negron
  • General Manager - VACANT
  • Director of Scouting – Brandon Sutton
  • Marketing Advisor – Nicole Pruchnik
  • Multimedia Advisor – Steven Shotola

Head coaches

  • Head Coach – Brandon Negron
  • Assistant head coach – Fred Price

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive Coordinator – Daron Clark
  • Offensive line/Defensive line – Michael Vogel
 Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator – Mike Bonner




Head Coaches

[edit]

Note: Statistics are correct through the 2023 National Arena League season.

Name Tenure Regular season Playoffs Awards
W L Win% W L
Billy Back 2018–2019 19 10 .655 3 1
Josh Resignalo 2021–2022 12 10 .545 1 2
James Fuller 2023 10 4 .714 1 1 NAL Coach of the Year (2023)
Brandon Negron 2024–present 6 4 .600 0 0 NAL Coach of the Year (2024)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Official Website of the Carolina Cobras: Venom Hunnies".
  2. ^ a b "NAL Expansion Heads to North Carolina - Expansion Team in Carolina to be named Cobras". NationalArenaLeague.com. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "Cobras name Billy Back Head Coach - 2016 IFL Coach of the Year set to lead Carolina in 2018". NationalArenaLeague.com. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  4. ^ "Cobras Playoff Victory Over Sharks". NationalArenaLeague.com. August 15, 2018.
  5. ^ "Columbus Lions throttled in national championship game". Ledger-Enquirer. August 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Carolina Cobras win National Arena League football championship". Greensboro.com. August 27, 2018.
  7. ^ "NAL and CIF merge to form new indoor football league". WTVM. September 26, 2019.
  8. ^ "Carolina Cobras Announce Anthony Payton as New Head Coach". GreensboroSports.com. October 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "National Arena League and Champions Indoor Football to Postpone 2020 partnership". NAL. October 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Cobras Hire Former Defensive Coordinator as New Head Coach". ABC45.com. December 6, 2019.
  11. ^ "JAMES FULLER PROMOTED TO HEAD COACH". CarolinaCobras.com. September 13, 2022.
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