Starting quarterback Charles McCullum plans to return next season to the Kent Predators of the professional Indoor Football League.
McCullum is one of more than a dozen players who recently signed with Kent. The Predators open their IFL second season Feb. 25 at the ShoWare Center.
McCullum, who is 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds, threw for 1,907 yards and 45 touchdowns last year for the Predators. He rushed for 687 yards and 19 touchdowns.
“Charles is a key part of our plans for 2011, and we’re delighted to have him back,” said team President Michael Tuckman in an Oct. 28 Predators media release. “He’s got all the skills necessary to win in this league, and we expect a lot from him this season.”
The Predators in mid-October hired Heron O’Neal, the former Billings Outlaws coach, as their new coach for the 2011 season. O’Neal became available after the Billings team folded in early October. O’Neal coached the Outlaws to the 2009 and 2010 IFL titles.
Several former Billings players, including star receiver James Walton, have signed with Kent.
The Billings team disbanded in October, according to the Billings Gazette Web site. The team owners told the newspaper that the Outlaws had a $42,000 deficit that needed to be covered to save the season and had hoped to work out a deal with the Yellowstone County commissioners to get the money, but that deal fell through.
Kent opens the 2011 season with a home game Feb. 25 against Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Predators finished the 2010 season with a 5-9 record. They were fourth out of five teams in the Pacific North Division and failed to make the 16-team playoffs in the 24-team league.
The Predators drew an average of about 2,000 fans per game at the ShoWare Center. They played seven home games from March through June at the 6,000-seat arena.
Kent played in a division with Billings, Tri-Cities, Fairbanks and the Alaska Wild of Anchorage. The Anchorage team folded before the end of the season while the Fairbanks team remained.
The IFL, based in Richmond, Va., was created in 2008 with the merger of the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football.
Players are paid $225 per game.
Players recently signed by the Predators:
Anthony Jackson, OL, started all 14 games for Kent in 2010
Dan Kleckner, placekicker, made a 56-yard field goal for Kent
Armond Willis, DL, Florida International University
Don Chapman, RB, University of Tennessee-Martin
Jarvis Dunn, RB, Northwestern State
Jeremiah Captain, DB, re-signed
Andre Jordan, WR, re-signed
Morgan Rosborough OL, re-signed; Charles McCullum, QB, started last year for Kent
Kevin Jones, DB, former Kentwood High star, re-signed.
James Walton, WR, played last two years at Billings; led IFL in catches, yards and touchdowns
Daniel Griggs, DB, McMurry University
Jesse Feagin, DL, Washington State University
Vaughn Lesuma, OL, WSU; 2010 starter for Fairbanks Grizzlies of IFL
Xavier Hicks, DB, WSU
Michael Eby, DB, Eastern Oregon; 2009 IFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with Billings
Alonzo McCord, DB, Grambling State University
Fevaei Ahmu, DL, WSU
Cecil Ellis, DB, Southern Arkansas; started for Billings
DD Holyfield, RB, Southern Arkansas.
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