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It's been a revolving door for Duke City QBs
Javin Kilgo, seen warming up before the second half vs. Tucson, started the team’s first three games at QB, then was released April 15.
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RIO RANCHO — There once was a time, old baseball fans will attest to, when concessionaires at the ballparks would chant, “Can’t tell the players without a scorecard.”
That was because the players had numbers on their backs, and most looked alike.
That old saying may be more accurate for the Indoor Football League, where Rio Rancho’s home team, the Duke City Gladiators, has had a revolving door of quarterbacks — eight, in fact, although only four have taken at least one snap.
We’ll have to wait until shortly after kickoff this Saturday (May 11, 6:05 p.m.) to see who’s in shotgun formation this time.
Last season, only three men started at QB for the Gladiators: Nate Davis, who was traded after four games; Demry Croft, who arrived here in the Davis deal; and veteran Charles McCullum, who started the last 10 games in what turned out to be a 5-10 season. McCullum signed with the Salinas Liberty in the Arena Football League in late April.
Here’s a list of Gladiators QBs, with those who have started the first five games games this season in bold, compiled from the IFL’s transaction list, which dated back to mid-January:
• Tasleem “Taz” Wilson: Tabbed on Facebook as a veteran QB “most recently playing for the Sioux City Bandits in the CIF and Massachusetts Pirates in the IFL. We are excited to see what he does on the turf in 2024.” Wilson played as a running back and scored the team’s first TD of the season, earning 2 yards on two carries in that game. It was the only game he played in.
• Jayru Campbell: Signed in early October and expected to compete with Wilson for the starting job. He played at Ferris State (Michigan), won the 2018 Harlin Hill Trophy, and had IFL experience with Bismarck and Northern Arizona. He was released by Duke City on March 10.
• Javin Kilgo (Games 1,2,3): Signed Feb. 7; released April 15. He had been on the 2019 Gladiators’ championship team.
• Geremy Hickbottom (Game 4): Released Jan. 19 by Massachusetts Pirates; signed Jan. 25 by Tucson Sugar Skulls; released by Tucson on March 25; signed by Duke City March 27.
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• Greyson Thompson: Signed April 3 by Duke City; released 12 days later.
• Alphonso Howard (Game 5): Signed by Duke City on April 15. He was 11 of 25, with two TDs and two interceptions in the April 27 loss.
• Jon Lund: Released by San Antonio on March 21; signed by Duke City on April 15. In the April 20 game at Northern Arizona, he was 0-2 passing with an interception and sacked once.
• Joseph Mancuso: Signed by Duke City on April 29. Played at the University of Richmond. Ironically, in April 2023 as an IFL rookie making just his second start, he led the Knight Hawks over the Gladiators, 50-26. He completed 20 of 27 pass attempts for 232 passing yards with five TDs. He also had five carries for 16 yards and two TDs.
