Issue date: 7/15/09 Section: Sports

The Texas Hurricanes defense stuffs the run in a game against the Austin Turfcats at Arctic Wolf. [Click to enlarge]

Minor league football has made its way to College Station. The newly formed Southern Indoor Football League is slowly spreading its roots all across the Southeast, and in an effort to increase revenue, has moved the Texas Hurricanes, formerly of Houston, to the Bryan College Station area.

The league, which is similar to the televised Arena Football league or AFL, has six new teams residing in places such as Austin and College Station in Texas and Acadonia, Houma and Lake Charles in Louisiana. Founded in 2008, the new league expects to expand from six teams to 12 by 2010. Teams in Galveston, Waco and Beaumont in Texas have been announced. Lakeland, Tallahassee, Pensacola and Tampa in Florida are also scheduled to have teams.

The Hurricanes' owner Terry Williams decided on the move a few weeks back, and is optimistic about the opportunity the area presents.

"Minor league sports in Houston haven't exactly fared well," Williams said. "Teams tend to come and go. We knew that we wanted to find a more community-based environment as opposed to the big city. It's the perfect place for what we're trying to do."

The Hurricanes played their three final games at Arctic Wolf to three capacity crowds. They lost all three games and closed their inaugural season at 1-9, but are hoping that a new location will mean some newfound optimism and better results.

Led by former Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop, 1998 Davey O' Brian winner and Heisman runner-up, the Hurricanes are sure to attract their fair share of publicity next season.

"I'm very pleased with the quality of talent we have at the quarterback position throughout the league," said SIFL commissioner Dan J. Blum in a public statement. "We now have a quarterback in Michael [Bishop] who was recognized as the best in the country. I'm excited for coach [Troy] Espirt and the Hurricanes as well as the league."

An important aspect of whether or not the Hurricanes' stay in College Station will be a successful one is dependent upon how much the students embrace it.

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