The Carolina Cobras are one of the three newest teams with as the Massachusetts Pirates and Maine Mammoths in the National Arena League. So far, they have been the most successful when it comes to winning out of those three teams. They also secure the number one spot in the entire league. The Cobras are sitting at a solid 4-1 record. Where do they get all of this success from?

Breaking Down the Carolina Cobras Dominant First Year

Head Coach Billy Back

First off, the Cobras are led by Head Coach Billy Back. Back is the Cobras first ever head coach and has a great coaching history. So far in his coaching career, Back’s record is 75-29 (71.12%).

Not to mention, Back was named the Indoor Football League’s (IFL) Coach of the Year award in 2016.

Any team that has a coach with that win-loss ratio, and an award like that will be a dominant force.

A dominant, passing Offense

To help a great head coach, there has to be a solid offense and defense. Leading the offense is Quarterback Charles McCullum. So far this season, McCullum has proven that he is an early candidate for League MVP for the 2018 season with 1,316 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and five interceptions; 13 rushes for 24 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

To compliment the quarterback position, there has to be a solid wide receiving core, which is why the Cobras have Tyron Laughinghouse, Phillip Barnett, and Fabian Guerra as their main guys. Laughinghouse so far this season proves to be one of the best receivers in the league. He totals 40 receptions for 460 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season. Barnett poses a threat in the middle of the field most of the time with 21 catches for 168 yards and 13 touchdowns in just the first five weeks of the season. Laughinghouse is the long ball receiver, Barnett is mainly short/middle distance, but Guerra is the master at the quick and short passes, but can run down the field with no issues. He racks up 33 catches for 381 yards and six touchdowns.

A smashmouth Defense

These receivers are on their way to potentially help their quarterback earn league MVP. There seems to be no slowing down this Cobras offense, and they proved every bit of that two weeks ago against the Steelhawks, three weeks ago versus the Jacksonville Sharks, and four weeks ago when the Cobras ended the Pirates’ perfect season.

Shifting to the defensive side, let’s take a look at who makes the Cobras defense so special. To begin, every single player has done incredible things on the Cobras defense, but the best so far this season is Defensive Back Marquez Gollman; Defensive Lineman Dwayne Beckford; and Defensive Back Cedric Poole.

Last week against the Steelhawks, Gollman had three interceptions returned for 24 yards, one pass breakup, and 3.5 tackles. Beckford earned Defensive Player of the Week last week with his 5.5 total sacks last week against the Steelhawks. Lastly, there is Poole, who had three tackles, two interception for 19 yards, and one pass breakup.

These three players wreaking havoc against the opposing offense will boost the Cobras chances of going to the playoffs. This could also lead to a home playoff game.

So far this season

2018 Carolina Cobras Schedule
Week	Date	Opponent	Time	Result
1	April 7, 2018	vs. Jacksonville Sharks	7:00 PM	38-41 L
2	April 14, 2018	@ Maine Mammoths	7:00 PM	56-42 W
3	April 21, 2018	vs. Massachusetts Pirates	7:00 PM	55-47 W
4	April 28, 2018	@ Jacksonville Sharks	7:00 PM	55-21 W
5	May 5, 2018	vs. Lehigh Valley Steelhawks	7:00 PM	65-3 W
6	May 12, 2018	@ Columbus Lions	7:00 PM	54-55 L
7	May 19, 2018	vs. Massachusetts Pirates	7:00 PM	T.B.D
8	BYE
9	June 2	@ Lehigh Valley Steelhawks	7:00 PM	T.B.D
10	June 9	vs. Jacksonville Sharks	7:00 PM	T.B.D
11	BYE
12	June 23	vs. Columbus Lions	7:00 PM	T.B.D
13	June 30	@ Maine Mammoths	7:00 PM	T.B.D
14	BYE
15	July 14	vs. Lehigh Valley Steelhawks	7:00 PM	T.B.D
16	July 21	@ Massachusetts Pirates	7:00 PM	T.B.D
17	July 28	@ Lehigh Valley Steelhawks	7:00 PM	T.B.D
18	August 4	vs. Carolina Cobras	7:00 PM	T.B.D

 

2018 National Arena League Standings
Rank	Team	Record	Games Behind First Place	Points For	Points Against
1	Massachusetts Pirates	5-1 (.833)	N/A	269	154
2	Columbus Lions	4-2 (.750)	1	277	196
3	Carolina Cobras	3-1 (.667)	2	138	103
4	Jacksonville Sharks	3-3 (.500)	2	207	238
5	Maine Mammoths	1-4 (.200)	4	142	179
6	Lehigh Valley Steelhawks	0-5 (.000)	5	69	232

 

This Saturday (May 12, 2018), the Carolina Cobras host the 5-1 Massachusetts Pirates. The game will be on YouTube. A link will be provided on the Carolina Cobras Facebook page for fans to watch at www.facebook.com/carcobras