The Bismarck Bucks are making their rounds in recruiting circles day after day as this year’s Indoor Football League off-season grows older, and they’re looking to make a splash.
That started last week when they signed kicker Cody Barber to return to the team’s roster after having kicked there at the end of last season.
Cody Barber re-signs with Bismarck Bucks
Barber started the year off in Green Bay, but after being cut midway through the year, he moved on to Bismarck and finished the 2019 season off with the Bucks.
It was the second season in a row that had happened to him. A year before, Barber kicked with the Iowa Barnstormers but was cut while having the fourth highest extra point percentage and second highest field goal mark.
“I’ve just gotten used to it, adapted, and tried to make the best out of every situation,” Barber said. “Last year at Bismarck I did pretty good towards the end of the season, so I earned my shot to kick here again next year.”
Barber thinks Bismarck will be different, though.
The IFL veteran is confident in the city and the team thanks to their head coach, Rod Miller.
“With Coach Miller, I’m comfortable because I’ve played under him before,” Barber said. “We have a good bond there already made. It’s just going to get better bringing more wins to Bismarck this year.”
Not only is Barber a big fan of Miller, but so is the rest of the team.
It’s part of the off-season push they are working on to sign some bigger names and get out of the bunker of the Indoor Football League.
“We’re big fans of him,” Barber said. “He knows the game. He’s been around it for a long time and he knows how to win. With the right situation in Bismarck this year, we should be contenders and not at the bottom of the league scrapping for a few wins.”
The Bucks finished the season with a 2-12 record, suffering three of their losses by 12 points or less.
Even though the team has mostly re-signed returning players to the squad early on, they are still making strides to be successful.
One of those players, along with Barber, comes in with quarterback Tasleem Wilson. He threw seven touchdowns in the three games he played for Bismarck in his rookie year last season.
“He did a pretty damn good job at the end of the season for having no [indoor] football experience,” Barber said. “I’m interested to see what happens when he comes out with a full season under his belt. Him and Coach Miller make a good duo.”
Barber, too, wants to get better and has established big goals for himself this season.
The kicker didn’t earn all-IFL honors in 2018 after switching teams late in the season – despite his impressive numbers – but that’s where his eyes are set for the upcoming 2020 season.
“All-IFL is definitely the goal this year,” Barber said. “I want to be one of the best. I’ve been at the top of the charts in some statistics kicking-wise. I want to get back there and try to help my team win in whatever way I can.”
The IFL is still currently looking at possible expansion cities for the upcoming season and could have anywhere from 12 to 16 teams in 2020, according to Iowa Barnstormers owner Jeff Lamberti.
Barber’s just pumped for it to start.
“Hopefully we get to go play a couple of West Coast teams as well as the normal Midwest ones,” Barber said. I’m excited.”
The league’s schedule isn’t supposed to be released for a few weeks, but we will keep everyone updated as well as we can on Twitter at @LWOS_IndoorFB.
