Pirates Travel West to Face Tulsa in Top-Four Showdown

By: Michael Muela

Last Time Out:

The Pirates defeated the Barnstormers 50-7 last Saturday, recording their fourth home victory of the season. Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent finished the ball game a perfect eight-of-eight for 84 yards and three touchdowns, adding a rushing score and two yards on three carries. Backup QB James Blackman also saw action, going six-of-eight for 56 yards with a TD and an interception, also adding a rushing TD and 17 yards on his two carries. The star of the contest was running back Pooka Williams, finishing with 146 scrimmage yards (90 rushing, 56 receiving) and a pair of TDs on 14 total offensive touches (9 rushes, 5 catches). Receivers Teo Redding (3 rec, 41 yds), Isaiah McKoy (2 rec, 25 yds) and Thomas Owens (2 rec, 5 yds) each hauled in a TD grab to get on the score sheet. 

Orlando's defense forced five turnovers, led by a trio of INTs from defensive backs DJ Daniel, Leon O'Neal and Corrion Ballard, while defensive lineman Deonte Anderson and linebacker Jay Pearson scooped up fumble recoveries. 

Dante Aviles-Santos struggled for the Barnstormers, finishing just seven-of-18 for 66 yards and three INTs. Backup Kobe Gatson went two-of-two for just 17 yards. David Elder was the leading rusher with 63 yards and a TD on 17 carries, while Demonte Martin finished as the top receiver with 30 yards on just three catches. Trenton McGhee and Jahkari Larmond added six tackles each while Richie Coffee III tallied the only turnover forced by the Barnstormers secondary.

The Series:

The Pirates lead the all-time series with the Oilers 3-2. This is the second meeting between the two sides this season. 

Last Meeting:

The Pirates and Oilers met on the gridiron on April 12th, 2026 in the Kia Center, where the Pirates came away with the 61-55 overtime victory, and the teams combined for the seventh-highest scoring game in the IFL this season (116 points). 

Tulsa found themselves leading 35-33 at halftime, but Orlando was able to rally and outscore the Oilers 22-17 in the second half to hold the lead in the final seconds, until Tulsa's Bailey Hale drilled a 49-yard kick as time expired to force OT. After forcing a turnover on downs on the opening drive, Orlando's offense got the ball, and QB Paxton DeLaurent needed just one play to connect with WR Thomas Owens for the game-winning 20-yard TD catch, sending the Kia Center crowd into a frenzy.

DeLaurent finished the contest 15-of-24 passing for 171 yards with five TDs (including the game-winner) and added a rushing TD to go with 32 yards on six carries. RB Pooka Williams finished with just nine yards on seven carries, while WR Nyqwan Murray also tallied a rushing score with -2 yards on two carries. Owens was on the receiving end of four TD receptions, part of a six-grab, 70-yard day, while Teo Redding pulled in five receptions for 52 yards and a score. LB Destin Mack was the defensive machine for Orlando, recording seven tackles and adding a 25-yard interception return.

Oilers QB TJ Edwards II wasn't to be outdone, completing 20-of-35 passes for 256 yards and seven TDs along with an INT. RB Jamaal Bell could only tack on 15 yards on three rushing attempts. Jerminic Smith Sr. led the receiving corps with a game-high 130 yards and four scores on 10 catches, and Spencer Tears hauled in three TDs and 62 yards on his five grabs. Malik Sonnier led the Tulsa defense with nine tackles in the contest. 

Team Stats (Includes IFL Ranking):

The Pirates are seventh in the league averaging 46.7 points per game and fourth with 244.3 yards per game. 1,848 of these yards have come through the air, where Orlando ranks best in the IFL this season. Defensively, the Pirates allow 48.2 PPG, second-most in the league, while their 228.0 yards allowed per contest is the sixth-most mark.

The Oilers average an eight-best 45.8 PPG, and their 218.1 YPG ranks fifth-worst in the IFL. Tulsa tallies 71.7 rushing yards per contest, the sixth-most this season. On defense, Tulsa allows 40.8 PPG, the fifth-fewest in the league. They also give up the second-most YPG (249.8) in the IFL.

Players to Watch (Includes IFL Ranking):

Pirates QB Paxton DeLaurent's 178.0 passing yards per game ranks second in the IFL this season. He stands top of the league with 168 completions and second-best in the league with a 72.1 completion percentage. He also ranks second with 1,780 passing yards and third with a 175.8 pass efficiency rating. Through the halfway point of the season, DeLaurent has completed 168-of-223 passes for 1,780 yards with 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ranks second on the Pirates in rushing with 152 yards and five TDs on 60 carries.

RB Pooka Williams leads the team with 284 yards and 11 TDs on 60 carries, cracking the top 10 of the league leaders. WRs Nyqwan Murray, Teo Redding and Thomas Owens all place inside the top 10 of receiving leaders this season, with Murray sitting in sixth at 506 yards and 10 TDs, Redding in eighth at 487 yards and 10 TDs, and Owens in ninth at 473 yards and 11 TDs.

Orlando's defensive leaders are LB Destin Mack with 39 tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, and an interception with six pass breakups, DL Mike Mason with 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six TFLs, a PBU and a block, and DB DJ Daniel with 33 tackles, three INTs, and four PBUs.

For Tulsa, TJ Edwards II leads the team with 1,631 yards (5th) and 34 TDs with five INTs on 157-of-248 passing (63.3%) this season. Edwards also paces the team with 299 rushing yards (8th) and 12 TDs on 97 attempts. RB Caleb Ramseur is 11th in the league with 264 yards and five TDs on 51 carries through six games. Jerminic Smith Jr. leads the IFL in receiving this season with 754 yards and 19 TDs on 67 receptions. Defensively, Trey Harvey is the eighth-leading tackler in the IFL with 60, also adding three TFLs with a pair of INTs and five PBUs. Fredrick Mallay is 14th in tackles with 54, adding a TFL and forced fumble to go with two INTs and four PBUs.

The Coaches:

On April 11, 2026, Rod Windsor was named the tenth Head Coach in Pirates history. He was elevated to that position after previously serving as Offensive Coordinator. The former Bay Area Panthers OC and Associate Head Coach helped the Panthers to the Indoor Football League playoffs last season. Bay Area ranked sixth in the league scoring 45.1 points per game and  averaged 233.2 yards per contest. They were third in the IFL in rushing with 99.5 yards per game and ninth in passing with 133.8 yards each night.  From 2022 through 2024, Windsor worked with the Northern Arizona Wranglers as offensive coordinator, winning the league's National Championship in 2022. In 2024, he guided quarterback Josh Jones to become the IFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. A three-time first-team All-Arena receiver, Windsor is no stranger when it comes to championships as he has four rings: three as a player and one as a coach. Windsor began his professional career in 2009 in the af2 with the Rio Grande Valley Dorados catching 184 passes for 2,364 yards and 59 TDs in 15 games. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year and the Rookie of the Year. In 2010, Windsor played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions under Head Coach Dennis Green and with quarterback Dante Culpepper. Windsor then joined the Arizona Rattlers where he caught a league-record 197 passes for 2,372 yards and 47 touchdowns. He was the Rookie of the Year and an all-league first-team selection. Windsor later signed with the Cleveland Browns practice squad for one week in December. He then joined the Buffalo Bills practice squad on December 30, 2010, where he finished the season. In 2013, Windsor returned to the Arizona Rattlers and earned Second Team All-Arena honors as the Rattlers defeated Philadelphia in ArenaBowl XXVI. Windsor had 10 receptions for 145 yards and was the game's MVP. Windsor captured his second ring in 2014 and remained with the Rattlers through 2016. He later won his third championship with the Washington Valor in 2018 and finished his career with the Baltimore Brigade in 2019. Windsor ended his professional career with 898 catches for over 11,000 receiving yards and 263 touchdowns. As Orlando's shot-caller this season, he's led the Pirates to a 4-4 record. He looks to earn his fifth win as the Pirates' lead man with a victory over Tulsa on Saturday night.

Marvin Jones brings a history of success as a player and coach to his role in Tulsa, entering his eighth-overall season as a professional head coach and joining the third IFL team in his coaching career. Jones was born in Miami, Florida, where he attended and played football at Miami Northwestern High school, notable for producing NFL players such as himself, Amari Cooper, Teddy Bridgewater and 34 others since 1965. He attended Florida State University, playing linebacker and defensive line from 1990-1992. In 1992, Jones became the first Florida State player to acquire two national awards within the same year, earning both the Butkus Award, as the nation's top linebacker and the Lombardi Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the character and discipline of Vince Lombardi, under award criteria. The former All-American earned Sporting News "College Football Player of the Year" in 1992, and a spot in the FSU Football Hall of Fame in 2000 while having his number 55 retired by the school. He solidified his legacy as one of college football's greatest linebackers, entering the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.  Following his collegiate career, Jones was selected fourth overall in the 1993 NFL draft by the New York Jets. The FSU great played 11 seasons for the Jets from 1993-2003, excluding the 1998 season.The former Seminole played 142 NFL games, compiling more than 1,200 tackles, with over 700 of those being solo. Jones began coaching in 2014, serving as the Linebackers Coach of the Brooklyn Bolts in the FXFL. The Bolts led the league in all defensive categories, winning the championship that year. In 2015, Jones held the Defensive Coordinator role with the Hudson Valley Fort of the FXFL before returning in 2016 to the NFL as a coaching intern for the outside linebackers of the New York Jets under Todd Bowles, the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach. In 2017, Jones entered the IFL for the first time as the Defensive Coordinator and eventual Interim Head Coach for the Colorado Crush. 2018 saw Jones move to the Cedar Rapids Titans of the IFL as Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator. His defense finished first in the IFL in passing yardage allowed. Jones moved to the CIF in 2019, joining the Omaha Beef as the Defensive Coordinator and making it to the Northern Conference Championship. He eventually became the Interim Head Coach, taking the job full time after the 2019 CIF season. Jones' role as Head Coach with the Beef lasted three seasons, from 2019 through 2022, excluding 2020 with the cancellation of the season due to COVID-19. Beginning in 2019 and still to this day, Jones serves as Defensive Coordinator of the Spiral Tropic Bowl in Daytona, Florida, which showcases college athletes through an all-star game that features them in front of NFL and CFL teams. The former Omaha Beef head coach comes to Tulsa, having posted an 18-8 record with Omaha, winning a championship in 2021 and making it to the championship in 2022. Jones also founded the "Marvin Jones Charitable Foundation" in 1999 to serve underprivileged kids to help create productive citizens and serve their community. 

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