Billings Outlaws coach Cedric Walker knows a thing or two about winning ArenaBowl championships.
As a player in 1997 with the Arizona Rattlers and as a defensive coordinator with the San Jose SaberCats in 2015, Walker has been a part of AFL championship squads.
Now as a head coach, Walker has guided his top-seeded Billings Outlaws (8-1) into ArenaBowl XXXIII against the No. 2 seed Albany Firebirds (8-2) on Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the American Dream Entertainment/Retail Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The game will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network.
Billings advanced to the championship game with a hard-fought 35-32 victory over the sixth-seeded Nashville Kats (45), won on a 39-yard field goal by Bailey Giffen as time expired on Saturday at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark.
People are also reading…
Albany defeated the No. 3 Salina Liberty (7-3), 80-59, in their semifinal.
“I told them last week’s game would be the hardest game to get to the ArenaBowl,” Walker said of his message to the Outlaws players. “Once you get there, go have fun. They understand it’s football and don’t make the game bigger than it is.”
The contest won’t be played at a traditional arena, such as the Metra. Instead, it will be held at the American Dream Entertainment/Retail Center. In an AFL press release, the American Dream was described as “a mustvisit destination featuring an extensive list of dining options, attractions, and retail, including numerous flagship locations and the immersive luxury shopping and dining experience.”
Walker said as long as the Outlaws concentrate on football, they’ll be fine.
Today, Billings Outlaws vs. Albany Firebirds, 3:30 p.m., at East Rutherford, N.J., CBS Sports Network
“It’s football, we have to get there and get acclimated to the area and get meetings and practices in,” Walker said on Monday before the Outlaws departed for East Rutherford on Tuesday. “It’s not the physical part, the guys are in shape. We have to go watch film and make sure these guys are ready to play.”
This current Outlaws franchise began play in 2022 in the Champions Indoor Football league. A previous indoor football organization in Billings, also nicknamed the Billings Outlaws, captured the 2006 National Indoor Football League crown and 2009 and 2010 Indoor Football League titles before disbanding. The current Outlaws franchise does claim the history of the original Outlaws team.
So, what will be key for the Outlaws against Albany to claim their first league title since the current version of the team took the field?
“We have to be physical and make sure we keep the quarterback clear and be on schedule,” said Walker. “Defensively, we have to play a game like last week, where our secondary is physical and our defensive line gets pressure.”
In their only previous matchup this year, then No. 2 Billings rallied by scoring 12 points in the final nine seconds for a 36-35 victory over to pranked Albany on June 22 at the Metra.
The Outlaws won that contest over the Firebirds with a walk-off deuce by Giffen.
Walker said it will take an effort like the Outlaws’ previous game against the Firebirds and similar to the semifinal win over the Kats to win the ArenaBowl on Friday.
“The thing is to just go out and continue what we did last week and continue to play,” said Walker. “Defensively, we have to get stops. Albany has a potent offense. Offensively, we have to stay on schedule.”
With one more win, the Outlaws will join the ranks of ArenaBowl champions and Walker will have a ring as a head coach. The Outlaws will be following a simple formula, the same as they’ve used all season in hoping to win the week.
“Nothing changes, we are still trying to go 1-0,” said Walker.
Email Gazette Sports Editor John letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com or follow him on X/Twitter at @ GazSportsJohnl
