The IFL is proud to announce that Rob Keefe and Dixie Wooten of the Bay Area Panthers each earned a share of the Assistant Coach of the Year award. 

Without an actual head coach on staff, the duo combined to run the show in Bay Area for most of the season. Keefe led the defense while Wooten conducted the offense. Two of the brightest minds in indoor football, this combination has worked well for the Panthers and has brought them all the way to the Dollar Loan Center IFL Championship game. 

Under Keefe, the Panthers defense experienced a lot of success. They were one of only two teams to beat Frisco in the regular season. They allowed over 45 points just five times, with two coming in the first three weeks of action. Tevaughn Grant earned an All-IFL team selection as he helped to lead Keefe’s defense. 

For Wooten, he was in charge of one of the most explosive offenses in the league in 2023. The Panthers ranked third in rushing offense with 95.4 yards per game. But they also had one of the most dynamic passing games in the league as they were led by Dalton Sneed, Justin Rankin and JT Stokes. The Panthers landed three players in the All-IFL Second Team as Stokes, Rankin and offensive lineman Amari Catchings earned the honors.