WHEELING – The Wheeling Miners are off and running in preparations for their 2024 debut in the American Arena League 2 indoor football.

The fifth indoor franchise to call WesBanco Arena its home this summer, the Miners have hired Josh Resignalo as their head coach/general manager. ‘Coach Res’ has 17 years of Indoor and Arena league experience.

Majority owner Chris Duffy said in a release, “We are thrilled to have Coach Res join our team. His wealth of experience will undoubtedly elevate Wheeling to new heights, and we’re excited for the journey ahead under his guidance.”

“Coach Res’ is as eager to get started as Duffy is to have him.

“I’ve been around indoor football since 2006 as a scout, player, coach and general manager up and down the East Coast,” he said in a Friday telephone interview from his home in Mount Airy, NC. “I’ve known Chris for quite some time and we worked together with the Atlanta Havoc in 2018 when we won the American Arena League title by beating the Richmond Roughriders which a year later became the West Virginia Roughriders.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Chris Duffy and Josh Resignalo to the American Indoor Football League for the 2024 season,” said John Morris, AIF Commissioner, in a release.

“Their experience, expertise, and dedication to the sport will undoubtedly bring a new level of excitement and competitiveness to the league. We look forward to their contributions in further solidifying the AIF as one of the premier indoor football leagues in the United States.”

Resignalo said he knows the Ohio Valley is a football hotbed, and he hopes to continue that trend by being “community-oriented.”

“We are looking to create a good fan base with support from all areas of the Ohio Valley,” the head coach/GM added. “The Roughriders were solid in that area, but we think we can bring a little more with our community aspect. I’ve found out from experience that if you do all the little things right, you’ll be successful.”

The Miners have a 5-game home schedule. The games are scheduled for one Friday and four Saturdays with kickoffs at 7 p.m. The regular season kicks off on April 19 against the Jersey Bearcats, followed by thrilling matchups against the Maryland Warriors on May 4, Delaware Bullsharks on May 11, Steel City Stampede on June 1, and the Maryland Eagles on June 8.

In 2021 and 2022, Coach Res was the GM and Head Coach of the Carolina Cobras of the NAL. He led his team to the 2022 season championship game where it would finish as runner-up. Coach Res not only coaches professional football, but has 16 seasons of coaching junior college and high school football. Currently he is the offensive coordinator for Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, NC. He has performed the duties of position coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, head football coach, scout and general manager.

“I am honored to take on the role of General Manager and Head Coach at Wheeling. With my experience, I look forward to contributing to building the organization on a path of success and fostering a winning culture on and off the field,” he said.

Coach Res is no stranger to challenges and leading men, the former United States Marine Corps combat veteran fought two tours of duty in the Iraq War.

“Joining the AIF is an incredible opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of indoor football,” said Resignalo. “As a combat Marine Corps veteran and someone who has played, coached, and managed teams in the industry, I bring a unique perspective to the table. I am dedicated to building a competitive team and providing fans with an unforgettable experience both on and off the field.”

The Miners, according to Resignalo, have signed nine players, and have already had one signee move up the ladder.

Wheeling has dipped into the local talent pool by agreeing to terms with a pair of players each from West Liberty and Wheeling universities. They are former Hilltoppers Charles Westbrook (RB) and Isaiah Robinson (WR) and former Cardinals Jayvon Johnson (LB) and Aaron Finch (DB). Other signees are defensive ends Andre Portis from Marshall and Larry Ford, a WVU alum and member of the W.Va. Roughriders National Arena League championship team in 2019 that went 13-0. The team also featured former Mountaineer standouts Jarrett Brown (QB) and Noel Devine (RB), as well as local talents Cole Smelley (LB, Bridgeport) and Connor Arlia (WR, Madonna).

According to Coach Res, defensive back Lamar Dixon had agreed to play for the Miners but was recently called up to the Frisco Fighters of the IFL.

Current Wheeling University defensive coordinator Mott Gaymon will serve in that role for the Miners. Other coaches are Laroi Johnson (offensive coordinator) and Max Bradshaw (off./def. lines).

Resignalo said the team will be operating full-time out of a downtown Wheeling office sometime in mid-February.

“Next week and leading up to the season, we’ll be in town,” he noted. “Future announcements concerning tickets and player signings will be released.”

As for a quarterback, Coach Res said one is close to signing but the final paperwork hasn’t been cleared.

“He does have a tie with the Roughriders,” Resignalo hinted.

Indoor football in Wheeling started in 1999 as the brainchild of the late George Kellas. The Steel Valley Smash went 2-10 in that inaugural season and lost a few games under bazaar circumstances. The Smash led to the Ohio Valley Greyhounds (2001-07) who hit the ground running under the coaching of Mark Bonar and the quarterback play of former Bellaire standout quarterback Jose Davis and offensive lineman Mike Blackburn, of Wintersville. They went 11-3 in 2001, losing in the Atlantic East Division semifinals. They captured Indoor Bowl I a year later by beating Billings (Mont.) Outlaws in a game played at WesBanco Arena that capped a 12-1 campaign. The went a perfect 14-0 in 2003 and captured Indoor Bowl II over the Utah Beef, also in Wheeling.

The Greyhounds ceased operations after the 2007 season. They played the final three seasons in the UIFL, going 14-17. The Wheeling Wildcats filled the void in 2009, going 2-10 in the Continental IFL.

Ohio Valley Indoor Football fans might also remember the Steubenville Stampede who called St. John Arena home during the 2006-07 seasons when they competed in the American IFL and the CIFL, respectively.

Resignalo said a final tryout for players will be held March 15 at The Highlands Sports Complex for any aspiring players.