Maine Mammoths Make First Moves

The Maine Mammoths, who were announced on Tuesday, have made their first moves in franchise history with the hiring of head coach James Fuller, and the signing of quarterback Jonathan Bane.

Bane has 17 years coaching experience in football. He was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Bismark Bucks of the CIF in 2017, where he coordinated the Bucks offense to a CIF conference semi-final. In 2016, he was a defensive backs coach in the 91st East West College Shrine Game.

From 2011 to 2015, Fuller was with the Richmond Raiders of the PIFL. He helped lead the to a 10-2 record in 2012, along with their first playoff berth and PIFL Championship appearance. The Raiders had the #1 scoring offense and #2 scoring defense in the league. In 2011, Fuller's first year with the Raiders, he led them to a 6-6 record and a division championship game.

Before the Raiders, in 2010, he was the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Vigilantes of the AFL. He spent three years with the Dallas Desperados (2006-2008) of the AFL where he was the defensive coordinator, wide receiver and defensive backs coach and going to the playoffs each year with the team.

During the 2004-2005 seasons, he was a defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Soul. From 2002-2003, Fuller was the head coach of the Bakersfield Blitz and won the Western Conference Championship in his 2002 season. Fuller began his arena coaching career in 1999 as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Portland/Oklahoma franchise of the AFL.

Bane played for the Bismark Bucks in 2017, where he played seven games and was later placed on injured reserve. Before that, he took snaps for the Tampa Bay Storm of the AFL and Colorado Crush of the IFL in 2016. Bane played for the Bloomington Edge of the CIF in 2015, and was later selected in the Major League Football Draft.

From 2014-2015, began his professional career with the Richmond Raiders of the PIFL where he earned the PIFL Offensive Player of the Year as a rookie. Bane was also First Team All-PIFL in 2015.
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These are quality moves for the Mammoths. Bringing in a very experienced, successful coach such as Fuller was the right moved, and he brought in a quarterback in which he's familiar with. This will get the offense moving for the Mammoths.