Storm Look to Go 4-0 to Open 2026

3 games in the books, and 3 wins in the books. The Southwest Kansas Storm faced their toughest challenge of this young season in week 5 at home against the Colorado Spartans, and came out with a win. What worked, and who is next on the schedule for the Storm? 

What Worked for the Storm

In this game, the Storm played against Javin Kilgo for the fourth time in less than a calendar year. In 2025, Kilgo played for the Salina Liberty and was able to defeat the Storm twice. The Storm defense had an interesting approach, with Coach Thomas expressing respect for Kilgo's arm talent. The staff wanted to force Kilgo to scramble, preventing him from feeling comfortable. 

Fred Shaw and the Spartans throw the ball often; in this game, Kilgo attempted 39 passes days after being signed. The defensive strategy proved effective. Kilgo threw 2 interceptions and was sacked 3 times. Typically, a pocket passer, Kilgo ran 5 times for 26 yards, leading his team in rushing as the defense also managed to hold former NFL player Devontae Jackson to 15 yards and a fumble on 7 carries. 

Offensive Line Play Helps Storm to Victory

The Storm Offensive Line deserves a large portion of the credit for this win. They allowed just 1 sack on the day, and paved the way for a rushing attack that produced 91 yards and 7 touchdowns. A point of emphasis for the offense this week was improving their efficiency within the red zone. They proved in this game that they should be hard to stop in goal-to-go situations the rest of the season. 

While the unit as a whole played extremely well in this win, there was one goal-line play in particular late in the game when the line pushed Colorado's defensive line 1-2 yards into the endzone, allowing Matt Struck to run in nearly untouched from a yard out. Dom Moore, Josh Moore, and Rafael Recio deserve their flowers for their collective performance in week 5. 

While much of the credit can be given to the offensive line, it certainly is not all of it. Jaden Sutton played like a man possessed. On several carries, he broke arm tackles and added yards after contact, but no carry showed his power like a 4th quarter hand off that saw him met by two defenders after he gained about 5 yards, and he proceeded to drag those defenders another 5 yards and get a first down that was absolutely crucial in closing out this win. 

Matt Struck also proved he plays with more power than your average quarterback, and while the numbers may not reflect it, he often proved to be very tough to bring down for the defense. Not many players who line up under center can lead an offense quite like Struck. The way he plays the game speaks volumes to teammates looking to their quarterback for motivation. The connection between Struck and Coach Gary Thomas is unmistakable, and now that Struck has gotten back into his groove as the starter, things will only get better for the Storm offense. 

Playoff Picture Already Taking Shape

No matter how you look at the playoff picture, sitting as one of two undefeated teams positions the Storm very well for a playoff push. In the National Arena League, there are 9 teams, and 6 advance to the playoffs. Currently looking at the standings, it is the 3-0 Salina Liberty, 3-0 Storm, and 4-1 Pueblo Punishers at the top. 

After that, you have Sioux City leading the second group at 2-1, with Louisiana and Dallas both 1-2. Colorado and Amarillo are 1-3, and Omaha currently sits 0-4. While being 3-0 now does not guarantee anything, it does mean they are ahead of the curve. With the Sioux City Bandits and Salina Liberty coming up next, the Storm will have a chance to really cement their status as the top team in the league. 

Sioux City Up Next

The Bandits are the third and final opponent for our three-game home stand. Another opponent that the Storm franchise is very familiar with from their time in the Champions Indoor Football League. While much has changed for both teams, some things are still the same. 

Most of the Bandits staff is still intact from their days in the CIF. The Belsons bought into the program in 2022. President Brett Funke has been with the team since 2021. Erv Strohbeen is still the Head Coach, a position he has held for 15 seasons. He is one of the longest tenured Head Coaches in any football league currently. Defensive Coordinator Marlon Lobban returns for another season as well. 

Coach Thomas and his staff can even dust off the old film of games from the CIF to see how the Bandits attacked the Storm in 2022 and 2023. One thing is for certain with any Bandits team led by Erv Strohbeen: they are going to run the ball and do it well. Strohbeen is a former offensive lineman who prides himself on having a tough rushing attack. 

Strohbeen and company have even incorporated obscure offensive formations, including the wishbone with 3 backs in the backfield at times. So far, the Bandits in three games have rushed for 121, 93, and 68 yards. Jeff Mack stands 4th in total rushing yards, and he is not the only back the Bandits have carried. They also employ Lorenzo Brown and Verlon Reed at quarterback, both of whom should still be expected to run the ball at times, even though both are well into their 30s. 

One thing that stands out about this Bandits' team in 2026 is that they do not make a lot of mistakes. In three games, the veteran roster that Sioux City has assembled has only committed two turnovers. This included one fumble by Jeff Mack and 1 interception thrown. They don't typically take a lot of penalties either. If we are going to beat Sioux City, we need to be ready to face a team that will not be doing us any favors by giving the ball back or stalling drives with penalties. 

Savvy if not Spectacular

The Sioux City Bandits roster is chock-full of veterans across the board. This has been a theme of the way the Bandits have built the roster under Strohbeen's lead; he likes to find locally based players who will stick with the team long term, allowing them to build chemistry over the years. Names like Verlon Reed, Brandon Shepard, Damond Powell, Fred Bruno, Jeff Mack, Justin Gilbert, Carlton Watkins, and Isaiah Blackmon have all played for the Bandits for at least one season prior to 2026, and many have been with the team much longer. 

While none of these players individually at this point in their career strike fear in defensive coordinators, it's their savvy veteran play that makes them tough to shut down all game. You can lock down a player like Brandon Shepard nearly all game, but at some point, he will find a way to get open and make an impact. The same could be said for Damond Powell and Jeff Mack. Fred Bruno is as good as they get at wide receiver, but there is no word as to whether he will be able to play this week due to an injury suffered earlier this season. 

With this in mind, the Bandits' offense is not going to produce a ton of explosive plays, but they will find a way to move the ball down the field with smaller gains. They are a methodical offense that focuses on balance and tries to avoid asking too much of their quarterbacks. Too soft a zone and this offense can dice a defense up. However, running strictly man will not work either, given the veterans at quarterback who can read coverages and find the open man with the best of them. 

Red Zone Defense Could Prove to be the Deciding Factor

The Storm is coming off their strongest showing of the season. While there were a few plays that they would like to have back, overall the game was as mistake-free as they have played during the 2026 season. Now they will have to prove they can do it two weeks in a row as they take on a disciplined Bandits team that will protect the ball and take what the defense gives them.

It will be incredibly important that the Storm defense can tighten up near the goal line and prevent them from punching the ball in from short yardage. This could be the main key to this game. IF the defense can force one or two stops within the red zone, the Storm should be able to bring home a win in this game. 

Offensive Match-Ups Could Benefit Storm Receivers 

The Bandits' secondary overall is not a large group. They have two players listed 6’1 or better. This could play into the hands of the Storm who have Demarius Washington and Jelani Baker both of whom stand 6’3+. If the Bandits try to shade extra coverage out wide to counter this disadvantage, we could see Mason Pierce take over this game in the short to intermediate range. 

When asked, Coach Thomas mentioned they are playing a very complete team in Sioux City that will not beat themselves. It will take a disciplined game to pull out the win in this game but the Storm walk into their final game in this home stand confident they will come out 4-0.