Clint Dolezel


Clint Dolezel is an American football coach and former professional arena football player in the Arena Football League. He was named the inaugural head coach of the Frisco Fighters in the Indoor Football League before the 2020 season.
Dolezel was a quarterback in the AFL before becoming the head coach of the AFL's Philadelphia Soul from 2013 until the league folded in 2019. He played college football at East Texas State, and was in the AFL for 13 seasons from 1995 to 2008. Dolezel first became a head coach in 2010 with the San Angelo Stampede Express of the Indoor Football League. After just a single season, Dolezel returned to the AFL as the head coach of the Dallas Vigilantes. After the Vigilantes franchise suspended operations, Dolezel joined the Philadelphia Soul as their offensive coordinator under head coach Doug Plank. Plank left the Soul following the 2012 season, and the Soul promoted Dolezel to head coach. As an AFL player, he was originally signed by the Milwaukee Mustangs. In his career, he also played for the Texas Terror/Houston Thunderbears, Grand Rapids Rampage, Las Vegas Gladiators, and the Dallas Desperados. Dolezel was also a scout for the Dallas Cowboys 2007.

Early life

Born in Waco, Texas, to Johnnie and Judy Dolezel, Clint attended Robinson High School in Robinson, Texas, where he was a standout quarterback and golfer.

College career

After graduating from Robinson, Dolezel attended Cisco College and was a student and a letterman in football. In football, he was a second team All-Conference selection as a sophomore. After graduating from Cisco, he committed to the University of Southern Mississippi. However, a coaching change landed Dolezel at East Texas State University to play for coach Eddie Vowell. Dolezel was a letterman in football and golf at East Texas State. He quarterbacked the Lions in 1992 and 1993 and ended his career as a Lion throwing for 3,152 yards and 23 touchdowns over 2 seasons. The Lions finished 8-2 during his junior year and finished second in the Lone Star Conference.

Professional career

After establishing himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the AFL, Dolezel signed with the Chicago Bears in 2000.
Dolezel, along with wide receiver Terrill Shaw, helped the Grand Rapids Rampage win the 2001 ArenaBowl. Dolezel and Shaw became teammates again playing for the Dallas Desperados in 2006.
In September, 2003, the Rampage traded Dolezel to the Las Vegas Gladiators for Sedrick Robinson, Paul LaQuerre and Hardy Mitchell.
On March 12, 2006, Dolezel threw his 700th career touchdown, becoming just the third quarterback in AFL history to do so. The Desperados won that game versus the Tampa Bay Storm 64–35.
On April 16, 2007, in a 51–41 home win against the Philadelphia Soul, Dolezel became the first professional quarterback to throw 800 touchdown passes. In 2007, Dolezel became the first quarterback in league history to lead his team to 15 wins in a season. Despite the 15–1 record, Dallas lost to the 7–9 Columbus Destroyers in the first round of the playoffs. In a 2008 game versus the Grand Rapids Rampage, Dolezel became the first quarterback in league history to throw for 900 touchdown passes in a career.

Statistics

Stats from ArenaFan:

Coaching career

Dolezel had said that he would like to be a coach after his career is over. It was announced that on January 19, Dolezel would become the offensive coordinator for the Florida Firecats' 2009 season. He was the head coach of the San Angelo Stampede Express of the Indoor Football League in 2010.
Dolezel was announced as the head coach for the Dallas Vigilantes for the 2011 season. The team did not play in 2012 for unknown reasons.
On August 21, 2012, Dolezel was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach of the Philadelphia Soul.
On September 16, 2014, Dolezel re-signed with the Soul for two more seasons.
In June 2016, Dolezel was announced as the first head coach of the China Arena Football League's Beijing Lions. He was named an All-Pro North Division All-Star as a head coach. On November 6, 2016, the Lions won the first China Bowl and finished the season undefeated.
On August 25, 2016, Dolezel was named the 2016 Marcum-Moss Head Coach of the Year. A day later, he won his first ArenaBowl championship as a coach when the Soul defeated the Arizona Rattlers, 56–42, in ArenaBowl XXIX in Glendale, Arizona.
On August 26, 2017, the Soul beat the Tampa Bay Storm in ArenaBowl XXX by a score of 44–40.
In 2019, the AFL folded and Dolezel was hired as the inaugural head coach of the Frisco Fighters in the Indoor Football League.

Head coaching record