Osos de Toluca

Osos de Toluca
Team logo
Established4 September 2018; 6 years ago (2018-09-04)
Folded2022
Based inToluca, State of Mexico, Mexico
Home fieldUniversidad Siglo XXI
Head coachMichel Esquivel
LeagueLiga de Fútbol Americano Profesional
2019–2021
DivisionCentral Division
ColoursNavy, silver, sky blue, white
       
Nickname(s)Tolucosos
Uniform

Osos de Toluca (English: Toluca Bears) were an American football team based in Toluca, Mexico. The Osos competed in the Central Division of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, the top American football league in Mexico. During its existence, the team never made it to playoffs.

History

The team was founded on 4 September 2018, as the second team of the 2019 Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional expansion (the other being the Artilleros), and the eight team overall in the LFA.[1]

The name of the team refers to the mexican grizzly bear, today extinct. As a curious fact, Toluca already had two sports teams with the name of Osos (Spanish for "bears"): a baseball team, Osos Negros de Toluca (Toluca Black Bears) and a football team, Osos Grises (Gray Bears); both teams are now defunct.

On 17 September 2018, Horacio García Aponte, college national champion in 2017 with Borregos Salvajes Toluca, was named head coach of the team.[2]

In their debut season, the team won only two games, finishing the regular season with a 2–6 record and as the last overall classified team.

In July 2020, head coach Horacio García left the team.[3]

The team folded in January 2022, prior to the beginning of the 2022 LFA season.[4]

Stadium

The Osos played their home games at the Universidad Siglo XXI. The university's field was conditioned with stands so it could seat 4,000 people.[5]

Roster

Osos de Toluca roster
Quarterbacks
  •  9 Rodrigo Elizondo
  • 11 Hanscel Dottor
  • 15 Christopher Jeffrey

Running backs

  •  4 Miguel Hernández
  • 16 Dominique Carson
  • 21 Axel Valderrama
  • 25 Rodrigo Rascón
  • 28 Mauricio Rubio

Wide receivers

  •  2 Daniel Manjarrez
  •  6 J. D. Crandall
  •  7 Mario Salas
  •  8 Juan Carlos Maya Jr.
  • 19 Alberto Castañón
  • 80 Luis Galindo
  • 83 Carlos Galván
  • 87 Miguel Huerta

Tight ends

  • 88 Emilio Rodríguez
Offensive linemen
  • 50 Diego Morales
  • 56 Luis Miguel Hernández
  • 61 Mario Rodríguez
  • 65 Julio César Díaz
  • 71 Elías González
  • 72 Jorge de León
  • 74 Alejandro Orozco
  • 75 Mauricio Vargas

Defensive linemen

  •  1 Mauricio López DT
  •  3 Javier Pérez
  • 14 Jesús Márquez DE
  • 31 Jorge Peña
  • 34 Eduardo Estrada DE
  • 52 José Blanco
  • 53 Ian Marouf
  • 93 Humberto Paniagua DE
  • 99 Ángel Fuentes DE
 Linebackers
  •  5 Diego Oliva
  • 17 Jonathan García
  • 24 Aarón de León
  • 32 Donovan Hyden
  • 47 Christian Bringas
  • 55 Rodolfo Lavanderos

Defensive backs

  • 12 Mandella Loggale S
  • 13 Daniel Oropeza CB
  • 18 Salvador Vázquez S
  • 20 Antonio Dawkins CB
  • 22 Armando Aguiluz S
  • 23 Oliver Orihuela S
  • 26 Sebastián Baig S
  • 29 Daniel Quiroz CB
  • 33 Daniel Maya S

Special teams

  • 85 Jaime Gaona K/P

Italics indicate International player
Roster updated 2020-02-16

Staff

Osos de Toluca staff
Front office
  • Owner – Gabriel Solares
  • General Manager – Juan Carlos Maya

Head coach

  • Head coach – Michel Esquivel

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Mauricio Santos
  • Quarterbacks – Víctor Velázquez
  • Running backs – Michel Esquivel
  • Offensive line – Roberto Mota
  

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator – Ramón Ruiz
  • Defensive line – Ernesto Rosales
  • Defensive backs – Ricardo Jiménez
  • Defensive backs – Mauricio López

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Michel Esquivel

Season-by-season

Season Head coach Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
2019 Horacio García 2 6 .250 4th (North) – – – –
2020 Horacio García 1 4 .200 4th (Central) Post season not held
2021 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Total 3 10 .230 – – –

References

  1. ^ "Osos de Toluca, la nueva franquicia de la LFA" (in Spanish). LFA. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Osos de Toluca, ya tiene Head Coach" (in Spanish). LFA. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Horacio García se despide como head coach de los Osos Toluca LFA". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 5 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  4. ^ Fernández, Domingo (14 November 2021). "Osos Toluca se despide de la liga LFA". El Sol de Toluca (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Osos Toluca jugarán en Zinacantepec" (in Spanish). QS Noticias. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.