In conjunction with @Mojojojo , I will be breaking down the "Mt. Rushmore" of the Sarasota Sailfish history. While Mojo is looking at the 4 defensive players who have had the largest impact on the franchise's relatively short history, I will be looking to construct an offensive Mt. Rushmore consisting of the 4 offensive players who have brought the largest contributions to the team. This will be looking only at offensive players, not considering contributions in other phases of the game or contributions from the users behind those players. Notably, this results in the exclusion of Frostbite, who sux lmap.
While Frost is undoubtedly on Sarasota's Mt. Rushmore due to his contributions as team general manager -- and while his player, Raphtalia Chan / Dax Frost, has been a mainstay for the team for a while and put up solid offensive stats as well as great returning stats (likely contending for the ISFL Returner of the Year award this season) -- the solely offensive contribution of Raphtalia Chan / Dax Frost on the field is not quite up to par in comparison to some of the other offensive juggernauts that have driven the team's success.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let's get to the
1. Dexter Banks II - QB (and WR) ( @TropicaliaCC )
Quarterback is the most important position on offense, and Dexter Banks II has been the Sailfish quarterback for 3 of the team's 4 seasons of existence. There really wouldn't need to be much more beyond that to cement Banks's place on the team's offensive Mt. Rushmore, but luckily for both Banks and the team there is so so much more. During only 3 seasons of quarterbacking the Sailfish, Banks has amassed 13,285 passing yards and 86 TDs, as well as an offensive player of the year award in Season 24 and undoubtedly more awards to come after his outstanding Season 25 campaign. Banks performed as one of the best QBs in the ISFL during his short time with the team and drove the offensive engine of a team that scored 25.4 points per game during his tenure. This included a team that scored the 2nd most points in the league in Season 24 and the most points of any team in the league in Season 25.
Although Banks earns his spot on this Mt. Rushmore due to his play at QB, he was originally drafted to the team as a WR from the Orange County Otters in the Season 22 Expansion Draft. Before switching to quarterback after the Sailfish's inaugural season, he initially maintained his WR position and performed admirably there, leading the team in receiving yards. While that may not be the most prominent memory of Banks's Sarasota career, the fact that he excelled in two positions only goes to further strengthen his legacy and impact on the team.
2. Rayne Gordon - WR ( @RainDelay )
While Banks was the team's leading receiver in Season 22, he was only slightly ahead of teammate Rayne Gordon, who amassed 877 receiving yards and 4 TDs in the inaugural season compared to Banks's 939 and 2. After Banks took over as the team's QB it left the door wide open for Gordon to take over as his primary target, and Gordon made the most of that opportunity by immediately recording a stellar 1,282 yard, 11 TD season to cement him on the map of best receivers in the league. With the emergence of other receiving stars on the team (to follow on this same list), Gordon has taken a slight back seat, but given the pass heavy offensive approach led by Banks this has still given Gordon more than enough to work with.
At the end of Season 25, Gordon is presently the career receiving yardage and receiving touchdown leader for the Sailfish with 4,247 receiving yards on 239 receptions and 31 touchdowns. Holding franchise career records in two of the main three receiving categories is definitely sufficient to earn a place on the offensive Mt. Rushmore of this young franchise.
3. Michael Witheblock - WR ( @sakrosankt )
While Banks has been a prolific receiver for Sarasota stretching back to the early days of the franchise, it's Witheblock who currently has the spotlight shining on him at the WR position. Although Witheblock did play in Seasons 22 and 23, he recorded just over 1,000 yards across the two seasons combined. However, in the second year of Banks's tenure as the team's QB, Witheblock emerged as a production monster, reeling in over 1,300 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons combined with 19 total touchdowns.
While he doesn't currently hold any receiving records for Sarasota, it is clear that if Witheblock continues on his current pace that will be all but a sure thing. If that wasn't enough, Witheblock won the Season 24 ISFL Offensive Breakout Player of the Year award, the only postseason award won by a Sailfish offensive player besides Banks. His incredible emergence and promising trajectory assure him a spot on the offensive Mt. Rushmore for the Sailfish.
4. James Angler - TE ( @tMuse )
I talked about Gordon holding 2 of the franchise's career receiving records, but did you know that Angler actually holds the Sarasota Sailfish career record for receptions? Despite not even being on the team's roster in their inaugural season, over just the last 3 seasons Angler has amassed a staggering 252 catches for 3,500 yards and 16 touchdowns. Like Witheblock, Angler forms a key piece of the young offensive core that Sarasota will be relying on as they transition to a post-Banks future at the quarterback position. As the greatest tight end to play for the Sailfish and a key piece of the elite Sarasota passing offense (called the SAR Raid by some), Angler rounds out the Sarasota offensive Mt. Rushmore.
While Frost is undoubtedly on Sarasota's Mt. Rushmore due to his contributions as team general manager -- and while his player, Raphtalia Chan / Dax Frost, has been a mainstay for the team for a while and put up solid offensive stats as well as great returning stats (likely contending for the ISFL Returner of the Year award this season) -- the solely offensive contribution of Raphtalia Chan / Dax Frost on the field is not quite up to par in comparison to some of the other offensive juggernauts that have driven the team's success.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let's get to the
Sarasota Offensive Mt. Rushmore
1. Dexter Banks II - QB (and WR) ( @TropicaliaCC )
Quarterback is the most important position on offense, and Dexter Banks II has been the Sailfish quarterback for 3 of the team's 4 seasons of existence. There really wouldn't need to be much more beyond that to cement Banks's place on the team's offensive Mt. Rushmore, but luckily for both Banks and the team there is so so much more. During only 3 seasons of quarterbacking the Sailfish, Banks has amassed 13,285 passing yards and 86 TDs, as well as an offensive player of the year award in Season 24 and undoubtedly more awards to come after his outstanding Season 25 campaign. Banks performed as one of the best QBs in the ISFL during his short time with the team and drove the offensive engine of a team that scored 25.4 points per game during his tenure. This included a team that scored the 2nd most points in the league in Season 24 and the most points of any team in the league in Season 25.
Although Banks earns his spot on this Mt. Rushmore due to his play at QB, he was originally drafted to the team as a WR from the Orange County Otters in the Season 22 Expansion Draft. Before switching to quarterback after the Sailfish's inaugural season, he initially maintained his WR position and performed admirably there, leading the team in receiving yards. While that may not be the most prominent memory of Banks's Sarasota career, the fact that he excelled in two positions only goes to further strengthen his legacy and impact on the team.
2. Rayne Gordon - WR ( @RainDelay )
While Banks was the team's leading receiver in Season 22, he was only slightly ahead of teammate Rayne Gordon, who amassed 877 receiving yards and 4 TDs in the inaugural season compared to Banks's 939 and 2. After Banks took over as the team's QB it left the door wide open for Gordon to take over as his primary target, and Gordon made the most of that opportunity by immediately recording a stellar 1,282 yard, 11 TD season to cement him on the map of best receivers in the league. With the emergence of other receiving stars on the team (to follow on this same list), Gordon has taken a slight back seat, but given the pass heavy offensive approach led by Banks this has still given Gordon more than enough to work with.
At the end of Season 25, Gordon is presently the career receiving yardage and receiving touchdown leader for the Sailfish with 4,247 receiving yards on 239 receptions and 31 touchdowns. Holding franchise career records in two of the main three receiving categories is definitely sufficient to earn a place on the offensive Mt. Rushmore of this young franchise.
3. Michael Witheblock - WR ( @sakrosankt )
While Banks has been a prolific receiver for Sarasota stretching back to the early days of the franchise, it's Witheblock who currently has the spotlight shining on him at the WR position. Although Witheblock did play in Seasons 22 and 23, he recorded just over 1,000 yards across the two seasons combined. However, in the second year of Banks's tenure as the team's QB, Witheblock emerged as a production monster, reeling in over 1,300 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons combined with 19 total touchdowns.
While he doesn't currently hold any receiving records for Sarasota, it is clear that if Witheblock continues on his current pace that will be all but a sure thing. If that wasn't enough, Witheblock won the Season 24 ISFL Offensive Breakout Player of the Year award, the only postseason award won by a Sailfish offensive player besides Banks. His incredible emergence and promising trajectory assure him a spot on the offensive Mt. Rushmore for the Sailfish.
4. James Angler - TE ( @tMuse )
I talked about Gordon holding 2 of the franchise's career receiving records, but did you know that Angler actually holds the Sarasota Sailfish career record for receptions? Despite not even being on the team's roster in their inaugural season, over just the last 3 seasons Angler has amassed a staggering 252 catches for 3,500 yards and 16 touchdowns. Like Witheblock, Angler forms a key piece of the young offensive core that Sarasota will be relying on as they transition to a post-Banks future at the quarterback position. As the greatest tight end to play for the Sailfish and a key piece of the elite Sarasota passing offense (called the SAR Raid by some), Angler rounds out the Sarasota offensive Mt. Rushmore.