BUAFL Champions

In 2007 the BCAFL was replaced by the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL). That year the University awarded Jim Messenger an honorary Master of Science degree in recognition of his achievements with the Hurricanes and in developing the sport in the UK. His staff for the new league included defensive coordinator Simon Hatcher and three members of the 2004 title team, Adam Camp, Aston Ellington and Matt Meyer, who coached the receivers, running backs and offensive line.

The Hurricanes went 8–0 in the first BUAFL season, scoring 340 points and conceding 58. They won two playoff games before losing the national semi-final 19–7 to Southampton. In 2008–09 they went 7–1 but lost to Southampton in the second round. A December 2008 report of a 53–0 win at Essex gives a glimpse of that squad: running back James Howell ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns, Fred Boyle threw two touchdown passes to Nick Parrott, and defensive end Ed Tate, the game MVP, led the tackling before taking over at quarterback to throw a 40-yard touchdown to Adrian Gumbs.

The Hurricanes won the South Eastern Conference in 2009–10 and again in 2010–11, reaching the national semi-finals both times. The club remembers the 2011 semi-final against Birmingham Lions as “amazing”: trailing 29–7 at half-time, the Hurricanes led 36–35 with four minutes left, only for the Lions to score again and win 42–36.

In 2011–12 the Hurricanes went through the season unbeaten and won the conference again. On 21 April 2012 they met Birmingham, what the club called its long-time and greatest rivals, in the national final at South Leeds Stadium. Both sides arrived unbeaten, and Birmingham, who had reached the previous three title games and won two, were favourites. After an early Lions lead, the Hurricanes scored heavily in the second quarter to lead 18–13 at half-time, then forced a fumble on the second-half kick-off and turned it into a touchdown. They won 37–19. Quarterback Joe Thompson was named both game and league MVP, the fourth Hurricane to be voted league MVP, and it was the club’s fifth national title.

The record for these seasons is thinner than for the 1990s. Full results for 2009–10 and 2010–11 have not been traced, and the archive does not yet name most of the players who won the 2012 title. If you played or coached in these years, the archive would like to hear from you.