# IBM Big Blue (X-League)

The IBM Big Blue are an American football team located in the Tsukuba, Ibaraki. They are a member of the X-League.

## Team history

* 1976 Team founded as the IBM Thinkers.
* 1977 Joined the X-League.
* 1989 Team name changed to IBM Big Blue.
* 1996 Won X2 Central Divisional title. Defeated Penta-Ocean Construction Co. 28-27 in X2-X1 replacement game.
* 1997 Promoted from X2 to X1.
* 2010 Advanced to Final stage. Lost to Panasonic Impulse 28-31.
* 2014 Defeated the Lixil Deers in the Final stage to advance to the Japan X Bowl. Lost to the Fujitsu Frontiers 10-44.
* 2016 Celebrated 40th anniversary of team founding.

## Seasons

| X-League Champions (1987–present) | Division Champions | Final Stage/Semifinals Berth | Wild Card /2nd Stage Berth |
| Season | League | Division | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Post Season Results | Awards | Head coaches |
| Season | League | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Post Season Results | Awards | Head coaches |
| 1997 | X2 | Central | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | |
| 1998 | X2 | Central | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | |
| 1999 | X2 | Central | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | |
| 2000 | X2 | Central | 2nd | 4 | 0 | 1 | | | |
| 2001 | X2 | Central | 1st | 5 | 0 | 0 | | | |
| 2002 | X1 | East | 5th | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | Matoba |
| 2003 | X1 | East | 6th | 0 | 5 | 0 | | | David Stant |
| 2004 | X1 | East | 4th | 2 | 3 | 1 | | | David Stant |
| 2005 | X1 | Central | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 0 | | | David Stant |
| 2006 | X1 | East | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | | | David Stant |
| 2007 | X1 | Central | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 0 | | | |
| 2008 | X1 | Central | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 0 | | | |
| 2009 | X1 | East | 3rd | 4 | 3 | 0 | Lost 2nd match (Panasonic Denko) 7-49 Lost 2nd stage match (Obic) 14-44 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2010 | X1 | East | 2nd | 6 | 2 | 0 | Won 2nd match (Suita) 42-10 Lost 2nd stage match (Obic) 27-55 Lost final stage match (Panasonic) 28-31 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2011 | X1 | Central | 4th | 3 | 4 | 0 | Won 2nd stage relegation match (Fuji Xerox) 70-14 Won 2nd stage relegation match (Meiji Yasuda) 38-8 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2012 | X1 | Central | 3rd | 4 | 3 | 0 | Lost 2nd stage match (Panasonic Impulse) 17-34 Won 2nd stage match (Nojima Sagamihara) 48-17 | Kevin Craft (ROY) | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2013 | X1 | Central | 3rd | 4 | 3 | 0 | Lost 2nd stage match (Panasonic) 24-55 Won 2nd stage match (Kashima) 56-35 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2014 | X1 | Central | 2nd | 6 | 2 | 0 | Won 2nd stage match (at Asahi Soft Drinks) 37-10 Won 2nd stage match (at Lixil) 38-10 Won Final stage match (Lixil) 69-54 Lost Japan X Bowl XXVIII (at Fujitsu) 10-44 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2015 | X1 | East | 1st | 4 | 3 | 0 | Lost 2nd stage match (at Obic) 26-34 Won 2nd stage match (at Asahi Soft Drinks) 37-20 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2016 | X1 | East | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 0 | Won Quarterfinals match (at LIXIL) 37-16 Lost semi-finals match (at Fujitsu) 26-28 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2017 | X1 | Central | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 0 | Won Quarterfinals match (at LIXIL) 51-31 Won Semifinals match (at Panasonic) 31-24 Lost Japan X Bowl XXXI (at Fujitsu) 23-63 | | Shinzo Yamada |
| 2018 | X1 | East | 2nd | 8 | 2 | 0 | Won Quarterfinals match (at Elecom Kobe) 34-23 Won Semifinals match (at Panasonic) 24-17 Lost Japan X Bowl XXXII (at Fujitsu) 18-35 | | Kevin Craft |
| 2019 | X1 | Super | 5th | 6 | 5 | 0 | | | Kevin Craft |
| 2020 | X1 | Super | 7th | 0 | 3 | 0 | | | Kevin Craft |
| 2021 | X1 | Super | 4th | 3 | 3 | 1 | Lost semifinals match (Panasonic) 31-38 | | Kevin Craft |
| 2022 | X1 Super | Div. A | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 0 | Lost quarterfinals match (Elecom Kobe) 25-35 | | Kevin Craft |
| 2023 | X1 Super | Div. B | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 0 | Won quarterfinals match (Nojima Sagamihara) 24-21 Lost Semi-finals match (at Panasonic) 23-47 | | Kevin Craft |
| 2024 | X1 Super | | 8th | 3 | 4 | 1 | Lost quarterfinals match (at Fujitsu) 14-49 | | Mike Phair |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 113 | 72 | 4 | (1997–2024, includes only regular season) | (1997–2024, includes only regular season) | (1997–2024, includes only regular season) | (1997–2024, includes only regular season) |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 15 | 15 | 0 | (1997–2024, includes only playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes only playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes only playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes only playoffs) |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 128 | 87 | 4 | (1997–2024, includes both regular season and playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes both regular season and playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes both regular season and playoffs) | (1997–2024, includes both regular season and playoffs) |

## Current import players

| Jersey # | Name | Position | Years with the team | Alma Mater |
| #3 | Charlie Darape | DB | 2024–present | Vanderbilt University |
| #37 | Logan Stewart | DB | 2023-present | Colorado State |
| #17 | Sinodinos Dimitrios | QB | 2024-present | McGill University |
Former Import Players
| Name | Position | Years with the team | Alma Mater | Achievements |
| Victor Viramontes | QB | 2023 | UNLV | |
| Christian Onyechi | DE | 2023 | Colorado State | |
| John Stanton | TE | 2012–23 | St. John's (MN) | 5x All X-League Team member (2013–14, 2016–17 & 2021) |
| James Brooks | DE | 2014–22 | Arizona State | 4x All X-League Team member (2014–17) |
| Michael R. Taylor Jr. | LB | 2022 | Florida | All X-League Area Team member (2019) |
| Jhurell Pressley | RB | 2022 | New Mexico | All X1 Super Team member (2022) |
| Jason Smith | WR | 2021 | Auburn | |
| Herbert Gamboa | LB | 2020–21 | Montana | All X1 Super Team member (2020) |
| Kevin Craft | QB | 2012–20 | UCLA | ROY award (2012), 2x All X-League Team member (2012–13) |
| Charles Tuaau | DT | 2017-19 | Texas A&M–Commerce | |
| Rykeem Yates | DT | 2016 | Nevada | All X-League Team member (2016) |
| Demetrius Eaton | DE | 2015 | Northwestern | |
| Tuika Tufaga | DT | 2014 | Hawai'i | |
| Jabali Miller | CB | 2012-2013 | San Jose State | |
| Albert Griffin | S | 2010-2013 | Lindenwood | |
| Rocky Pouta-Alo | FS/RB | 2007-2008 | Indiana State | |
| Ian Sample | WR | 2008 | Hawai'i | |
| Jon Giesel | OG | 2005 | California | All X-League Team member (2005) |