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 championsFinal Stage/Semifinals BerthWild Card /2nd Stage Berth
SeasonLeagueDivision Regular SeasonPostseason resultsAwardsHead coachesFinishWinsLossesTies1997X2Central3rd320 1998X2Central3rd320 1999X2Central3rd320 2000X2Central2nd401 2001X2Central1st500 2002X1East5th141 Matoba2003X1East6th050 David Stant2004X1East4th231 David Stant2005X1Central3rd410 David Stant2006X1East3rd420 David Stant2007X1Central3rd520 2008X1Central3rd520 2009X1East3rd430 Lost 2nd match (Panasonic Denko) 7-49Lost 2nd stage match (Obic) 14-44Shinzo Yamada2010X1East2nd620 Won 2nd match (Suita) 42-10Lost 2nd stage match (Obic) 27-55Lost final stage match (Panasonic) 28-31Shinzo Yamada2011X1Central4th340 Won 2nd stage relegation match (Fuji Xerox) 70-14Won 2nd stage relegation match (Meiji Yasuda) 38-8Shinzo Yamada2012X1Central3rd430 Lost 2nd stage match (Panasonic Impulse) 17-34Won 2nd stage match (Nojima Sagamihara) 48-17Kevin Craft (ROY)Shinzo Yamada2013X1Central3rd430 Lost 2nd stage match (Panasonic) 24-55Won 2nd stage match (Kashima) 56-35Shinzo Yamada2014X1Central2nd620 Won 2nd stage match (at Asahi Soft Drinks) 37-10Won 2nd stage match (at Lixil) 38-10Won Final stage match (Lixil) 69-54Lost Japan X Bowl XXVIII (at Fujitsu) 10-44Shinzo Yamada2015X1East1st430 Lost 2nd stage match (at Obic) 26-34Won 2nd stage match (at Asahi Soft Drinks) 37-20Shinzo Yamada2016X1East2nd630Won Quarterfinals match (at LIXIL) 37-16Lost semi-finals match (at Fujitsu) 26-28 Shinzo Yamada2017X1Central2nd730Won Quarterfinals match (at LIXIL) 51-31Won Semifinals match (at Panasonic) 31-24Lost Japan X Bowl XXXI (at Fujitsu) 23-63Shinzo Yamada2018X1East2nd820Won Quarterfinals match (at Elecom Kobe) 34-23Won Semifinals match (at Panasonic) 24-17Lost Japan X Bowl XXXII (at Fujitsu) 18-35Kevin Craft2019X1Super5th650Kevin Craft2020X1Super7th030Kevin Craft2021X1Super4th331Lost semifinals match (Panasonic) 31-38Kevin Craft2022X1 SuperDiv. A2nd520Lost quarterfinals match (Elecom Kobe) 25-35Kevin Craft2023X1 SuperDiv. B2nd520Won quarterfinals match (Nojima Sagamihara) 24-21 Lost Semi-finals match (at Panasonic) 23-47Kevin Craft2024X1 Super8th341Lost quarterfinals match (at Fujitsu) 14-49Mike Phair2025X1 SuperEast3rd260Lost quarterfinals match (at Panasonic) 14-52Mike PhairTotal115784(1997–2025, includes only regular season)15160(1997–2025, includes only playoffs)130944(1997–2025, includes both regular season and playoffs)
Current import players Jersey #NamePositionYears with the teamAlma materAchievements #5 Tommy Auger TE 2025–present St. John's (MN) #92 Thomas Schaffer DE 2025–present Stanford Former import players NamePositionYears with the teamAlma materAchievements Charlie Darape DB 2024 Vanderbilt Logan Stewart DB 2023–2024 Colorado State Sinodinos Dimitrios QB 2024 McGill Victor Viramontes QB 2023 UNLV Christian Onyechi DE 2023 Colorado State John Stanton TE 2012–2023 St. John's (MN) 5x All X-League Team member (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021) James Brooks DE 2014–2022 Arizona State 4x All X-League Team member (2014–2017) 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 2020–2021 Montana All X1 Super Team member (2020) Kevin Craft QB 2012–2020 UCLA ROY award (2012), 2x All X-League Team member (2012, 2013) Charles Tuaau DT 2017–2019 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 José 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)
See also IBM Big Blue (rugby union)
References
External links (Japanese)