The UFL has started its inaugural season, take a look at an overview of the league before the season ends
Birmingham Stallions
Currently, the Birmingham Stallions are perhaps the best-known team in all of spring football. During their two seasons in the United States Football League, they won the league championship twice with an overall record of 21-3. Skip Holtz, a legendary college football coach, looks to continue this domination in the UFL, and he may just have the roster to do so.
Players such as wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. and tight end Jace Sternberger, who had a combined total of 932 receiving yards with the team, will lead the Stallions’ offense.
Former Ole Miss and Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral will be a big driver for the offense. Corral totaled 8,048 passing yards over three years of college football. He will split play time with Kansas State standout Adrian Martinez, who helped lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship in 2022 with 1,261 passing yards and 627 rushing yards.
The linebacker group stands out on the depth chart for the defensive side, featuring Kyahva Tezino, a former San Diego State Aztec and tackle machine, and USFL standout Scooby Wright, who will stay with the Stallions.
Michigan Panthers
The Panthers are led by head coach Mike Nolan. Nolan has more than four decades of coaching experience with over three seasons as an NFL head coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
Nolan’s Panthers have a lot to improve upon, as they went 4-6 last season. This could prove to be a challenge considering they lost Frank Ginda, the 2023 USFL Defensive Player of the Year.
However, they gained former Oklahoma Sooner linebacker DaShaun White as a replacement. They also have former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Breeland Speaks and safety Kai Nacua, a former BYU Cougar and five-year NFL veteran. The Panthers also boast talent on the offensive side, with names like running back Matthew Colburn II and E.J. Perry, a former Brown University quarterback.
Memphis Showboats
Now led by John DeFilippo, the Showboats look to come back stronger than ever with their starting quarterback Case Cookus.
Cookus, an NFL veteran, most recently played for the now defunct Philadelphia Stars. Cookus was a college standout, making a name for himself at Northern Arizona. He racked up 12,057 passing yards and 105 passing touchdowns with the Lumberjacks, which resulted in him getting small stints with NFL teams.
Cookus will be throwing to former Delaware wide receiver Vinny Papale. The Showboats will also have Jarron Jones, the All-USFL offensive tackle, return to help protect Cookus.
On the defensive side, the Showboats’ front line includes defensive tackle Daylon Mack, a former Texas A&M Aggie. The Showboats also offer Quenton Meeks, a veteran who stood out in college with 115 tackles, seven interceptions and two touchdowns between 2015 and 2017.
Houston Roughnecks
Head coach Curtis Johnson, who spent 11 seasons under NFL head coach Sean Payton, will lead the new-look Houston Roughnecks.
Despite the odd circumstances, the Roughnecks put together a solid squad, led by quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, a former Tennessee Volunteer.
Guarantano should have help on offense, with receiver Justin Hall primed to be his main target. Last season, Hall caught 47 passes for 513 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Mark Thompson, the 2023 USFL Offensive Player of the Year, will also return to the Roughnecks.
The Roughnecks have two-time All-USFL defensive tackle Toby Johnson and Chris Odom, the 2022 USFL Defensive Player of the Year, to lead their defense. They also have a former first-round pick from 2017 in the middle of the field with former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster.
St. Louis Battlehawks
Anthony Becht is coming back to lead the UFL franchise with perhaps the best fans in the league. The Battlehawks are coming off a 7-3 season, and they look to build off of it. Quarterback AJ McCarron will come back after a successful 2023 campaign, throwing 2,150 yards on a 68.8 completion percentage for 24 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Hakeem Butler is also returning. Butler was a huge part of the Battlehawks’ offensive success, recording 51 receptions for 599 yards and eight touchdowns. McCarron will also have Jahcour Pearson from Ole Miss, the XFL’s leading receiver in 2023 with 670 receiving yards, and Wayne Gallman, a six-year NFL veteran running back.
On the other side of the ball, the Battlehawks look just as strong with Pita Taumoepenu, the XFL Defensive Player of the Year, and linebacker Mike Rose, a former first-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
San Antonio Brahmas
The Brahmas look to build off key players like wide receiver Cody Latimer, a longtime NFL veteran, and Taron Vincent, a former Ohio State Buckeye defensive tackle.
The quarterback position was a battle during the offseason, but the starting quarterback spot was ultimately won by University of California’s Chase Garbers over Tom Flacco, the brother of Joe Flacco.
On the defensive side, there is longtime NFL veteran linebacker Jordan Williams and safety Teez Tabor.
D.C. Defenders
Reggie Barlow, the 2023 XFL Coach of the Year, returns as the head coach of the D.C. Defenders, looking for even more success after leading the team to the championship last season. To do so, Barlow will look to his standout quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.
Ta’amu made a name for himself in spring ball, passing for 4,942 yards and 33 touchdowns through his 25 games. Ta’amu will have former Houston Texan Keke Coutee to toss the ball to.
Coutee has five years of NFL regular season experience, racking up 941 receiving yards during three seasons with the Houston Texans. Ta’amu will also have running back Abram Smith, the XFL’s leader in rushing last season with 791 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season.
For defense, the Defenders will look to their NFL veteran defensive backs D.J. Swearinger and Gareon Conley. Swearinger is an eight-year NFL veteran who made a name for himself not just at the University of South Carolina, but also in the NFL with 161 total tackles from 2016 to 2018. On the line, D.C. has All-XFL defensive end Davin Bellamy, who racked up 20 total tackles and 5.5 sacks last season.
Arlington Renegades
Bob Stoops, a former University of Oklahoma head coach who won 191 games and the 2000 BCS National Championship, will lead the Arlington Renegades into another season.
Quarterback Luis Perez returns after leading the Renegades to an XFL championship. He is the expected starter and will have some nice targets such as All-XFL team wide receiver Deontay Burnett, who racked up 378 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season.
For the Renegades, their team strength appears to be their defense, with players like linebacker Donald Payne and cornerback Ajene Harris.
Payne earned All-USFL honors in 2022 and remains the only player in either league to record a 100-tackle season with 117 tackles. Harris is also a key asset, as he was the leader across both leagues in interceptions last year with five interceptions.
The Renegades also have defensive end Vic Beasley, a former first-team All-Pro with the Atlanta Falcons, and linebacker Marquel Lee, a veteran with four years of NFL play. Arlington also shines on special teams with Marquette King, a former second-team All-Pro punter.
Copy Edited by Briana Iordan | biordan@themaneater.comEdited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com