We are not up to every week clear of the second one season of the United Soccer League. Beginning with the March 28 matchup between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Houston Roughnecks, 8 groups will play a 10-game season that culminates in a championship sport on June 14 on ABC and ESPN+.
Sooner than we get to that, here is a at hand cheat sheet at the UFL fundamentals, entire with trademarks, stadiums, coaches and key avid gamers.
Arlington Renegades
ESPN
Stadium: Choctaw Stadium
Trainer: Bob Stoops
Key avid gamers: QB Luis Perez, TE Sal Cannella, WR Tyler Vaughns
The Renegades as soon as once more are led via Stoops, who received 191 video games and the 2000 BCS nationwide championship in 18 seasons on the College of Oklahoma.
Perez is a spring soccer icon, as he quarterbacked Arlington to the closing identify within the XFL. He additionally has his most sensible objectives returning in Cannella (53 receptions, 496 yards, 6 TDs) and Vaughns (45 receptions, 502 yards, 3 TDs).
Birmingham Stallions
Courtesy of the UFL
Stadium: Protecting Stadium
Trainer: Skip Holtz
Key avid gamers: QB Matt Corral, QB Alex McGough, WR Deon Cain, TE Jace Sternberger, NT Carlos Davis, S A.J. Thomas
Holtz, the son of Faculty Soccer Corridor of Repute trainer Lou Holtz, has excelled in spring soccer, main the Stallions to a 32-4 report (together with playoffs) and 3 consecutive titles (USFL in 2022-23 and the UFL closing yr). Previous to Birmingham, Holtz received 152 video games over 22 seasons of school soccer.
Corral, the previous Ole Leave out signal-caller, will struggle McGough, the 2023 USFL MVP, to start out after 2024 UFL MVP Adrian Martinez signed with the New York Jets. Whoever wins could have returnees Cain and Sternberger as most sensible objectives.
The protection is led via All-UFL choices Davis and Thomas.
DC Defenders
ESPN
Stadium: Audi Box
Trainer: Shannon Harris (meantime)
Key avid gamers: QB Jordan Ta’amu, CB DeAndre Baker, WR/RET Chris Rowland
Harris replaces Reggie Barlow, who used to be 13-7 in two seasons in DC. He departed to take the pinnacle training task at Tennnessee State College. Harris has been the Defenders’ quarterbacks trainer since 2023. He spent a number of seasons as an offensive assistant on the collegiate stage previous to becoming a member of Barlow’s team of workers.
Ta’amu is again after beginning all 10 video games and rating 2d within the UFL in passing yards. Rowland, an All-UFL selection as a returner, added 20 receptions for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. Baker, a 2019 NFL first-round pick out, additionally used to be All-UFL.
Houston Roughnecks
ESPN
Stadium: College of Houston TDECU Stadium
Trainer: Curtis Johnson
Key avid gamers: QB Nolan Henderson, RB Kirk Merritt, MLB Christopher Allen
Johnson, an established NFL and school assistant, returns in spite of a 1-9 mark in his first season with the Roughnecks.
Henderson returns after showing in 5 video games closing season. Merritt used to be harm within the Roughnecks’ 2d sport, however there may be hope he can put some lifestyles into the operating sport. Allen joined Houston midseason and confirmed promise.
Memphis Showboats
Courtesy of the UFL
Stadium: Simmons Financial institution Liberty Stadium
Trainer: Jim Turner (meantime)
Key avid gamers: QB Jason Bean, WR Daewood Davis, WR Joseph Scates, DE Jaylon Allen
Ken Whisenhunt were scheduled to be the Showboats’ head trainer, however took an indefinite depart of absence on March 24. Turner, Memphis’ offensive line trainer, will fill in. He has a load of NFL and collegiate enjoy as an assistant, however he hasn’t ever been a head trainer or coordinator.
Bean, a former Kansas quarterback, used to be the highest pick out of the UFL draft. Davis used to be an All-UFL pick out after posting 41 receptions for 446 yards and 5 TDs. Scates and Allen are former College of Memphis standouts.
Michigan Panthers
Courtesy of the UFL
Stadium: Ford Box
Trainer: Mike Nolan
Key avid gamers: QB Danny Etling, WR Marcus Simms, S Kai Nacua
Nolan brings greater than 4 a long time of training enjoy, the newest being a 7-3 report with the Panthers closing yr. Nolan spent three-plus seasons as the pinnacle trainer of the San Francisco 49ers and served as a defensive coordinator for 8 NFL groups.
Etling seemed in seven video games and handed for 786 yards and 3 TDs. Simms used to be All-UFL after posting 23 receptions for 426 yards and 3 TDs. Nacua, any other All-UFL pick out, anchors the protection after tying for the league lead in interceptions (3) and go breakups (8) and main the crew in overall tackles (47).
San Antonio Brahmas
ESPN
Stadium: The Alamodome
Trainer: Wade Phillips
Key avid gamers: QB Kellen Mond, WR Jontre Kirklin, LB Tavante Beckett
Phillips moved to the Brahmas after a a success stint with the Roughnecks within the XFL in 2023 and promptly led them to the UFL identify sport. The 77-year-old used to be an NFL fixture for almost 50 years as a defensive coordinator and head trainer, compiling a 90-73 report (together with playoffs) in nine-plus seasons as a head trainer.
Mond, who performed at Texas A&M and is a San Antonio local, may emerge because the starter after signing with the UFL in October. He has one of the most league’s perfect receivers in Kirklin, who had 56 receptions for 615 yards and three TDs closing season. Beckett, an All-UFL variety, led the protection in tackles (67) and tackles for loss (9).
St. Louis Battlehawks
ESPN
Stadium: The Dome at The united states’s Heart
Trainer: Anthony Becht
Key avid gamers: RB Jacob Saylors, WR Hakeem Butler, LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Becht returns for his 3rd season training the Battlehawks after main St. Louis to a 7-3 report closing yr. He spent 11 seasons as a decent finish within the NFL with 5 groups after being decided on via the Jets within the first around of the 2000 NFL draft.
Saylors led all UFL operating backs in speeding with 460 yards closing season. Butler led the UFL in receiving yards with 652. Every used to be named to the All-UFL crew, as had been offensive linemen Jaryd Jones-Smith and Mike Panasiuk. All 4 go back for the Battlehawks, which will have to assist because the crew searches for a brand new quarterback.
