Stallions, Breakers meet again

Alex McGough talks about the rematch with New Orleans before Wednesday’s practice.

The Week Three matchup between the Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers was a memorable one for Skip Holtz’s team. Those memories, however, are hardly fond ones.

New Orleans rolled to a 45-31 victory, racking up 283 passing yards and 200 more on the ground while converting four of five red zone opportunities.

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The result moved the Breakers to the top of the South Division, forcing Birmingham to play catch-up.

But much has changed since that April 29 clash.

The Breakers (4-2) still hold the tiebreaker over the Stallions (4-2), but the defending USFL champions have a chance to surge ahead when the teams face each other again on Saturday at Protective Stadium.

Birmingham is coming off a solid 27-13 road victory over the Michigan Panthers, while New Orleans has dropped two in a  row – the latest a 16-10 setback to Philadelphia.

Houston, meanwhile, is also 4-2 with a win over the Stallions, and the Gamblers play Memphis (3-3) on Saturday.

Translation: the margin for error is small.

“You’re looking at the standings right now, both in the North and the South, and every game has relevance,” Holtz said. “Every game matters. It’s still anybody’s game. To relate to NASCAR, it’s like the yellow flag dropped and we’ve got four laps to go right now, and everybody’s in a big pack. So, it’s gonna be interesting to see what the last four weeks are gonna hold here in the season.

“We know we have a big game with a New Orleans team that we lost to the first go-round. Our team is excited to play and especially on the defensive side of the ball show we’re a much better defense than the effort we put out before.”

Alex McGough earned Offensive Player of the Week honors thanks to his play against the Panthers. The signal caller was 19-24-0 for two touchdowns and 133 yards, registering a 117.5 passer rating.

He added 82 rushing yards on 11 totes, and added another score.

McGough leads the USFL in passing touchdowns (12) and points (90), and is making a strong case for USFL Most Valuable Player consideration.

“I think Alex continues to grow as a football player, and not just his talent, his skills,” Holtz said. “He has the same talent this year as last year, but he’s just a completely different leader. He’s an encourager in in the huddle … I told him I was most proud of him when he jumped up after a long run, tosses the ball to the official and starts clapping his hands, going around patting guys on the rear-end.

“He’s making throws, making runs, but the impact he’s having on the field is making everybody better around him right now.”

In the loss to the Breakers, McGough threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns. To prep for the rematch, the QB says he does more than just review that particular game.

“I think you look at that game and even the games we played against them last year, because they had a certain plan for us,” McGough said. “But you also study where they might have certain plans for other teams. So yeah, you take everything into consideration … just try to look at it all and get a big picture of what they’re trying to do.”

Despite totaling just 20 points over their last two games, the Breakers still feature the USFL’s top yardage makers through the skies and on the ground.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson has passed for a league-high 1,512 yards while receiver Sage Surratt leads the circuit with 411 receiving yards.

Wes Hills has an even 500 yards to top all USFL ballcarriers.

“We’ve gone from being able to do anything we want to not being able to do anything right the last two weeks,” New Orleans coach John DeFilippo said after his squad’s latest loss. “It’s my job to get this thing fixed, and I plan on doing that.”

Holtz said he’s game-planning for a team similar to the one they played in Week Three.

“We know what they’re capable of,” Holtz said. “You don’t know who was out for them, who was injured, who’s playing hobbled, what type of things happened to them the last three weeks. I’m looking at it like we’re gonna play the team that scored 45 points.

“We love the challenge. We can go back and look at some of the mistakes that we made, and we can do a better job for sure. They’re gonna make some plays, so we have to play together as a defensive unit and we have to shore some things up.”

The Stallions get Deon Cain back this week, and his 491 yards in kick returns and two runbacks are best in the league even though he’s missed two games.

And C.J. Marable hit the 100-yard rushing mark a week ago and reeled in a TD toss, giving opposing defenses something else to think about once the ball is snapped. With ZaQuandre White on the inactive roster, he could play an even more active role against New Orleans.

“The offensive line was able to make some holes for me to run, and I was able to make people miss and make lanes,” Marable said. “And that was a phenomenal pass Alex threw for the touchdown. Looking forward to doing more of that on Saturday.”

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. with FOX televising.

PLAYER STATUS (via Stallions Twitter)

Transferred Player to Active Roster: CB Bryan Mills, RB Ricky Person Jr., LB Rashad Smith, OT Jahmir Ross-Johnson, WR Deon Cain, DE Darrion Daniels.

Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: RB ZaQuandre White, WR Austin Watkins, CB Donnie Lewis, LB Brody Buck, OT Darius Harper, DE Jordan Thompson.

Game status: DB Christian McFarland: Probable (R Hamstring, R Shoulder), DB JoJo Tillery: Probable (B Ankles), CB Donnie Lewis: Probable (R Hand), CB Brian Allen: Probable (L Shoulder), LB Rashad Smith: Probable (L Ankle), OL Cole Schneider: Probable (R Shoulder), WR Deon Cain: Probable (Illness), DE Joe Jackson: Questionable (R Ankle), LB Elijah Sullivan: Questionable (R Foot), CB Lorenzo Burns: Full Go (Illness), DL Willie Yarbary: Full Go (Illness), DE Jordan Thompson: Questionable (L Hamstring), OL Matt Kaskey: Full Go (R Thumb).

PLAYER STATUS (via Breakers Twitter)

Transferred Player to Active Roster: S Adonis Alexander, WR Jovon Durante, S Greg Eisworth, DE Justin Cates, OT Salesi Uhatafe.

Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: LB Zakoby McClain, FS Sidney McCloud, S Saquan Hampton, WR Dee Anderson.

Game status: S Jarey Elder: Probable (L Shoulder), OG Kirk Kelley: Probable (R Knee), WR Johnnie Dixon: Probable (L Quad), RB Wes Hills: Probable (R Low Leg) S Greg Eisworth: Questionable (Head), S Jamar Johnson: Out (R Hamstring), OLB Jordan Brailford: Out (Low Back), OL Jack Kramer: Probable (R Ankle), S Derrion Rakestraw: Probable (R Ankle), OL Marquis Lucas: Probable (R Ankle), CB Adonis Alexander: Full Go (L Hamstring, WR Dee Anderson: Out (L Groin), LB Shaheed Salmon: Full Go (R Wrist), CB Alex Thomas: Full Go (Dental).

Career change agrees with Brandon Aubrey

Brandon Aubrey was an All-USFL performer in 2022.

As a defender on the soccer pitch, it was Brandon Aubrey’s job to halt attacks and prevent goals. And in 76 appearances with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, he did a masterful job of it, earning All-American, All-Atlantic Coast Conference and Academic All-American honors during his time in South Bend.

It was a natural progression for the athlete who began kicking round balls at a young age growing up in Plano, Texas, and excelling at the game.

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“I started in rec leagues, like most kids do, and I found that I was pretty decent at it,” Aubrey said before Wednesday’s Birmingham Stallions practice session at Legion Field. “Then I got recruited to a local club team, the Dallas Texans, and played there from just about 10 all the way up until they moved me from the club team to the academy system.

“And I played travel soccer with the Texans from 16 to 18, traveling around the country, playing all the other academy teams and just enjoying it. At that point in high school, freshman year, they made us pick one sport, so I went with soccer.”

That led to his recruitment to Notre Dame, which he chose for both athletics and academics.

“South Bend really stood out to me as the best of both worlds with academics and soccer,” Aubrey said. “They were competitive every year and were moving to the ACC, which was the premier college soccer conference. I just really wanted to push myself and I thought that was the best platform.”

Playing the game at the professional level was the logical next step. After being drafted by Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, he played in 21 matches with their affiliate in 2017 – United Soccer League’s Toronto FC II – and 27 more a year later as a member of Bethlehem Steel, also a USL franchise.

More defending … more stopping goals instead of tallying them.

However, Aubrey found himself wanting something more – something different – and American football fit the bill. Thus, when he was signed by Birmingham’s entry in the new United States Football League in 2022, his job description changed dramatically.

Instead of preventing goals, his placekicker duties involve converting them (in the form of field goals).

Oh, and kicking extra points and pinning the opposition deep on kickoffs are also on his task list.

Aubrey’s last season of pro soccer was in 2018, and he joined the Stallions four years later.

“I kind of burnt out of soccer,” Aubrey said. “Transitioning from an attacking player to a defensive player, I really wanted to do something where I could get out there and score some points. I’ve been watching football my whole life. I’ve loved football and obviously I would have kept playing football as a high schooler if I had the option. So, I just wanted to go out and see if I could make football work.”

The process of playing for a paycheck in another kind of football was a deliberate one. After leaving soccer and working as a software engineer with GM Financial, he ultimately decided a 9-to-5 desk job wasn’t what he wanted – at least not yet.

“I enjoyed my time there … everyone was great,” Aubrey explained. “But I realized quickly that I’m still young, my leg’s still working, and I’ve got to figure out a way to get back into professional sports.

“So, I took the ball to the field and started kicking, and I saw I had some talent at it. And then from there, it took me about two and a half years of going to one-on-one kicking coaches across the country and going through the circuit. Just really honing my craft before I got an opportunity here with the Stallions, which I’m very grateful for.”

So, how has the career switch worked out?

Well, Aubrey made the all-USFL team in the circuit’s inaugural season, and he remains a consistent performer in his second year with the club.

“He was a huge story a year ago because here’s a guy that never played a football game in college, and all of a sudden he’s out here kicking for us,” Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz said. “I go all the way back to when I talked to (former NFL kicker and kicking coach) John Carney and he’s telling me I should go with this guy, this guy … he names about five guys to pick in our kickers draft. And I said, ‘Those guys are great, but they’re all going to be gone because I picked last for kicker.’”

That’s when Aubrey’s name came up.

“He goes, ‘Well, I’ve got one guy and he’s gonna be a risk. But if he comes through, he can be as good as any of them,’” Holtz said. “But then he said, ‘How he’s going to handle it mentally, I just can’t answer that question for you right now.’ And of course, he was great last year, but he has been phenomenal for us this year.”

During 10 regular season games in 2022, Aubrey led all kickers with 76 points, hitting 18 of 22 field goal tries and 22 of 24 PATs.

In a 31-17 playoff win over New Orleans, Aubrey kicked a 38-yard field goal and made all his extra points. The 33-30 championship game victory over the Stars saw him connect on field goals of 42 and 28 yards and go three-of-four on points after.

His season-long performance was good enough to land a spot on the inaugural All-USFL Team.

This season, Aubrey has picked up where he left off.

Through six games he is eight-of-nine on 3-pointers and has made all 21 of his extra point tries.

He also has a league-best two touchbacks, which is quite a feat considering USFL kickoffs are made from the 20-yard line.

“He’s got great lift on the ball,” Holtz said. “I think he’s got an NFL leg. And I think he’s gonna continue to get better with every game that he plays and every bit of experience he gets, because the talent is certainly there and I think he has taken it to a whole ‘nother level this year.

“He has continually gotten better, and I’m really proud of the progress he’s made.”

Now that Aubrey has gone from a former USL player to a current USFL standout, he hopes to continue a career path that has him kicking oval balls instead of round ones.

“I would always come home from soccer practice and watch football, play fantasy football, all that sort of stuff to just keep in the loop with my family, who loves football,” Aubrey said.

“They enjoyed watching me play soccer, but they didn’t really enjoy watching soccer.”

It’s anybody’s ballgame

Usually when you reach the midpoint of a sports season – in just about any sport – you have a general idea of who’s headed to the playoffs and who’s headed nowhere.

Usually, but not always.

Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Spoutable @ScottAdamson, Post @scottscribe, Mastodon @SLA1960 and Twitter @adamsonsl

Year two of the United States Football League has become an object lesson in parity, which means trying to figure out the two playoff reps from the South Division and two from the North is little more than a guessing game right now.

Sure, a 4-1 New Orleans team looks good for a slot, but the Breakers suffered their first setback of the season to a Memphis team that began Week Five in last place in the South.

You could chalk it up to one of those “Any Given Sunday” situations, or maybe it’s just  a case of the Showboats being a much better team than the one that started the season 0-3.

Memphis dominated the Pittsburgh Maulers (2-4), 22-0, earlier today at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, improving to 3-3 while recording the USFL’s first shutout of the season. The result suggests Todd Haley’s team will have a big say in how the South shakes out.

“It was not the championship by any means, but it was another big step for our team,” Haley said.

The Birmingham Stallions (4-2) kept pace with a 27-13 victory over Michigan (2-4) at Ford Field, gaining some momentum ahead of their huge showdown with the Breakers next Saturday at Protective Stadium.

“It’s good to get back to winning,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said. “It’s hard to win, and it’s harder to win on the road.”

The North started the weekend with all four of its teams saddled with identical sub.-500 records, and two lost on Saturday. Who’ll qualify from among the Detroit/Canton hub teams is anybody’s guess.

“We’re still in the hunt, we’re stull in the chase, so you can still stay encouraged as a player,” Panthers boss Mike Nolan said. “There’s no reason to get your head down. What you strive for in this game is playoffs and the championship, and it’s still there for the taking, as crazy as it sounds.”

From a league standpoint, though, this logjam is great news.

Regardless of which team you cheer for among the eight, each one will enter Week Seven with their playoff hopes very much alive. This weekend’s losers will be knocked down, of course, but hardly knocked out. (Sunday’s lineup features New Orleans vs. Philadelphia (2-3) and New Jersey (2-3) vs. Houston (3-2)).

The bottom line is fans who tune into any of the USFL’s nationally televised games will know they’re watching a contest that serves as something of a playoff within a playoff.

That speaks volumes about the talent in the league, the good work by the general managers and, obviously, the eight coaching staffs.

Not only do they have to deal with missing pieces of the puzzle each week due to injuries, they have to make sure the players filling those holes give them the best chance to win.

“We have a lot of really good coaches who’ve been around the game of football for a long time,” Haley said. “They’ve been through those sour patches that can happen. I really believe in what we’re doing as a coaching staff.”

But if you’re a fan of a particular team, this uniformity can be a bit aggravating. You want your guys to win big and win all the time, and hope that as the regular season winds down they can afford to take a day off.

That’s just not how things are shaping up in 2023.

So, sit back, strap in, and enjoy the ride these next four weekends.

After all, your favorite team is in the hunt.

Thing is, everyone else’s favorite team is in the hunt, too.

“We’ve got four more games, and we’re gonna play the teams that are in our division again,” Nolan said. “We beat them, and they go down further than if somebody else beats them. Head-to-head competition is critical so that’s why I say we’re in the thick of it with four to go. It’s real, it’s encouraging … these guys love to play football.

“They’re still optimistic because there’s still something they can achieve as a team. One thing our team isn’t short on is effort.”