Category: Alternative Football

What do the Birmingham Stallions have to do to put more backsides on the bleachers?

I’m genuinely asking – not wagging my finger. How people spend their own time and money is their business, and I have no business sticking my nose in it.

Still, I wonder, especially with the St. Louis Battlehawks (5-1) bringing their high-octane attack to town on Saturday against the Birmingham Stallions (6-0).

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a little bit more excitement and energy and enthusiasm in the building right now,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said. “The players’ mindset, the questions being asked, their attention to detail … everybody’s zoned in and everybody’s focused in on what we’ve got to do.

“We know we’re playing a very talented team.”

Although the Magic City has claimed to be the “Football Capital of the South” since Legion Field opened in 1927, Birmingham’s fans-in-the-stands support of professional football has been lacking in recent years.

The Birmingham Thunderbolts of the 2001 XFL averaged 17,002 fans, which was next to last in the eight-team circuit.

The Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football pulled in 14,307 per contest during the ill-fated 2019 season, one that ended after eight weeks.

And the 2022-23 Stallions of the modern USFL? Other than the 17,500 figure that was released for the inaugural game between Birmingham and the New Jersey Generals, officials didn’t announce attendance.

I can tell you, though, that it ranged from not great to awful.

And I just don’t understand, because alt-football is in our DNA, or at least it used to be.

Up until fans realized the World Football League was a house of cards, the Americans drew great crowds. Proud to say I was one of the 54,000-plus in attendance for the Ams’ 58-33 victory over Memphis.

Even though that game was nearly 50 years ago, it still stands as my most memorable in-game experience.

And the original Stallions of United States Football League 1.0 lured 62,500 to their home opener against the New Jersey Generals in 1984.

“But, Scott,” you might say, “those were major league teams … that’s why fans showed up.”

Yes, the WFL and USFL Prime were aspirational in their desire to stand with the NFL, although neither lasted long enough to climb that mountain.

Yet that attendance argument doesn’t hold up.

Jump to 1991 and the Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football. Opening night at Legion Field – against the Montreal Machine – 52,942 people paid for the privilege to watch the NFL developmental league.

No way to prove it, but I’m pretty sure the best teams in the United Football League could’ve beaten the best teams in WLAF – soundly and regularly.

Which brings us to Saturday’s showdown between the Stallions and Battlehawks at Protective Stadium.

This is easily the marquee matchup of the UFL’s inaugural regular season. It features the Stallions, who sit atop the USFL Conference, and the XFL Conference-leading Battlehawks, winners of five in a row.

“This has got the makings of a great game,” Holtz said. “I’m just glad we have the chance to play in Birmingham, that we get a chance to play a game of this magnitude at home. I know with St. Louis having the largest crowds in the XFL (in 2023) and in the UFL right now, I think Birmingham has an opportunity to show our support and how much we’re enjoying playing in the UFL.

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

St. Louis has averaged more than 35,000 fans for their 2024 home games in The Dome.

On the other hand, a crowd of 12,265 saw Birmingham play its UFL home opener against Memphis, and only 7,262 came out when the Stallions hosted DC.

Maybe I could understand if they were a motley crew of bumbling misfits who can’t win a game.

Instead, they’re 27-3 through just over two and a half seasons of their existence, won back-to-back USFL crowns, and own the longest winning streak in the history of Birmingham-branded pro football teams with 13 consecutive conquests.

And the weather forecast for Saturday’s 3 p.m. start? Clear skies and 75 degrees at kickoff and 65 by the end of the game.

I believe the technical term for that is “Chamber of Commerce Weather.”

Look, I realize the world has changed since I used to spend so much time at Legion Field cheering for the Birmingham Whatevers. There’s more to do, more ways to do it, and anyone interested in watching the UFL can do so from the comfort of their home.

There’s a lot to be said about having a TV, fridge and restroom only a few feet away.

But I keep thinking about some little boy or little girl who has never been to a pro football game, and how cool it would be for them to go to this one – especially if a crowd of 30,000 or so showed up.

Part of being a fan is the fan experience, and trust me – there are some football games you just never forget.

“We have to be able to overcome the circus and the noise that’s going on outside the game, and I love it … I don’t want to lose it. Part of what makes football great is the pageantry and the excitement.

“That’s why we all talk about the more people that can come out and support the game this weekend and support the Stallions and support the UFL and support Birmingham, which is one of the select eight teams in the country that has a (spring) football team, the more electric the atmosphere is, which is what we all want.”

Do what you like, but showing up and showing off on Saturday is something worth considering.

And who knows?

You might even help make Birmingham the “Football Capital of the South” again.

Note: Stallions cornerback Lorenzo Burns, who suffered a frightening injury in Birmingham’s 39-21 victory over Memphis on Saturday, is “on the road to recovery,” according to Holtz.

The coach said Burns will not play against St. Louis but is expected back later in the season.

The Memphis Showboats were 0-2 against the Birmingham Stallions during the 2023 United States Football League season.

Both teams are in the United Football League this year, but the results remain the same.

Birmingham completed a season sweep of Memphis today in front of 5,609 fans at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, taking a 39-21 decision to improve to 6-0. With the result, the two-time defending USFL champions locked up a USFL Conference playoff berth.

“It’s always great to win,” Stallions coach Skip Holtz said. “As I told our team in the locker room, winning is hard and it takes a total team effort from Sunday all the way through Saturday … I mean Saturday is where we see the result. But the way this team has worked the way that they have, and really done a great job of staying humble, going out and executing – I think they’ve been playing at a really high level together as a team.”

Memphis falls to 1-5 and hasn’t tasted a “W” since Week 1. The Showboats lost to the Stallions 33-14 at Protective Stadium in Week 3.

“I told them this was kind of a trap game,” Holtz said. “This was a team that we had beat in game one. We’re playing on the road, playing an early game … we’ve got to kind of bring our own energy.”

Memphis scored first but Birmingham scored more, shaking off a 6-0 deficit after one quarter to take a 22-9 lead into halftime.

Taco Charlton’s strip-sack of Case Cookus just before intermission helped set-up the winners’ third TD, one that put John DeFilippo’s team in a tough spot with 30 minutes to go.

It got tougher when a third quarter field goal made it a 25-9 game, and Adrian Martinez’s 79-yard TD toss to Kevin Austin Jr. basically gave the contest a “not who, but by how much” vibe entering the final frame.

It was the usual suspects getting it done for Holtz’s team, with big offensive plays combining with key defensive stops to whip up another recipe for victory.

Martinez went the distance behind center, going 23-36-0 for 368 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

He has alternated with Matt Corral as starting quarterback, and made the most of his latest opportunity.

“For me, I’m very fortunate to continue to play this game,” Martinez said. “You come to it from a standpoint of gratitude. I’m thankful to get this opportunity and my end goal is to get into the NFL.

“We have a great quarterback room with J’Mar Smith and Matt Corral, and we all share similar goals and we understand it’s tough. A lot of times only one guy can play. We’re all helping each other get to that end goal. We all want to win and we all want to enjoy this experience.”

Kevin Austin Jr. stepped up among receivers, catching four balls for 108 yards and a TD. Marlon Williams was on the paydirt end of two touchdown passes and C.J. Marable reeled in another.

Martinez found 10 different pass catchers on the day.

“I can go to sleep on the plane feeling alright, you know,” Martinez said. “I don’t want to look over my shoulder and go ‘Man, I didn’t get him the ball at all.’ I’d feel bad about that.”

Birmingham outgained Memphis, 466-220.

On defense, Kyahva Tezino once again led the way in total tackles with seven and had three solo. Nevelle Clark finished with six individual takedowns and the unit recorded three sacks and forced three turnovers which were ultimately converted into 14 points.

“Proud of the defense,” Holtz said. “We did a really good job of keeping them out of the end zone for the most part, except there at the end. I believe this was the first game we’ve given up over 20 points.”

Memphis QBs Cookus and Troy Williams each threw TD passes, but combined for just 161 yards.

The Showboats’ ground game was limited to 59 yards.

“We’re now six games into it and 6-0 is quite an accomplishment,” Holtz said. “We’ve still got a pretty strong test ahead of us with the four teams that we have remaining. I believe three of them have a winning record. So, we’ve just got to keep banging that rock and as we’ve said, we don’t want to be result oriented.

“We want to make sure that we are going to be as good as we can be and we’ve got to keep getting better.”

Scoring plays: Memphis, Sage Surratt, 10-yard reception from Case Cookus, 1:28 first quarter, 1-point conversion failed, Showboats 6, Stallions 0; Birmingham, Ricky Person Jr., 5-yard run, 11:55 second quarter, 2-point conversion, Adrian Martinez pass to Jordan Thomas, Stallions 8, Showboats 6; Birmingham, C.J. Marable, 4-yard run, 3:58 second quarter, 2-point conversion, Martinez pass to Thomas, Stallions 16, Showboats 6; Memphis, Matt Coghlin, 47-yard field goal, 1:45 second quarter, Stallions 16, Showboats 9; Birmingham, Marlon Williams, 28-yard pass from Martinez, :23 second quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 22, Showboats 9; Birmingham, Ramiz Ahmed, 45-yard field goal, 6:16 third quarter, Stallions 25, Showboats 9; Birmingham, Kevin Austin Jr., 79-yard pass from Martinez, 2:45 third quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 31, Showboats 9; Memphis, Coghlin, 45-yard field goal, 13:06 fourth quarter, Stallions 31, Showboats 12; Birmingham, Williams, 12-yard pass from Martinez, 5:21 fourth quarter, 2-point conversion, Martinez pass to Thomas, Stallions 39, Showboats 12. Memphis, Dee Anderson, 34-yard reception from Troy Williams, 2:29 fourth quarter, 3-point conversion, Williams pass to Anderson, Stallions 39, Showboats 21.

Standout stat: 13 – the number of consecutive games the Stallions have won dating back to 2023. With each victory, they break their own record.

Next up: The Stallions host the St. Louis Battlehawks next Saturday in a marquee matchup.

The game is set for 3 p.m. and will be televised by FOX.

Scary moment: Stallions DB Lorenzo Burns was injured with 6:08 left in the third quarter. He was strapped to a backboard and taken away via ambulance. While no report on his condition has been released, he did gesture to fans before he was loaded into the vehicle.

Tuning in: Although in-game attendance (with the notable exception of St. Louis) leaves much to be desired, couch potatoes seem to be enjoying the UFL.

Numbers released by the league earlier in the week show that the 18 UFL telecasts through Week 5 averaged 845,000 viewers. That’s 25 percent better than 2023’s average for all regular season USFL and XFL games through week 5, and a 38 percent increase over last year’s USFL and XFL regular season average across all linear networks.

Viewership in the coveted 18-49 demographic is up 33 percent from the USFL’s second season and the XFL’s first.

Network broadcasts are averaging 958,000 viewers, games on cable average 680,000.

OTD in 1991: The Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football lost to the Barcelona Dragons, 11-6, in a game played before 31,490 fans at Montijuic Stadium in Barcelona.

The Fire – victimized by five turnovers and a safety – fell to 3-4 with the loss.

Barcelona scored on the game’s first scrimmage play when linebacker Eric Lindstrom tackled Birmingham running back Elroy Harris in the end zone for a safety.

The distance between Birmingham and Memphis is 245 miles.

The distance between those cities’ United Football League teams seems much greater – five games into the circuit’s inaugural season, anyway.

Entering Saturday’s rivalry rematch at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, the Birmingham Stallions are 5-0 (3-0, USFL Conference) while the Memphis Showboats are 1-4 (1-2). The Stallions defeated the ‘Boats 33-14 on April 13 at Protective Stadium.

A Birmingham win – coupled with a St. Louis victory over Houston later in the day – would secure a postseason berth for Skip Holtz’s crew.

“Memphis is a team we’ve already played, and it always gets a little bit tricky playing the same team twice,” Holtz said. “I think they’re a team that’s evolving. They are schematically really starting to figure out who they are. They’re scoring a lot so far.

“They’re creating a lot of yards, and what they’re doing offensively creates a number of big plays. I think they pose a different challenge this week than they did three weeks ago when we played them, and so we’ve just got to focus on us.”

The Showboats basically need to run the table to have any chance of playing past Week 10.

Memphis coach John DeFilippo isn’t looking at it that way, though.

“We take ‘em one at a time,” DeFillipo said. “It’s a game at home in the division … that’s the way we look at it. I’m never a fan of looking too far ahead because pro football has a way of knocking you on your butt.”

The Showboats are coming off a 35-18 loss to Michigan, the team’s fourth setback in a row.

With starting quarterback Case Cookus injured, Troy Williams got the call in Week 5 and threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

Daewood Davis was his main target, snagging six receptions for 101 yards and a score.

Cookus will be back in the No. 1 spot on Saturday but regardless of who is behind center, they’ll need time to throw against a Birmingham team that can often make that task rather difficult.

“We have to protect the passer … that’s the No. 1 thing we have to do,” DeFillipo said. “They won the battle of the line of scrimmage on both sides (in the first meeting), and that’s gonna be the key to the game. That’s the key to any game, usually, but it’s especially the key to this one.”

The Stallions continue to set the standard in the UFL, leading the way in several statistical categories.

They average a league-best 367.4 yards per game in total offense, and are No. 1 in all-purpose yards (512.2 per game), rushing yards per game (157), rushing yards per attempt (4.9), yards per catch (14.6), first downs (105), field goals (14), punt return average (12.5) sacks (18) and time of possession (165:40).

Both Adrian Martinez and Matt Corral have put up numbers impressive enough to show why they’ve split time as QB1. But from a purely statistical standpoint, Martinez – who’ll start on Saturday – has an edge. Martinez has amassed 302 rushing yards (best in the UFL) and a touchdown and 603 passing yards and three aerial TDs.

Corral counters with 494 passing yards and two touchdowns and 99 yards on the ground.

“Adrian and Matt both are doing an excellent job,” Holtz said. “In coaching the quarterbacks, all I’m trying to do is get them to play in the system in a way to be efficient.”

Ricky Person Jr. is second to Martinez in rushing with 180 yards and five touchdowns and C.J. Marable has racked up 175 yards and reached the end zone once.

Deon Cain and Jace Sternberger have both eclipsed the 200-yard mark in receiving yards. Cain has 297 and a touchdown and Sternberger is good for 201 and two TDs.

Kyahva Tezino has been a force on defense, managing 21 solo tackles and 35 in all.

“He was one of the leading tacklers in the league a year ago (playing for the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL),” Holtz said. “We played against him. He’s a great player, he’s a competitor, he’s a leader, he’s physical, he’s tough. He can run and he’s got a great nose for the ball. I can’t say enough positive things about him.

“And I think the old adage that you don’t want to play against them, so you’ve got to try and find a way to play with them, applies to Kyahva.”

Lorenzo Burns has been in on 24 tackles, Mark Gilbert, 21, and Demarquis Gates, 20.

Carlos Davis leads the league in sacks with six for 38 yards on losses.

JoJo Tillery will miss the game due to a left hamstring injury suffered in last weekend’s 32-9 victory over Houston.

Saturday’s showdown is set for 11 a.m. with ABC providing TV coverage.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep tightening things up and keep getting better as a football team as far as execution,” Holtz said. “We’re really excited about getting into another division game this week after having the opportunity to win last week against Houston.”