Deon Cain has a national championship on his resume, a United States Football League title (as well as 2023 USFL Championship Game MVP honors), and is one of the main reasons the Birmingham Stallions are unbeaten in the inaugural season of the United Football League.
Yet for all the wide receiver has done, there’s still plenty left to do.
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Certainly, Cain hopes to make it back to the NFL, but midway through the 2024 UFL season his focus is strictly on the business at hand. And for 5-0 Birmingham, that business is winning.
“The mentality for us is what (Stallions coach Skip Holtz) has been preaching, which is to go 1-0 every week,” Cain said on Wednesday. “We’ve got goals we’ve got to chase throughout the season. It’s a great spot to be in – to be undefeated and keep stacking up wins – but it’s something we have to keep on doing.”
This season Cain has snagged 19 catches for 297 yards and a touchdown, and averages 20.4 yards per kick return.
He got 144 of those yards in Birmingham’s 33-14 victory over Memphis in Week 3. The rematch with the Showboats (1-4) takes place this Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
“They have NFL guys and experienced guys on their roster, and they’re deep,” Cain said. “The first time we played we had a great day execution-wise on offense, and the play calls were hitting.”
Cain says prepping for the second game against their rivals involves what he saw in the first contest as well as what has happened since.
“You have to study recent games and the game that you’ve played,” he said. “You’ve got to pick up on old tendencies as well as new tendencies, because they can show one thing but then do another.
“We have to study everything because they’ve played two more games since we played them the first time, so we have a lot more film to study, seeing some of the new stuff they’re trying.”
Cain helped the Clemson Tigers claim the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, and finished that season – his junior year – with 724 yards and nine touchdowns on 38 receptions.
He decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2018 NFL Draft, where he was a sixth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts.
But his big-league dreams were dealt a blow when he suffered an ACL tear during training camp.
He did finally see action in 2019, but was ultimately waived by the Colts in November.
Since then, he has been in camp with the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles (twice), but the Stallions have been his best showcase to prove he can play on Sundays in the fall.
Cain has shown game-breaking ability during his entire tenure with Birmingham, with one of his best efforts coming in the 2023 USFL Championship Game.
In a 28-12 victory over the Pittsburgh Maulers, Cain had three touchdowns on four catches for 70 yards, and returned five kickoffs for a total of 101 yards.
He finished the season with 182 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and piled up 668 return yards.
“Really, I’m just a playmaker and a team guy,” Cain said. “If you want me to block, I’ll block. If you want me to run a vertical route, I’ll do that. When it comes to football, I just want to be part of a winning team.
“I’ll let the film speak for itself, but I put in a lot of work day in and day out to show I’m a great football player.”
MichiganPanthers coach Mike Nolan usually opts for 1-point conversion after his team scores a touchdown. (Photo by Nic Antaya/UFL/Getty Images)
When the United States Football League and XFL merged to form the United Football League, part of the deal was blending rules from each.
When it came to kickoffs, the UFL opted to borrow from the USFL and tee the ball up at the kicking team’s 20-yard line.
Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.
The XFL’s tiered conversion system – one that eliminates the PAT kick altogether – was adopted.
A team can score a single point by successfully reaching the end zone from the 2-yard line (via run or pass); two points for a scoring play from the 5-yard line; and three points for a successful try from the 10-yard line.
To say this rule has taken away the automatic aspect of “extra points” would be an understatement.
With half the season complete, only two teams are above the 50 percent mark in successful 1-point and 2-point attempts, while all three 3-point attempts have come up empty.
The Michigan Panthers have been largely successful on getting bonus points following TDs. After five games, they’re scoring 1-point conversions at a 57 percent clip and making 50 percent of their 2-point attempts.
“Let me tell you about analytics,” Michigan coach Mike Nolan said. “If I’m gonna do analytics, I want to know what my football team is capable of doing based on my people. I don’t like analytics when you take all eight teams in the UFL and put them together and say, ‘OK, the leaguewide stats said you go for it here’ and you don’t – that doesn’t do me any good. If I’m the eighth offense or the first offense, those are different analytics.”
Michigan is fifth in the league in total offense and fourth in scoring.
Interestingly, while the Panthers are 3-2, the team that is making 57 percent of their 2-pointers and half of their 1-point conversions is Arlington – the UFL’s only winless team at 0-5.
The Renegades are fourth in total offense and fifth in scoring.
“I’ll say this … from a simple standpoint, I’m always looking to keep a touchdown with an extra point above,” Nolan said. “In other words, if we score first, typically, I’m thinking of going for one. Why? Because that other team not only has to score a touchdown, but they have to score again.
“It’s not like the old kick (an extra point) and it’s automatic. There’s nothing automatic about going for it at the 2-yard line. There’s a little bit different thought process than in the NFL.”
While the 1-point conversion is the default mode for Michigan, the Birmingham Stallions are thinking two points when they score first.
Skip Holtz’s team has rolled to a 5-0 record but are oh-for-three on 1-point conversions and five-of-10 when scrimmaging from the five.
“We’re pretty much in the 2-point race right now,” Holtz said. “By rule, we’re gonna go for two unless we get into a game where one point means it’s an even game, or the one point is going to make the difference. You’d like to think that we were better on one than two, but that hasn’t been the case so far this year. We came into this year and said if we can be 50 percent on 2-point plays, it’s just like creating an extra point.”
The USFL also had tiered conversions, but the single point kick option was the most used during that league’s two years of competition.
In the UFL, the only way a kicker can score is by making a field goal.
“Going for two was a decision that we talked a lot about during camp,” Holtz said. “Even if you were 50 percent on one-point plays, you’re better off to go for two and then get 40 percent of them. And so that was a decision we made, but I’m still learning about this as well. Because I’m only five games into it, and the XFL teams had the opportunity to do this in the XFL a year ago.”
As for Nolan, any decision he makes following a Michigan touchdown will be dictated by circumstances – and how well his team deals with those circumstances.
“Obviously when you get into the fourth quarter, sometimes it becomes a little bit more serious than (a 1-point conversion),” he said. “You might have to go for three because you’re trying to catch up. But again, when it comes to analytics, I like to know what we’re capable of … I really don’t care about those other seven teams.”
The United Football League exists for two primary reasons.
For the players, it offers a stage in which they can audition for a promotion to – or back to – the NFL.
Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.
And for fans of year-round gridiron action, it’s quality entertainment in a time that used to be baseball’s domain.
All of the UFL coaches realize this, but I’m not sure any of them grasp it better that Birmingham Stallions boss Skip Holtz.
From the time-share quarterback system featuring Adrian Martinez and Matt Corral, to the next man up mentality that usually sees the next man step up, he knows how to win the players as well as win the game.
And it’s extremely fun to watch.
Saturday night at Rice Stadium was another object lesson, as the Stallions improved to 5-0 with a no-doubt-about-it, 32-9 victory over the Houston Roughnecks (1-4).
“It’s been a very difficult week for me personally … I lost a dear friend this week, and it’s been really a tough week for me,” Holtz said. “But I shared it with the team, and what the emotional level we were going to have to bring, and really proud of what they did. Really proud of the attitude that they showed up with and the way they played. I thought defensively we did what we had to do to get off the field. We gave up the one drive right before half but other than that, I thought our defense played an excellent football game.
“And I thought offensively, it was a very blue collar, businesslike approach.”
It was Martinez’s turn to run the show and he ran it like a champ, finishing with 138 rushing yards and going 11-20-0 through the air for 155 yards and a touchdown in helping the club win its 12th consecutive contest.
Holtz likes to say players come to the UFL to get film and win, and Martinez was able to check both those boxes in Houston with an outstanding performance.
“This week was Adrian’s game,” Holtz said. “They go out and compete on Tuesday, Wednesday, and I make that decision (on who’ll start) Thursday morning. I think they both need the reps on Tuesday and Wednesday to continue their growth and the development in their first year in this offense.
“But I’ll make the decision on Thursday who’s going to play and so when it became Adrian’s game, he’s going to go wire to wire unless he gets injured. I thought he had a heckuva night with his feet tonight and a couple of big plays.”
This one was basically over in the second quarter when Birmingham hung 20 points on the hosts in the frame.
Leading 26-9 at the break, all the Stallions had to do was hold serve the rest of way.
They did that, never allowing the ‘Necks to get any breathing room and adding a pair of field goals to extend their advantage. Aside from shutting Houston out over the final 30 minutes, the Birmingham “D” forced two turnovers on the night and limited Curtis Johnson’s charges to a mere 36 rushing yards.
Larry Roundtree III parlayed his first Birmingham appearance into a 50-yard, one TD night carrying the ball, and Jace Sternberger led the receiving corps with 46 receiving yards and a score.
The winners outgained the hosts, 358-271.
Roundtree played in place of C.J. Marable, who was out of action this week to tend to family matters.
“It’s nice to see what (Roundtree) is gonna do,” Holtz explained. “We know he’s talented. I mean, Tree is like the leading rusher in Missouri history. He had 1,000-yard seasons in the SEC, a very talented back, and spent some time in the NFL. I really liked what he’s done, the way he’s played, the way he’s progressed, and the unselfish attitude that he’s had.
“I think he’s getting better every week and I told him last week I said, ‘Look, I don’t know when you’re going to get your opportunity because (Marable and Ricky Person) are playing really well right now. But when you get your opportunity, just be prepared to make the most of it and keep learning and getting better.’ He’s humble … he’s a phenomenal young man.”
Mark Gilbert paced the Stallions’ resistance with 11 tackles (nine solo) and Nevelle Clarke and JoJo Tillery each snagged INTs.
Tillery, unfortunately, pulled a hamstring while returning his interception.
Birmingham now leads the USFL Conference of the UFL by two and a half games over Michigan; the Panthers play Memphis on Sunday.
Houston QB Reid Sinnett was 27-38-1 for 203 yards and a touchdown, with Justin Hall catching 11 balls for 93 yards.
“We came in and said if we can get up – if we can do what we’re supposed to do offensively – it can change the game,” Holtz said. “We were able to limit a little bit what they can do.”
Scoring plays: Birmingham, Ricky Person Jr., 6-yard run, 8:44 first quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 6, Roughnecks 0; Houston, J.J. Molson, 36-yard field goal, 13:52 second quarter, Stallions 6, Roughnecks 3; Birmingham, Larry Roundtree III, 5-yard run, 10:21 second quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 12, Roughnecks 3; Birmingham, Jace Sternberger, 27-yard reception from Adrian Martinez, 7:33 second quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 18, Roughnecks 3; Birmingham, Person Jr., 2-yard run, 2:01 second quarter, 2-point conversion, Martinez run, Stallions 26, Roughnecks 3; Houston, Braedon Bowman, 1-yard reception from Reid Sinnett, :11 second quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 26, Roughnecks 9; Birmingham, Ramiz Ahmed, 37-yard field goal, 5:27 third quarter, Stallions 29, Roughnecks 9; Birmingham, Ahmed, 27-yard field goal, 13:48 fourth quarter, Stallions 32, Roughnecks 9.
Standout stat: 12. The number of consecutive victories by the Stallions, a record for a Birmingham-branded professional football team. They broke the Birmingham Americans’ mark of 10 straight last week against DC.
Next up: The Stallions stay on the road to face Memphis at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium next Saturday at 11 a.m. CDT. The game will be televised by ABC.
Familiar stadium: Although Saturday was the first time the Birmingham Stallions had visited Rice Stadium, Holtz is quite familiar with the venue. During his tenure as head coach of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, playing Rice – at Rice Stadium – was a regular occurrence. Both schools were members of Conference USA.
Before today’s UFL encounter, Holtz’s last appearance at the 47,000-seat structure was on November 27, 2021, when his Bulldogs fell to the Owls, 35-31.
A day earlier Louisiana Tech officials and Holtz announced that they were “parting ways.”
“I am not done coaching football and have great passion and energy to continue to lead young men through this game that I love so much,” Holtz said in a statement.
Less than two months later, he was named head coach of the Stallions.
