Category: Alternative Football

Notes and quotes from Birmingham’s 27-13 victory over Michigan on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit …

HOW THEY SCORED

Michigan (2-4) struck first on a 45-yard field goal by Cole Murphy at 9:08 of the first quarter for a 3-0 lead. The opening drive of the game covered 38 yards on nine plays and was kept alive by a penalty against Birmingham that negated a fumble recovery following a strip-sack.

Birmingham (4-2) answered back with Brandon Aubrey’s 40-yard field goal at 6:42 of the first to tie the score at 3-3, ending a five play, 37-yard march. Alex McGough got things started with a 28-yard first down run.

Aubrey was at it again at 10:13 of the second stanza, booting a 25-yard trey at the end of a 14 play, 76-yard march to put the Stallions in front, 6-3.

Birmingham extended the lead in the waning moments of the first half, finally hitting paydirt to highlight a 19 play, 62-yard scoring junket.

On a third down play, McGough wiggled out of trouble and found ZaQuandre White on an 18-yard scoring play at :57 of the second.

Aubrey kicked the lead to 13-3.

Michigan quickly moved into the red zone and looked to be headed for at least a short field goal try, but a muffed play call that should’ve been a spike at the Stallions’ 15 became a stuffed QB run, ending the half.

The Panthers did manage to tighten things up with a touchdown at 4:05 of the third.

Going 87 yards on 13 plays, Josh Love found Cole Hikutini on an 11-yard scoring play.

The PAT was good, and it was a 13-10 ballgame.

Birmingham got some breathing room in the fourth quarter after cashing in on a 10 play, 56-yard trip with 13:05 remaining.

McGough connected with C.J. Marable on a four-yard pitch-and-catch for six, and Aubrey’s extra point put the tally at 20-10.

However, a Stallions fumble in their own territory gave the Panthers a chance to get back in the game. The hosts needed a touchdown but settled for a 31-yard field goal, a somewhat disappointing outcome on a five play, 19-yard trek.

Still, it was a one score game, 20-13, with 8:40 to go.

It was a two-score game 3:27 from the finish.

McGough called his own number on a 10-yard TD dash, getting the most important yards of his team’s eight play, 59-yard drive.

Aubrey kicked straight, and Birmingham had the game in hand at 27-13.

BIRMINGHAM COACH SKIP HOLTZ SAID …

“I was really proud of the way our players came out and competed this week. There was an awful lot of adversity a week ago, an awful lot of frustration. But I was proud of the way they channeled all that energy, and they came together and went out and played that football game today.”

MICHIGAN COACH MIKE NOLAN SAID …

“Their quarterback (McGough) did an outstanding job. He’s played well all year and he played well again today. He hurt us early with some long runs and he hurt us in the middle of the game and late as well. He was a difference maker for their offense, without question.”

STANDOUT STATS

McGough turned in another sterling performance, going 19-24-0 through the air for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for 82 yards and another score. He now has 13 touchdowns and 90 points through six games to lead the USFL.

“Alex is playing really solid, seeing the field, taking what people are giving us and really in control,” Holtz said. “I’m really impressed with the way he’s managed the game. I trust him 100 percent.”

Marable hit triple digits on the ground, getting 100 rushing yards on 18 carries and catching a TD pass.

“I see myself as a running back who can catch the ball out of the backfield and get tough yardage,” Marable said. “I give credit to my offensive line … they did their job and made my job easy.”

Eight different receivers caught McGough passes.

Nate Holley and Quinten Poling had six tackles for the victors, although Holtz bemoaned the lack of takeaways.

“I think this is the fourth game in a row we didn’t get a turnover,” he said. “That’s the elephant in our room right now, defensively.”

Love was 20-34-0 for 222 yards and one TD in a losing effort, while Trey Quinn had 108 receiving yards on eight receptions.

Linebacker Frank Ginda was in on 18 tackles, tying a modern USFL record.

SETTLING FOR THREE

Early on a pair of Birmingham drives stalled, and Holtz opted to bring on the field goal unit instead of trying to make a first down with just a few feet to go.

“We went down a couple of times and got stopped in short yardage situations, and I felt like the right play was to take the points. On the road, in a close football game, I didn’t want to drive the length of the field and come away with nothing.”

NOLAN TAKES THE BLAME

The botched play at the end of the first half most likely cost the Panthers three points, but Nolan said it wasn’t Love’s fault.

“One of my biggest disappointments was there was a coaching error in the first half … that was not Josh,” Nolan said. “It wasn’t Josh’s fault at all. It was a mistake. It was a spike situation and mistakenly, someone over the headset – I won’t say their name, let’s just say it was me – the quarterback was instructed to get the first, and it should’ve been a spike.”

TODAY IN HISTORY

On this date in 1991 the Birmingham Fire defeated the New York/New Jersey Knights, 24-14, in a World League of American Football Game at Legion Field.

In the Fire’s final home game of the season, 31,211 fans showed up for a Monday night clash that was highlighted by three defensive touchdowns. Birmingham’s Arthur Hunter had 37-yard interception return for a score, and Tony Bowick picked up a fumble and rumbled 35 yards for another Fire TD.

Knights defender Mark Moore also had a scoop-and-score, finding paydirt from 20 yards out.

UP NEXT

Birmingham faces the New Orleans Breakers in a crucial rematch next Saturday, 3 p.m., at Protective Stadium. The Breakers are the designated home team.

The Birmingham Stallions have lost two of their last three games and are now third in the USFL South Division.

That’s the bad news.

The good news?

The South – as well as the North Division – remain wide open with half the regular season gone and five games remaining.

Birmingham (3-2) trails Houston (3-2) based on last weekend’s 27-20 Gamblers win in a head-to-head matchup at Protective Stadium, while New Orleans (4-1) remains at the top of the heap despite suffering its first loss of the season last Sunday against Memphis.

The Stallions hope to regain their winning form on Saturday at Detroit’s Ford Field against a Michigan team that has dropped three consecutive games and sits at 2-3.

However, Birmingham quarterback Alex McGough suggests the Panthers’ sub-.500 record is misleading.

“They’re a good team,” McGough said. “They’ve got a really good D-line, very athletic linebackers, and their secondary’s really good at flying around, making some plays. We’re just trying to play our game. I don’t think we have to go outside the box here, I think we’ve just got to kind of find ourselves and do what we do best.”

Saturday’s game marks the first time in the history of the modern Stallions they’ve suited up somewhere other than Birmingham or Canton.

“I just think it’s a mindset of great teams where on the road, you’ve just got to clear your mind of distractions,” McGough said. “When I was in college, we had an expression where the horses wear the blinders and you can only see what’s in front of you. So, I just try not to worry about the airplane, the hotels, or if my back’s gonna hurt, or anything like that.”

Birmingham safety JoJo Tillery will finally be back in action after battling injuries, and is glad to be able to suit up – regardless of where the game is being played.

“We can play in the backyard … it don’t matter as long as we’re on that field,” he said. “The game plan is to win. As long as we go 1-0, it don’t matter. I’m not used to this feeling. We lost one game last year and now we’ve lost two of the last three, so it’s not a great feeling. The mindset now is just to win.”

The Panthers have everything to play for as all four teams in the North share the same 2-3 record. Based on current tiebreakers they – like Birmingham – are in third place in their side of the circuit.

“We have five games to go and we’re 2-3, which is not what you’d like,” Michigan coach Mike Nolan said. “But if we’d been 0-3 and looked at our record now, we’d be saying, ‘Wow … we’re on the right track.’ It’s still midseason, so we’ll stay optimistic and see if we can rectify things.”

But Nolan’s team is looking for an offensive spark; in the Panthers’ last three games, they’ve averaged only 10 points per outing.

And despite yielding 80 points during its three-game skid, the Michigan defense is still formidable. Defensive end Breeland Speaks leads the league in sacks with 6.5, while linebacker Frank Ginda has a pair of interceptions.

“They’re big and strong, physical up front, and they’re a bend-don’t-break type defense,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said. “They don’t give up a lot of big plays. They keep everything in front of them and they make you earn it. It’s hard to drive the field 80 yards on them.

“On offense, they’re very unpredictable. You don’t really know what you’re gonna get.”

With quarterback Carson Strong placed on the injured reserve list, quarterbacking duties will come down to Josh Love and possibly Eric Barriere.

Running back Reggie Corbin has 262 rushing yards and two scores, and tops the USFL in all-purpose yards with 650.

As for Birmingham, McGough continues to be the workhorse of the offense. He has now accounted for a league-leading 10 touchdowns and 72 points, and has shown he’ll do whatever’s necessary to move the markers.

“Where he’s playing mentally, that’s what’s making him so good,” Holtz explained. “He had talent last year, but he’s really playing in the system now. He understands the system and takes what the defense gives him rather than predetermined ‘I’m gonna throw to him,’ or ‘I’m gonna do this.’ He’s letting the game come to him.

“I think he’s doing a really nice job. He’s our leading rusher right now (214 yards to go with 972 passing yards) and when he does run the ball, he’s averaging, I don’t know, 14 yards a carry or something like that. I think he said it best … ‘I’m not trying to be Superman.’ He’s just trying to be a quarterback, and I think he’s really doing a nice job of it, both mentally and physically.”

Davion Davis continues to pace the receiving corps in yardage with 290 yards, while Jace Sternberger has the most touchdowns (three).

Defensively, safety Christian McFarland has 34 tackles for Birmingham and defensive tackle Willie Henry has added a pair of sacks.

Having turned the page from last week, the Stallions aim to make the most of their next opportunity.

“We’ve always talked about you have 24 hours to celebrate or 24 hours to mourn, but after 24 hours are over, no more pity parties if you lose,” Holtz said. “Let’s pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and get ready for the next week.

“And that’s what I love about this game.”  

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

PLAYER STATUS (via Stallions Twitter)

Free Agent Signings: LB Brody Buck, NW Missouri State

Transferred Player to Active Roster: S JoJo Tillery; LB Brody Buck; OL O’Shea Dugas

Transferred Player to Inactive Roster: CB Bryan Mills; OT Jahmir Ross-Johnson; DE Darrion Daniels

Game status: DE Joe Jackson: Out (R Ankle); WR Deon Cain: Out (Illness); S Christian McFarland: Probable (R Hamstring, R Shoulder); TE La’Michael Pettway: Probable (L Foot); S JoJo Tillery: Probable (B Ankles); OL O’Shea Dugas: Probable (R Knee); CB Donnie Lewis: Probable (R Hand); CB Brian Allen: Probable (L Shoulder); LB Rashad Smith: Questionable (L Ankle); WR Davion Davis: Probable (B Thighs); WR Adrian Hardy: Probable (R Knee); DT Khalil Davis: Probable (R Knee); OG Matt Kaskey: Probable (R Thumb).

The Arlington Renegades are the inaugural champions of XFL 3.0, and they finished the season 6-6.

The runners up – the DC Defenders – closed out their campaign at 10-2.

So, is it a good thing or a bad thing that a team with a .500 record wears the crown?

Neither.

I think it’s a great thing.

The XFL, USFL, or any FL that hovers below the NFL is about second, third, last and – sometimes – only opportunities. These are clubs stocked with players who have had their hopes dashed time after time but continue to chase their dreams.

Those who do break through will tell stories of overcoming tremendous odds, of constantly being told they weren’t good enough, that they didn’t belong.

They had no chance until they showed a chance was all they needed.

In a nutshell that sums up the Renegades, who finished 4-6 in the regular season but earned a playoff spot by finishing second in the South Division.

Quarterback Luis Perez is already an alt-football legend thanks to stints in the Alliance of American Football, XFL 2.0, The Spring League, modern United States Football League, and now XFL 3.0.

He cemented his legacy on Saturday by going 26-of-36 passing for 288 yards and three touchdowns in Arlington’s 35-26 victory over the Defenders at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

Oh yeah … he was a member of the Vegas Vipers until joining the Renegades following Week Seven. Since then, he threw for 1,307 yards and seven touchdowns. Against DC alone, he recorded 906 yards and six TDs (including his time in Vegas).

It was no surprise he was named MVP of the championship game.

“Yeah, it means the world to me,” he said. “I’ve played in all these spring leagues, and thank you to (XFL co-owner and CEO Dany Garcia)  and (XFL co-owner Dwayne Johnson) for the opportunity to come out here and just do it, man. It’s a really good group of guys in there … not only players, but good people, and it’s just humbling. I’m very thankful to be here.”

Perez said leagues like the XFL are vitally important for players who are a step away from the NFL but need somewhere to find that extra step.

“It’s my sixth year playing pro football and again, it’s one thing to play football – like actually play in the game and lead a locker room – than being a practice squad guy that doesn’t really get to play much,” he explains. “It’s so hard to emulate playing quarterback, things like moving the pocket in relation to seeing things on defense, checking plays, stuff like that. You can’t emulate it in practice.”

DC boss Reggie Barlow had high praise for the Renegades, saying they deserved to win. He also congratulated their well-traveled signal caller for turning in a major league performance.

“I love seeing people get their opportunities and take advantage of it,” Barlow said. “He was at another place where it didn’t work out for him but he stayed focused, was a team player, played in a backup role, but when he got his opportunity, he showed he’s a solid quarterback. He made plays with his arms and showed he has some razzle dazzle with his legs.”

Players had nearly three months to display their talents, and the schedule served as a pretty good job interview. Before the title matchup, more than 50 men on 2023 XFL rosters had received NFL camp invites. As of Monday, 11 signed contracts.

“These signings are a credit to our player personnel departments at the team and league levels who recognized talent and all of our coaches who helped their development,” XFL president Russ Brandon said. “We are proud to watch our players continue on their path to achieve their professional dreams.”

Arlington boss Bob Stoops gained fame as a national championship winning coach at Oklahoma University. During his time in Norman, he coached two Heisman Trophy winners, 37 All-Americans and had 79 players taken in the NFL Draft.

In his second stint in the XFL (he guided the Dallas Renegades during the 2020 season that was doomed by the COVID-19 pandemic), he had an opportunity to put more players on the big league’s radar.

“Our ownership is incredible and it’s only going to keep getting better,” Stoops said. “I see this as very viable and it’s going to continue to go and move forward. To me, it’ll just get better and better.

“The good thing about it is all these players who are gonna get picked up and go to NFL camps. We’re done playing now and these guys can go – whoever gets picked up. And that’s a positive thing. I think the timing of what we’ve been doing is great.”

No matter where they end up, Barlow is glad they had another league to provide another platform.

“I’m really proud of our guys,” he said. “They’ve been fun to coach and I’m proud of our coaches, support staff … we had a great season and a lot of people worked to put us where we are. It was important to let all the players know individually that I appreciate ‘em and love ‘em.”

There will be those who see the outcome of the XFL Championship Game as a fluke, but there was nothing accidental about what happened Saturday night in San Antonio. And remember, the Renegades beat a 7-3 Houston team (the South Divison champs) two weeks before topping the North Division winners – the club with the league’s best overall record.

And in case you haven’t figured it out yet, playoffs and tournaments aren’t designed to produce the best team. Playoffs and tournaments are designed to produce a champion.

And in the 2023 XFL, that champion is the 6-6 Arlington Renegades, a squad that embodied the underdog spirit of alt-football by doing what others thought they couldn’t do.

A .500 record never looked so good.