Category: Alternative Football

Say the words, “alternative football,” and you have my attention.

Say the words, “alternative football rule innovations,” and I get weirdly excited.

So, when it was first announced that the modern United States Football League was going to merge with XFL 3.0, I was curious which rules from which circuit would carry over to the United Football League.

While there were already some commonalities, kickoffs and conversions were where the USFL and XFL differed most.

The USFL allowed a traditional PAT along with scrimmage plays for two and three-point conversions.

In the XFL, there were no extra point kicks; one, two and three-point conversions had to be scored via the run or pass.

As for XFL kickoffs, they were unique. The kicker lined up at his 30 while the rest of the team stood at the opponents’ 35-yard line – five yards away from the receiving team.

The kicker and returner were the only players who could move until the ball was fielded.

In the USFL, kickoffs took place from the 20-yard line of the kicking team, making touchbacks quite a feat.

When the UFL begins play on March 30, games will utilize XFL conversions and USFL kickoffs.

Personally, I wish the UFL had flip-flopped what they decided to cull from the old leagues.

I like a PAT option, especially now that extra points are more than automatic chip shots.

And since the NFL is considering adopting the XFL kickoff, it seems like it would’ve been a natural fit for a league that hopes to send players to – or back to – the NFL.

But the rules in play for 2024 are still nice tweaks.

“Early on when we were looking at rule changes, the first thing I noticed was that in the XFL, they didn’t kick extra points,” Birmingham Stallions coach Skip Holtz said. “When they went for one, two or three, they were all offensive scrimmage plays, it was just whether they went from the two or the five or the 10.

“But with us losing (kicker) Brandon Aubrey (who parlayed an All-USFL season into an All-Pro year with the Dallas Cowboys) that rule change did not break my heart. And now, is a touchdown gonna be worth six points? Seven? Eight? Nine? It depends on the conversions, and I think that’s gonna be exciting.”

Stallions receiver Deon Cain returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and racked up 606 return yards last season so, as you might expect, he’s fine with retaining the USFL kickoff rules.

“It was something that obviously was in question with the XFL kickoffs, but I was definitely glad that they made the decision to have the normal USFL kickoff rules,” Cain said. “It brings another element of excitement to the game.” 

I also like the scrimmage option to the onside kick.

While traditional onside kicks are allowed at any time during the game, teams will have an alternate way to retain possession in the fourth quarter. If a squad is tied or behind during the final frame, it can try to retain possession after a score with a 4th-and-12 play from its own 28-yard line.

“I think the kickoff rules are safer and still create excitement,” Holtz said. “They bring the return game back into it, which is something that’s been lost right now in the game of football because kickers have become so strong with their legs. We’re really trying to introduce some new policies into the game.”

One kicking rule I wish league officials would rethink, however, involves punts. Any punt that goes out of bounds inside the receiving team’s 25-yard line will be considered a touchback and placed at the 25.

That punishes a good punter who has the ability to pin a team deep with a coffin-corner kick. I love offense, but I also like to see punters who can flip the field.

The UFL will feature the now-familiar “shootout” overtime procedure as well as two forward passes on one play, so there is plenty for us alternative football geeks to love. And yet, the UFL will still showcase a largely familiar brand of pro football.

Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see just how experimental the UFL chooses to be.

On the one hand, you want to give spring football its own identity. On the other, you need to make sure players are prepared if and when they get the call-up to the NFL.

Regardless, it should be a whole lot of fun when they tee it up later this month.

For a complete list of rules, go to www.theufl.com.

OK, let me throw some numbers at you – 62,500, 54,872, 54,413 and 52,942.

Know what they are?

The first is the throng that showed up at Legion Field to watch the Birmingham Stallions take on the New Jersey Generals during the 1984 season of the original United States Football League.

The second is fans in the stands at the Birmingham Americans’ home date against the Chicago Fire during the 1974 World Football League campaign. (It’s notable that the game was played in torrential rain).

The third? That was the number of extremely loud and rowdy folks who saw the Ams square off with the Memphis Southmen in ’74.

And the fourth reflects the turnstile clicks for the Birmingham Fire’s 1991 World League of American football debut against the Montreal Machine.

With 72,594 capacity Legion Field no longer the primary gridiron venue in the Magic City, those attendance marks will likely remain the top four in the history of Birmingham-branded professional football teams.

What Stallions coach Skip Holtz would like to see, however, is Protective Stadium enter the chat when it comes to massive Birmingham crowds.

The home stadium of the city’s United Football League team holds 47,100, but during the Stallions’ previous two years in the modern USFL, more than half the building has been empty any time they played.

Considering they won championships during both seasons in their old league – and ticket prices were more than reasonable – that kind of in-house support is underwhelming.

“One of the reasons I love the UFL and love spring football, is I still believe it’s one of the purest brands of football going on right now,” Holtz said. “When you look at these players, they aren’t here just for the money. They’re in it because they love the game. They want to continue their dreams and aspirations. They’re not in it for an NIL. They just want to get on the field and they want to continue their dream of playing this great game.”

I asked Holtz on Wednesday what he’d say to fans who’ve enjoyed spring ball from their living rooms, but haven’t made it to the stadium yet.

“With the merger (between the USFL and XFL), there are eight teams, eight cities in the United States of America, that have the opportunity to support a spring football team,” Holtz said. “There are probably 80 more that would love to have one. And I think we’ve got an opportunity to show how big football is in the state of Alabama, and how much professional football has been wanted in the state of Alabama.

“I think we have an opportunity to show the UFL the standards being set on what it’s going to take to be one of the better markets – and we’ve had one of the better teams.”

The only official attendance USFL officials ever announced came on opening night in 2022 when they reported that 17,500 were on hand at Protective Stadium for the fledgling league’s debut.

The XFL – during the 2020 reboot that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic – averaged roughly 18,000 fans per game, with the St. Louis Battlehawks leading the way with 28,541.

Last season, XFL average attendance dipped to 14,431, but St. Louis again was the standout with 35,104 occupying seats for games at the 67,000-seat The Dome at America’s Center.

Based on early sales, more than 50,000 fans are expected for the Battlehawks’ Week Two home opener against the Arlington Renegades.

“I think Fox was built on building a television (product),” said Holtz, referring to the network’s ownership of the USFL. “We had a lot of teams that weren’t even in their home markets. But I think the big push this year and the big push last year in the XFL (owned by RedBird Capital, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia) was attendance and ticket sales.

“If you love the game of football, I think the product is going to be outstanding. It’s going to be professional football. When I’m going through our roster and knowing we’ve got to make 25 cuts right now, I don’t know where to begin. I mean, I think it’s going to be an awesome product. It’s going to be entertaining.”

I’m fortunate to have been at all those “big ticket” games in Birmingham in 1974, 1984 and 1991. No matter how good the product is on the field – and the latest incarnations of the USFL and XFL gave us a fine product – it seems so much better when people far outnumber empty seats. Sports is about competition, but from a fan standpoint, it’s also about the experience.

Thus, those games were unforgettable.

Birmingham plays its home opener against the Memphis Showboats on April 13, and I’d love to be part of another unforgettable pro football event in my hometown.

That can and will happen if football fans decide to show up and show off.

“I encourage everybody … let’s step up and let’s show this league that Birmingham has got what it takes to be one of these eight teams in the UFL that can be elite when it comes to fan attendance,” Holtz said.

Skip Holtz has coached 24 professional spring football games and won 21 of them. Oh, he also guided his team – the Birmingham Stallions – to a pair of United States Football League championships.

But the USFL, or what’s left of it, anyway, joins the XFL remnants in the new United Football League. So now Holtz will try to help his charges earn the same old hardware in a brand-new venture.

And he couldn’t wait to get started.

“Yesterday was the first day we were able to get on the grass,” Holtz said on Wednesday following a workout at the UFL base in Arlington, Texas. “I saw the quarterbacks throw, and we were able to run some plays against each other a little bit. We were just in shorts and helmets so it wasn’t full speed and there certainly wasn’t any contact, but just watching these guys walking around  … seeing body types and athleticism, seeing where they are mentally … I’m really excited about this team and it’s going to make the cutdowns extremely difficult.

“So, the next 10 days is a really hard evaluations process for where we are and who’re going to be the 58 that are going to get through this first cut that we’re gonna have to make a week from Saturday.”

With two leagues of 16 teams now down to one circuit of eight, there’s no question that every UFL club taking the field will be stronger than the one that played in 2023. Competing in the inaugural UFL season along with the Stallions are the Arlington Renegades, DC Defenders, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers, San Antonio Brahmas and St. Louis Battlehawks.

And the Stallions – on paper – look loaded again.

The quarterback room features J’Mar Smith, Matt Corral, Adrian Martinez and Jalen Morton. Ultimately, that means a really good signal caller is going to get cut.

“We have two returnees in J’Mar and Jalen, so they know the system,” Holtz explained. “Right now, it’s been all learning for Matt and Adrian, and they probably don’t really have a good grasp on the basic concepts we’re teaching yet. But I’ve really been pleased with the way both Adrian and Matt have picked it up, with the way that they’re learning it.

“They’re extremely talented quarterbacks, both with their arms and their legs … quick feet. They both have dual threat capabilities where they can utilize their feet much like (former Stallions QB Alex McGough) did.”

A lot of fan favorites return to the fold – and they also happen to be excellent players.

CJ Marable will still be toting the freight, guys like Victor Bolden, Deon Cain and Jace Sternberger will still be catching passes, and the hits will keep coming courtesy of defensive standouts such as linebackers DeMarquis Gates and Scooby Wright.

In addition, there will be plenty of new faces, guys who made impacts in places other than Birmingham.

“I never doubt what Skip Holtz does,” UFL director of football operations Daryl Johnson said during a recent visit to Birmingham. “(General manager) Zach Potter has flipped the roster again and the more he proves his value and gains the trust of Skip, the more he gets the authority to do what’s needed. If you look at the transactions, Birmingham has a great chance to start this journey and be very, very competitive.”

Johnston adds, however, that the remaining teams in the league have reason for optimism as well.

“Memphis is exponentially better than they were last year,” he said. “Curtis Johnson has done a great job at Houston, Bob Stoops has done a great job in Arlington, and you know St. Louis is gonna have a chip on its shoulder because of not making the playoffs last year and thinking they deserved to be there.

“DC was 9-1 and had the best record in the (XFL) and got beat in the championship game, so there are some great stories going into 2024.”

The Stallions open at Arlington on March 30 in a  battle of defending USFL and XFL champions. And while no one knows which team from which former league will earn bragging rights, Holtz is confident it’ll be a great showcase for the UFL.

He also hopes it’ll give fans a good idea of what to expect from the back-to-back USFL crown holders.

“There’s going to be a lot written on that game, but we have a different team than last year, Arlington is going to have a different team, DC is going to be different, St Louis is going to be different, Memphis  …. we’ve infused a lot of talent on every one of these teams,” Holtz said. “But I would like to think that we’re going to be a disciplined football team. We’re not going to beat ourselves, and we’re going to do everything we can to play championship football.”

2024 BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

No.	Name	Position	College
71	Calvin Ashley	G	Auburn
80	Kevin Austin Jr.	WR	Notre Dame
85	Marcus Baugh	TE	Ohio State
30	Chris Blewitt	K	Pittsburgh
21	Bubba Bolden	CB	Miami (FL)
10	Slade Bolden	WR	Alabama
7	Victor Bolden Jr.	WR	Oregon State
26	Terrell Bonds	CB	Tennessee State
65	Deonte Brown	G	Alabama
29	Ike Brown	CB	Florida International
22	Lorenzo Burns	CB	Arizona
69	Cohl Cabral	OC	Arizona State
8	Deon Cain	WR	Clemson
59	Owen Carney	DE	Illinois
20	T.J. Carter	S	TCU
14	Nevelle Clarke	DB	Central Florida
79	Larnel Coleman	T	Massachusetts
2	Matt Corral	QB	Mississippi
96	Carlos Davis	NT	Nebraska
75	Christian DiLauro	T	Illinois
74	O’Shea Dugas	OL	Louisiana Tech
47	DeMarquis Gates	ILB	Mississippi
28	Mark Gilbert	CB	Duke
77	Derwin Gray	T	Maryland
76	Darius Harper	T	Cincinnati
36	Madre Harper	CB	Southern Illinois
44	Bobby Holly	FB	Louisiana Tech
48	Travin Howard	ILB	TCU
19	Daniel Isom	CB	Washington State
1	Chris Jackson	CB	Marshall
5	Gary Jennings	WR	West Virginia
68	Zack Johnson	G	North Dakota State
63	Matt Kaskey	G	Dartmouth
55	Carlo Kemp	DE	Michigan
88	Chris Lacy	WR	Oklahoma State
27	Ryan Langan	LS	Georgia Southern
51	Damon Lloyd	LB	Indiana (Pa.)
11	C.J. Marable	RB	Coastal Carolina
9	Adrian Martinez	QB	Kansas State
50	Hercules Mata’afa	DE	Washington State
37	Mark Milton	CB	Baylor
95	DaMarcus Mitchell	DE	Purdue
13	Myron Mitchell	WR	UAB
18	Jalen Morton	QB	Prairie View A&M
54	Chris Orr	ILB	Wisconsin
23	Ricky Person Jr.	RB	North Carolina State
24	Kenny Robinson Jr.	S	West Virginia
3	Amari Rodgers	WR	Clemson
67	Jahmir Ross-Johnson	T	Texas A&M
34	Larry Roundtree III	RB	Missouri
92	Anree Saint-Amour	DE	Georgia Tech