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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Could a former Eagles UFL success spark discussions about a possible reunion?
Could a former Eagles UFL success spark discussions about a possible reunion? As you're reading this, the Philadelphia Eagles have started another phase of their offseason workout program. As OTAs begin, there's so much to talk about, not only about what's happening at the NovaCare Complex, but what's going on with Philly sports in general. Following a 2-0 win over the hated Atlanta Braves one day after Memorial Day, the Phillies have won ten of their last 11 games. They lead the New York Mets as the top team in the National League East, and as June approaches, thoughts will soon shift to the 2025 NBA Draft, where the 76ers own the third overall selection. In the City of Brotherly Love, however, the Eagles are typically the top story. Why discuss Ace Bailey when we can toss around theories about one of the best players in the UFL? Oh, and by the way, he's a wide receiver who once played for, you guessed it, the Philadelphia Eagles. Should the Eagles care that one of their former WRs has reinvented himself in the UFL? The UFL is set to enter its final week of action this coming weekend. Truth be told, they've produced some good football if you've been paying attention. One of the standouts was once a member of the Eagles' roster, and he's been doing some great things during spring football for a while. The Birmingham Stallion was named the most valuable player of the 2023 USFL Championship Game. He was part of the Stallions team that won the UFL Championship in 2024. He's currently third in receiving yards this season (491). He ranks third in yards per reception, and he ranks second in touchdown receptions with six trips to the end zone. Deon Cain enjoyed stints with Philly in 2021, 2022, and 2023. He never caught a pass in an Eagles game but boasts nine receptions and 124 yards receiving for his NFL career after spending some on-field time with the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Might Philadelphia consider a reunion? The truth is that they probably shouldn't unless they're looking for training camp bodies as the summer wears on. The UFL is a long way from the National Football League in terms of competition and talent, and Cain's success while playing spring football probably has little bearing on how well he'd transition to football's highest level. We could debate whether Cain is better than Elijah Cooks, Darius Cooper, Danny Gray, Taylor Morin, or Giles Jackson. It's doubtful, however, that he's overtaking Terrace Marshall for a roster spot. He certainly isn't stealing any playing time from A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Ainias Smith, or Johnny Wilson on an Eagles squad that will probably carry six wideouts on the 53-man regular-season roster. That means Cain's ceiling is a spot on the Eagles' practice squad. If he's willing to compete for that designation, discussions about a possible reunion are feasible. Otherwise, this is a conversation we can end pretty quickly.
Fox Sports
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
J'Mar Smith rallying Stallions to comeback win tops UFL storylines from Week 7
The defending champions returned to their winning ways for a second week in a row, and a familiar face helped lead the Birmingham Stallions to a 33-25 comeback victory over the Houston Roughnecks in Week 7. Second-string quarterback J'Mar Smith replaced starter Case Cookus late in the fourth quarter after the Northern Arizona product took a big hit that resulted in an elbow injury to his throwing arm. [MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ] Smith had not played in a game since 2023 and had retired from professional football. However, Smith was brought back a few weeks ago to serve as the team's emergency third-string quarterback after Alex McGough, Matt Corral and Andrew Peasley were all sidelined due to injuries. Smith played for Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz in college at Louisiana Tech and helped lead the Stallions to the USFL Championship Game in 2022. "I always wanted J'Mar on this roster," Holtz said. Birmingham trailed 25-6 in the first half but scored 27 unanswered points to earn the big win. Smith scored the game-winner, rolling to his right and scrambling to the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown when all his receivers were covered. Smith finished 3 of 5 for 63 yards in relief of Cookus. The 19-point comeback was the largest in UFL history. "Just getting back out there was the main thing for me," Smith said. "It [has] been a long time coming. I know the offense pretty well. Me and Coach Holtz have been together for a while, so it's just knowing what he wants, going out there and executing." With the win, the Stallions (5-2) remain tied atop the USFL Conference with the Michigan Panthers (5-2), who narrowly defeated the Arlington Renegades (3-4) at Choctaw Stadium, 25-24. The DC Defenders (5-2) held off the San Antonio Brahmas (1-6) in the opening game of the weekend, 32-24, while the St. Louis Battlehawks (5-2) closed things out with a 19-9 road victory over the Memphis Showboats (1-6). The Brahmas and the Showboats have been eliminated from playoff consideration. Here's a look at other storylines from Week 7: Stallions' dominant run game returns The top rushing team in the UFL a year ago, the Stallions struggled to get things going on the ground through the first half of this season. However, Birmingham found a rhythm running the football against the Roughnecks, finishing with 142 rushing yards as a team. Ricky Person Jr. led Birmingham with 60 yards on the ground and a score. "I'm really proud of the way we ran the ball today," Holtz said. "I thought both tailbacks ran the ball hard and did some good things on offense." And because the Stallions scored more than 30 points for the first time this season, Holtz said he'll make good on a bet with his wife Jennifer and shave the beard he's been growing since the start of the year. Duggan had his best game since taking over for an injured Manny Wilkins in Week 5. The TCU product completed 15 of 23 passes for a total of 158 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jacour Peason on a corner route. Duggan also ran for a game-high 57 yards and a score. However, the Battlehawks were led by their defense. St. Louis has given up just one touchdown in two games and held the Showboats' offense to 4.2 yards per play. "On defense, we've been just relentless," St. Louis pass rusher Travis Feeney said. "A bend but don't break mentality. … At the end of the day, our defense has to beat the other team's defense, and that's the biggest thing." Winners of three straight, the Battlehawks will face another tough test when they host the Stallions at The Dome at America's Center on Saturday (4 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). Defenders stay atop XFL Conference with win over Brahmas QB Jordan Ta'amu had another big day, completing 19 of 24 passes for 278 yards, three scores and no interceptions. Those numbers include a 76-yard touchdown strike to his former teammate at Ole Miss in receiver Braylon Sanders. Ta'amu remains the league leader in passing yards (1,750) and passing touchdowns (14) through Week 7. However, the momentum-changing play came on defense for the Defenders when linebacker Anthony Hines picked up a fumble by San Antonio QB Kevin Hogan after he ran into left tackle Willie Tyler while trying to evade pressure. Hines corralled the loose ball and returned it 51 yards to tie the game at 12-all to end the half. Hines finished with nine tackles, while teammate defensive tackle Joe Wallace contributed six tackles and two sacks. With San Antonio running back Anthony McFarland out due to a shoulder injury, his replacement Jashaun Corbin put in some work, finishing with 109 rushing yards on nine carries — including a stunning 57-yard touchdown run. With a handful of family and friends in attendence, Taua delivered on Mother's Day weekend. The Nevada product tied the game on a 1-yard plunge as time expired and then won the game on another grinding run from two yards out for the one-point conversion and the victory. Taua finished with 70 scrimmage yards. QB Bryce Perkins also had another big day, totaling 231 passing yards and 68 rushing yards. "I'm just proud to be a part of these moments … and for the guys trusting me and having faith," Taua said. "There's never a dull moment in the game. We all looked at each other and said we're going to get another [opportunity] here, and we're going to capitalize. Just be ready. "It's one of those moments where you look at everyone in the huddle and say, 'Let's go win this ball game.'" Arlington QB Luis Perez threw for a league-high 314 passing yards in the loss. Tyler Vaughns finished with a game-high 127 receiving yards on nine receptions and a touchdown. Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua on hand to watch brothers play Rams Pro Bowl receiver Nacua was at Choctaw Stadium to watch his older brothers play over the weekend. Michigan safety Kai Nacua finished with a tackle and a pass breakup, while brother Samson Nacua totaled 35 kick return yards, although he did have a fumble. "I would say the two words would be love and competitiveness, for sure," Puka Nacua said when asked to describe what it was like growing up in the Nacua household. "I think competitiveness came first — we were fighting … to see who was going to be the best football player, the best basketball player. And then my mom was our head coach and the general manager. She made sure there was love at the dinner table, so we had the perfect balance of both." Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Birmingham Stallions coach Skip Holtz thrilled to be reunited with QB Alex McGough
Skip Holtz doesn't simply stand out because he has coached the Birmingham Stallions to three consecutive league championships — two in the former USFL and one in the current UFL — but that he has produced two MVPs at quarterback over that same span. [MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ] Heading into the 2025 UFL season, Holtz is reunited with the first quarterback he accomplished both feats with, former FIU star Alex McGough. Holtz first laid eyes on McGough during his time coaching at Louisiana Tech. In one start against Holtz's Bulldogs, McGough completed 29 of 44 passes for 263 passing yards and two touchdowns. In another, he completed 25 of 44 passes for 281 passing yards with three scores and one interception. Those performances made such an impression on Holtz that he selected McGough with the first overall pick in the inaugural 2022 USFL Draft. An injury sidelined McGough earlier that year, but he became one of a handful of players who personify what the UFL has come to mean in the United States — a place where players can continue to play at a high level, often times in hopes of finding a way back to the NFL. McGough got a shot with the Green Bay Packers after leading the Stallions to their second USFL Championship in 2023, passing for 2,105 yards and 23 touchdowns that season. After two years in Green Bay, McGough is back to lead the Stallions, and Holtz could not be more excited to have the 29-year-old leading his team this season. "In Year 1, everybody was a rookie," Holtz said. "In Year 2, we had some second-year players and some rookies. Well, now you have some third- and fourth-year players that are in your system, and I think that's where you really see the growth of football players when they have 100 percent understanding. "With Alex being in Year 3, I'm not just coaching the big picture anymore — I'm coaching the details." [MORE: 2025 UFL Power Rankings: Stallions, Battlehawks headline preseason list] The Stallions' offensive scheme is clear to McGough, and he has taken on more responsibility to teach its nuances to players who are returning and brand new. "I'll give little tidbits of advice even before I call the play [and] after I call the play, to certain people, just so we are on the same page," McGough said. "You're always gonna have a new guy here and there and maybe help those guys along the way. I think it helps you know that most of these receivers that I've been with are either in Year 1 or 2." McGough won't lack weapons in the passing game. With players like former Clemson star Amari Rodgers, Texas A&M consensus All-American Jace Sternberger and 2023 USFL Championship Game MVP Deon Cain, his job will be once again to get the ball to playmakers in space. McGough is also mobile enough to extend plays and provide a kickstart to Holtz's rushing attack. In Year 4, the Stallions are the runaway favorite to win the UFL title (+190) and many expect them to only get stronger as new players become acclimated to playing in a league with less than a month of training camp and no bye weeks. There's not just a standard for winning that the Stallions aim to maintain — Birmingham is 32-4 under Holtz — but one for developing. Holtz's last director of player personnel and general manager, Zach Potter, is now the GM at Sacramento State. After a year as co-offensive coordinator for Birmingham, Philip Montgomery is now offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. Defensive line coach Bill Johnson, who won a college football national championship at LSU and a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, won the inaugural UFL title alongside Holtz before joining the Chicago Bears this year. [MORE: Who's coaching the UFL this season? See the complete staffs for all eight teams ] What's more, former Stallions kicker Brandon Aubrey was named an All-Pro and earned Pro Bowl honors in his first two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps another coach might feel pressure to continue this run of success and win a fourth consecutive championship in a burgeoning dynasty, but that is not what drives Holtz. "Don't get me wrong, we're here to win," Holtz said. "But we're here to win the next game — and we want to win it — [by] getting better in the process. I don't feel a huge amount of pressure. … Do I want to win four? Heck yeah. Are we trying to? Heck yeah. We're trying to win every game we play, but I don't sit up in front of this team and say our [only] goal is to win a championship." RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast " The Number One College Football Show. " Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League Birmingham Stallions recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
