This is the sixth part of an eight-part look at each UFL team’s 2026 season.
Part One: Columbus Aviators
Part Two: Dallas Renegades
Part Three: Birmingham Stallions
Part Four: Houston Gamblers
Part Five: St. Louis Battlehawks
What went right
Orlando closed out the regular season 8-2, the best record in the league. They had the advantage of Anthony Becht moving over from St. Louis as head coach, someone who has already built a team from the ground-up. Becht plucked several of his former Battlehawk players and coaches to join him in Orlando, creating a level of continuity only matched by D.C. QB Jack Plummer, the runaway UFL MVP, led the team and put up some eye-popping numbers, such as his 17-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He helped the Storm top the UFL in passing yardage per game. Receivers Chris Rowland, Elijah Badger, and others contributed to that. The defense was a team effort; they weren't flashy, but they got the job done when it counted. After Offensive Coordinator Kyle Caskey bailed for the NFL just before the season, assistant Colin Thompson took over play calling duties, the first time he handled that in his career. He passed that test with flying colors. After support was weak for the Orlando Guardians in the XFL in 2023, fans for the Storm outdrew the Guardians' numbers, giving hope that Orlando can work for the UFL.
What went wrong
Becht was looking for redemption when he steered Orlando to the playoffs, after three first-round exits in a row with the Battlehawks. However, the Storm met the same fate in 2026, losing in the semifinals to the D.C. Defenders. Becht's regular season record has been sterling, but he just can't seem to shake the playoff blues. Despite having the league's leading rusher from last year, Jashaun Corbin, Orlando's rushing attack was toothless for most of the season, as they finished sixth in the league in rushing yards per game. Their pass defense was worst in the league, though some of that can be written off as teams playing catch-up when Orlando had a lead late in the game. They also tied for fewest sacks in the league. The 8-2 record was sort of a mirage because they played a lot of close games and rarely blew teams out of the water.
Stat to note
Orlando's dormant run game was one where you just expected it to click at some point. Yet, it never did. The talent in the backfield was there, and Orlando's offensive line was solid enough - in pass blocking, they allowed only 19 sacks on the year. Of all the statistics that exemplify the run game's struggles, the one that stands out is that only one carry from a running back went for 20 yards or more, and that was from Tre Stewart. On 131 attempts, Corbin's longest rush was 19 yards. Stewart's was 20, and Elijah Dotson's was 11. The Storm were left to manufacture yardage on the ground through reverses to receivers and scrambles from Plummer.
Offensive MVP
This is as much of a no-brainer as you'll have for this award, and it's QB Jack Plummer. Yes, he had some really talented receivers to throw to, but Plummer protected the football incredibly well all year, and his ability to navigate a crumbling pocket was exemplary. He had a few hiccups handling snaps with center Cole Schneider, though that was more of a blip on the radar than anything that can be held against him too much. The fact that he did so much of his damage with a largely ineffective run game - which means teams were keying on the pass - makes his season all the more impressive.
Defensive MVP
For a team that didn't get after the quarterback as much as they would've liked, DE Keshawn Banks was their one threat off the edge. Banks would've been a Michigan Panther in 2025 had he not signed with an NFL team in late 2024. Banks had five sacks to lead Orlando, in addition to 11 tackles for loss, also the most on the team. He accounted for nearly one-third of the Orlando total sack number. Without Banks, it's difficult to see where the pass rush would've come from.
Special Teams MVP
A threat on both kickoff and punt returns, WR Chris Rowland continued to stack up the all-purpose yards in 2026. He averaged 29 yards per kickoff return, sharing those duties with Jashaun Corbin. Rowland was also the team's primary punt returner, his average sitting at 11.1 on the season. Boasting both straight-line speed that helps with kickoff returns and missability that the best punt returners possess, Rowland's lack of size is likely the only thing keeping him of an NFL roster.
Most likely to succeed (in getting NFL opportunities)
If any quarterback makes it on NFL radars based on their 2026 UFL season, the conversation should begin with Plummer. A couple of his receivers, notably Elijah Badger, are likely to have got the attention of NFL teams. Michael Gonzalez and Zuri Henry on the offensive line, along with Banks and maybe Isaiah Buggs (depending on how teams view his 2024 arrests) on the defensive line are players that earned notice. LB Kana'i Mauga was only in Orlando a short time but he made a big impact while there. Unfortunately, both Mauga and Gonzalez suffered serious injuries in the playoffs, leaving their immediate NFL future up in the air. S Mishael Powell and CB Nate Brooks are names to keep an eye on for NFL workouts as well.
QB concern level for 2027 (1-5)
There's a wide chasm here between what this room looks like if Plummer returns versus if he doesn't. The Storm traded away their insurance policy, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who could've stepped in next year if Plummer sticks in the NFL. As it is, Orlando has Matt Corral and Hank Bachmeier. A change of scenery may have done Corral good, though we never got to see that in game action. Bachmeier is strictly a developmental QB at this stage - his best hope it to be promoted to backup next year. If Corral starts, he'd benefit from a stronger run game than Orlando fielded in 2026. He may not be the guy to put the team on his shoulders like Plummer did. Still, there are worse fallback options than Corral. Therefore, this is only a 2.
Head coach return scale (1-5)
More so than any other coach in the UFL, Becht has been very public about his desire to move up in the coaching ranks. He interviewed for the head coach job at his alma mater West Virginia back in 2024. If an attractive job comes along, he's going to take it. Given the success he's had in spring football, now building two teams from scratch, that may make him even more desirable a candidate. It certainly feels like "when" not "if" he gets a college or NFL job - will it be this off-season? With "5" as most likely to return, I'll give Becht a 3. If nothing better comes along, I do think he'll back to continue to prove himself.
Offseason needs for 2027
Something is needed to wake up the run game, whether it's a shiftier back or improved run blockers on the offensive line. It's too bad we never got to see what RB Deuce Vaughn could do, as he was an intriguing late season add. Tight ends were absent in the passing game, almost by design, despite play caller Colin Thompson being a former TE himself. Orlando drafted three tight ends and none of them ended up signing for 2026 so they really had to scratch and claw to fill out that position this year. That's a spot worth watching this off-season. Another pass rusher and a bigger interior force to pair with Buggs would help. They suffered some injuries in the defensive backfield this year so there could be some changes there for 2027 as well.