Todd Haley's first game as head coach of the Columbus Aviators ended in familiar fashion — a close loss that slipped away due to execution issues. The Aviators fell 28-23 to the Dallas Renegades on Sunday, dropping to 0-3 despite showing flashes of the potential that has Haley convinced this team can turn things around.
Haley, who took over head coaching duties this week, drew on his experience turning around the Memphis Showboats to project confidence about Columbus's future despite the winless start.
Smooth Transition to Head Coach
Haley looked comfortable in his expanded role, saying the transition felt natural despite the added responsibilities of managing the entire team rather than just one side of the ball.
"I'm very comfortable in this position. I'm grateful for Ted having faith in me to do it. I'm grateful for the league having faith in me to do it," Haley said. "A lot of fun, juices were flowing. The players know it. It's just different when you get to handle the whole team."
The Aviators opened the game exactly as Haley envisioned, taking the ball first and marching down the field for a touchdown. But after that promising start, execution problems derailed their momentum.
McClendon Takes Accountability for Pick-Six
Quarterback Jalan McClendon didn't shy away from taking responsibility for the game's most costly mistake — a pick-six that gave Dallas crucial momentum. McClendon explained the play was one they'd successfully run multiple times before Dallas adjusted.
"The ball shouldn't even went to him," McClendon said of the interception. "We had converted the same exact play a couple of times to the hitch. They did a good job of disguise on defense and got us a little bit."
Despite the turnover, Haley praised McClendon's aggressive mindset and willingness to take ownership of mistakes.
Third Down Struggles Continue
The Aviators went just 2-for-9 on third down conversions, a stat that highlighted their ongoing execution issues. Haley acknowledged some of those third downs were "third and a million" situations created by penalties and negative plays.
"That means we moved the football pretty well on first and second down," Haley said of the third down struggles. "But you got to execute on third down, and you got to have yourself in situations where the percentage of converting those are much higher."
Drawing on Memphis Experience
Faced with an 0-3 start, Haley leaned on his experience with the Memphis Showboats as evidence that early season struggles don't define a team's potential. His message to the team focused on staying together through adversity.
"I've been in this situation as a head coach with the Memphis Showboats. Started 0-3, everybody thought the sky was falling and we ran off 5 in a row and we were in first place," Haley said. "The bottom line is we just got to stick together, continue to get better."
Haley compared the team's situation to Rory McIlroy's long wait for his first Masters jacket, suggesting that once Columbus breaks through for their first win, more success will follow.
Defense Shows Fight Despite Early Deficit
While the offense struggled with self-inflicted wounds, Haley praised his defense for battling back after Dallas built an early lead. The unit forced enough stops to keep Columbus competitive, though they couldn't overcome the points given up by turnovers.
"We just can't give them 7 points. We got to make field goals, and then all of a sudden it's a game," Haley said, referencing how small margins continue to work against his team.
The Aviators have now faced three quality opponents to start the season, and Haley believes his team belongs in that conversation once they clean up the mistakes that have plagued their winless start.