It’s back! My Three up, Three down column tracks the roller-coaster ride that is UFL action each week, with positives or things happening often labeled “up,” and negatives or downward trends categorized as “down.”
Up: Success of offensive changes
At the halfway point of the UFL regular season, teams continue to tinker – or more than tinker – with their schemes and plays. In Memphis, the Showboats completely overhauled their offense in a matter of days under new coordinator Noel Mazzone and interim head coach Jim Turner. The result? The team’s third quarterback, Dresser Winn, led Memphis to a Friday night upset over the defending champion Birmingham Stallions, netting Memphis its first win of the season. In St. Louis, with Max Duggan taking over at QB due to the torn achilles suffered by Manny Wilkins last week, the offense was adjusted to fit Duggan’s strengths. St. Louis broke a two-game losing streak with a win over Michigan.
Down: Winless teams
There seems to be a little more parity across the divisions this season in the UFL. To that point, no teams are left that are undefeated or winless. The final team to erase a zero from either of those columns was Memphis on Friday night. No team is without its flaws, and no team has seemed overmatched on a week-to-week basis. After week five last season, the four playoff teams were all but set. This year, there’s a lot more jockeying left to do for those positions, in both conferences.
Up: Long TD catches
Offenses built on the momentum set in week four by airing it out with more success in week five. Birmingham and Memphis both scored on 30+-yard TD passes. Hakeem Butler hauled in two long TDs for St. Louis, for 67 and 57 yards respectively. Normally not one to stretch the field, Arlington WR Deontay Burnett scored from 63 yards out against D.C. Early in the season, receivers struggled to create separation from defensive backs and couldn’t haul in even the most routine passes. Now, receivers are regularly making spectacular catches, helping increase the offensive output across the league.
Down: Michigan’s two-QB system
In spring football, it’s a delicate balance between allowing players to put film together to increase their chances of making the NFL, and making tough personnel decisions to win games. Then there are those situations where teams believe they have two equally talented players and will rotate them in. At most positions, that’s a fine tact to take. Quarterback is unique in that getting into a rhythm is more important there than perhaps anywhere else.
Yet, the Michigan Panthers insist on having Bryce Perkins, perhaps the league’s leading MVP candidate, share time with Danny Etling. It’s a strange move but on Saturday it was more than strange; it was damaging. Perkins was pulled after going 11-for-12 for 102 yards, down just 9-6. Etling promptly threw an interception and St. Louis subsequently scored to make it 17-6 before the half. The Battlehawks held on to win. Michigan’s coaching staff has pressed a lot of the right buttons the last two seasons but for whatever reason, this appears to be a blind spot.
Up: Damage Control
The UFL can’t seem to stop stepping on public relations rakes. Just when they were out of the woods on the contract negotiations with the UFL player’s association that had dominated pre-season coverage of the league, a new problem came to light this weekend. A video on social media made the rounds showing Panthers wide receiver Samson Nacua hitting a Battlehawks fan in the stands after the game on Saturday. That has led to some to call for Nacua’s suspension or even release. The video has gained traction locally in St. Louis and elsewhere. The UFL has said they are investigating the incident. Whether they publicly acknowledge the incident or investigation may depend on whether or not the mainstream sports media picks up on the story.
Down: Happy homecomings
Brahmas QB Kellen Mond had to wait until week five to make his pro debut in the Alamodome, but he was primed for it, even taking to social media to Tweet his excitement. Likewise, interim head coach Payton Pardee had numerous family members on hand for his first home game as the man in charge. Their day ended with a thud, however, in a 27-3 disappointment against Houston. Mond was pulled from the game in favor of the more mobile Jarrett Guarantano, and Pardee struggled to reign in one of the most penalized teams in the UFL. Luckily, they have three more home games to show their stuff in the back half of the season.
