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: Defensive TDs
Defenses have seen the difficulties offenses around the league have had in getting the ball into the end zone. In week four, they wanted to help out. The Arlington vs. St. Louis game had three defensive touchdowns, two by the Renegades and one by the Battlehawks. That helped Arlington cross the 30-point threshold in the game, rarified air so far in 2025. The good news is offenses have slowly but surely improved as we approach the midway point of the regular season.
Down: Memphis stability
Not only did head coach Ken Whisenhunt depart for the second time earlier in the week, this time permanently, the Showboats made some lineup changes in the hopes it would jump-start their 0-3 squad Friday night against the Michigan Panthers. After E.J. Perry had started the first three games at quarterback, Troy Williams, who has gotten some playing time in those games, came out with the first team. At running back, Deneric Prince started in the backfield in each game before Friday. Prince was replaced in the lineup by Jacob Kibodi, who began the season third on the depth chart at that position. Neither were able to take advantage of those opportunities and Memphis fell to 0-4.
Up: Potentially major QB injuries
Quarterbacks had to this point largely avoided major injury. For three teams, that came to an end in week four. Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins had to be carted off following a lower leg injury early in the game against Arlington. Wilkins had been in the MVP conversation before getting hurt. Both quarterbacks in the Houston vs. Birmingham game went down. Jalan McClendon relieved Nolan Henderson and gave the Roughnecks a downfield passing game the team has sorely lacked this season. Spring veteran Case Cookus replaced Matt Corral and was able to guide Birmingham to the victory. The injury to Wilkins looks to be the most long-term of these, and to have the most serious consequences for the team.
Down: Games under three hours
Several of the UFL's timing rules were designed to fit into the three-hour television window that these games are afforded by networks. Yet, most games so far this season have gone over the three-hour mark. In 2023, the adjustments used by the XFL resulted in some games finishing well under three hours, forcing the announcers to vamp for several minutes before going off air at the top of the hour; that's not a good thing, either. Largely, though, the UFL hasn't approached college football's marathon broadcasts or even some NFL games, so it's been mostly reasonable. We'll see if the group in charge of rules tweaks any of them in an attempt to further shorten games next season.
Up: Need for pass rushers
While most teams are searching for offense, some teams seem to be scouring free agency to add players to affect the passer. After getting run over in the first week by St. Louis, Houston added edge Tashawn Bower, who has made several plays since then. Recently, they claimed another edge rusher, Rashod Berry, off waivers from San Antonio. Meanwhile, the Brahmas, who had just two sacks through three games, signed David Anenih and Nelson Ceaser this week, both players who specialize in rushing the QB. Each team has their own needs due to ineffectiveness or injury as the season progresses, but in a league like this, if you have players that can take down the quarterback, it gives you a significant advantage on that side of the ball.
Down: Marquee Friday night matchups
When the schedule was released, it seemed odd that the UFL would choose to open in Houston with the Roughnecks. Indeed, it went about as expected, with St. Louis obliterating them, likely chasing off viewers in the process. Memphis, with two wins last year and winless so far in 2025, has back-to-back games in this prestigious timeslot, in weeks four and five. Granted, scheduling must take a number of different factors into account and this perhaps isn't what UFL management would've preferred. Fans expected the Friday night on FOX timeslots to potentially draw new fans to the product, but there's no indication that has happened. The quality of matchups so far could have something to do with it.