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.
1 Comment
by Ken Granito
Before the season started UFL management stated they wanted to be young. I am not sure what the plan was. I understand having youth to work its way in to a normal succession plan, but the UFL worked this very poorly. They mentioned how excited they were to have an average age of 24, whereas the NFL’s average is 25. To me that is most confusing. First 25 is kind of a young age in itself, but I imagine that accounts for practice squad players and recent draft picks that make up a lot of players, but not percentage wise as much game play. For instance Aaron Rodgers is 40 and played virtually every offensive snap where Irvin Charles is like 22 and played mostly special teams coverage snaps. With a salary cap a lot of the veteran backups are jettisoned as to sign cheaper players who are often younger players. Veterans retire younger than when I was a kid. So the UFL by signing many 24 year olds with only a 50 man roster leads often to choppy and uneven play especially at Quarterback. You mentioned the Memphis backfield. I think it would have been smart to bring back Darius Victor. He got 3.7 yards a carry with that offensive line last year. He may as well lead the lead in rushing. Instead we had 3 players with around 25 yards between all three and DeWayne McBride was cut. I imagine EJ Perry and Troy Williams wished they had Victor on their team now, especially since this line has done a bit better than last year’s line. PJ Walker would have been a smart signing for the Roughnecks, but instead he was told to go sign in the CFL. I am sorry, but nothing I saw last year said that Nolan Henderson was going to lead the Roughnecks to the playoffs this year. He should have been allowed to rest behind PJ Walker, but this UFL doesn’t use logic. They don’t use sense and up until now have not proven to care about gameplay. They have other concerns like looking younger. The steadiness the Roughnecks would have had under PJ Walker would be something none of the other quarterbacks could provide now that AJ McCarron is gone. You mentioned how the league wants pass rushers. Ethan Westbrooks, great pass rusher, but he was sent packing after a strong season. Just too many of the league’s vets are gone after last season. I am not certain if the league tried to sign veteran NFL quarterbacks that have been sitting. Had they the would have experienced backups and the gameplay would have been much better or we would know to scratch them off for potential future endeavors. Personally of the group Nate Sudfeld, Natan Peterman, Ian Book, Jacob Eason and Jake Luton, I think there is at least one starting QB for the UFL, maybe two. I don’t even know if any of them were even asked. I get the UFL doesn’t report to me, however I would feel better knowing we tried to sign them as opposed to the league just not caring who they put on the field. I see the beauty in football. I imagine that out of the 5 of them, 1 of them would want to play again in a meaningful setting. It is clear the league needs help, but has some talent and in no way would I say this league is beneath them. IF they were asked to play and said no that is their thought and, to me, it doesn’t say anything about the league. That stated to answer the Quarterback issue, the pass rushing issue, the Showboats instability it all comes down to a larger veteran presence. Hopefully with the new contract more players will be drawn to the league. One last thought and I know he was injured last I heard, but I thought Austin Walter was a NFL quality running back, but he wasn’t afraid to play in the UFL from his past Renegades experience. Is he able to play, because if so and with the shortage of running backs, next injury he may be worth a call.