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: De’Veon Smith’s touchdown percentage
Re-signing with Arlington for a third season just after final cuts were made, RB De’Veon Smith managed only a few practices before being active for the first Renegades game of the season. He was eased into action, getting just three touches. However, all three touches were goal-line carries, and Smith cashed in on each opportunity. Three rushes, three yards, three TDs. Though Kalen Ballage looked excellent as the starter and backup Dae Dae Hunter offers a change-of-pace, expect Smith to work his way into the rotation at some point this season, especially if week one is an indication of Arlington’s offensive prowess: Smith could be used to wear down defenses in the second half of routes.
Down: Skip Holtz’s magic touch
When you’ve been as good as Birmingham has the last three years, you get a few lucky breaks as well: Penalties at opportune times go against the opponents, balls bounce your way. It’s similar to the recipe of success for the Kansas City Chiefs. On Sunday against the D.C. Defenders, the Stallions’ Cinderella run appeared to turn into a pumpkin. Birmingham committed a lot of self-inflicted mistakes we simply haven’t seen them make under head coach Skip Holtz, like pre-snap penalties, poor offensive line play, and defensive breakdowns. It’s only one game and for as ugly as their play was, Birmingham was in it until the very end. I’m not ready to write the epitaph for this dynasty, but cracks have begun to show. Can other teams now take advantage?
Up: Interim head coach performances
With two interim head coaches on the sidelines, both having taken over with less than a week until the first game of the season, there was a question as to how effect their teams would be. The early returns were positive for both Jim Turner in Memphis and Shannon Harris in D.C. Memphis was in it until late, standing toe-to-toe with a 2024 USFL Conference playoff team in Michigan until a Kai Nacua pick-six put an end to the Showboats’ hopes. Harris, one of many Defenders coaches expected to join Reggie Barlow’s Tennessee State staff after the season, led D.C. to the biggest upset of the weekend, over the three-time defending champion Stallions. Turner will return to his offensive line coaching duties this week with Ken Whisenhunt expected back from his leave of absence.
Down: Houston’s off-season roster renovation
Hopes were high in Houston with an extensive off-season roster retooling having taken place under new general manager Will Lewis. A prime-time season debut at home on FOX, kicking off the league’s Friday night slate, had the potential to juice up the Roughnecks and get this new era started on the right foot. Instead, it appears as if the worst team in the league in 2024 may have, somehow, taken a step back in their 31-6 drubbing at the hands of St. Louis. The offensive woes were not solved and the defense, which often kept them in games last year, was completely bulldozed in the run game. There were very few signs of hope for Curtis Johnson’s team, with whispers about Johnson’s job security now becoming much louder.
Up: UFL rushing records set
In existence for just one season, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when UFL single-game records fall – and it will happen this season. In fact, two single-game records were smashed in week one of the UFL. What makes it unique is that it was the same record broken twice. On Friday night, Battlehawks backup running back Jarveon Howard set a new UFL rushing long at 74 yards in the fourth quarter against Houston. That lasted all of one day, when in the very next game on Saturday afternoon, Arlington’s Kalen Ballage bested Howard by just three yards, scampering for 77 and a TD against San Antonio. As difficult as teams found it to run the ball last season, at least in week one, it was far less of a challenge.
Down: League momentum
It’s difficult not to be disappointed with initial week one numbers in the key areas of attendance and television viewership. I analyzed college football and college basketball ratings in the Friday night FOX timeslot that the UFL took over this week, and the UFL, in its first game of the season, came nowhere close, averaging 690,000 viewers per Mike Mitchell. Yes, it was a blowout of a game that was over early, and yes, March Madness likely took a significant chunk out of the audience. Still, this was not exactly putting their best foot forward. The news wasn’t much better in the stands: Memphis’s home-opener drew fewer people than any of their five games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium last year, while Houston, back in TDECU Stadium, failed to reach even 8,000. If you’re squinting to find good news, Arlington’s 10,000+ would’ve been good for third-highest home attendance for the team last year.
