Naming a first and second team of the week following the first week of the UFL season. The purpose of this project is to shine a light on players who are standing out in their respective positions.
Offensive player of the week: QB Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers); Perkins was the most efficient passer in week 1 as he completed 16 of his 19 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown. While I dislike the frequent pattern of offensive awards simply going to the top quarterback in football, Perkins’ ability to be unaffected by pressure from opposing pass rushers in week 1 helped him stand out to me as the top offensive player.
Defensive player of the week: Safety Kai Nacua (Michigan Panthers); Nacua was in on 6 total tackles and was in on a run stop and a stop against a pass. The only target to come his way in week 1 resulted in an interception that he took 80 yards to the house in the 4th quarter. Nacua was also named Week 1: UFL News Hub Player of the Week in Sue Levine’s article.
| Pos | Week 1 1st Team | Week 1 2nd Team |
| QB | Bryce Perkins (MI) | Manny Wilkins (STL) |
| RB | Kalen Ballage (ARL) | Jacob Saylors (STL) |
| WR | Jonathan Adams Jr. (MEM) | Samson Nacua (MI) |
| WR | Jahcour Pearson (STL) | Ty Scott (DC) |
| WR | Marcus Simms (MI) | Malik Turner (MI) |
| TE | Sal Cannella (ARL) | Seth Green (ARL) |
| LT | Ryan Nelson (MI) | Willie Tyler III (SA) |
| LG | Marcus Minor (ARL) | Jake Burton (MI) |
| C | Mike Panasiuk (STL) | Jack Kramer (HOU) |
| RG | Abdul Beecham (STL) | Lamont Gaillard (DC) |
| RT | Juwann Bushell-Beatty (STL) | Adrian Ealy (ARL) |
| DE | Pita Taumoepenu (STL) | Kenny Willekes (MI) |
| DT | Joseph Wallace (DC) | Perrion Winfrey (BIR) |
| DT | Garrett Marino (MI) | T.J. Carter (MI) |
| DE | Breeland Speaks (MI) | Derick Roberson (DC) |
| LB | J.T. Tyler (HOU) | Donald Payne (ARL) |
| LB | Frank Ginda (MI) | Jordan Williams (SA) |
| LB | Kyahva Tezino (BIR) | Marvin Moody (HOU) |
| CB | Chris Payton-Jones (STL) | Steven Gilmore (BIR) |
| S | Kai Nacua (MI) | Lukas Dennis (STL) |
| S | Kameron Kelly (STL) | Tre Norwood (BIR) |
| CB | Bryce Thompson (DC) | Adonis Alexander (MI) |
| K | Matt McCrane (DC) | Matt Coghlin (MEM) |
| P | Brad Wing (SA) | Marquette King (ARL) |
| Returner | Deon Cain (BIR) | Amari Rodgers (BIR) |
Week 1 1st Team
Offense
- QB: Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers)
- Completed 16 of his 19 passes in Week 1 for 163 yards and a touchdown and had 14 rushing yards, including a 2-yard touchdown with 4 broken tackles.
- RB: Kalen Ballage (Arlington Renegades)
- Ballage rushed 9 times for 110 yards (12.2 average), including a 77-yard touchdown with 3 missed tackles forced. He had 5 missed tackles forced on the game by my count.
- WR: Jonathan Adams Jr. (Memphis Showboats)
- Adams caught 6 of his 7 targets for 93 yards, 24 of which were YAC, and had a touchdown in Week 1.
- WR: Jahcour Pearson (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- Pearson caught all 6 of his targets for 83 yards, including 54 YAC.
- WR: Marcus Simms (Michigan Panthers)
- Simms caught 4 of his 6 targets for 53 yards, 31 of which were YAC. He had 4 missed tackles in Week 1.
- TE: Sal Cannella (Arlington Renegades)
- Cannella led Arlington in receiving as he caught 5 of his 8 targets for 45 yards, 23 of which were YAC.
- LT: Ryan Nelson (Michigan Panthers)
- Nelson had nearly a perfect game in pass protection. By my count only had 1 pressure come past him, which was in the 4th quarter on a play in which the defender was the second Memphis pass rusher to apply pressure on the play.
- LG: Marcus Minor (Arlington Renegades)
- By my count, Minor had pressure generated that he was responsible for on only 2 plays.
- C: Mike Panasiuk (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- He was the only starting center this week to achieve the feat of not having a single pressure generated, which he was responsible for preventing.
- RG: Abdul Beecham (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- Beecham allowed only 1 pressure in Week 1 which occurred in the 2nd quarter to a pass rusher I attributed to be a secondary source of pressure on the play.
- RT: Juwann Bushell-Beatty (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- I did not attribute any pressure to him in Week 1.
Defense
- DE: Pita Taumoepenu (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- There were 11 total plays in which Taumoepenu generated pressure on the passer in Week 1 by my count, including sacks on back-to-back plays in the 4th quarter.
- DT: Joseph Wallace (D.C. Defenders)
- Wallace generated pressure on 9 total plays, including a sack.
- DT: Garrett Marino (Michigan Panthers)
- Marino had 6 total tackles, which saw him involved in 4 run stops and a shared sack. He also generated pressure on 4 total plays.
- DE: Breeland Speaks (Michigan Panthers)
- Speaks generated pressure on 10 total plays, 7 of which were in the 4th quarter.
- LB: J.T. Tyler (Houston Roughnecks)
- Tyler had 5 tackles and was in on 3 solo run stops and 2 assisted stops.
- LB: Frank Ginda (Michigan Panthers)
- Ginda had 11 total tackles, including a solo run stop, and was in on 4 shared run stops and a shared pass stop.
- LB: Kyahva Tezino (Birmingham Stallions)
- Tezino had 5 total tackles, including 4 shared run stops.
- CB: Chris Payton-Jones (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- Jones had 5 targets come his way and 0 resulted in a completion. He had 3 total tackles, including 2 run stops, and had a pass defended.
- S: Kai Nacua (Michigan Panthers)
- Kai Nacua recorded 6 total tackles, and the only target that came his way in Week 1 he returned 80 yards for a touchdown.
- S: Kameron Kelly (St. Louis Battlehawks)
- Kelly had 2 targets come his way, and neither resulted in a completion, and he broke one of them up.
- CB: Bryce Thompson (D.C. Defenders)
- By my count, Bryce Thompson had 3 targets downfield come his way, and none resulted in a completion. He had a pass breakup and a sack.
Special Teams
- K: Matt McCrane (D.C. Defenders)
- 4 for 4 on field goals, with the farthest being from 53.
- P: Brad Wing (San Antonio Brahmas)
- 3 punts for an average of 48.7 yards per punt, with the longest being 69 yards. 2 of them were beauties, with a 69-yarder to the 13 and a 61-yarder to the 4.
- Returner: Deon Cain (Birmingham Stallions)
- 5 kickoff returns for 157 yards, 31.4 average, long of 41.
