On Saturday, April 5th, the Memphis Showboats travel to Audi Field to take on the D.C. Defenders. The Defenders are riding high these days after their upset 18-11 victory over the three-time spring championship Birmingham Stallions. The Stallions’ offense came into the game confidently expecting another win, but were ultimately subdued by the strong D.C defense.
Gregg Williams, the D.C. defensive coordinator, deserves high praise for his well-executed game plan that effectively shut down any attempt by quarterback Alex McGough and Birmingham’s offense to retake the lead. McGough was limited to 10/23 completions for 89 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked a record eight times; not the type of record he hoped to break for his welcome back appearance.
THE NEW AND IMPROVED MEMPHIS DEFENSE
Now, the upstart Defenders play host to the Memphis Showboats on Saturday night. The Showboats are coming off a hard-fought game against division rival Michigan Panthers. To the Showboats’ credit, the Memphis defense did a great job pushing back against one of the league’s top scoring offenses.
Despite a chaotic pre-season that saw the team undergo an unexpected quarterback shuffle and last-minute coaching change, the Showboats had a strong first game. An upset victory by Memphis was within reach until the final moment. Much of the credit goes to defensive coordinator Jarren Horton, who had the Showboats defense playing at a significantly improved level over last year’s tepid, last-place defense.
Zeke Vandenburgh and Steele Chambers led the team with 10 tackles each. Eli Walker (8 tackles) and Keaton Ellis (7 tackles) also contributed. Assisting Vandenburgh on a critical sack of Panthers’ quarterback Danny Etling, newcomer Jaylon Allen made a strong statement in his UFL debut.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE DEFENDERS
Unlike the Showboats’ roster, which is almost entirely new personnel, the Defenders team consists of familiar faces. Spring football veteran quarterback Jordan Ta’amu is back leading the offense with All-UFL Team standout Chris Rowland, potentially one of the league’s most exciting and explosive players.
Last week, Ta’amu was 17/37 for 211 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Rowland made the lone touchdown catch. Ty Scott was the leading receiver with 61 yards on 5 receptions.
But it was D.C.’s defense that made the difference last week. All-UFL team CB DeAndre Baker had a huge interception. Anthony Hines had six tackles and two sacks. Joe Wallace had four tackles and a sack. Derick Roberson also had two sacks. With eight sacks total, it was starting to look like interim coach Shannon Harris’s team was passing out sacks like Oprah Winfrey used to give away cars. “Here’s a sack for you and a sack for you!”
If the Showboats want to avoid the same fate as McGough, the offensive line has to do a superior job of protecting the quarterback. Coach Ken Whisenhunt is back at the helm and resuming offensive play-calling duties.
Expect the Showboats’ offense to look better than last week. Although E.J. Perry found Jonathan Adams open for a touchdown, he struggled early against his former team. Troy Williams demonstrated solid chemistry with his receivers until he launched the ill-advised throw that ended with an 80-yard pick six to Panthers’ safety Kai Nacua. .
The Memphis offense is still without star wide receiver Daewood Davis, who was named to the All-UFL team a year ago. However, if Whisenhunt’s offense can get the ground game going early on, the offense can get back on track. RB Deneric Prince showed promise last week. If he and Jacob Kibodi can generate a solid one-two punch to support the passing game, fans can look forward to an exciting night.
Finally, this game features two of the best kickers in the league, Matthew McCrane, who had four field goals last week, and Matthew Coghlin, who delivered two, including a 50-yarder.
The game is scheduled for 8:00 pm Saturday, April 5th at Audi Field with ABC televising the event. Tickets are still available.
