Jacob Saylors led all operating backs final season on his option to incomes All-UFL honors, and it seems the 25-year-old is choosing up proper the place he left off, ending with 79 scrimmage yards and three scores within the St. Louis Battlehawks‘ 26-9 victory over the visiting St. Louis Brahmas in entrance of 32,115 followers on the Dome at America’s Heart in Week 2.
“Jacob is taking part in his ass off as a result of he’s attempting to get again someplace (the NFL),” St. Louis quarterback Manny Wilkins mentioned. “That’s the one factor I hold reiterating to those guys, and this league is doing such a superb job of making a possibility. That’s what this league is — it is an opportunity for guys to go on the market and present who you’re.”
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Via two weeks, Saylors leads the league in touchdowns (4) and is second in speeding yards (144).
Week 2’s sport was a rematch of final 12 months’s XFL Convention closing, a sport that the Battlehawks misplaced by double digits, 25-15. So, St. Louis earned a measure of revenge and continues to appear like the staff to beat within the UFL this season.
Right here’s a have a look at different storylines from Week 2:
Battlehawks offensive coordinator Phil McGeoghan is on a heater
St. Louis has the highest scoring offense by means of two weeks, averaging a league-high 28.5 factors a contest.
On the forefront of the Battlehawks’ success is the inventive play calling of recent offensive coordinator Phil McGeoghan, who changed Bruce Gradkowski when he left to grow to be an offensive assistant for the Detroit Lions. A longtime receivers coach within the NFL, McGeoghan labored as an offensive assistant for 4 seasons with the Miami Dolphins alongside one of many brightest NFL offensive innovators in new Chicago Bears head coach, Ben Johnson.
St. Louis has scored seven touchdowns on 18 possessions and punted simply 3 times by means of two weeks. It additionally leads the UFL in whole yards (388.5 per sport), third down conversion proportion (59.3) and speeding yards (217.5 per sport). What’s extra, the Battlehawks’ offense has completed that with 2024 UFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months Hakeem Butler having zero catches on course over that very same span.
“I’m actually pleased with the best way Phil McGeoghan has referred to as performs the final two weeks,” St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht mentioned. “He is performed an unimaginable job within the brief period of time he needed to get this playbook collectively and get us rocking and rolling.”
Becht additionally mentioned don’t sleep on St. Louis’ protection, led by former NFL defensive again and present defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham. The Battlehawks are holding groups to a league-low 15.0 factors a sport.
“Donnie is a man to me who by no means speaks to the media,” Becht mentioned. “He’s very unsung. No one desires to speak about him. All people else will get a whole lot of credit score across the league for being good coordinators, however Donnie Abraham is the perfect coordinator within the league, in my view. He is bought them ready. He is bought buy-in, and he’s bought credibility with the gamers as a result of he performed within the league on the highest degree.”
San Antonio Brahmas vs. St. Louis Battlehawks Highlights | UFL
Subbing for injured Alex McGough, Matt Corral helps Stallions rebound
In his second sport again with the Birmingham Stallions, McGough needed to depart the sport early attributable to a proper shoulder damage he suffered on their first offensive play on a quarterback run.
Corral was stable in McGough’s absence. The Ole Miss product completed 18-of-29 for 198 yards, together with a stunning 52-yard landing to Deon Cain that landed on the prime of our record of the ten greatest performs of the week.
“When the chance presents itself, you’ve bought to be prepared,” Corral mentioned. “And that’s on no person else however your self.”
Corral was picked off twice, however extra importantly for Birmingham, head coach Skip Holtz bought the operating sport going. Final 12 months’s main rusher, Ricky Particular person Jr., totaled 55 speeding yards and a rating. Corral and Particular person’s efforts helped Birmingham defeat the Michigan Panthers (1-1) on the street, 21-12, night their document after a surprising season-opening loss to the D.C. Defenders.
Defenders begin with a shocking 2-0 document
Talking of the Defenders, interim head coach Shannon Harris’ squad continued their profitable methods, incomes a 17-12 residence victory over the visiting Memphis Showboats (0-2).
Coming back from a season-ending ACL knee damage a 12 months in the past, operating again Abram Smith led the Defenders with 55 speeding yards on 16 carries, whereas Chris Rowland added three catches for 66 receiving yards.
Showboats receiver Jonathan Adams continued his robust early-season efficiency, posting 9 catches for 128 receiving yards. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt returned to the sidelines for the Showboats within the loss.
Memphis Showboats vs. DC Defenders Highlights | UFL
No shock right here: Luis Perez leads league in passing
With 375 yards passing by means of two video games, final 12 months’s UFL passing chief is as soon as once more sitting atop the league. The San Diego native accomplished 19-of-27 passes for 211 yards and a rating in an 11-9 victory over the Houston Roughnecks (0-2).
At 2-0, the Arlington Renegades are a sport away from their three-game win whole of a 12 months in the past. Taking part in towards his former staff in Houston, Renegades go rusher Chris Odom completed with three mixed tackles and a sack. Donald Payne led Arlington with 9 mixed tackles.
Protection dominates, as factors are down
The UFL averaged 43.7 mixed factors throughout the common season in 2024, which was greater than each the legacy USFL (42.3 mixed factors) and XFL (42.9 mixed factors) the earlier 12 months earlier than the merger.
Nevertheless, by means of two video games this 12 months, scoring is down, with video games averaging 32.8 mixed factors. Quarterback play has been a difficulty, as they’ve mixed to throw 10 landing passes and a head-scratching 13 interceptions.
With 4 touchdowns already this season, Saylors has extra touchdowns than all however three groups within the league by means of two video games.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him at @eric_d_williams.
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