Battlehawks Week 1 Game Notes
February 15, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
St. Louis Battlehawks News Release
SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS VS ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS
SUNDAY - FEB 19 - 2PM CT
ABC
ALAMODOME
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
GAME ONE
Head Coach: Hines Ward
XFL Record (0-0)
Career Record (0-0)
Head Coaching Experience: 1st season
Head Coach: Anthony Becht
XFL Record (0-0)
Career Record (0-0)
Head Coaching Experience: 1st season
Series Notes: Today is the first meeting between St. Louis and San Antonio in the XFL. Both Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht and Brahmas Head Coach Hines Ward are making their head coaching debuts following playing careers in the NFL. Becht played at tight end for five teams in a career that spanned from 2000-11. Hines was a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the entirety of his 14-year NFL career.
BATTLEHAWKS AT SAN ANTONIO
SUN FEB 19 AT 2 PM CT ON ABC
MATT BARRIE Play-by-Play
JOEY GALLOWAY Booth Analyst
ERIC MAC LANE Field Analyst
TIFFANY BLACKMON Reporter
LIFE ON THE ROAD
The St. Louis Battlehawks will keep their bags packed from training camp as the team opens the 2023 season with three consecutive road games before the home opener on Sunday, March 12 at the Dome at America's Center.
That is their longest road trip of the season, and the Battlehawks are the only XFL team to start the season with more than one game on the road. They will complete the trip with a visit to Seattle on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 8 p,m. CT to face the Sea Dragons and a stop in Washington D.C. to take on the D.C. Defenders on Sunday, March 5 at noon CT.
FAMILIAR FACES
- Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht played for the St. Louis Rams in 2008.
- Offensive Coordinator Bruce Gradkowski (2008), Defensive Line Coach La'Roi Glover (2006-08), Running Backs Coach Art Valero (2008-09), Wide Receivers Coach Ricky Proehl (1998-2002), Director of Player Personnel Dave Boller (2004-07) and Vice President of Team Business and Event Operations Brandon Williams (2007) were also part of the St. Louis Rams organization.
- Running Back Brian Hill graduated from Belleville West High School.
- Wide Receiver Darrius Shepherd (Blue Springs) and Defensive Lineman Freedom Akinmoladun (Grandview) are both from western Missouri.
BUILDING THE ROSTER
The Battlehawks waived 17 players at the end of training camp Feb. 9 to cut the roster to 50 players. They then signed quarterback Manny Wilkins on Feb. 13 to bring the roster to 51 players. Wilkins is one of three quarterbacks on the roster along with A.J. McCarron and Nick Tiano.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Wide receiver Austin Proehl will make his debut with the Battlehawks with his father, Ricky, on the sideline as the club's wide receivers coach.
Defensive Coordinator Donnie Abraham will be working alongside his son Devin, who is the Battlehawks quality control/assistant defensive backs coach.
Linebacker Tre Watson Sr. is the son of James Watson, who played defensive back in the NFL. Defensive back Elijah Hamilton is also a second generation professional football player, following in the steps of his father, Ruffin Hamilton, who played for Atlanta and Green Bay.
DID YOU KNOW??
St. Louis Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht made his first NFL catch on September 24, 2000 as the New York Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-17. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde completed a 4-yard pass to Becht, who was tackled by Donnie Abraham--who is now the Defensive Coordinator of the Battlehawks.
RULES, RULES, RULES
The XFL brings back several popular, unique rules from the 2020 season while also implementing new innovative rules for the 2023 season.
Rules such as tiered extra points and double forward passes will return, as well as the kickoffs in which teams line up five yards apart. The kickoff rule led to fewer injuries and a 92 percent return rate in 2020.
New rules include an extra possession option in the fourth quarter only, teams may now attempt to retain possession by converting a 4th and 15 play from their own 25-yard line.
Teams can utilize an onside kick at any point in the game, but must notify the referee they plan to do so.
The play clock has been increased from 25 to 35 seconds, and each team will have three timeouts to use each half rather than the two at their disposal in 2020.
The XFL is also introducing a first of its kind, centralized 'command center' for instant replay review and officiating led by Dean Blandino, Vice President of Officiating and Playing Rules Innovation. The fully cloud-based instant replay program offers live integration during replay reviews and oversight of officiating discrepancies during all 43 XFL games.
OFFICIAL WATCH PARTIES
The Battlehawks may be on the road, but St. Louis fans can still gather to celebrate on gamedays at our official watch party locations:
- Westport Social, 910 W Port Plaza Dr, St. Louis, MO 63146
- Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO 63102
- All 8 Syberg's locations
HOME SWEET DOME
The Battlehawks will hold their five home games at The Dome at America's Center. The Dome was constructed in 1995 and hosted NFL games from 1995-2015. A multi-purpose facility that has hosted a wide variety of events in its nearly three decades, The Dome also hosted the Battlehawks during the 2020 season.
The team went 2-0 in its two home games that season.
TRANSACTIONS
DATE POS.PLAYER/COACH TRANSACTION
Feb.13 QB Manny Wilkins Signed
Feb.9 OT Kai Absheer Waived
Feb.9 SAF Jonathan Alexander Waived
Feb.9 RB Leddie Brown Waived
Feb.9 SAF Phil Campbell III Waived
Feb.9 WR Donteea Dye Waived
Feb.9 OT Bryce Foxworth Waived
Feb.9 CB Allie Green Waived
Feb.9 CB Quenton Meeks Waived
Feb.9 SAF Obi Melifonwu Waived
Feb.9 DB Jordan Miller Waived
Feb.9 LB Marvin Moody Waived
Feb.9 WR Nyquan Murray Waived
Feb.9 TE Jevoni Robinson Waived
Feb.9 LB Drew Singleton Waived
Feb.9 DT Shakir Soto Waived
Feb.9 WR Caleb Vander Esch Waived
Feb.9 CB Kishawn Walker Waived
Feb.6 QB Ryan Willis Waived
Feb.4 TE Jevoni Robinson Signed
Feb.2 DB Evan Fields Waived
Feb.2 DB Bryce Watts Waived
Feb.2 DB Jordan Miller Signed
Jan.30 OT Jay Williams Waived
Jan.30 SAF Obi Melifonwu Signed
Jan.29 DC Lavert Hill Signed
Jan.28 DC Tim Harris Signed
Jan.28 OL Eric Magwood Signed
Jan.27 DT Seth Walter Waived
Jan.23 RB Abdul Adams Waived
Jan.21 RB Darius Bradwell Waived
Jan.21 OG Tison Gray Waived
Jan.21 CB Tareke Lewis Waived
Jan.21 WR Bryce Nunnelly Waived
Jan.21 CB Jakoby Pappillion Waived
Jan.16 CB Nate Meadors Signed
Jan.10 OL Mike Panasiuk Signed
Jan.10 DB Bryce Watts Signed
TOTAL NUMBER: 38
ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS BY THE NUMBERS
29,554 St. Louis fans set an XFL single game attendance record as they packed the Dome at America's Center
1,078 Days since the Battlehawks last played (March 8, 2020 @ DC Defenders)
42 Different colleges and universities the Battlehawks' 51-player roster claim as their alma mater
904 Miles between the Dome at America's Center and The Alamodome
206 Combined games of NFL experience on the Battlehawk's 51-player roster
PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE
Freedom Akinmoladun....AA-kinn-MOO-lah-dune
Vadal Alexander....................vuh-DOLL
Marcell Ateman...........MAR-cell EIGHT-man
Lukas Denis.........................Din-iss
Daishawn Dixon....................DAY-shawn
Mataeo Durant....................muh-TAY-oh
Donny Hageman......................HAIG-men
Jovani Haskins...........jo-VAHN-ee HASKins
Sterling Hofrichter...........HOFF-rick-ter
LaCale London......................Luh-Kale
Nate Meadors.......................MAY-ders
Mike Panasiuk..................pan-uh-shook
Austin Proehl.........................prole
Gelen Robinson......................GEE-lin
Taniela Tupou.........tahn-EE-el-uh two-poh
Lakiem Williams...................la-KEE-em
Anthony Becht.........................Bek-t
Bruce Gradkowski...............Grad-KOW-ski
Ricky Proehl..........................prole
La'Roi Glover.......................Lah-ROY
Pat Perles.........................Per-luss
XFL Stories from February 15, 2023
- Trailer Dropped, Release Date Announced for Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream - XFL
- Vegas Vipers Game Notes for Week 1 vs Arlington Renegades - Vegas Vipers
- Battlehawks Week 1 Game Notes - St. Louis Battlehawks
- XFL and ESPN Announce Debut for Original Docuseries Player 54: Chasing the XFL Dream and Unveil New Official Trailer - XFL
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