Game Notes: Memphis Showboats vs D.C. - Week 9
May 21, 2024 - United Football League (UFL)
Memphis Showboats News Release
The Memphis Showboats will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak Sunday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. The Showboats will be looking for their first home victory this season, with two home games left on the docket. D.C. has only won once this season outside the nation's capital.
Memphis is No. 6 in the United Football League in scoring offense, while D.C. is No. 7. On defense, the Showboats rank No. 8 in points allowed, while D.C. is No. 7.
The D.C. offense is led by quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who ranks No. 3 in the league in passing, No. 13 in rushing and No. 3 in total offense (193.3 ypg). Memphis quarterback Case Cookus is No. 6 in the UFL in total offense (153.6 ypg).
Saturday's game is slated for a 1:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and will be broadcast nationally on FOX and FOX Sports on Sirius XM.
The Memphis radio broadcast will be heard on News Talk 98.9, with Eli Savoie (play-by-play), Russell Copeland (analyst) and Tyler Springs (sideline, pre/post) on the call.
LAST WEEK
The Arlington Renegades jumped on the Memphis Showboats early and used that momentum to pull away for a 47-23 victory.
Arlington had already grabbed a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. Memphis was looking to get some momentum and went for a deep shot down the left sideline. But Troy Williams' pass was intercepted by Tenny Adewusi, who returned it 47 yards to the Memphis 24-yard line.
Two plays later, DeVeon Smith powered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run. The two- point conversion was successful and Arlington led 22-3 with 11:50 left in the first half.
The rest of the game was back-and-forth, but Memphis couldn't close the early gap.
Williams finished 14-of-21 passing for 127 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Case Cookus was 11-of-17 for 103 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in relief. Williams led the Showboats in rushing with 37 yards on six carries. Davis hauled in seven receptions for 83 yards and a score, while Vinny Papale caught seven for 55 yards and a touchdown.
BANGED UP QB'S
Case Cookus left the Week 4 game at St. Louis with a shoulder injury, leading to Troy Williams' first start in Week 5. Cookus returned to the lineup in Week 6. Williams started in Week 7, but suffered a rib and hand injury. Cookus made the start in Week 8, but was relieved by Josh Love after suffering rib injuries during the contest. It was Love's first action of the season.
RUNNING BACK NOTEBOOK
- Darius Victor is the No. 9 rusher in the UFL. He has tallied 239 yards on 82 carries with 1 touchdown this season. Victor is averaging 29.9 yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry this season.
- Titus Swen and Darius Victor have an interesting shared background. Both were refugees of Civil War-torn Liberia in their youth. Both found their way to the U.S., picked up football, became running backs and now share the same locker room with the Showboats.
- Cyrus Habibi-Likio joined the team prior to the Week 4 matchup at St. Louis and has seen plenty of action the last four weeks. The Boise State product, who also played at Oregon, saw his first carry of the season in Week 6 vs. Birmingham, a 2-yard run vs. the Stallions.
- Titus Swen has 21 carries for 63 yards this season. But he has seen a large role on special teams. Swen has taken over as the top kick returner for the Showboats and is averaging 26.2 yards per return, with a long of 38.
QUARTERBACK NOTEBOOK
- Case Cookus was a two-year starter for the Philadelphia Stars. Josh Love started nine games for the Michigan Panthers last season. Troy Williams started eight games for the Pittsburgh Maulers last season. No other UFL team can boast that amount of USFL/XFL starting experience among its top three quarterbacks.
- Cookus ranked No. 2 in the USFL in passing yards last season, throwing for 2,433 yards, while playing for the Philadelphia Stars. He also passed for 14 touchdowns, which ranked No. 3 in the league. He is No. 6 in the UFL with 989 yards this season.
- Williams was one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the USFL last season. He passed for 1,414 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for 341 yards and three scores for the Pittsburgh Maulers. He is 54-of-99 this season for 576 yards with 5 TDs and 5 interceptions.
- Love passed for 1,556 yards and 13 TDs with 13 interceptions for the Panthers last season. He was 9-of-12 for 56 yards and 1 TD against the Panthers last week.
VITO'S VITAE
Darius Victor was the 2022 USFL Offensive Player of the Year, an All-USFL selection and led the league in rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 477 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022 for the New Jersey Generals. While his touchdown total went down in 2023, he rushed for 551 yards last season and his yards per carry was up nearly one full yard. In 2022, he averaged 4.54 yards per carry and that average increased to 5.51 last season.
DAEWOOD = DA MAN
Daewood Davis put up one of the top highlights of Week 5 in the United Football League. Quarterback Troy Williams found him streaking down the left sideline against Michigan and Davis did the rest, going 82 yards for a score. It is still the longest touchdown and play from scrimmage so far this season in the UFL.
Davis added another long score on the first offensive play of the game for Memphis last week, going 65 yards for a TD. He has 2 of the 7 longest plays this season.
Davis currently ranks No. 2 in the league in receiving yards with 443, is tied for first in TD catches with 5 and ranks No. 5 in total receptions with 38.
WIDE RECEIVER NOTEBOOK
- Vinny Papale has four touchdown receptions this season. He had one in each of Memphis' first four road games, but was kept out of the end zone last week at Michigan. His four TD receptions put him in a tie for No. 5 in the UFL.
- Jonathan Adams ranked No. 6 in the USFL in receiving yards last season, playing under John DeFilippo with the New Orleans Breakers. Adams hauled in 41 receptions for 511 yards and 2 touchdowns. He has 8 receptions for 309 yards this season, tanking No. 13 in the UFL for receiving yards.
- Papale was the Showboats' leading receiver last season, catching 33 balls for 345 yards and three scores. He was also an All-USFL selection as a Special Teams Player. And yes, if you recognize his name, his father is Vince Papale, the subject of the movie Invincible.
TIGHT END NOTEBOOK
- Surratt was the top-ranked tight end in the USFL in both receptions and receiving yards last season. He hauled in 50 receptions for 552 yards. His reception total was No. 2 in the league among all receivers, while his receiving yards ranked No. 3 among all receivers. He did all that under John DeFilippo with the Breakers.
- Jay Jay Wilson returns to the Showboats after catching 16 balls for 170 yards and a score last season.
- Wes Saxton comes to the Showboats after playing for the New Jersey Generals in both 2022 and 2023. Saxton missed the last two games with an injury. He returned from injury and tallied an 11-yard reception in Week 6 vs. Birmingham.
- Saxton iced the lone victory for the Showboats vs. Houston in Week 1, recovering a muffed punt, allowing Memphis to run out the clock and secure the win.
OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK
- Jarron Jones returns to the Showboats as a two-time All-USFL selection for the franchise. He earned that honor with the Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022, before the franchise became the Memphis Showboats. He has started all 8 games.
- Jared Thomas was a 2022 All-USFL selection with New Orleans and played for the XFL Seattle Sea Dragons last season. He has started all 8 games.
- Larry Tunstall took over the left tackle spot in Week 2. Marcus Tatum started at left tackle in Weeks 5 and 6 with Tunstall injured. However, Tunstall returned to the starting lineup the last two weeks.
- Darrin Paulo has started all eight games at left guard.
- Jordan McCray has become the starter at right guard, getting the nod in five of eight games so far this season.
SURE-HANDED SURRATT
Tight end Sage Surratt is averaging 10.2 yards per reception, with 23 catches for 235 yards and 2 TDs. He ranks No. 4 in the league in receiving yards among tight ends, trailing Sal Cannella (ARL), Cody Latimer (SA) and Jace Sternberger (BHAM).
DEFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK
- Atkins returns to the Showboats this season. He was a 2023 All-USFL selection, recording 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Atkins has been with the franchise since 2022, when it was the Tampa Bay Bandits.
- Daylon Mack is No. 2 on the Memphis defensive line with 14 total tackles this season. Eight of his stops have been solo tackles.
- P.J. Hall is the only Showboats' defensive lineman to score multiple tackles for-loss so far this season. Hall has two stops behind the line of scrimmage, including a sack in the Week 5 matchup vs. Michigan.
BIG JOHN LEADS THE D-LINE
Defensive tackle John Atkins Sr. is the anchor for the Showboats' defensive line.
Atkins leads all Memphis defensive linemen in total tackles with 17. He has also recovered a fumble this season.
MAXIMILLIAN MAKES A MARK
Despite being listed as a backup on the depth chart, Maximillian Roberts has been the the Showboats' most effective pass rusher from his outside linebacker spot. Roberts holds the team lead with 4 sacks.
Roberts tallied Memphis' lone sack against Michigan last week.
SECONDARY NOTEBOOK
- Lamont McPhatter has quietly become one of the Showboats' top defenders. He ranks No. 2 on the team with 37 total tackles in six games. His average of 6.2 tackles per game leads the team. He also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
- T.J. Green returns to the Memphis secondary. He tallied 21 tackles last season and his lone interception of the season secured a win over Houston on May 28, 2023. He currently ranks No. 6 on the team with 32 total tackles, including a sack.
- Quenton Meeks returns to the 'Boats after posting 21 stops and 1 INT last year. He played for both New Orleans and Tampa Bay in the USFL's 2022 season. Meeks returned an interception 42 yards at St. Louis in Week 4. He leads the team with 3 pass breakups.
- Jarey Elder ranks No. 7 on the team with 29 tackles and No. 3 with 25 solo stops.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK
- Matt Coghlin made 18-of-19 field goal attempts last season for New Orleans and has continued to make kicks at a high rate. He is now 14-of-15 this season. His 93.3 percent success rate is No. 1 in the UFL. Coghlin buried a career-best 57-yarder in Week 3 at Birmingham.
- Matthew White averaged 44.9 yards per punt last season for the Breakers, ranking No. 4 in the USFL. He currently ranks No. 5 in the UFL with an average of 44.2 yards per punt. His 66-yarder in Week 3 at Birmingham is the longest of the UFL season.
- Head coach John DeFilippo is very familiar with his specialists. The Showboats' new head coach brought his kicker, punter and long snapper over with him from the New Orleans Breakers. Coghlin handles the placekicking duties, while White punts and holds for placekicks. Turner Bernard is the long snapper.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN(S)!
The Showboats have announced their captains for the 2024 season, as determined by a team vote. The 2024 Memphis Showboats captains are:
- DL John Atkins Sr.
- QB Case Cookus
- DB Jarey Elder
- RB Darius Victor
- P Matt White
LINEBACKER NOTEBOOK
- Malik Lawal's 35 total tackles rank No. 3 on the team, despite missing two games this season.
- Outside linebacker Jordan Ferguson No. 3 on the team with 3 sacks. Ferguson ranks No. 5 on the team with 33 total tackles to lead the outside linebackers. he has 4 tackles for-loss and one fumble recovery, as well.
- Outside linebacker Greg Reaves is No. 2 on the team with 3.5 sacks. With 15 total tackles, more than 20 percent of his stops have been sacks.
- Anthony Butler led the linebacking corps with seven total tackles in each of the past two games. He has 16 tackles in just four games played.
- T.J. Neal has tallied 28 total tackles and played in each game this season.
DELRICK'S THE TOP DEFENDER
Delrick Abrams leads the Showboats with 41 total tackles and 34 solo tackles. He's also tied for the team lead in tackles for-loss from his cornerback position. He has also tallied 1 intercption and 2 pass breakups.
TALKING TURNOVERS
The Showboats were No. 1 in the United Football League in takeaways prior to Week 6, but have not created a turnover in the last two games and now rank No. 5 with 9 takeaways. On the flip side, Memphis is leading the league in giveaways with 17 for a -8 turnover margin that ranks No. 8 in the league. The Showboats were -1 in turnover margin last week at Michigan.
WHAT'S THE CONVERSION RATE?
While the Memphis offense has struggled, the Showboats are still No. 3 in the league in third-down conversions. Memphis has converted 40-of-93 third downs (43.0 percent). Defensively, the 'Boats are struggling to get off the field, ranking last in third- down conversion defense at 50.0 percent (42-of-84).
ROSTER MOVES
The Showboats have made four roster moves so far this season. The most recent was signing Terrill Hanks after Jeff McCulloch was placed on injured reserve.
Signed: Terrill Hanks, ILB, New Mexico State; D.J. Daniel, DB, Georgia; Marcus Tatum, OL, UCF; Cyrus Habibi-Likio, RB, Boise State
Waived: Christian McFarland, DB, Idaho State; Trey Williams, RB, Texas A&M; Terry Poole, OL, San Diego State
Injured Reserve: Jeff McCulloch, LB, Texas
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
The Showboats' defense currently ranks No. 7 in the UFL in sacks. Memphis has gotten to the quarterback 14 times this season. Meanwhile, the 'Boats have a allowed a league-most 36 sacks this season (Houston is the next closest at 22).
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Memphis converted the first 3-point conversion in UFL history in Week 6 vs. Birmingham on a Troy Williams-to-Dee Anderson pass. The league is 2-of-6 on 3-point conversions this season after San Antonio converted one in Week 7.
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