Inside the UFL
by Fran Stuchbury
April 18, 2024 - United Football League (UFL)
If there is any area in which spring football teams struggled the last couple of seasons, it was in the kicking game, particularly early in the season. Suddenly, that's all changed in this year's United Football League campaign. Not only have kickers been accurate - they have only missed only four of 52 kicks this season - but twelve kicks have been successful from 50 yards or more.
Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates has taken it a step further, connecting on two kicks of 60-plus yards. In college he was used as a kick-off specialist, but in the UFL Bates is a perfect five-for-five on field goals. Three other kickers have also been perfect through three weeks: San Antonio's Ryan Santoso (two-for-two), D.C.'s Matt McCrane (eight-for-eight), and Houston's J.J. Molson (six-for-six).
By contrast, during the first week of the United States Football League's 2022 season, kickers struggled mightily, only connecting on five of 13 attempts. The USFL made a change on the fly the following week, letting kickers use footballs without the microchips used for ball placement. For the season USFL kickers made just 68 percent of their kicks.
Overall, UFL kickers have connected on 92.3% of their field goals this season.
Successful kicks of 50 yards or more this season:
Michigan Panthers - Jake Bates
64 yards - Week one vs. St. Louis - game winner 62 yards and 52 yards - Week two vs. Birmingham 55 yards - Week three vs. HoustonD.C. Defenders - Matt McCrane
50 yards - Week one at San Antonio 54 yards, 58 yards, honorable mention 49 yard game winner - Week three at ArlingtonHouston Roughnecks - J.J. Molson
55 yards - Week one at Memphis 51 yards - Week two at D.CMemphis Showboats - Matt Couglin
51 yards - Week one vs. Houston 57 yards - Week three at BirminghamArlington Renegades - Taylor Russolino
52 yards - Week two vs. St. LouisSt. Louis Battlehawks - Andre Szmyt
54 yards - Week three at San Antonio
Week 4 Games
Saturday April 20th
Memphis Showboats at St. Louis Battlehawks - 12:30 pm est. ABCD.C. Defenders at Birmingham Stallions - 7 pm est. FOX (regional) Michigan Panthers at San Antonio Brahmas - 7 pm est. FOX (regional)Sunday April 21st
Arlington Renegades at Houston Roughnecks - 2 pm est. FS1EXTRA POINTS
Saturday's D.C. Defenders - Arlington Renegades game on ESPN drew 534,000 viewers. The Memphis Showboats - Birmingham Stallions broadcast that evening on FOX totaled 837,000 viewers. Sunday's Houston at Michigan contest on ABC finished with 974,000 viewers, and the St. Louis at San Antonio matchup that followed on ABC completed the weekend with 1,230,000 viewers. Attendance at Saturday's D.C. at Arlington game was 8,411, while Memphis at Birmingham drew 12,265. Sunday's game saw 6,952 for Houston at Michigan, while St. Louis at San Antonio drew 11,790. Birmingham Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez, Birmingham teammate defensive end Jonathan Garvin and D.C. Defenders kicker Matt McCrane were named the OurSports Central United Football League Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Unsung Hero of the Week, respectively, for the week three of the UFL season.Teams went zero-of-six on one-point conversion attempts from the two-yard line, six-of-fifteen on two-point conversions from the five-yard line, and did not try a three-point conversion from the 10-yard line. The league announced the establishment of a Sportsman of the Year Award. San Antonio Brahmas QB Chase Garbers is out for the season with a wrist injury. Garbers passed for 586 yards and six touchdowns, leading the UFL by completing 70.8% of his pass attempts. Quinten Dormady who played with the XFL's Orlando Guardians last season will be the starting quarterback. He passed for 1,507 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions last year. Tom Flacco will be the backup. They also signed quarterback Kevin Hogan. My UFL Best Bet Lock of the Week is the Arlington Renegades -3 over the Houston Roughnecks. The defending XFL champions find themselves at 0-3 with their last two losses by a combined four points, both coming on last-play field goals. Luis Perez leads the UFL in passing with 737 yards. Look for him to have a solid performance against the Roughnecks much as Panthers QB E.J. Perry did last week. The Roughnecks are also winless in three games.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
