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The XFL Week Ahead: Week 1

February 16, 2023 - XFL (XFL) News Release


By Josh Lewin

Let's call Week 1 "The Great Unknown." When the ice and snow blanketed North Texas two weeks ago, plans for scrimmages were scuttled. The one chance to see how one team matched up against another went by the boards so now everyone arrives at opening weekend driving in a pea soup fog.

I first heard the cliche "it is what it is" from former San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith in 2005 (and he said it a lot.) Now the other A.J. Smith (Houston's offensive coordinator and no relation) is parroting that well-worn four-word phrase. (Author's note: a cliché doesn't become a cliché unless there's truth behind it.) Usually, I try to avoid cliches like the plague. (Rim shot.)

"With no tape of the other team, no one knows a thing about what to expect this first week," said Arlington's co-offensive coordinator, Chuck Long. "But it's fine, because we're all in the exact same boat. We're all in this together."

Familiarity will increase exponentially as the league moves along. But for now, it's a fun adventure this coming weekend trying to predict and diagnose what could happen on the field. So, in a classic case of the blind leading the blind, follow me down to the "Best Guess Bar & Grille," pull up a stool and let's have a drink...

VEGAS VIPERS (0-0) at ARLINGTON RENEGADES (0-0)

Choctaw Stadium, Arlington TX, 3pm ET Saturday Feb 18

VEGAS Offense vs ARLINGTON Defense

Brett Hundley is getting ready as quickly as possible, but the former UCLA star isn't quite down with the system yet. Good thing Luis Perez has his masters in been there/done that. Hundley may sneak in there for a series or two according to offensive coordinator Duane Taylor and he has his football masters in "been there/done that." With the Wildcats and Guardians last year, he was Swiss watch reliable, and the Vipers receivers know how to get open. It's a quick opportunity for former Steeler Martavis Bryant to establish himself as this league's elite receiver right way. Support will come from fellow wideouts Jeff Badet and Geronimo Allison, and the coaches are raving about their tight end, Sean Price. ("He runs like a wide receiver, blocks like one of our offensive linemen," said Taylor. "We will involve our tight ends. We'll use 'em in the kitchen, we'll use 'em in the hallway, wherever you want.")

The Vegas QB's should have time to mix the paint back in the pocket; you can argue that the Vipers have the deepest offensive line in the league, headed by Reggie McKenzie's son Khalil and coached up by the legendary Bob Wylie. That group should open holes for the bruising Rod Smith who would rather run through you than away from you.

The Renegades defense seems ahead of its own offense in practice, and the Renegades offense should be pretty darn good. It's an experienced defense headed by NFL veteran safety Will Hill who can both diagnose a play then hit like a sack of hammers. Keep an eye on LB Willie Taylor (Eastern Kentucky), who is still draft eligible this April. NFL scouts will be doing the same thing. Arlington will show plenty of 3-4 with NFL vets and Bruce Lambert and Doug Costin but watch for #72 as well. That's the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, TJ Barnes who's lost weight and caught pro football fever again after a year off from the game.

The linebackers are all instinctual hard hitters, especially Otara Alaka. As for the secondary, Josh Hawkins was one of the best corners in the XFL three years ago, and De'Vante Bausby got an NFL contract last summer.

"We'll take whatever they give us," said Vegas' Taylor. "If we win 3-2 or 50-49, we don't care. We just want to win."

ARLINGTON Offense vs VEGAS Defense

Any team that has Chuck Long as the co-offensive coordinator/QB coach is bound to wing the football around, and the Renegades have some slick options out wide. No way Arlington uses its first-round pick on Sal Cannella if they're not serious about involving their tight ends, so the Vipers will have to be account for the former Auburn Tiger, as well as his capable backups, Nate Becker and Shaun Beyer. Long turns 60 on Saturday, and the best gift he could get is an offensive line that allows Drew Plitt some time in the pocket. The former Ball State Cardinal beat out the QB Cannella is most familiar with, XFL veteran Kyle Sloter. A quickly cemented chemistry between Plitt and Cannella may conspire to keep Sloter in bubble wrap for the weeks to come.

The wide receiver position has no true standout stud like the Vipers do with Bryant. The hope is that someone will Tony the Tiger this thing. Translation: When the Leo Burnett ad agency got the Frosted Flakes account in the early fifties, they introduced four rotating spokes-characters; Tony the Tiger, Elmo the Elephant, Newt the Gnu and Katy the Kangaroo. Tony the Tiger was such a breakout performer the other the just simply... went away. The ensemble cast they'd assembled was never needed. A star broke out and stood alone. Maybe former USC stud Tyler Vaughns will be cast in that role of the Tiger. We'll see.

One of the biggest "must haves" in this league in 2020 was pass protection. If a starting tackle gets injured, that drop-off for most teams is going to feel like a bungee jump. Keep in mind Vegas has former NFL first rounder Vic Beasley ready to snack on the quarterback, so Plitt may not be Mr. Seven Step Drop very often. Arlington will have to do something to neutralize Beasley, so you're likely to see a lot of chipping to take the steam out of his pass rush. The Renegades offense could end up looking - at least in week 1 - a bit like the 2005-2015 Patriots with Tom Brady checking down to Kevin Faulk whenever he needed to and keeping drives alive five and seven yards at a time.

The aforementioned offensive line is a veteran group, with many of the guys plucked by position coach Jonathan Himebach out of the USFL. "Jonathan having been in that league is a valuable resource," said Chuck Long. "He got us a cohesive and talented group up front, mainly by raiding the best of the USFL."

The Renegades have showed they can and will use two in the backfield at times, but when in doubt, giving the ball to Keith Ford makes a lot of sense. He runs angrily and has looked great in camp. In a bit of a surprise, the other former Houston Cougar in the Renegades backfield, Keith Farrow, was released. That means the backup is now Michigan's De'veon Smith and the change-of-pace back is Adrian Killins who's been dazzling this past week of practice. The Vipers weakness defensively appears to be stopping the run, so there could be a chance for all three backs to do some damage.

There aren't many recognizable names in the Vipers secondary, but any defensive backs who have access to the minds of Rod Woodson, Chris Dishman AND Darren Perry should be able to have learned something these past few weeks . If not, maybe those three can activate themselves and save the day.

Special Teams/Intangibles

Arlington punter Marquette King and kicker Taylor Russolino were among the best at their positions in the XFL in 2020.Long snapper Antonio Ortiz is top shelf. The Vipers are far less proven with Bailey Giffen and Michael Carrizosa, and the way the wind has been howling in North Texas all week, kicking and punting could be - in the words of Ron Burgundy - "kind of a big deal." Renegades fans turned out well for a "meet the team" rally last week, and if indeed it's 60 degrees and sunshine at game time (as the current forecast has us believe), Choctaw Stadium could be rocking in favor of the sky blue and black.

ORLANDO GUARDIANS (0-0) at HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (0-0)

TDECU Stadium, Houston TX, 8:30pm ET Saturday Feb 18

ORLANDO Offense vs HOUSTON Defense

Orlando's offensive coordinator Robert Ford was a star on the site of the old University of Houston stadium, so going back to H-town is a thrill for him. If his guys can get the ball downfield against Wade Phillips' Roughnecks, those thrills will multiply like the Mogwai in Gremlins. (Sorry, that came on late night in my hotel room the other night.)Ford says his game plan is to run between the tackles but hopefully widen that out as the game grinds along. The running back of choice should be Jah-Maine Martin out of North Carolina A&T. For those of you old enough to remember Courtney Cox getting pulled up on stage by Bruce Springsteen in the Dancing in the Dark video, this could be Martin's Courtney Cox-level star-making moment. (For those of you in your twenties, Bruce Springsteen was a rock star. Courtney Cox ended up starring on Friends. Which was a sitcom. Which used to be a thing.)

Since we're stuck in the '80s, let's take you back to when the Oilers defense had Keith Bostick, Ken Stemrick and Robert Brazile (Luv Ya Blue!) In a sentence: This is not that. Although if anyone can squeeze some juice out of the rind, its Wade Phillips, recent coach of a Super Bowl defense in LA. Modern-day Houston pro football will run both a 3-4 and 4-3 according to defensive coordinator Brian Stewart. Trent Harris is a veteran pass rusher and Super Bowl champion himself, but there's not a lot else of headline-grabbing talent for those two great defensive minds (Stewart and Phillips) to sculpt. If that defense pops, it'll because those legends coached 'em up good and proper.

The Roughnecks' defensive backfield at least got deeper when they grabbed CB Kary Vincent, Jr., from the Brahmas earlier this month. AJ Hendy gives them pop at safety, and Ajene Harris returns from his Roughnecks season of 2020. Two former Maryland teammates, Sean Davis and Will Likely, are reunited. Will Likely will likely return some punts as well.

When the Guardians put it in the air, it's two former Denver Broncos to watch - Paxton Lynch and Cody Latimer. The challenge will be keeping Lynch from becoming lunch. Houston may not have the best pass rush in the league, but the Guardians most obvious weak spot for now is their O-line. Latimer and Eli Rogers are capable targets for the quarterback, but he has to be given some time to operate and orchestrate. Don't be surprised if the other quarterbacks, Quniten Dormady and Deondre Francois get as much time as Lynch in the opener. Lynch was a late addition and arrived just as the snow and ice event was beginning two weeks ago in DFW, shortening his time to get ready. "He's a good thrower, plain and simple," said his QB coach Shane Matthews. "He understands offenses, so he's grasped what we do pretty quickly."

HOUSTON Offense vs ORLANDO Defense

It's going to be the Mike Leach-style offense for Houston, high-tempo, and it's based on getting people in space. They'll throw to set up the run.RB/FB Max Borghi was in the Air Raid at Washington State for the actual Mike Leach (RIP), so he's familiar with how all this goes. There are literally three QB's on the team who can run this offense nicely -- Cole McDonald, Kaleb Eleby and Brandon Silvers.

Nick Holley is a proven commodity in the XFL: A Swiss-army-knife-type out of Kent State who should get plenty of touches. He can be a real mismatch, especially against linebackers.

Orlando's interior defensive line is stout, and their safeties are super-aggressive led by NFL veteran Matt Elam. The former Florida Gator will be able to move up in that nickel linebacker role which may be necessary at times. Terrance Plummer is in his second pro spin through in Orlando - he played for the AAF's Orlando Apollos in 2019 - and he's a hometown product. Jeremiah Gemmel is smart and instinctive, but by and large, this is not a deep group at linebacker for Terrell Buckley's team. What Buckley does have, naturally, is a good-looking secondary. C.J. Holmes isn't the fastest, but he reads and reacts well.

Houston's receiving corps don't have a brand name on it, but TE/WR hybrid Garrett Owens knows how to get open. Receivers coach Peyton Pardee is creative and energetic and will somehow get his 32 ounces of butter out of a 16-ounce stick. Owens, by the way, is the guy with his original country songs on Spotify if you care to check them out. (My unsolicited idea for a country song: "If My Nose Was Full Of Nickels, I'd Blow It All On You." You're welcome.)

Special Teams/Intangibles

Houston's Race Porter is a strong-legged punter from the University of Washington who can match the Guardians' Johnny Townsend yard for yard. Jose Borregales kicks for the Guardians - the Roughnecks have former UTSA standout Hunter Duplessis. Again, probably a draw. If the Roughnecks have a festive "Saturday Night Lights" kind of atmosphere, not only will that play well on primetime TV, but it may give the home team a boost they can use to pull away late.For what it's worth, when Orlando hosted Houston in the NBA this year, the visiting team won by six.T hen again, Paolo Banchero is unlikely to have 13 rebounds Saturday night at TDECU Stadium.

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (0-0) at SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (0-0)

Alamodome, San Antonio TX, 3pm ET Sunday Feb 19

ST. LOUIS Offense vs SAN ANTONIO Defense

The Bruce Gradkowski/AJ McCarron relationship is running as smoothly as everyone had hoped, and the 'Hawks QB could have a huge day, if not season. "We do have a lot in common," said Gradkowski, "Although only one of us has been a national champion and a Heisman finalist. One of the selling points of AJ coming here that we talked about is, hey... your kids have never seen you play, or at least really get after at. Best case, you get back to the NFL and get going. Worst case, you have a great time in this league and your kids have memories of their dad they'll never forget."Gradkowski says he has to laugh that when McCarron's oldest son is tossing the ball around "just for grins," his dad can't help but to stop what he's doing and give him pointers on technique.

Marcel Ateman is the receiving target most BattleHawks personnel have pointed to as the breakout star of that group. St. Louis has speed at essentially every position, but this is especially true at WR, Hakeem Butler, Gary Jennings, and Austin Proehl should also excel, and at TE, they have guys built like condominium units, very much in the mold of Coach Anthony Becht. Proehl gets to play for his dad, Ricky, who was a perfect fit as the team's receivers coach following his epic turn as part of the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf.

When St. Louis runs, the hope is that the offensive line will be stout enough to open holes, but that unit has been a work in progress. Local product Brian Hill is expected to get the bulk of the carries, as he did when he starred at Wyoming.

Defensively for San Antonio, the Brahmas have some Grade A beef up front, although not a lot of actual pro experience. Kobe Smith spent most of last year on the Falcons practice squad, and they will lean on a couple of mashers out of the Big Ten, Mike Tverdov and Drew Beesley, to help.

At linebacker, the former Colorado Buffalo Drew Lewis hits hard and can play up with the big boys or back with the secondary, whatever it takes. There are times the Brahmas may have two sets of brothers on the field simultaneously (the Lewises and the Scotts.) Brother pairings have excelled at the NFL level (Tiki and Ronde Barber, linebackers Shaquem and Shaquille Griffin, safeties AJ and CJ Moore, and the cornerbacks Devin and Jason McCourty) so why not in the XFL as well?

In the secondary, it was murky for a while whether Sean Williams would get military clearance to play, arriving out of the US Naval Academy, but it appears to be "anchors aweigh," so to speak. Coach Hines Ward has raved about cornerback Luq Barcoo, who led the nation in picks at San Diego State four years ago.

Bottom line with San Antonio's defense, and really its entire roster, is they appear to have gone "copy/paste" with the personality of the head coach. Chips on their shoulders closer to the size of redwoods than actual chips. Overlook them at your own risk.

SAN ANTONIO Offense vs ST. LOUIS Defense

Jack Coan is a "chip on his shoulder" quarterback, assuredly tired of hearing that it was more the Notre Dame mystique that made him famous as opposed to his actual talent.If he falters - which is unlikely- Jawon Pass and Reid Sinnett each have potential.

Kalen Ballage, out of Arizona State, was a fourth round pick five years ago and is an absolute banger of a running back, when he remembers that's his calling card. If he's trying to finesse and improvise, he's forgetting his superpower, which is steamrolling opposing defenders. Former Tampa Bay Viper Jacques Patrick is available as well and will be a factor as well - he can run either through you or around you, take your pick.

The offensive line looks decent enough, with XFL veteran Jordan McCray at center and some young, hungry guards and tackles surrounding him. If they can protect Coan effectively, Alize Mack is a nice option running those 10-to-15-yard routes at tight end, and everyone seems to love T.J. Vasher from the receivers group.

The BattleHawks defense has looked really good up close. Damion Daniels and Kevin Atkins are young but hungry. Freedom Akinmoladun had 3.5 sacks in five USFL games. Gelen Robinson, son of NBA star Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson played at his dad's alma mater (Purdue), then played pro rugby before u-turning back to football. It's a big, strong, hard-hitting group that should be a willing match for the Ballage barrage.

St. Louis has two stud linebackers, from Iowa State and Syracuse respectively: Mike Rose and Lakiem Williams. The corners are NFL journeyman, Nate Meadors and Chris Cooper, who you can only hope have those credit cards that give you double points for miles. The 'Hawks also just added Lavert Hill, who was named the nation's top DB coming out of his Michigan high school seven years ago. Since leaving the University of Michigan campus he's been on and off NFL practice squad rosters and these next several weeks could be his ticket to stick somewhere going forward.

Special Teams/Intangibles

For San Antonio, Kicker John Parker Romo was in camp with the Saints this summer. Punter Brad Wing has played in the NFL for parts of five seasons, but has been out of the game for four years. (Noting that Romo was a Saint, please let me be the first - and hopefully last -- to suggest the Brahmas' kicking game is therefore a Wing and a prayer.) St. Louis' long-haired long snapper Alex Matheson is fun to watch, and the punter, Sterling Hofrichter, was a Falcons draft choice in 2020.

SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS (0-0) at D.C. DEFENDERS (0-0)

Audi Field, Washington DC, 8pm ET Sunday Feb 19

SEATTLE Offense vs D.C. Defense

Seattle will be winging the ball around while the Defenders look to run. That's the one-sentence preview of this one that pits the state of Washington against the city of Washington. The Sea Dragons air attack features Ben DiNucci for now, but former Colorado star Steven Montez is waiting in the wings, just back from a turn with the Detroit Lions. The receiving corps is headlined by Josh Gordon as the former Browns star tries to stay on the right path and get back to the NFL, where he's already banked 25 touchdowns. There are some other young options, but why eat Hydrox when you've got Oreos?

There should be time for Gordon to get open, as the Dragons are high on an O-Line anchored by center Michael Menet. And running the ball? In a June Jones offense? If you're waiting on that, you're pretty much Linus in the Pumpkin Patch on the Peanuts Halloween Special. But just in case the Great Pumpkin shows up, it will be in the form of Brenden Knox and T.J. Hammonds, both of whom are strong.

As for D.C.'s secondary, the buzz about Santos Ramirez has been deafening these last few weeks. Almost everyone in the league seems to agree he's a diamond that's yet to be mined, and he'll have plenty of chances to makes plays Sunday night with the Dragons looking to put the ball in the air. The Defenders' personnel director, Von Hutchins says he sees a lot of Erik Harris in him. Harris, now with Atlanta, was undrafted, bounced around, even worked in a potato chip factory before finding his footing in the NFL. Ramirez has never worked in a potato chip factory but checks all those other boxes. Harris was 27 when he broke out as a Raider... Ramirez is 26. He's either on the verge of being on the cusp, or on the cusp of being on the verge. Either way, he hits like hell. And let's face it, if you're on the Defenders, you're supposed to be able to, you know... defend.

D.C. Offense vs SEATTLE Defense

D.C. has the #1 Offensive Skill Position pick of the XFL draft, Abram Smith.They also have excellent depth with Ryquell Armstead and Artavis Pierce behind him. The Defenders depth chart lists Lucky Jackson, Josh Hammond, and Jaquez Ezzard as WR starters with Ethan Wolf at TE. Of that group, the versatile Ezzard is most likely to turn heads. The offensive line looks to be solid with Cody Conway and Ty Clary leading the way.

At quarterback, the Defenders rock with the reliable, XFL-proven Jordan Ta'amu, but don't be surprised if his backup, the slippery, athletic D'Eriq King gets involved somehow as well.

Defensively for Seattle, you knew a team coached by Jim Haslett and staffed by Randy Mueller would be high-quality. Up front, P.J. Hall is a former second round NFL draft pick. Niko Lalos signed with Saints after being drafted by the Seahawks and has quickly become a favorite of the staff and his new Sea Dragon teammates. Coach Haslett had LB Jordan Evans with him in Cincinnati, and they know each other well. Evans will roam the middle, with fellow ex-Bengal Clarence Hicks on the outside. There are some questions about the strength of Seattle's secondary. (Suggested nickname: Legion of Whom?)That may not matter Sunday night against a team like the Defenders looking to keep it on the ground.

Special Teams/Intangibles

The Sea Dragons have a kicker built to be loved in Seattle - Dominik Eberle is huge in the gaming community, so if someone wants to offer him a tour at Nintendo, I'm sure he'd accept. The father of Dragons' long snapper, Thomas Fletcher is a vice president of the Phoenix Suns. (Just reminding the world Seattle deserves pro basketball again.)The Defenders' kicker, Matt McCrane is proven in cold weather, although the forecast looks decent in D.C. for Sunday as of now.

As for the coaches: D.C.'s Reggie Barlow gets the most out of every player. He's upbeat, positive, interesting and has a way with words. If Ted Lasso had gone to Alabama A&M, he'd have been Barlow. If you're familiar with that show, you'll know the character Dani Rojas who prances around reminding everyone that "football is life!" At times, the Defenders have 11 Dani Rojases on the field at once, and it's refreshing. Jim Haslett's staff is more seasoned, but they too have cultivated that "all in" mentality. This will be a fun, possibly raucous game to close the weekend.

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