This is the second edition of the UFL Mailbag here at UFLBoard.com, directed by YOU the readers. In this column, I take questions via social media (@gregmparks on Twitter/X, @gregmparks.bsky.social on Bluesky) on anything UFL related – just use the hash-tag #UFLMailbag when sending your post my way. I’d like to make this a regular feature as we approach the 2025 UFL season, so hit me up early and often with your questions!
Questions may be edited for spelling/grammar and clarity.
Sam asks, “If you could pick any quarterback to start for the Birmingham Stallions and St. Louis Battlehawks, who would you pick?”
The two UFL franchises with the most glaring holes at quarterback also account for half of the playoff teams last year, indicating their choice at QB will be especially important if they want to return to the post-season. I previously opined about the opening in St. Louis, and of those listed, I like Ben DiNucci and Jacob Eason. I do think DiNucci would be a nice fit in Birmingham too as a quarterback who has some wheels. That’s been a constant of Skip Holtz’s quarterback room throughout his three seasons there. It’s also possible Matt Corral returns and re-inherits the starting role that he lost to Adrian Martinez last year. Both teams should be able to attract top-tier quarterbacks looking to enter the UFL because both are made to win now and have several offensive weapons that will aid in a QB’s development.
@CDodsonPCBeach asks, “Do you think that any more coaches may leave the league before spring?”
Infamously, UFL coaching contracts expire at the end of the league season and do not start again until January. That has reportedly led to some unrest among coaches who are unhappy with the setup. Yet, the only head coach to depart this off-season was John DeFilippo in Memphis. Not much is known about his exit – the UFL’s own release strangely did not provide a quote from Coach Flip – but there’s no evidence it was related to the contract situation.
While contracts don’t go into effect until January, the UFL likely asked for some kind of commitment earlier in the off-season, similar to players signing “letters of intent” to join the league prior to actually signing the contracts when they arrive at training camp. Given that we haven’t heard any other rumblings of coaches leaving, and many of them have already participated in off-season activities, I’d imagine all others will be returning.
There’s always the chance a major college comes calling in December to hire a head coach away from the UFL. Or someone like Bob Stoops decides to step down. With about a month until those contracts go into effect, however, those decisions likely would’ve already been made and the UFL would’ve worked to fill those slots.
Skykid Fill asks, “Will the New Orleans Breakers come back first alongside teams that didn’t make the merger?”
There are many, MANY questions that come with the UFL’s announcement last week that they would be opening the expansion process. One of those questions relates to the cities the UFL will consider, and if the league will give preference to those XFL and USFL franchises that didn’t make the cut in the merger. It may be easier to reinstate the XFL teams, since the league actually played in those cities; it may be tougher in, say, New Orleans or Philadelphia, because the USFL never had a real presence in those locations.
It’s really a case of the devil you know versus the devil you don’t. The XFL in 2023 didn’t have great success in some of the locations that were left out in the merger, like Seattle, Vegas, and Orlando. How will fans react after having those teams yanked away? Will they be willing to reengage? The positive is that the UFL will already have a list of interested parties to go off of based on previous ticket and season ticket sales in those cities, allowing them to better target their advertising. In brand new cities, attracting fans may be more of a crapshoot.
I don’t think the league is in a position to forego more fertile ground in a new city to placate fans in cities in which franchises previously existed. League decision-makers need to do their research and go to where both the franchise and the league itself can have the most success – previous city or otherwise.
SharkMako asks, “Thoughts on the Roughnecks being moved to the XFL Conference and having two USFL Conference expansion teams?”
The Houston Roughnecks name and logo were both born out of its time in the XFL; a move to the XFL Conference, therefore, makes sense in a vacuum, even if the team and staff were initially populated with Houston Gamblers players and coaches upon the merge into the UFL.
I do think it would put the USFL Conference at a disadvantage by having two expansion teams rather than evening the playing field by putting one in each conference. Parity is what UFL leadership has attempted to create from the get-go. Now hypothetically, if the two expansion teams were both previous USFL identities, then yeah, it would make more sense to move Houston to the XFL Conference.
As unlikely as that is, it’s really the only scenario where I could see this working. This is all assuming the XFL and USFL Conference remain in name going forward, which, given how the league played up the rivalry between the two in year one, would be a safe bet.
ItMeGog asks, “Do you think the Memphis Showboats will have a better record this season?”
As a reminder, Memphis won two games in 2024. Therefore, it would be difficult – though not impossible – to be worse. The roster is expected to look drastically different under new general manager Jim Monos and head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Right now, they have comparatively few players lined up for 2025, so it’s hard to gauge where the team will be improved and where it will still need work.
The only place they seem set is at quarterback. The first move made by the new regime was to acquire Quinten Dormady from San Antonio for LB Jordan Ferguson. Dormady came off the bench the last two seasons, but often performed better than the starter, at least in spurts. Memphis will hope to harness the good in Dormady’s game, and limit the bad. The problem is Birmingham and Michigan still look like the class of the USFL Conference, so Memphis will likely have to sweep Houston and pick off a few XFL Conference teams to pull ahead of their 2024 record.
1 thought on “UFL Mailbag #2 – Quarterbacks, expansion, head coaches, and more!”
I love your mailbag. It’s the first time I saw a full amount of questions and you answered them well. That is truly amazing as there is so much that is not really written in stone with the UFL. What seems to be written in stone? The Stallions appear to be the Stars of the 1980s. Will their dominance continue? That remains to be seen. There is so much turnover at this level. The thing that has remained constant is that they play harder, better and smarter than most of the other teams they come up against. As we saw last year many members of the UFL community counted the Battlehawks & Defenders to challenge the Stallions for the championship and now it may just be the Brahmas that appear to be in the top spot. IF McCarron signs with the Brahmas it would appear to be so. So things do change and as the Brahmas and Stallions have proved, coaching at any level is the single most important thing to a team. Coaching allows you to identify and augment talent. It allows your team to steady the ship when momentum is going against you. The Defenders chased NFL talent all offseason and camp and the team was dysfunctional. To that point we really have no idea where the league will be come March 28th as almost 200 players need to be signed and hopefully by the START of camp. Although you normally stick to facts, these questions lead to a place you have to connect dots and use your own talents of deduction to answer these questions. I feel you have done admirably and you explained why you deduced it that way explaining why and how you used clues to come to your answers. You did this better than most members of the press back up facts.
Some points I to bring up:
1. Even though Alex McGough recently signed with the Packers, I expect him back with the Stallions. He enjoyed playing so much and the Packers don’t really value him as an almost 30 year old receiver as the Stallions do as a Quarterback. Like McCarron did in 23, if the Packers really want him back he can sign with them after the season. I hope he will compete with whoever else is on the Stallions for the QB job.
2. I have heard many UFL Podcasters state that Seattle is likely going to be one of the two expansion teams. I don’t like to follow the crowd as I like to have my own thoughts. I have always been that way and many of you that have read my comments know that I like research and connect my own dots. To that, I listen to what I am told and I think that it does match the reach, required, but I wonder what the cost is to lease the stadium. IF it is a great cost does that mean the UFL or an outside entity will own the franchise? To me, without knowing the answer to that question may very well be key. IF the UFL feels they will own the team, than they solely make the determination. I have heard quotes by podcasters attributing to UFL management stating reach over costs. If they indeed feel that way, it would appear Seattle is a front runner out West.
3. The Invaders: With Seattle being the frontrunner or maybe even a place holder, what would happen if say Oakland or Sacramento got a team. I have long been in favor of Oakland and San Diego being teams as they had NFL teams in the past, which had a strong fan base. It was the NFL and those riches that outgrew the neighborhood, not the other way around. I feel these are future franchises so strongly that when I did an expansion draft this year, my two teams were the Oakland Invaders and San Diego Squardron. The league needs to do their due diligence here. It seems like they are awaiting proposals, but I think THEY need to look into Oakland. Both San Diego and Oakland are excellent opportunities, but Oakland and Sacramento seem to have strong stadium opportunities as Snapdragon stadium is privately owned. Oakland has two soccer team playing at the stadium and the UFL would provide an opportunity to keep sports alive on the Oakland side of the bay. This would be welcomed by the city. Additionally Sacramento did support the alt football teams in the past when they were good, so this needs to be determined are the options.
3. Northeast team: IF we are talking reach. We need at least one team out West. Clearly one of the teams will be west of, if not right on the Rockies. It would also seem that the northeast needs a team. I think the Generals fit best and I feel the fit best at SHI Stadium (although there are a number of locations the Generals could be successful.). However, I also think the Breakers could go back to Boston and play at Boston College for Bill Belichick. That would be a hot ticket and the Patriots are not quite owning the league these days, much the way the Jets and Giants are leaving openings for fans to enjoy a 3rd team. The Stars playing at Franklin Field could be a possibility too. Much is made by Podcasters feeling Seattle already have some things in order with the stadium. That stated if the Belichick wanted to coach the Breakers you follow it. The Breakers fit anywhere they have been, but fit the best in Boston. IF you talk Generals and coaching you already have a team of Mike Riley and Ted Cottrell. It will take a phone call. Remember the Generals were 13-7 under Mike Riley and likely would have made the playoffs if they had a better Quarterback situation. The league has two good quarterbacks for every team now. Cottrell is 77, but its more of a question of health and want. Before the Generals had Chris Dishman I asked for Ted Cottrell and he did not let them down when he finally got to coach after the USFL lawsuit. IF Cottrell and Riley are good to go the Generals, than the Generals will be good to go. Even as an expansion team they will be able to compete on a level with other more established teams. Coaching is king.
4. The UFL cards are really good. Still too expensive, but really first rate and if you find some trade partners you can cut into the costs a bit and there are enough people to trade with that you can focus on your own players.
5. John Wohlford signed with the Jaguars today, but hoping he will still be available for a UFL team should there be a need. There are only 8 teams. So nice we won’t have to say that much longer.
6. I saw on Wikipedia, Reid Sinnett signed with the ELF. I don’t know how that could be. He definitely has a place with the UFL and with the way Sinnett likes to discuss football before the play and not bash the play like McCarron after it fails, it might be EXACTLY what Gradkowski would like in a quarterback. A quarterback with size who can put the ball exactly where it needs to be and a sounding board for the coach to discuss plan of attack, bettering both the OC and the QB. The synergies they would build off each other. IF this is true maybe he figures he will play this year and be ready for a San Diego Squad should they have one.
7. Still looking to see when and where McCarron signs. Even if he signs with the Brahmas, it is great to still have Mond there. If he signs with the Showboats they will still have Dormady there and he is good there too, but so many other quarterbacks chips are dependent on where he goes. I saw a report Anthony Becht might be a candidate for the West Virginia job. If he does get the job, what kind of light gets shined on McCarron’s release and does he feel he should he feel thankful he had McCarron as his QB to help him attain the 14-6 record to begin with?
This time of year is always for thinking out loud. I hope you enjoyed thinking along with me.
I love your mailbag. It’s the first time I saw a full amount of questions and you answered them well. That is truly amazing as there is so much that is not really written in stone with the UFL. What seems to be written in stone? The Stallions appear to be the Stars of the 1980s. Will their dominance continue? That remains to be seen. There is so much turnover at this level. The thing that has remained constant is that they play harder, better and smarter than most of the other teams they come up against. As we saw last year many members of the UFL community counted the Battlehawks & Defenders to challenge the Stallions for the championship and now it may just be the Brahmas that appear to be in the top spot. IF McCarron signs with the Brahmas it would appear to be so. So things do change and as the Brahmas and Stallions have proved, coaching at any level is the single most important thing to a team. Coaching allows you to identify and augment talent. It allows your team to steady the ship when momentum is going against you. The Defenders chased NFL talent all offseason and camp and the team was dysfunctional. To that point we really have no idea where the league will be come March 28th as almost 200 players need to be signed and hopefully by the START of camp. Although you normally stick to facts, these questions lead to a place you have to connect dots and use your own talents of deduction to answer these questions. I feel you have done admirably and you explained why you deduced it that way explaining why and how you used clues to come to your answers. You did this better than most members of the press back up facts.
Some points I to bring up:
1. Even though Alex McGough recently signed with the Packers, I expect him back with the Stallions. He enjoyed playing so much and the Packers don’t really value him as an almost 30 year old receiver as the Stallions do as a Quarterback. Like McCarron did in 23, if the Packers really want him back he can sign with them after the season. I hope he will compete with whoever else is on the Stallions for the QB job.
2. I have heard many UFL Podcasters state that Seattle is likely going to be one of the two expansion teams. I don’t like to follow the crowd as I like to have my own thoughts. I have always been that way and many of you that have read my comments know that I like research and connect my own dots. To that, I listen to what I am told and I think that it does match the reach, required, but I wonder what the cost is to lease the stadium. IF it is a great cost does that mean the UFL or an outside entity will own the franchise? To me, without knowing the answer to that question may very well be key. IF the UFL feels they will own the team, than they solely make the determination. I have heard quotes by podcasters attributing to UFL management stating reach over costs. If they indeed feel that way, it would appear Seattle is a front runner out West.
3. The Invaders: With Seattle being the frontrunner or maybe even a place holder, what would happen if say Oakland or Sacramento got a team. I have long been in favor of Oakland and San Diego being teams as they had NFL teams in the past, which had a strong fan base. It was the NFL and those riches that outgrew the neighborhood, not the other way around. I feel these are future franchises so strongly that when I did an expansion draft this year, my two teams were the Oakland Invaders and San Diego Squardron. The league needs to do their due diligence here. It seems like they are awaiting proposals, but I think THEY need to look into Oakland. Both San Diego and Oakland are excellent opportunities, but Oakland and Sacramento seem to have strong stadium opportunities as Snapdragon stadium is privately owned. Oakland has two soccer team playing at the stadium and the UFL would provide an opportunity to keep sports alive on the Oakland side of the bay. This would be welcomed by the city. Additionally Sacramento did support the alt football teams in the past when they were good, so this needs to be determined are the options.
3. Northeast team: IF we are talking reach. We need at least one team out West. Clearly one of the teams will be west of, if not right on the Rockies. It would also seem that the northeast needs a team. I think the Generals fit best and I feel the fit best at SHI Stadium (although there are a number of locations the Generals could be successful.). However, I also think the Breakers could go back to Boston and play at Boston College for Bill Belichick. That would be a hot ticket and the Patriots are not quite owning the league these days, much the way the Jets and Giants are leaving openings for fans to enjoy a 3rd team. The Stars playing at Franklin Field could be a possibility too. Much is made by Podcasters feeling Seattle already have some things in order with the stadium. That stated if the Belichick wanted to coach the Breakers you follow it. The Breakers fit anywhere they have been, but fit the best in Boston. IF you talk Generals and coaching you already have a team of Mike Riley and Ted Cottrell. It will take a phone call. Remember the Generals were 13-7 under Mike Riley and likely would have made the playoffs if they had a better Quarterback situation. The league has two good quarterbacks for every team now. Cottrell is 77, but its more of a question of health and want. Before the Generals had Chris Dishman I asked for Ted Cottrell and he did not let them down when he finally got to coach after the USFL lawsuit. IF Cottrell and Riley are good to go the Generals, than the Generals will be good to go. Even as an expansion team they will be able to compete on a level with other more established teams. Coaching is king.
4. The UFL cards are really good. Still too expensive, but really first rate and if you find some trade partners you can cut into the costs a bit and there are enough people to trade with that you can focus on your own players.
5. John Wohlford signed with the Jaguars today, but hoping he will still be available for a UFL team should there be a need. There are only 8 teams. So nice we won’t have to say that much longer.
6. I saw on Wikipedia, Reid Sinnett signed with the ELF. I don’t know how that could be. He definitely has a place with the UFL and with the way Sinnett likes to discuss football before the play and not bash the play like McCarron after it fails, it might be EXACTLY what Gradkowski would like in a quarterback. A quarterback with size who can put the ball exactly where it needs to be and a sounding board for the coach to discuss plan of attack, bettering both the OC and the QB. The synergies they would build off each other. IF this is true maybe he figures he will play this year and be ready for a San Diego Squad should they have one.
7. Still looking to see when and where McCarron signs. Even if he signs with the Brahmas, it is great to still have Mond there. If he signs with the Showboats they will still have Dormady there and he is good there too, but so many other quarterbacks chips are dependent on where he goes. I saw a report Anthony Becht might be a candidate for the West Virginia job. If he does get the job, what kind of light gets shined on McCarron’s release and does he feel he should he feel thankful he had McCarron as his QB to help him attain the 14-6 record to begin with?
This time of year is always for thinking out loud. I hope you enjoyed thinking along with me.