Bryce Perkins #17 of the Michigan Panthers flies through the air after being hit against the Birmingham Stallions during the third quarter at Protective Stadium on June 01, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Alex Slitz/UFL/Getty Images)
Michigan Panthers head coach Mike Nolan won the 2024 UFL Coach of the Year Award in part because of his deft handling of the quarterback position this season.
The way he handled the position at the end of the season, however, may have cost his team an opportunity to play for the UFL Championship.
And this isn’t me playing the result. Here’s what I posted on Twitter/X following Michigan’s week nine win over the Houston Roughnecks:
If I'm @USFLPanthers, I'm not sure I play Bryce Perkins against @USFLStallions next week. I don't want them getting used to defending him; rather, unleash him in the playoff game the next week. @TheUFL#UFL
You may remember Bryce Perkins’s performance in that game: 12-of-15 passing and a touchdown; 76 rushing yards on six carries for two touchdowns. It was an electric display, and one that should’ve cemented him as Michigan’s starter into the playoffs.
I suggested Michigan sit Perkins in week 10 to avoid Birmingham having the opportunity to defend his unique skill set, since Michigan would see them again the following week in the USFL Conference Championship. After all, there was nothing to gain for Michigan: Birmingham would have home-field advantage in the playoffs, regardless of who won.
Another reason to sit him? To avoid the very injury he ended up suffering in that last game of the regular season.
Danny Etling started at QB for the Panthers in the finale, and he should’ve played the entire game. Instead, Nolan inserted Perkins in the second half. Perkins didn’t even play two full series before encountering the injury that resulted in a trip to injured reserve.
Was Perkins a bit reckless on the play that got him hurt? Yeah – he didn’t NEED to flip over the defender trying to tackle him on a run. He could’ve slid, lived to fight another day. But it’s difficult to rid players of the mentality they’ve developed over time, which is to go 100% when you’re in the game, regardless of whether there’s anything technically on the line. After all, like most, Perkins wants to get back to the NFL too, and he’s going to do everything in his power to show NFL decision makers that he deserves that opportunity. Taking it easy, therefore, isn’t an option.
While Etling hadn’t played poorly when given the chance to start, he simply isn’t as dynamic as Perkins (Perkins averaged 9.1 yards per rush. League MVP Adrian Martinez? 9.8 yards per rush). And Michigan needed that dynamism to upset the Stallions. Instead, Etling turned the ball over four times en route to a 31-18 loss.
This was basically the worst-case scenario for the Panthers: Had Etling played even competently, they would’ve had a chance to win the game. And heading into the final quarter, the game was tied despite those turnovers. You can imagine, then, what Perkins would’ve brought to the table to offset Birmingham’s defense.
A mid-season acquisition, Perkins’ appearance came at a time when Michigan was desperately trying to settle their QB room. In limited action, he was clearly the superior option. Yet, given the chance to protect him, Michigan instead treated him like another cog in the wheel. That leaves Michigan on the sidelines, contemplating what to do at the position in the off-season, instead of preparing to face San Antonio in the UFL Championship.
