It required review, but Michigan Panthers safety #7 Corrion Ballard stopped Birmingham Stallions quarterback Adrian Martinez short of the end zone, UFL Week 2, April 7, 2024 (ESPN)
Coming off a demanding game against the Birmingham Stallions where he made 9 tackles (5 solo), safety Corrion Ballard was part of a secondary that shut down the surging Stallions in the second half.
It was a big game for Ballard, and one he and his Michigan teammates should be proud of, despite ending up on the wrong side of the scoreboard. After all, the defense kept it close and gave the Panthers a chance to possibly come back to win the game.
According to Ballard, it was preparation and discipline that gave them that chance.
“I feel like we all push each other to be great in practice,” Ballard said. “As long as we are in our right assignments, and our right alignments, our technique will take over after that, and we will get a chance to make plays.
For Ballard, playing in the UFL is another step in a long pro football journey. After high school, Ballard attended Blinn College and the University of Utah where he played safety. After his collegiate experience, in 2019 Ballard was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers, where he attended their training camp.
In 2020, Ballard was signed by the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL, and appeared in five games before the season was cancelled due to the pandemic. Afterward, Ballard would sign with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, where he saw no action, and then with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League where he received playing time.
In the spring of 2022, Ballard signed with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League. Ballard racked up 50 tackles and an interception in the USFL as a Panther.
Now a veteran on the squad, do you think Ballard feels he has reached the pinnacle of his skills as a safety?
“Honestly, my whole life, I feel like I could get better,” Ballard said. “I’m a hard grader on myself, so I’ve always wanted to get better. But, I feel as long as this season goes on I’ve been getting way better.”
Ballard definitely feels that playing football in a spring league is a good opportunity for players like himself.
“I think it’s a good opportunity,” Ballard explained. “Some of us feel it when we get cut the first time, and for some of us a second or third time. You kind of get down on yourself a little bit, but that’s when the grind will come in. Having a league like this helps us continuously showcase our skills.”
For Ballard, the chance to continue his pro football career is part of the equation.
“We want to play this game until you can’t no more,” Ballard said. “This league is definitely a blessing.”
You can catch Corrion Ballard and the rest of the Michigan Panthers take on the visiting Houston Roughnecks at Ford Field this Sunday, April 14, at 12:00 PM Eastern (ABC) Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or Stubhub.
