UFL 2024: Five things to watch for in Week 5
At 2-2 and sitting in second place in the USFL conference, the Michigan Panthers made a change at quarterback this week.
Starting quarterback E.J. Perry was placed on injured reserve with a leg injury, meaning he will miss at least the next five weeks. In his place, Danny Etling will get the start when the Panthers hit the road to face the Memphis Showboats (1-3) in a game that will be shown Sunday on FOX at 3 p.m. ET.
Etling took over for an injured Perry in the second half of Michigan's loss to the San Antonio Brahmas last week, completing 11 of 14 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
"I've got a lot of confidence in Danny," Panthers head coach Mike Nolan said. "If Danny's got to take over for a little bit at the helm while E.J. gets well, then that's what we'll do."
The Panthers signed former Los Angeles Rams QB Bryce Perkins, adding depth behind Etling.
Michigan's matchup with Memphis is part of three games scheduled for FOX this weekend. On Saturday, the Arlington Renegades (0-4), still looking for their first win, host the Brahmas (3-1), while the Houston Roughnecks (1-3) face the undefeated Birmingham Stallions (4-0). Both games take place at 7 p.m. ET.
And on Sunday, the St. Louis Battlehawks (3-1) hit the road to face the DC Defenders (2-2), a noon kickoff on ESPN.
Here are five storylines to watch for in Week 5 as we reach the midpoint of the UFL season:
1. Stallions face the last team to beat them in the Roughnecks
Birmingham is riding an 11-game winning streak dating back to last season. But the Stallions face the last team to beat them on the road Saturday in the Roughnecks.
Houston defeated the Stallions 27-20 in a Week 5 contest in Birmingham last year. Houston running back Mark Thompson was the catalyst in the win, rushing for 78 yards and three touchdowns.
Looking to go on a two-game winning streak, we'll see if Houston head coach Curtis Johnson and Thompson can recreate that spark to defeat the Stallions again.
2. Is LB Scooby Wright calling it a career?
One of the tone setters for Birmingham over the last three seasons, defensive captain linebacker Scooby Wright appears headed toward announcing his retirement this week.
The University of Arizona product had been dealing with a lingering neck issue and was placed on injured reserve by the Stallions. Nicknamed "sharkdawg," the likeable Wright developed into one of the fan favorites in Birmingham because of his unique personality.
Wright also was an important cog for Birmingham as the defensive play caller, helping to get guys lined up pre-snap. However, the Stallions have one of the deepest linebacker position groups in the UFL. Leading tackler Kyahva Tezino will take on a larger role on defense, along with DeMarquis Gates.
3. Adrian Martinez returns to QB1 for Stallions
The back-and-forth at starting quarterback continues for the Stallions. According to Birmingham's depth chart, Adrian Martinez will be the starting quarterback against Houston this weekend, earning his second start of the season.
Last week, Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz went with Matt Corral as the starter for the third time this year, a week after Martinez became the first quarterback in the UFL to throw for over 300 yards.
Through four games, Corral has completed 58% of his passes for 494 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has rushed for 92 yards.
Martinez has completed 57% of his passes for 448 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. Martinez also rushed for 164 yards and a score.
Holtz has said he wants to get both quarterbacks reps for the next level, and so far, Holtz has done a nice job of balancing playing time while still giving his team a chance to win games on a weekly basis.
4. New kicker for Renegades
The Renegades released kicker Taylor Russolino and will go with Jonathan Garibay as his replacement. Also, the Stallions placed kicker Chris Blewitt on injured reserve with a quad issue, meaning last week's hero Ramiz Ahmed will continue to handle kicking duties for Birmingham.
Birmingham running back C.J. Marable did not practice this week due to personal reasons and will be inactive Sunday. Ricky Person Jr. will start at running back in his place. Birmingham punter Colby Wadman (ankle) also is inactive for this weekend. Drue Crisman will start in his place.
Former Rams safety JuJu Hughes has signed with Birmingham. The Stallions are dealing with injury issues in their defensive secondary. However, Hughes is inactive this week.
5. Stat of the week
St. Louis' do-everything return man Darrius Shepherd has been one of the most explosive players in the league. Shephard leads the UFL in all-purpose yards with 724. Shephard has recorded a league-high 462 yards on kick returns.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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