Spring Football Returns: USFL Kicks Off in Canton
Generals Run Away Late in Canton Showdown
The USFL made its Canton debut and fans were treated to a showdown between the Pittsburgh Maulers and the New Jersey Generals. Both teams were searching for their first win of the season after tough losses in Week 1.
The game started off slow with both teams struggling to find their rhythm on offense. It wasn't until late in the third quarter when the Generals defense turned up the heat and started to take control of the game.
A botched field goal attempt by the Maulers at the end of the third quarter started the momentum shift in the Generals' favor. They took advantage of an eight-play, 58-yard drive that was capped off by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Dakota Prukop to Cam Echols-Luper. Luper caught the pass on a flat route and dove towards the pylon into the endzone to put the Generals up 13-3 with just over 11 minutes left in the game.
The Maulers were unable to mount a comeback as the Generals defense continued to dominate. Paris Moore intercepted a pass on the next drive and Tyshun Render forced a fumble on a sack of Maulers QB Josh Morgan that was recovered by Hercules Mata'afa. He had 2 fumble recoveries in the 4th quarter. The Generals went on to win 20-3.
While the game may have seemed one-sided, it was closer than the score indicated. Both defenses looked solid, but both teams will need to work on their offensive strategies. The Maulers' quarterbacks failed to eclipse the 100-yard passing mark for the second week in a row and have yet to throw a touchdown pass. Their running game has also been struggling with no back rushing for more than 40 yards. On the other hand, the Generals have continued to work with their two-quarterback system, with De’Andre Johnson and Prukop, with Johnson leading the way in attempts and yards while Prukop threw the lone touchdown pass. Darius Victor led the game on the ground with 71 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against the feisty Maulers defense.
On the defensive side, the Generals shined with five sacks, including one by LB Chris Orr, who also added 10 tackles. The Maulers' defense continues to be the backbone of their team, with LB Kyahva Tezino standing out with 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection.
The Maulers will face the 1-1 Philadelphia Stars in their next game, while the Generals will take on the undefeated Michigan Panthers. Both teams will need to step up their offensive game if they want to come out on top in their upcoming matchups.
Reggie Corbin Leads Panthers to Victory over Philadelphia Stars
The second game of the day in Canton featured two of the most impressive teams from Week 1. The Philadelphia Stars, led by Case Cookus, who threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns in their season opener, faced off against the Michigan Panthers, led by Josh Love, who secured last week's USFL player of the week with 215 passing yards and three TDs on 90% passing.
Last season, the Stars made it to the championship game but fell short against the Birmingham Stallions, losing 33-30. Meanwhile, the Panthers finished the season with a 2-8 record and were looking to match their win total from 2022 and start the season 2-0. The Stars were looking to finish what they started last season.
The Stars started strong, with Cookus leading them down the field on their first drive, culminating in a 50-yard pass to Jordan Suell. However, the Panthers' defense stepped up in the red zone, and the Stars had to settle for a field goal. The Panthers missed a field goal on their ensuing drive, and both teams had two 3 & outs, leading to an uneventful first quarter.
The Stars came up short again in the red zone and missed a 46-yard field goal. The Panthers capitalized quickly with a three-play, 62-yard drive, with Reggie Corbin providing the initial spark with a 28-yard run. Josh Love found Cole Hikutini for a 36-yard touchdown connection that put the Panthers ahead 7-3.
The second quarter saw three interceptions between Cookus (2) and Love (1), which was a major divergence from Week 1, where both quarterbacks looked unstoppable. Last year's #2 USFL leading tackler, Frank Ginda, picked off a pass from Cookus off a deflection. Unfortunately, Love was picked off on the next drive by Amani Dennis, who would intercept Cookus again with 1 minute left in the half, leading to a Panthers field goal and a 10-3 halftime lead.
Love was picked off again in the third quarter by Amani Dennis, and the Stars were able to pick up a touchdown when Matt Colburn II punched it in from one yard out after a six-play, 39-yard drive. The Panthers answered with a 10-play, 63-yard TD drive that took 6:47 seconds off the clock and ended with Reggie Corbin running it in from three yards out with under one minute left in the third quarter, making the score 17-10.
The Stars' next drive took 7:24 seconds off the clock but failed to come away with any points. Reggie Corbin then made his second trip to the end zone on the night, taking the ball up the sideline for 52 yards and capping off an amazing individual performance where he amassed 131 yards on 11.9 yards per carry.
The Panthers' defense would put the finishing touches on the Stars, punishing Cookus down the stretch and forcing two fumbles to close out the game. Love finished the game with 174 passing yards, one TD, and two interceptions on 50% completions. However, his running game and defense picked up the slack. Corbin had a monster night, and the defense had two interceptions, four sacks, and three forced fumbles. Breeland Speaks picked up another sack, bringing his league-leading total to four. Frank Ginda added ten tackles, bringing him to 17 on the year, currently ranked #3 in the league.
In the upcoming weekend, both teams will travel to the Detroit Hub at Ford Field, where the Stars will take on the 0-2 Maulers, and the Panthers will take on the 1-1 New Jersey Generals.