TO R. J. Young
FOX Sportswriter
2022 USA Football League The schedule is published throughout the day on Monday, starting with the announcement of the four matches of the first week.
Season 1 kicks off on Saturday, April 16, when the New Jersey Generals take on the Birmingham Stallions at 7:30 pm ET in a game that will be simulcast nationally on FOX, NBC, and Peacock.
The USFL will then showcase a triple header on Sunday, April 17, where the Houston Gamblers will play the Michigan Panthers at noon ET, the Philadelphia Stars will play the New Orleans Breakers at 4:00 pm ET, and the Tampa Bay Bandits will take on the Pittsburgh Maulers at 20:00: 00 ET. .
Tickets for all games go on sale at 7:00 pm ET Monday at theUSFL.com.
All tickets will be “one-day” tickets, allowing fans to attend every USFL game played on any given day. Regular season adult tickets cost $10, and each adult with a general admission ticket can receive up to three free one-day tickets for children under 15.
“Football is America’s favorite sport, so we’re proud to give fans 10 weeks of highly competitive regular season matches this spring,” said Daryl Johnston, USFL executive vice president of football operations. “We are confident and ready to start our first season on April 16th. Our eight teams are lined with incredible players and we expect a fierce rivalry to develop as the season progresses. exciting preparation for the playoffs.”
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Now with four first week games set, FOX Sports’ R.J. Young reveals what to expect for the opening weekend:
New Jersey Generals in Birmingham Stallions
7:30 pm ET, Saturday, April 16th.
FOX, NBC and the peacock
There are some contrasting matches in this game, with the Generals being led by former NFL and college head coach Mike Riley, and veteran college quarterback Ben Holmes being the intended starter. The Stallions have head coach Skip Holtz, who will coach his first game as a professional head coach, and NFL veteran Alex McGough will be his intended starting player.
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Holmes, who was 23-2 as a starter at Tarlton State, will be able to pitch the ball to a dizzying array of skill players, including Texas Christian wide receiver and former All-American rookie CaVonte Turpin.
In the backfield, New Jersey could turn into a running back with a great resume in Mike Weber, a former Big Ten freshman of the year and Big Ten performer at Ohio State. Weber won the Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in 2020.
On defense, the Generals and Stallions are represented by the top two linebackers selected in the USFL Draft. Chris Orr of New Jersey was an All-Big Ten performer in Wisconsin and Scooby Wright of Birmingham was the unanimous winner of the Nagurski and Bednarik All-American Award and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year (2014) in Arizona.
Houston Gamblers in Michigan Panthers
Sunday, April 17 at noon ET.
There are three outstanding players in the Panthers who made it to my list of the top 10 most interesting players in the USFL.
It all starts with former Michigan Wolverine quarterback Shea Patterson, who is no stranger to the big games and was selected with the first pick in the first USFL draft.
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Patterson will be looking to get past wide receiver Jeff Badet, who has a 4.2 rush speed for 40 yards. Michigan also has one of the deepest QB rooms in the league, featuring former NFL first-round pick Paxton Lynch.
Longtime NFL coach Jeff Fischer has a lot of talent, having spent 22 seasons in the NFL and led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Gamblers offense boasts former Florida running back and JUCO All-American Mark Thompson, a player Johnston called one of the league’s most intriguing talents.
“I’m excited to see what Mark Thompson is doing with this opportunity,” Johnston said, “because I think he’s one of those guys who knows he doesn’t have much time left. And if he gets the chance to reach the NFL level, he should have a breakout season in the USFL. And when you see him in a movie, he’s quite capable of that.”
Gamblers coach Kevin Sumlin, who coached Heisman winner Johnny Manzil at Texas A&M, won’t be afraid to attack in the air with former Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson.
Philadelphia Stars in New Orleans Breakers
4:00 pm ET, Sunday, April 17th.
In the Stars, Spring League MVP Brian Scott reunited with his former head coach of that league, Bart Andrus. The two proved to be formidable in the Spring League, leading their team to a championship in 2020.
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Former St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild also worked with Andrus and Scott at TSL. All this acquaintance could give Philadelphia a productive attack. Scott will be looking for wide receiver Brennan Eagles, who starred in Texas.
“Bart will put them in the gun and they’ll drop it for a bit,” Fairchild told FOX Sports.
On the defensive side, Stars linebacker Jordan Moore is a standout athlete who has been a champion hurdler in both the Big 12 (TCU) and SEC (LSU).
Breakers coach Larry Fedora is making the jump to the pro game after leading explosive attacks in North Carolina and South Miss.
New Orleans quarterback Kyle Slaughter will certainly try to bring in former Ohio State wide receiver Johnny Dixon as early and often as possible.
Bandits of Tampa Bay in Pittsburgh Maulers
Sunday, April 17 at 8:00 pm ET.
The final game of the first week is one of my most anticipated matches in the entire USFL schedule.
Kirby Wilson will do his best
Kirby Wilson brought a wealth of NFL coaching experience to his first head coaching position with the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL.
The Bandits and Maulers have two head coaches who once worked in the same NFL staff: Pittsburgh’s Kirby Wilson (running guard) and Tampa Bay’s Todd Haley (offensive coordinator) were members of the coaching staff. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin in 2012. The two are more than familiar with each other and this will be their first chance to face each other.
The Maulers also boast one of the best teams in the league, according to Johnston. The three-time Super Bowl champion said he was impressed with the way Wilson built his draft team, hiring Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta and winger Carlo Kemp, a former Michigan standout.
“I thought Kirby Wilson and [Maulers general manager] Chris Watts, combo from Pittsburgh, had a great draft night and I’m really excited to see what they’re doing,” Johnston told FOX Sports.
Tampa Bay quarterback Jordan Taamu has a terrific hand and will throw to John Franklin III, Super Bowl champion with the Bucks.
R.J. Young is a national football writer and analyst for FOX Sports, and host of the R.J. Young Rating Show #1 podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Youngand subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube. He’s not on StepMill.
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