BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS’ SKIP HOLTZ NAMED 2023 USFL COACH OF THE YEAR
Pittsburgh Maulers Defensive Coordinator Jarren Horton awarded League’s first-ever Assistant Coach of the Year
Both leaders coaching teams in USFL playoffs this weekend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. & CANTON, Ohio, June 22, 2023 – Leading the Birmingham Stallions to a playoff berth with the best record this season, Head Coach Skip Holtz has been named the 2023 USFL Coach of the Year.
After coaching at the collegiate level since 1987, Holtz jumped to the professional ranks for the first-time last year. Directing the Stallions to a 9-1 record, he captured the 2022 USFL Championship. In 2023, he picked up where he left off, guiding Birmingham to a league-best 8-2 record. An offensive expert and master motivator, Holtz’s team averaged 28.7 points per game this season, leading the USFL in scoring by a large margin. Under Holtz’s tutelage, Birmingham quarterback Alex McGough set a modern USFL record with 25 touchdowns, was named All-USFL, and is a top contender for MVP. The Stallions go into Sunday’s South Division Championship (7:00 PM ET on FOX) against the New Orleans Breakers on a 5-game winning streak, earning the right to host a USFL playoff game in Birmingham for the first time in 38 years.
The League also awarded the 2023 USFL Assistant Coach of the Year to Pittsburgh Maulers Defensive Coordinator Jarren Horton. Coaching since 2015, Horton is in his second season leading one of the most feared defenses in the USFL. With three Maulers named to the 11-player All-USFL Defense, Horton’s unit this season was first in yards allowed per game (257.4) and takeaways (20), and second in points allowed per game (17.2). Defense helped Pittsburgh secure the first-ever playoff berth in franchise history. The Maulers face the Michigan Panthers in Saturday’s North Division Championship (8:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock) in Canton.
This season marks the first time the USFL has honored an Assistant Coach.
NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP: BREAKING DOWN PANTHERS-MAULERS
What a difference a year makes.
Pittsburgh Maulers head coach Ray Horton took over a team that finished 1-9 last season and started out this year 1-3. But the patient Horton managed to steady the ship, leading Pittsburgh to a 3-3 record the rest of the way for a 4-6 overall and an unlikely playoff berth in his first year leading the team.
"We’ve always believed in ourselves," Pittsburgh quarterback Troy Williams said. "From Day 1 of camp, we knew we had a good group of guys. And the coaches have been doing a great job of putting us in good positions and believing in us throughout the trials and tribulations within a season."
With perhaps the best defense in the league, Horton’s Maulers face another unlikely team in the 4-6 Michigan Panthers for the USFL North Championship on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.
Just picked up by the Panthers on May 30, new quarterback E.J. Perry led Michigan to a surprising, come-from-behind win over Case Cookus and the Philadelphia Stars in the last game of the regular season. The Stars played in the USFL championship last year.
Just like Horton, Michigan’s Mike Nolan made the postseason in his first season as head coach. The Panthers finished a disappointing 2-8 last season.
Season series
The Maulers swept the season series against the Panthers. Pittsburgh took a Week 5 contest against Michigan, 23-7, and then beat the Panthers again four weeks later in Canton, 19-7.
The Maulers won their last two games to reach the postseason, while the Panthers lost six of their last eight games after starting the season 2-0.
Key matchup: QB E.J. Perry vs. Pittsburgh defensive line
Nolan made the switch from Josh Love to Perry in the final week of the regular season, and it paid dividends. Perry played his college ball at Brown and posted a 4.65-second, 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine last year.
So, the Panthers wisely put together an offense based on Perry’s ability to run the football. Perry ran 10 times for 48 yards, including a 6-yard run for a score. He also completed 12 of 23 passes for 121 yards.
The Maulers will be a tough task for Perry and Michigan’s new-look offense. Pittsburgh led the league in takeaways with 20 and allowed a league-low 174.1 passing yards per contest. Pittsburgh’s 24 sacks were tied for second in the USFL during the regular season.
The Panthers are tasked with finding a way to slow down nose tackle Boogie Roberts (3.5 sacks) and the rest of Pittsburgh’s stout defensive line. The Maulers also allowed just 83 rushing yards a contest, No. 2 in the USFL.
Key stats
Pittsburgh’s Isiah Hennie leads the league in punt return yards with 297. Maulers linebacker Kyahva Tezino finished as the league’s leading tackler with 94 combined tackles. Pittsburgh cornerback Marcus Gilbert led the league with four interceptions.
Michigan defensive end Breeland Speaks led the USFL with nine sacks this season. Panthers linebacker Frank Ginda finished second in the league in tackles with 93. Running back Reggie Corbin was No. 5 in the league in rushing with 412 yards and two touchdowns.
What a difference a year makes.
Pittsburgh Maulers head coach Ray Horton took over a team that finished 1-9 last season and started out this year 1-3. But the patient Horton managed to steady the ship, leading Pittsburgh to a 3-3 record the rest of the way for a 4-6 overall and an unlikely playoff berth in his first year leading the team.
"We’ve always believed in ourselves," Pittsburgh quarterback Troy Williams said. "From Day 1 of camp, we knew we had a good group of guys. And the coaches have been doing a great job of putting us in good positions and believing in us throughout the trials and tribulations within a season."
With perhaps the best defense in the league, Horton’s Maulers face another unlikely team in the 4-6 Michigan Panthers for the USFL North Championship on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.
Just picked up by the Panthers on May 30, new quarterback E.J. Perry led Michigan to a surprising, come-from-behind win over Case Cookus and the Philadelphia Stars in the last game of the regular season. The Stars played in the USFL championship last year.
Just like Horton, Michigan’s Mike Nolan made the postseason in his first season as head coach. The Panthers finished a disappointing 2-8 last season.
Season series
The Maulers swept the season series against the Panthers. Pittsburgh took a Week 5 contest against Michigan, 23-7, and then beat the Panthers again four weeks later in Canton, 19-7.
The Maulers won their last two games to reach the postseason, while the Panthers lost six of their last eight games after starting the season 2-0.
Key matchup: QB E.J. Perry vs. Pittsburgh defensive line
Nolan made the switch from Josh Love to Perry in the final week of the regular season, and it paid dividends. Perry played his college ball at Brown and posted a 4.65-second, 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine last year.
So, the Panthers wisely put together an offense based on Perry’s ability to run the football. Perry ran 10 times for 48 yards, including a 6-yard run for a score. He also completed 12 of 23 passes for 121 yards.
The Maulers will be a tough task for Perry and Michigan’s new-look offense. Pittsburgh led the league in takeaways with 20 and allowed a league-low 174.1 passing yards per contest. Pittsburgh’s 24 sacks were tied for second in the USFL during the regular season.
The Panthers are tasked with finding a way to slow down nose tackle Boogie Roberts (3.5 sacks) and the rest of Pittsburgh’s stout defensive line. The Maulers also allowed just 83 rushing yards a contest, No. 2 in the USFL.
Key stats
Pittsburgh’s Isiah Hennie leads the league in punt return yards with 297. Maulers linebacker Kyahva Tezino finished as the league’s leading tackler with 94 combined tackles. Pittsburgh cornerback Marcus Gilbert led the league with four interceptions.
Michigan defensive end Breeland Speaks led the USFL with nine sacks this season. Panthers linebacker Frank Ginda finished second in the league in tackles with 93. Running back Reggie Corbin was No. 5 in the league in rushing with 412 yards and two touchdowns.
SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP: BREAKING DOWN BREAKERS-STALLIONS
New Orleans Breakers head coach John DeFilippo understands there won’t be any surprises he can sneak past Skip Holtz when his team faces the defending champion Birmingham Stallions in the USFL South Championship on Sunday.
The two teams see each other every day in the Birmingham hub and have played each other twice already this season.
Safe to say, Sunday’s matchup will be more about players making plays, and less about scheme.
"They’re well coached," DeFilippo said. "They have an explosive quarterback. They’re good on defense. It’s going to be a formidable opponent for us. We kind of know each other personally because we share a hotel with them. It’s going to be a great game. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. It’s going to be a great game for our league."
Season series
The teams split the two games played against each other this season. New Orleans won the Week 3 matchup 45-31, while the Stallions took the second game in Week 7, 24-20.
Birmingham finished the season on a five-game winning streak, while the Breakers won three straight to complete the regular season.
Key matchup: Alex McGough vs. New Orleans secondary
McGough is the front-runner for the league’s MVP award this season. The Florida native is playing with confidence, completing a league-high 67.4% of his passes for 2,104 yards, with 20 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions.
McGough also has rushed for 403 yards and five scores. He faces a New Orleans secondary that has not given up a passing touchdown in the last nine quarters.
The Breakers led the league with 28 sacks, which helps the defense’s coverage in the back end. New Orleans is tied for second in the USFL in interceptions with 12.
Key stats
The Breakers finished with the USFL’s leading passer in McLeod Bethel-Thompson (2,433 passing yards) and the league’s leading rusher in Wes Hills (679 rushing yards). New Orleans tight end Sage Surratt is third in the league with 552 receiving yards.
The Stallions led the USFL in third down percentage (51%) and total yards per contest (332.6 per contest). But only the New Jersey Generals (10) had more fumbles than the Stallions (nine) during the regular season.
New Orleans Breakers head coach John DeFilippo understands there won’t be any surprises he can sneak past Skip Holtz when his team faces the defending champion Birmingham Stallions in the USFL South Championship on Sunday.
The two teams see each other every day in the Birmingham hub and have played each other twice already this season.
Safe to say, Sunday’s matchup will be more about players making plays, and less about scheme.
"They’re well coached," DeFilippo said. "They have an explosive quarterback. They’re good on defense. It’s going to be a formidable opponent for us. We kind of know each other personally because we share a hotel with them. It’s going to be a great game. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. It’s going to be a great game for our league."
Season series
The teams split the two games played against each other this season. New Orleans won the Week 3 matchup 45-31, while the Stallions took the second game in Week 7, 24-20.
Birmingham finished the season on a five-game winning streak, while the Breakers won three straight to complete the regular season.
Key matchup: Alex McGough vs. New Orleans secondary
McGough is the front-runner for the league’s MVP award this season. The Florida native is playing with confidence, completing a league-high 67.4% of his passes for 2,104 yards, with 20 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions.
McGough also has rushed for 403 yards and five scores. He faces a New Orleans secondary that has not given up a passing touchdown in the last nine quarters.
The Breakers led the league with 28 sacks, which helps the defense’s coverage in the back end. New Orleans is tied for second in the USFL in interceptions with 12.
Key stats
The Breakers finished with the USFL’s leading passer in McLeod Bethel-Thompson (2,433 passing yards) and the league’s leading rusher in Wes Hills (679 rushing yards). New Orleans tight end Sage Surratt is third in the league with 552 receiving yards.
The Stallions led the USFL in third down percentage (51%) and total yards per contest (332.6 per contest). But only the New Jersey Generals (10) had more fumbles than the Stallions (nine) during the regular season.
Playball
Saturday
Pittsburgh 31 Michigan 27
Pittsburgh 31 Michigan 27
| Sunday, Jun 25, 2023 - USFL Football Game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 07:00 PM | New Orleans Breakers | +3.5 | -110 | +150 | Ov | 45 | -110 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Birmingham Stallions | -3.5 | -110 | -170 | Un | 45 | -110 |
Good luck
Stallions 3-0
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Stallions lead 9-7
Missed xtra point
Missed xtra point
Stallions up big
40-7
40-7
Championship Game is set....Kinda reminds me of the XFL where one team who did well all year (DC) wins their Division Championship handidly and then is a big fave in the championship vs a team who plays solid defense and goes on a late season run to make it (Arlington)
