Eric Williams
NFL Reporter
Arlington Renegades quarterback Luis Perez tries to maintain the same energy every day.
“Anybody can do it one or two times,” Perez said. “You’re a good player if you go out there, from a quarterback’s standpoint, and throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns … but if you do that every single week, you become a great player. The difference between good and great is how consistently good you are.
“As long as you strive to keep that consistent preparation and keep that going as much as you can, that’s when you become great.”
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Perez, 30, has been one of the great ones at quarterback when it comes to spring football. He recently published an autobiography, “The Spring King,” about his meandering journey to becoming a high-level signal-caller in the UFL.
Perez leads the league in passing for the second consecutive season and has the Renegades at 2-0 heading into an important road contest against the defending champion Birmingham Stallions (1-1) on Friday (8 p.m ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
Elsewhere, the Memphis Showboats (0-2) host the Houston Roughnecks (0-2) on Saturday (2:30 p.m. ET), with both teams looking to earn their first victory of the season.
Then, the San Antonio Brahmas (0-2) face the Michigan Panthers (1-1) on Sunday (noon ET), followed by the St. Louis Battlehawks (2-0) hosting the D.C. Defenders (2-0) in a highly anticipated tilt between undefeated teams (3 p.m. ET).
Here’s a closer look at five things to watch for in Week 3:
Two early player of the year candidates will have to work their way back from injuries starting this week. The Stallions placed McGough on IR with a shoulder injury he suffered on their first offensive play in a win over Michigan last week.
Matt Corral takes over as the starter for the Stallions, while Case Cookus moves up to the No. 2 spot. Birmingham also recently signed Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley, who spent training camp last year with the New York Jets.
Meanwhile, the Panthers placed last year’s UFL Defensive Player of the Year, Speaks, on IR with an unspecified injury. The Panthers have allowed 16.5 points per game and totaled three sacks through the first two games. The Panthers used the open roster spot to sign offensive lineman Grant Miller.
Both McGough and Speaks must miss a minimum of five games before being activated from the injury list.
2. Early heavyweight tilt in St. Louis
The undefeated Battlehawks very much look like the team to beat in the XFL Conference this season, and they host the Defenders (2-0) in an early-season battle between two of the best teams in the league.
St. Louis boasts both the top-ranked offense and defense in the league through two games, while the Defenders are led by the emerging QB-WR tandem of Jordan Ta’amu (363 passing yards, two touchdowns) and receiver/returner Chris Rowland (209 all-purpose yards).
“It’s nice to be 2-0, but that doesn’t affect us this week,” Defenders defensive back Sam Kidd said. “It’s move on, make some corrections and get on to St. Louis.”
3. Defenders defensive coordinator Gregg Williams leaves
Speaking of the Defenders, it appears they’ve lost another key cog on the coaching staff, with Williams reportedly leaving to join former head coach Reggie Barlow at Tennessee State, which I previously predicted ahead of Week 1.
Williams was expected to join Barlow at the conclusion of the UFL season, but the time came sooner than later. Williams’ replacement will be a familiar face; his son Blake Williams, a defensive line coach for the Defenders, will step in to serve as defensive coordinator this weekend against the Battlehawks.
The Defenders are holding opposing offenses to 10.5 points per game and lead the league with eight sacks heading into Week 3.
4. Brahmas offensive coordinator A.J. Smith steps down
San Antonio is also undergoing some coaching changes and will have someone different leading the offense this week. “A.J. Smith came in and said he wanted to move on for personal reasons,” Brahmas head coach Wade Phillips confirmed this week. “We had to make some quick changes and get ready for practice. It basically was his decision.”
Receivers coach Payton Pardee will take over as offensive coordinator and serve as the team’s playcaller on game days. The Brahmas are averaging just nine points a contest thus far after averaging 19.2 points per game last season.
5. WR Marcus Simms traded to Roughnecks
Michigan traded Simms, an All-UFL performer last season who spent time in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, to Houston for right tackle Cam Carter.
Simms finished with 23 receptions for 426 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season. He had seven catches for 65 receiving yards and a touchdown through two games. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, former Murray State standout Carter started both games at right tackle for Houston this season.
In other roster news, San Antonio waived former NFL cornerback Greedy Williams.
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 at @eric_d_williams.
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