Stallions, USFL open training camps for second season
The Birmingham Stallions and the seven other USFL teams open their training camps on Monday in preparation for the league’s second season.
The Stallions bring back 35 players from the squad that won the USFL championship last summer, including quarterback J’Mar Smith, receiving-yardage leader Marlon Williams, the one-two running-back punch of C.J. Marable and Bo Scarbrough and All-USFL kicker Brandon Aubrey. Among the missing from the title team are three All-USFL selections – wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr., linebacker DeMarquis Gates and guard Cameron Hunt.
Unlike last season, the Stallions are sharing their city with only one team instead of seven. After staging its entire regular season in Birmingham in 2022, the USFL has moved to a four-hub setup for 2023.
The Memphis Showboats, who were the Tampa Bay Bandits last season, are joined by the Houston Gamblers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals are based at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars are playing at Ford Field in Detroit.
The Stallions’ partner team at Protective Stadium is the New Orleans Breakers, and based on their rosters, they might be more of a home team than Birmingham. The Breakers have 12 players from Alabama high schools and colleges on their 58-man training-camp roster, the most in the league.
Birmingham and New Orleans will play six games apiece at Protective Stadium as well as four road games each during the 2023 regular season.
The Stallions kick off their campaign against the New Jersey Generals at home at 6:30 p.m. CDT April 15. FOX will televise the game.
The next day, the Breakers will play at Protective Stadium when the Pittsburgh Maulers visit at 5:30 p.m. FS1 will televise the game.
Among the players with Alabama football roots on the USFL training-camp rosters is league newcomer Reuben Foster. The linebacker is attempting a comeback from a knee injury that derailed his NFL career.
Teams must reduce their rosters to 54 players by April 2 and to the regular-season limit of 50 players by April 10.
The alumni of Alabama high schools and colleges on USFL rosters include:
Birmingham Stallions
· Safety T.J. Green (Sylacauga)
· Wide receiver Myron Mitchell (Jasper, UAB)
· Wide receiver Peyton Ramzy (Bessemer Academy, Tuskegee)
· Running back Bo Scarbrough (Northridge, Alabama)
· Wide receiver Austin Watkins (UAB)
· Wide receiver Marlon Williams (McGill-Toolen)
Houston Gamblers
· Tight end Brandon Barnes (Russell County, Alabama State)
· Defensive end Tim Bonner (Demopolis)
· Safety Bydarrius Knighten (Auburn)
· Long snapper Cole Mazza (Alabama)
· Defensive tackle Cory Thomas (McAdory)
· Kicker Nick Vogel (UAB)
Memphis Showboats
· Defensive end Big Kat Bryant (Auburn)
· Wide receiver John Franklin III (Auburn)
· Tight end Jay Jay Wilson (Auburn)
Michigan Panthers
· Offensive tackle Brodarious Hamm (Auburn)
· Defensive tackle Garrett Marino (UAB)
New Jersey Generals
· Offensive tackle Calvin Ashley (Auburn)
· Tight end Braedon Bowman (South Alabama)
· Linebacker Jalen Choice (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Jacksonville State)
· Cornerback Blake Countess (Auburn)
· Running back Kingston Davis (Prattville, UAB/Miles)
· Cornerback Trae Elston (Oxford)
· Wide receiver Randy Satterfield (Jemison, West Alabama)
· Tight end Wes Saxton (Hueytown, South Alabama)
· Defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell (Auburn)
· Cornerback Christian Tutt (Auburn)
New Orleans Breakers
· Tight end Justin Alexander-Johnson (Hoover)
· Wide receiver Dee Anderson (Alabama A&M)
· Defensive tackle Connor Christian (Jacksonville State)
· Quarterback Aqeel Glass (Alabama State)
· Defensive end Ahmad Gooden (Talladega, Samford)
· Running back Ezra Gray (Alabama State)
· Guard Kirk Kelley (Troy)
· Wide receiver Marquis McClain (Auburn)
· Linebacker Zakoby McClain (Auburn)
· Guard Steven Rowzee (Troy)
· Linebacker Shaheed Salmon (Samford)
· Wide receiver Eli Stove (Auburn)
Philadelphia Stars
· Offensive tackle Colby Ragland (UAB)
Pittsburgh Maulers
· Long snapper Luke Barnes (Alabama State)
· Center Xavier Dampeer (Auburn)
· Linebacker Reuben Foster (Auburn High, Alabama)
· Defensive back Sedevyn Gray (West Alabama)
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1