USFL Week 1: What to expect in New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions
The New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions met in Week 1 last season, with their matchup launching both teams to playoff berths — and the Stallions to a USFL championship.
Will their matchup on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) push these teams to the same level of success in 2023?
Here’s a breakdown of Saturday's season-opening matchup.
Will the eventual 2023 USFL champion emerge from this game?
Last season’s opener between these teams was one of the best games of the season. After losing starting quarterback Alex McGough eight offensive snaps into the season, J'Mar Smith led the Stallions to a second-half comeback win in dramatic fashion, 28-24, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
As the season progressed, it became clear that the Generals and Stallions were two of the league's best teams. Both made the playoffs. One team was responsible for the USFL's Offensive Player of the Year (Generals running back Darius Victor) and MVP (former Generals wide receiver KaVontae Turpin) and the other won the 2022 championship (Stallions).
If this year’s season-opener in Birmingham can come close to the kind of exciting one we watched last year, there’s reason to believe the Stallions and Generals might meet again — perhaps in the 2023 championship game.
How much better will McGough, Smith and New Jersey QB De'Andre Johnson be in Year 2?
Generals coach Mike Riley and Stallions coach Skip Holtz are fortunate to return quarterbacks who started games for them in the regular season and playoffs. Philadelphia Stars' Bart Andrus is the only other coach who can make such a claim.
However, both needed to use more than one starting quarterback throughout the regular season — as did Andrus — and depth at quarterback is essential. It’s so essential, in fact, that the USFL has created a new rule that allows for each team to carry an inactive quarterback on its roster in case of an emergency — such as losing two QBs in the same game to injuries.
Johnson will look to solidify his position as the starter in Riley’s offense after splitting time with Luis Perez most of last year, while Holtz will almost certainly try to give both of his quarterbacks the chance to win the job outright.
Johnson accounted for over 1,000 yards of offense through the air and on the ground, contributing six total TDs and throwing just two interceptions.
Smith finished third in the league in passing yards with 1,573, with 10 total TDs and six interceptions, while McGough totaled just over 500 yards of offense but accounted for six TDs and just three interceptions.
As quarterback play goes, so does a team’s fortune in the USFL. An ability to take care of the ball will be at a premium.
Which new star emerges?
Familiar names on both sides of the ball return, but the Stallions are loaded with former national title caliber and All-American players.
Former Arizona linebacker and All-American Scooby Wright, former Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough, former Texas A&M tight end and All-American Jace Sternberger and former LSU tight end and national champion Thad Moss will all suit up for the Stallions on Saturday night.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.
More on the USFL:
- USFL 2023: How to watch, team previews, best players
- The full week-by-week 2023 USFL schedule
- Five potential USFL MVP candidates to keep an eye on ahead of 2023 season
- Michigan Panthers preview: Rising defense under Mike Nolan
- Pittsburgh Maulers preview: Fresh faces and a fresh start?
- Birmingham Stallions preview: Champs look to run it back
- New Jersey Generals preview: Building on a 9-1 season
- Memphis Showboats preview: QB Brady White to steer the ship
- Houston Gamblers preview: A focus on team speed
- Philadelphia Stars preview: Championship or bust
- New Orleans Breakers preview: Back to the postseason?
