USFL Week 1: What to expect in Philadelphia Stars vs. Memphis Showboats
The second season of the latest iteration of the USFL kicks off on Saturday.
We look at what has the potential to be a high-scoring affair, with the Memphis Showboats taking on the Philadelphia Stars at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.
Here’s a breakdown of this weekend’s opening season matchup.
Memphis Showboats: Can the defense slow down RB Matt Colburn II?
After playing 10 road games, with all USFL games taking place in Birmingham last season, Memphis Showboats head coach Todd Haley said his team will embrace their first home game when Memphis hosts the visiting Philadelphia Stars at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Saturday.
"I’m just really excited to be here," Haley said about playing in Memphis. "I’m excited to be part of this town. I’m really excited for Saturday. I like our players. We’ve got a great group of guys that are really into it, and really embracing being a Memphis Showboat and being a part of the city of Memphis."
A top priority for Haley’s Showboats after the opening kick will be how to contain Philadelphia running back Colburn.
The last time these two teams met, Colburn rolled up 140 rushing yards and three scores on the ground, as the Stars gained a season-high 198 rushing yards in a Week 6, 35-28 victory over Haley's squad, which was then the Tampa Bay Bandits.
Haley’s defense allowed 122 rushing yards per contest last season. While the Showboats must figure out how to slow down talented quarterback Case Cookus and Philadelphia’s passing attack, if Memphis can’t bring down Colburn at the line of scrimmage, the Showboats might see a lot of handoffs by Cookus.
Philadelphia Stars: Will Cookus pick up where he left off in 2022?
Speaking of Cookus, the Northern Arizona product appears fully recovered from a broken ankle suffered in the fourth quarter of Philadelphia’s USFL championship loss to the Birmingham Stallions.
Cookus finished 6-3 as a starter — including the postseason — after replacing injured starter Bryan Scott. He completed 62.5% of his passes for 1,334 yards, with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions during the regular season.
Starting this season as the guy, Cookus should have an intimate knowledge of the offensive scheme overseen by head coach Bart Andrus. And Cookus has a new playmaker at his disposal in former NFL first-round selection Corey Coleman.
Add in returning receiver Jordan Suell and tight end Bug Howard, and Cookus could be in line to post big numbers in the passing game this season.
Cookus and the Stars also did a nice job of taking care of the football in 2022, finishing with a league-best plus-8 turnover differential last season. On the other end, Haley’s Bandits finished with a league-worst, minus-10 turnover differential and led the USFL in penalties with 73 last year.
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 on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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?
